My ADHD Life in a Nutshell

[LadyMendez]

Hello,

I am 59 years old and was diagnosed with ADHD, inattentive type, in 2020 after years and years of frustration, self-doubt, and tanking self-confidence. I also have several other mental health and educational diagnoses: co-dependency, major episodic depression, reading disorder, short-term memory loss, and learning disability. These are in addition to congenital hearing loss and, now, tinnitus. I am socially awkward, self-isolating, and an introvert. I am also an artist, a special education teacher (currently on an extended preliminary credential), a mom and grandmother, and have earned my BA and hold a multiple subject teaching credential. It took me 18 years to get my BA (with a nine year "break" until I could find a way to go back, so nine years actively studying). Now I am on my third try to get my special education credential (where my passion is) and recently applied for a second extension. The ADHD tax here is astronomical!

I am the youngest of a very dysfunctional nuclear family and survived domestic abuse from a previous marriage and now live on my own. I endured bullying throughout my primary and secondary school years and am the only one in my immediate family to go on to college and earn a degree. After my oldest brother (the only family member I felt close to) passed away 22 years ago, I became the one my mother, other brother, and my two children (even into adulthood) depended on. Now that I am finally living on my own without other family members requesting my services (transportation and money, mostly) that I had difficulty refusing before (thanks to co-dependency), I can finally see clearly how ADHD impacted my life from a very early age.

In terms of my ADHD, I have spent the last four years researching what it is, what I can do for myself, and learning what having it is like for others. The therapist I had for co-dependency was not knowledgeable about ADHD. Thus, I started my quest for a therapist that did. I have been with my current therapist a few months now and am beginning to make some progress. I am on three medications but recently realized that the dosage I was taking for Adderall was minimal and no longer effective, so the dosage was increased.

I am glad to find this community of folk sharing this still often misunderstood and disbelieved hidden disability. I am hoping to also find other teachers that have ADHD and learn how you manage lesson planning and working with other teachers. I am trying not to feel scared about my future. I don't know if I am going to get the second preliminary credential extension. I absolutely love my job, have three wonderful aides to work with, and have developed a rapport with my students and many of their parents. The school staff are more supportive than I had experienced in other schools I have been employed. I have a medical team to help me with navigating my ADHD and have begun to prioritize my teacher duties. My hope is that the need for special education teachers due to state shortage will work in my favor and that my passion for teaching children on the spectrum will evident in my letter, as part of my application by appeal, to the Commission on Teacher Credentialing.

Thank you for taking the time to read my long-winded intro 😊

[Mamamichl]

we have a lot in common, traumatic, nuclear family. I’m also working in special education here too. I have. Ba in elementary and a masters in adult ed. Oregon refused my certification because of my adhd, ptsd and other social quirks. I moved to Michigan and have had my elementary certification since last month (only needing my state test). I’m doing an alternative program for the special ed endorsement. I find sped works better for me because I can focus on 8 or less kids rather than 25+. Hardest part is managing time since anywhere you go, you have to push for support and not having too big of a caseload. Feel free to pm me and we can talk more!

[Eizee]

I am 63, was also only diagnosed a few years ago. It wasn’t a surprise, I’ve been very familiar with it for over 30 years as my son was diagnosed and treated as early as 2nd grade. My husband and daughter definitely do have ADHD as well, but untested. I just never took it seriously enough. Only now am I seeing the huge effect it’s had on my functioning, or dysfunction, in so many areas.

I’ve struggled my entire life, always knowing I was smart but feeling stupid at the same time and wondering why I couldn’t do or accomplish what others did. I lost interest in school after years of “if only she would apply herself” and didn’t even attempt college even though I desperately wanted to earn a degree. I couldn’t sustain attention long enough to write a long paper let alone spend months on a final project. And the focus needed was beyond me.

I also learned it’s often the cause for those who have a hard time with managing finances, budgeting, saving, and spontaneous spending. Tracking daily is especially overwhelming for me. I take care of everything as my husband and son are severely lacking executive functioning skills. Our son is also on the spectrum with other deficits and while he’s very smart and has always worked as a vet tech primarily, he is not in a decent paying field but the environment and the people are kind and respect his knowledge. So it’s all on my shoulders to handle all: bills, medical, house, cars…I’m completely overwhelmed and failing.

I was given a trial of Adderal by an MS neurologist I’ve been seeing for other neurological deficits and I can’t believe how productive I am when I take it. But it feels like a bandaid and I love hearing others’ stories here and knowing I’m not alone and there are reasons for some of my failures and struggles.

Thanks for sharing and listening.

[Luv4CF]

How did you find a psychiatrist and a therapist as an adult with ADHD?