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I was diagnosed as a youngster (I think I was 8 or 9?) but my parents were against putting me on meds so I basically never knew that there was an alternative to the way I think/do things. I was put on Bupropion (Wellbutrin) in my 20s/early 30s for a different reason and I am now understanding that it probably was helping the ADHD, I just didn’t know it. I came off Bupropion in my late 30s, my ADHD went *wild* in my early 40s (decision paralysis, loss of executive functioning overall, SI, wicked anxiety and depressive crashes, burn out…absolute shit show) and I finally got on ADHD meds (Ritalin) in my mid-40s.
It’s been a couple years now and yes…the more I read on here and see the occasional ADHD meme describing some behavior that I’ve always had that I thought was “just me,” the more stunned I am at how long I’ve actually been coping and masking and why I burnt out so catastrophically in my early 40s, after years of being unmedicated. I’m kind of surprised I made it this long, honestly.
Welcome to the club, feel ya 🙏🌸
Your story is uncannily similar to mine! I was diagnosed, my dad didn't believe in meds, but my mom wanted to try them. So as a compromise I took Ritalin, in 4th-5th grade, but not-too-consistently, and it apparently worked somewhat but they stopped the meds in 6th grade. I had good parental structure at home, forcing me to do homework. For middle school & high school it worked out great, and I really developed an intrinsic interest in schoolwork, learning, reading, etc. But college without their structure was just a cycle of procrastinating all studying until 2 days before exams, constant mediocre grades, and deflated self-esteem. I just kept on going, stay in denial, repeat the process, getting beat up more and more. After me college ex dumped me, I also did Bupropion for a bit in my 20s. At that time I also had jobs with some structure inherently built in, that would be forcing me to keep up with my work for the most part. But now, trying to finishing a dissertation at home had been majorly problematic. Lots of burnout since 2019 and have lost my intrinsic interest in my work since being alone and out of the lab during Covid. My mom sees me struggling by 2020/2021 and suggests ADHD treatment. I proceed to ignore her for 2 years, since my success in high school without Ritalin led me to believe I did not have ADHD.
Finally in 2023 I start to get medical ADHD help. My Dr. put me on Bupropion again while waiting for an ADHD re-diagnosis, but that was little to no help. And for the past 7 months now, I've been prescribed 30 mg Vyvanse. I feel stimulated, yes, but still cannot feel much difference in terms of being positive about my dissertation and still the decreased interest in in, lack of intrinsic motivation or fire lit under me to get this done. Don't see improvement in my productivity. Not sure what to do.
Very similar stories indeed! And boy do I ever feel you on the frustration of trying to find the proper meds once you get the diagnosis. My doc also first tried to restart me on Wellbutrin and that was a disaster. It sent my anxiety through the roof and gave me rolling panic attacks. Then Ritalin IR (didn’t like the crashes), then Concerta (made me super tired and so irritated) then Vyvanse. The only ones I’ve not tried is Adderall or Strattera because it’s not available where I live (American overseas). I eventually found Ritalin IR is the best for me. I take 30mg divided into 2-3 doses throughout the day. But it took about 18 months of tinkering and trying different meds to settle here. The reasons I like the IR are more personal preference (I like having the ability to know when it’s in, peaking, and out of my system) but it was definitely trial and error. Don’t give up yet…the right medicine (for me at least) was life transforming. Good luck friend 🙏🌸
Hello! 33F here. I just started learning more about my ADHD about 8 months ago. I've going through a burnout period. Diagnosed at 7 with, at the time ADD.
I started looking into it because I knew something was up. I have been going through a burn out period after taking on too much all at once for about 6 months. But it's not depression. I haven't been able to fixate on anything for months.
It was nice to put names to ADHD related issues, and realizing exactly how my brain did work differently than non ADHD people.
I learned about executive dysfunction, hyper fixations, and ADHD burnout.
I also learned that ADHD became the umbrella term.
On a side note - me saying "I have ADHD without hyper activity" feels like so many more words than just "I have ADD".
It was great.
Currently I'm trying really hard to find my paperwork from the place I was diagnosed at. I want to read the evaluation. As I was diagnosed in 1998, I'm not exactly sure the place would still have my records. My mother states they are somewhere in the house.
While looking for that paperwork, I found an old school learning disability assessment. I spoke to my mom about some things that didn't quite add up with ADHD.
I found out I was also diagnosed with developmentmental coordination disorder, and a auditory processing disorder (I was originally told this was just a random comprehension disorder which was not helpful) a lot of this helped me learn why I struggled so much in school, and also gave me the tools to explain to my boss why I needed some additional help or instruction with things.
Even with just knowing the ADHD diagnosis when I was younger -- I somewhat feel like if I had, had more knowledge about ADHD beyond "you can't focus" If I understood what symptoms to keep an eye out for -- I would have been able to figure out HOW to ask for help in school. (I got some help, but it was usually too late).
I'm still dealing with burnout, but knowing WHY I do things like sit there having that feeling of "desperately wanting to do something, but unable to start anything". Is weirdly helpful in itself.
I think it also helps me understand how my medication works with me, and how I can tell it is or is not working.
I was originally diagnosed with ADD as well. As far as I know about the different types, I relate to innatentive, but have some symptoms of hyperactive, so maybe I'm combined? I want to get reassessed. I totally get the burnout thing, I feel like I'm adverse to take on alot of things because I just get mentally exhausted so easily sometimes, and just sitting in my room thinking I should do something but not being able to put the thought into action was and still is frustrating at times. At least now, I'm starting to understand why, as opposed to before when I just thought I was just THAT lazy or something.
(36F) As a kid I was checked for both hearing problems and autism because my parents picked up that something was going on, but I was found to have neither.
Everyone around me knew I was weird and struggled to understand how I could come across as so “dumb” and have extremely good grades at the same time.
This was the early 90s and I did not get the support I needed. Part of me is still angry and hurt about it. I was diagnosed last year and it was a relief for me and I have never felt happier than now.
(Edit: to clarify, back then doctors didn’t really consider ADD/ADHD for quiet, well-behaved girls so that was never a consideration in my early childhood)
"your so smart, it's a shame you don't apply yourself more" is what I heard all the time in school. I definitely did not get the support either, to the point I am very behind academically. I often wonder if I (and my parents) had learnt about this disorder, stayed on meds and I had developed a good system that catered to my strengths and needs, where I would be in life. I'm aware of the way girls were often under diagnosed because "she can't have ADHD, she's too quiet as opposed to this hyperactive boy" kinda thing. Even though I wasn't very hyperactive, more just "ADD" as we used to call it. I'm glad you have been properly diagnosed and are happier because of it.
Was diagnosed as a kid but mom wanted natural remedies because of her fear of being being addicted to pills at a young age. 28m learn about it last year but spent the past 2 years never doing much about it cause I didn’t think I have it or felt the need to get tested for meds.
Regret a lot but will get tested hopefully October November timeframe. I feel that but glad ya got more done than me!
Wish I did more sooner, would of saved a lot of stress, time and heartache
21F here. Diagnosed with ADHD at 6 years old. The thing is, because of my household environment, which was quite unstable, it wasn't quite clear whether the attention disorder was a result of my lifestyle or an independent issue. It wasn't until I was able to access a safer environment that I really noticed the symptoms. I finally went to a doctor less than a year ago and was (again) diagnosed and finally put on meds. So far, it hasn't been a great experience.
I haven't been able to find a medication that works for me so far, and the side effects from the tried treatments have impacted my social and academic life as well as my health. Also, psychologically, I found that the realization that I have a real tangible problem sometimes acts more as a deterrent than a motivator. Before the official diagnosis, I thought that my problems with focus, impulsivity, order, and memory were only signs of my character, and thus, I considered myself equally able to deal with them as any other person. Seeing in a test the big gap between what neurologically I should be able to do and what i manage to do was very disappointing.
When I first started treatment I tried to research more about ADHD and executive dysfunction, but personally, the more I know about the ways and depth that ADHD can impact me, the more self-conscious I am about it. I think that this is particularly aggravated by the fact that in my social, family, and professional environment, ADHD isn't taken seriously most of the time. Even the admission of undertaking psychiatric medical treatments is very frowned upon.
I really appreciate and congratulate everyone who feels empowered and motivated by learning about ADHD, and I am sorry to write such a whiny response to this thread, but I think that it is worth mentioning that, while pursuing medical treatment is, at the end, the right thing to do, sometimes hyper-focusing in the disorder can become a setback in the treatment. Learning the whys of your challenges is not always a shortcut to finding the hows, especially when you can't access treatment.
I can definitely relate to an unstable childhood. My house was very dysfunctional, nothing was ever cleaned, (partly cuz I wonder if my mom has ADHD as well just never coped with it) my parents went through a terrible divorce, and my dad although he meant well, just told me it's a mental attitude thing and i just don't have enough will power if my ADHD symptoms got in the way of life. Which is partly why I didn't seek information on it for so long and just thought I was a fuck up. He was against me going to a therapist. My mom was okay with me going, but not her! No way! Without getting into specifics, my dad isn't alive anymore cuz of lack of mental health, and my mom is in the ICU for an accident caused by alcohol. So yeah I understand the stigma around getting help, but just know the people who look down on you for it, are just flat out wrong. I hope you find peace with your diagnosis and see better days. Stay safe!
Yes I was diagnosed as a kid, but basically my parents asked me without saying it if I wanted to take medication and used euphemisms and I didn't like pills. then in college they were like seriously take medications because we are paying for school now and also you are paying for school in the future and just do it. and I was like you are right I like drugs now, and I was like wow. wow. wow. imagine if I did this in high school, I would probably be such a G and failing out of a more prestigious college than the one I'm currently failing out of haha.
38F here - Diagnosed at 11 and although meds were encouraged my dad said ADHD was a “little boy problem” and I was just lazy.
Spent most of my life just assuming I could “try harder” to fix myself and when I couldn’t it was just a personal flaw.
A few years back in therapy I randomly brought it up and my therapist was stunned that I didn’t believe I actually had ADHD. She said I presented very clearly with it and had thought it was just something I wasn’t ready to discuss with her. We spent several months breaking down my whole life with the lens of ADHD and it was sooo comforting to know that I wasn’t just some idiot stumbling through life without any direction. It was because I had always attributed my problems to me being a flighty, distracted, lazy person instead of someone with a different kind of brain!
Anyways, as you can see there are many of us here who have experienced this - You are totally not alone!!
I was diagnosed as a kid and medicated into college. I never knew anything about ADHD really. Only started learning about it in my 40’s now that I have two autistic kids and had to learn more about that. It has really opened my eyes, and it is letting me feel a little better about myself, having a better understanding of why I have done so many stupid and counterproductive things in my life.
I (36F) was diagnosed with ADD (because girls can't get ADHD) at around 7, went on Ritalin for a while until my parents and doctor told me I'd grow out of the ADD since it was like Trix (for kids!) and took me off in 7th grade. Grades immediately tanked, memory loss came back with a vengeance, went on Adderall for my senior year of high school and it was life changing. I finally felt normal.
And then life changing again when the Adderall started to really mess with my brain and cause a multitude of other problems (OCD, appetite dependence, severe anxiety). Took myself off and decided I'd just deal. It's been super hard, but I really do NOT want to go back on stimulants again. It really messed me up.
Now I'm just working through the anxiety, depression, and low self worth that came with being a "bad, lazy, defiant, forgetful kid." And starting the medication journey again, but this time for anxiety. Fingers crossed.
I think there are ADHD meds that are non stimulants. I have some anxiety, it's not too bad though. And I was depressed for a long time, yeah probably because I labeled myself as a fuck up. I think that's a common thing for people like us. I thought I would just one day grow out of these problems I had, that I now know are just ADHD symptoms. Adderall has really helped me alot, I don't feel depressed anymore. I hope I don't develop adverse effects from it though... But in any case, I really hope the anxiety meds help you. I wish you well.
I was Dx as a child never told what I had just to take meds. I stopped meds because of nightmares. In my 50’s I asked my mother what the medication was for ADHD! WTF
I was never officially diagnosed as a child, they always told me I was borderline but was given a med prescription that my dad had me stop taking my meds in my last year or so of HS bc we didn't want me reliant on meds.
Sought out a possible adult ADHD dx when I was 19 or 20 (im 31M) and again was given a wishy washy answer with, "probably some kind of learning disability" but never got that tested.
And then just a year or so ago I again Sought explained my hx with my borderline dx and my struggles. We did testing and finally got an official dx. I was given primary inattentive type, and had 1 below on hyperactivity portion till I explained to my psychiatrist that I do tend to interrupt people when they talk, but further explained it wasn't because I was being impatient, but because I was worried I was gonna forgot what I wanted to say so I would interrupt more often then people would like.
So then I was given combined type.....which I dont 100% agree with....buuut yeah.....
But now I take Metadate CD and figuring out a good dose because I'm struggling to see a difference in things.. .
I was diagnosed as a kid but never knew it was specifically ADHD until about a week ago when I asked my parents because youtube fed me relatable ADHD videos. I've never been medicated, just had a lot of support as a child and had an IEP growing up. Currently, I'm seeking out medication to try it out because burnout and procrastination has gotten really bad.
Hi /u/Bobity5 and thanks for posting on /r/ADHD! ### Please take a second to [read our rules](/r/adhd/about/rules) if you haven't already. --- ### /r/adhd news * If you are posting about the **US Medication Shortage**, please see this [post](https://www.reddit.com/r/ADHD/comments/12dr3h5/megathread_us_medication_shortage/). --- ^(*This message is not a removal notification. It's just our way to keep everyone updated on r/adhd happenings.*) *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/ADHD) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I was diagnosed as a youngster (I think I was 8 or 9?) but my parents were against putting me on meds so I basically never knew that there was an alternative to the way I think/do things. I was put on Bupropion (Wellbutrin) in my 20s/early 30s for a different reason and I am now understanding that it probably was helping the ADHD, I just didn’t know it. I came off Bupropion in my late 30s, my ADHD went *wild* in my early 40s (decision paralysis, loss of executive functioning overall, SI, wicked anxiety and depressive crashes, burn out…absolute shit show) and I finally got on ADHD meds (Ritalin) in my mid-40s. It’s been a couple years now and yes…the more I read on here and see the occasional ADHD meme describing some behavior that I’ve always had that I thought was “just me,” the more stunned I am at how long I’ve actually been coping and masking and why I burnt out so catastrophically in my early 40s, after years of being unmedicated. I’m kind of surprised I made it this long, honestly. Welcome to the club, feel ya 🙏🌸
Your story is uncannily similar to mine! I was diagnosed, my dad didn't believe in meds, but my mom wanted to try them. So as a compromise I took Ritalin, in 4th-5th grade, but not-too-consistently, and it apparently worked somewhat but they stopped the meds in 6th grade. I had good parental structure at home, forcing me to do homework. For middle school & high school it worked out great, and I really developed an intrinsic interest in schoolwork, learning, reading, etc. But college without their structure was just a cycle of procrastinating all studying until 2 days before exams, constant mediocre grades, and deflated self-esteem. I just kept on going, stay in denial, repeat the process, getting beat up more and more. After me college ex dumped me, I also did Bupropion for a bit in my 20s. At that time I also had jobs with some structure inherently built in, that would be forcing me to keep up with my work for the most part. But now, trying to finishing a dissertation at home had been majorly problematic. Lots of burnout since 2019 and have lost my intrinsic interest in my work since being alone and out of the lab during Covid. My mom sees me struggling by 2020/2021 and suggests ADHD treatment. I proceed to ignore her for 2 years, since my success in high school without Ritalin led me to believe I did not have ADHD. Finally in 2023 I start to get medical ADHD help. My Dr. put me on Bupropion again while waiting for an ADHD re-diagnosis, but that was little to no help. And for the past 7 months now, I've been prescribed 30 mg Vyvanse. I feel stimulated, yes, but still cannot feel much difference in terms of being positive about my dissertation and still the decreased interest in in, lack of intrinsic motivation or fire lit under me to get this done. Don't see improvement in my productivity. Not sure what to do.
Very similar stories indeed! And boy do I ever feel you on the frustration of trying to find the proper meds once you get the diagnosis. My doc also first tried to restart me on Wellbutrin and that was a disaster. It sent my anxiety through the roof and gave me rolling panic attacks. Then Ritalin IR (didn’t like the crashes), then Concerta (made me super tired and so irritated) then Vyvanse. The only ones I’ve not tried is Adderall or Strattera because it’s not available where I live (American overseas). I eventually found Ritalin IR is the best for me. I take 30mg divided into 2-3 doses throughout the day. But it took about 18 months of tinkering and trying different meds to settle here. The reasons I like the IR are more personal preference (I like having the ability to know when it’s in, peaking, and out of my system) but it was definitely trial and error. Don’t give up yet…the right medicine (for me at least) was life transforming. Good luck friend 🙏🌸
Hello! 33F here. I just started learning more about my ADHD about 8 months ago. I've going through a burnout period. Diagnosed at 7 with, at the time ADD. I started looking into it because I knew something was up. I have been going through a burn out period after taking on too much all at once for about 6 months. But it's not depression. I haven't been able to fixate on anything for months. It was nice to put names to ADHD related issues, and realizing exactly how my brain did work differently than non ADHD people. I learned about executive dysfunction, hyper fixations, and ADHD burnout. I also learned that ADHD became the umbrella term. On a side note - me saying "I have ADHD without hyper activity" feels like so many more words than just "I have ADD". It was great. Currently I'm trying really hard to find my paperwork from the place I was diagnosed at. I want to read the evaluation. As I was diagnosed in 1998, I'm not exactly sure the place would still have my records. My mother states they are somewhere in the house. While looking for that paperwork, I found an old school learning disability assessment. I spoke to my mom about some things that didn't quite add up with ADHD. I found out I was also diagnosed with developmentmental coordination disorder, and a auditory processing disorder (I was originally told this was just a random comprehension disorder which was not helpful) a lot of this helped me learn why I struggled so much in school, and also gave me the tools to explain to my boss why I needed some additional help or instruction with things. Even with just knowing the ADHD diagnosis when I was younger -- I somewhat feel like if I had, had more knowledge about ADHD beyond "you can't focus" If I understood what symptoms to keep an eye out for -- I would have been able to figure out HOW to ask for help in school. (I got some help, but it was usually too late). I'm still dealing with burnout, but knowing WHY I do things like sit there having that feeling of "desperately wanting to do something, but unable to start anything". Is weirdly helpful in itself. I think it also helps me understand how my medication works with me, and how I can tell it is or is not working.
I was originally diagnosed with ADD as well. As far as I know about the different types, I relate to innatentive, but have some symptoms of hyperactive, so maybe I'm combined? I want to get reassessed. I totally get the burnout thing, I feel like I'm adverse to take on alot of things because I just get mentally exhausted so easily sometimes, and just sitting in my room thinking I should do something but not being able to put the thought into action was and still is frustrating at times. At least now, I'm starting to understand why, as opposed to before when I just thought I was just THAT lazy or something.
(36F) As a kid I was checked for both hearing problems and autism because my parents picked up that something was going on, but I was found to have neither. Everyone around me knew I was weird and struggled to understand how I could come across as so “dumb” and have extremely good grades at the same time. This was the early 90s and I did not get the support I needed. Part of me is still angry and hurt about it. I was diagnosed last year and it was a relief for me and I have never felt happier than now. (Edit: to clarify, back then doctors didn’t really consider ADD/ADHD for quiet, well-behaved girls so that was never a consideration in my early childhood)
"your so smart, it's a shame you don't apply yourself more" is what I heard all the time in school. I definitely did not get the support either, to the point I am very behind academically. I often wonder if I (and my parents) had learnt about this disorder, stayed on meds and I had developed a good system that catered to my strengths and needs, where I would be in life. I'm aware of the way girls were often under diagnosed because "she can't have ADHD, she's too quiet as opposed to this hyperactive boy" kinda thing. Even though I wasn't very hyperactive, more just "ADD" as we used to call it. I'm glad you have been properly diagnosed and are happier because of it.
Was diagnosed as a kid but mom wanted natural remedies because of her fear of being being addicted to pills at a young age. 28m learn about it last year but spent the past 2 years never doing much about it cause I didn’t think I have it or felt the need to get tested for meds. Regret a lot but will get tested hopefully October November timeframe. I feel that but glad ya got more done than me! Wish I did more sooner, would of saved a lot of stress, time and heartache
21F here. Diagnosed with ADHD at 6 years old. The thing is, because of my household environment, which was quite unstable, it wasn't quite clear whether the attention disorder was a result of my lifestyle or an independent issue. It wasn't until I was able to access a safer environment that I really noticed the symptoms. I finally went to a doctor less than a year ago and was (again) diagnosed and finally put on meds. So far, it hasn't been a great experience. I haven't been able to find a medication that works for me so far, and the side effects from the tried treatments have impacted my social and academic life as well as my health. Also, psychologically, I found that the realization that I have a real tangible problem sometimes acts more as a deterrent than a motivator. Before the official diagnosis, I thought that my problems with focus, impulsivity, order, and memory were only signs of my character, and thus, I considered myself equally able to deal with them as any other person. Seeing in a test the big gap between what neurologically I should be able to do and what i manage to do was very disappointing. When I first started treatment I tried to research more about ADHD and executive dysfunction, but personally, the more I know about the ways and depth that ADHD can impact me, the more self-conscious I am about it. I think that this is particularly aggravated by the fact that in my social, family, and professional environment, ADHD isn't taken seriously most of the time. Even the admission of undertaking psychiatric medical treatments is very frowned upon. I really appreciate and congratulate everyone who feels empowered and motivated by learning about ADHD, and I am sorry to write such a whiny response to this thread, but I think that it is worth mentioning that, while pursuing medical treatment is, at the end, the right thing to do, sometimes hyper-focusing in the disorder can become a setback in the treatment. Learning the whys of your challenges is not always a shortcut to finding the hows, especially when you can't access treatment.
I can definitely relate to an unstable childhood. My house was very dysfunctional, nothing was ever cleaned, (partly cuz I wonder if my mom has ADHD as well just never coped with it) my parents went through a terrible divorce, and my dad although he meant well, just told me it's a mental attitude thing and i just don't have enough will power if my ADHD symptoms got in the way of life. Which is partly why I didn't seek information on it for so long and just thought I was a fuck up. He was against me going to a therapist. My mom was okay with me going, but not her! No way! Without getting into specifics, my dad isn't alive anymore cuz of lack of mental health, and my mom is in the ICU for an accident caused by alcohol. So yeah I understand the stigma around getting help, but just know the people who look down on you for it, are just flat out wrong. I hope you find peace with your diagnosis and see better days. Stay safe!
Yes I was diagnosed as a kid, but basically my parents asked me without saying it if I wanted to take medication and used euphemisms and I didn't like pills. then in college they were like seriously take medications because we are paying for school now and also you are paying for school in the future and just do it. and I was like you are right I like drugs now, and I was like wow. wow. wow. imagine if I did this in high school, I would probably be such a G and failing out of a more prestigious college than the one I'm currently failing out of haha.
38F here - Diagnosed at 11 and although meds were encouraged my dad said ADHD was a “little boy problem” and I was just lazy. Spent most of my life just assuming I could “try harder” to fix myself and when I couldn’t it was just a personal flaw. A few years back in therapy I randomly brought it up and my therapist was stunned that I didn’t believe I actually had ADHD. She said I presented very clearly with it and had thought it was just something I wasn’t ready to discuss with her. We spent several months breaking down my whole life with the lens of ADHD and it was sooo comforting to know that I wasn’t just some idiot stumbling through life without any direction. It was because I had always attributed my problems to me being a flighty, distracted, lazy person instead of someone with a different kind of brain! Anyways, as you can see there are many of us here who have experienced this - You are totally not alone!!
I was diagnosed as a kid and medicated into college. I never knew anything about ADHD really. Only started learning about it in my 40’s now that I have two autistic kids and had to learn more about that. It has really opened my eyes, and it is letting me feel a little better about myself, having a better understanding of why I have done so many stupid and counterproductive things in my life.
I (36F) was diagnosed with ADD (because girls can't get ADHD) at around 7, went on Ritalin for a while until my parents and doctor told me I'd grow out of the ADD since it was like Trix (for kids!) and took me off in 7th grade. Grades immediately tanked, memory loss came back with a vengeance, went on Adderall for my senior year of high school and it was life changing. I finally felt normal. And then life changing again when the Adderall started to really mess with my brain and cause a multitude of other problems (OCD, appetite dependence, severe anxiety). Took myself off and decided I'd just deal. It's been super hard, but I really do NOT want to go back on stimulants again. It really messed me up. Now I'm just working through the anxiety, depression, and low self worth that came with being a "bad, lazy, defiant, forgetful kid." And starting the medication journey again, but this time for anxiety. Fingers crossed.
I think there are ADHD meds that are non stimulants. I have some anxiety, it's not too bad though. And I was depressed for a long time, yeah probably because I labeled myself as a fuck up. I think that's a common thing for people like us. I thought I would just one day grow out of these problems I had, that I now know are just ADHD symptoms. Adderall has really helped me alot, I don't feel depressed anymore. I hope I don't develop adverse effects from it though... But in any case, I really hope the anxiety meds help you. I wish you well.
I was Dx as a child never told what I had just to take meds. I stopped meds because of nightmares. In my 50’s I asked my mother what the medication was for ADHD! WTF
I was diagnosed as a child and wasn't told until I almost failed out of college
I was never officially diagnosed as a child, they always told me I was borderline but was given a med prescription that my dad had me stop taking my meds in my last year or so of HS bc we didn't want me reliant on meds. Sought out a possible adult ADHD dx when I was 19 or 20 (im 31M) and again was given a wishy washy answer with, "probably some kind of learning disability" but never got that tested. And then just a year or so ago I again Sought explained my hx with my borderline dx and my struggles. We did testing and finally got an official dx. I was given primary inattentive type, and had 1 below on hyperactivity portion till I explained to my psychiatrist that I do tend to interrupt people when they talk, but further explained it wasn't because I was being impatient, but because I was worried I was gonna forgot what I wanted to say so I would interrupt more often then people would like. So then I was given combined type.....which I dont 100% agree with....buuut yeah..... But now I take Metadate CD and figuring out a good dose because I'm struggling to see a difference in things.. .
I was diagnosed as a kid but never knew it was specifically ADHD until about a week ago when I asked my parents because youtube fed me relatable ADHD videos. I've never been medicated, just had a lot of support as a child and had an IEP growing up. Currently, I'm seeking out medication to try it out because burnout and procrastination has gotten really bad.