My Story

[Salah_09]

Hey Everyone,

I'm 26 years old and from Australia. Last year or two I had started looking more into potential ADHD symptoms and started resonating a lot with them. Such as continually losing/misplacing things, getting distracted very easily, very bad at managing emotions, trouble concentrating especially at tasks I'm not overly passionate about, zoning out at conversations, getting addicted easily to food, internet etc. And not to mention finding it so hard to relax and just stay still.

I decided to visit a psychologist and he strongly suspected I have ADHD and has been using schema therapy to treat me. He referred me to a psychiatrist who I visited for one session. I still have an appointment for the second session but so far my psychiatrist strongly believes that I do show strong signs of ADHD.

I feel ADHD has definitely impacted my life. I have made some bad decisions throughout my life including choosing wrong careers which I'm not passionate about, getting into the wrong relationships etc. Also easily turning to addiction during stressful times when I'm unable to regulate my emotions. I just feel I can't quite live the life I want to live. Something just doesn't feel right as if I'm not quite unlocking my potential. I feel I have this desire but my brain genuinely makes it difficult.

But I feel taking medication is a decision I've made. I want to give it a shot along with therapy. I also find that having a dedicated routine to follow is massively helpful such as meditation in the morning, sleeping early, reducing screen-time, exercise etc.

I'm happy to be in this journey and will definitely share my reflections with you all. Also motivated to connect with everyone and benefit from the experiences of others.

[Gettingittogether]

Congrats for joining "the club." Seriously, congratulations on getting diagnosed. Yes, the condition can be quite devastating and frustrating and demoralizing. You're going in the right direction with meds and therapy ... and later, you can look into coaching.

Welcome and good luck.

[NYCmom2]

welcome! You’ve got a great outlook! You’ll hopefully feel more supported and able to unlock your potential even more now that you’re diagnosed!

Don’t worry if you make mistakes in life, that’s part of being human.

[chlote]

Hi there!!

I just want to give you credit for coming onto this platform and opening up about your journey and investing in your ADHD wellbeing! I can imagine how being diagnosed in your 20's would be a big adjustment. I was diagnosed at 4 years old (and I am now about to turn 30) but you're already off to a great start at setting yourself up for success!

A routine and therapy are two big factors in managing ADHD. I was in therapy for years and it truly does help. Finding the right medication can be tough but it isn't impossible! I can relate SOOO MUCH on choosing the wrong career path and getting into the wrong relationships and making decisions you aren't necessarily proud of. The silver lining is that you are still young and these are all lessons to be learned from! You completed the first toughest step which is to reflect and realize that those decisions weren't the best for you. You got out of relationships that didn't serve your wellbeing and now you have nowhere to go but up!

Seriously, you're doing great, and you picked a great community to be a part of!