In the 4th grade I was chosen to participate in a program called Academically Talented Children. Although cognitively able to meet those high expectations, I did not have the executive function necessary to be successful in such an advanced program. I had no motivation to do school. I wanted to socialize and challenge rules. I … Read more
My spouse repeated the question for a fifth time, staring at me like I’d grown an extra head. I still didn’t understand. I wanted to listen but I couldn’t make the sounds have meaning, no matter how hard I tried. At 33, I felt broken. I couldn’t concentrate, my mind constantly whirred, and I had … Read more
Hello. My name is Clare, I wasn’t diagnosed until I was 47, but the tsunami of difficulties that ADHD gifted me started at an early age. I just couldn’t focus. Or concentrate. People talked too slowly, things never happened quick enough. SO I made my own entertainment and often was sent out of class for … Read more
For me ADHD is a superpower. With the right medication it’s super helpful. It takes away some privileges but did you know I love having an ADHD diagnosis even though it takes those privileges away? It makes me learn so fast that I am in the gifted class on Thursday’s. It also makes me moody … Read more
For so long, I bought into the labels given me – “space-cadet,” “blonde,” “day dreamer,” “inattentive,” and “careless.” I heard the words of my father in my head, “Sherri, remember to engage your brain BEFORE…” If only it were that easy. I continually lost and misplaced things, forgot important dates, and left projects half finished … Read more
When I was younger I had trouble focusing in class. Even if I was interested I just couldn’t pay attention. Everything was too long, and had too much or not enough detail. It became more of a problem in Uni where you had to sit like an adult and not play on your phone. After … Read more
Before I was diagnosed, I was on this slow ship in the middle of nowhere. I was constantly confused and I felt like a failure because I couldn’t understand nor live up to the neurotypical expectations placed on me. It all came to a head at university where I just broke down, I couldn’t cope … Read more
I am an adult woman who was diagnosed with ADHD when I was 25. My entire life, I felt like I wasn’t doing enough. But when I tried harder in one area in my life, another area would suffer. Finally, my partner (who also has ADHD) suggested I get tested. I was initially reluctant – … Read more
When I first got diagnosed with ADHD, I actually thought I was useless to society. Once starting in my current profession, I learned that my ADHD is a useful tool. We do a sort of processing at my job, and the work is very repetitive. Where my ADHD causes me to hyperfocus on tasks that … Read more
I’ve talked to many people who were hesitant about exploring an ADHD diagnosis. They didn’t want the label that comes with it but what they didn’t understand is that when you avoid one label, worse ones take their place. Growing up with undiagnosed ADHD I was labelled as being ‘lazy’, ‘unmotivated’, ‘abnormal’, to name a … Read more
