I was diagnosed at almost 44. I am abrosexual, clearly neurodivergent, C-PTSD, a woman. I am also a therapist, and even with my knowledge and life experience, it still took me that long for a psychologist who really listened to me to finally connect the dots properly and see how I held on, fingernails dug into the side of the always-swaying building of my life. Prior to that I had been given the diagnosis of MDD and GAD, possibly BPD. None of it fit, and none of the meds/treatments worked. Until I got my first Adderall prescription. Women have and will continue to be overlooked until researchers stop assuming men & boys are categorically default & “normal”, while women & girls are the strange, “overcomplicated” ones, and the broken DSM becomes more inclusive & nuanced. Glad you got your eventual, correct diagnosis🤍
I've also been wondering about my reading comprehension lately. I'm confident, competent at reading, but mostly use audio books to speed up the process. I've read that adhd folks use more of their right brain when reading than nuerotypical folks. (I'm diagnosed adhd)
Thank you for sharing! So relatable to me personally, and so similar, in my personal experience, to the experiences many bi+ folks face when interacting with others and their biases (e.g. myths like it's not real, adhders just want attn/ to be understood as different/ special, all making the experience way worse through attacking and delegitimizing). I expect this will be a popular episode. Thanks always for your work! True champions!
I had this happen as I was always told I “only had ADD”, it took years and a new therapist to tell me I had ADHD. The non stop small projects that are not done and the over thinking mind while zoning out was constant and still is. I didn’t really think about math component until recently when my daughter started having some of the same issues with math as I did. My therapist and I came to the conclusion that I really should’ve been tested for ADHD and possibly a learning disability when it comes to math. The kiddo will eventually be tested for both as well. I’m super happy that you received this information and that more than one person out there can relate.
sitting here like “wait, did I write this?!” as a bi audhder diagnosed late in life myself 🥲 glad to know I’m not alone but hate that you had the same struggle!
My daughter's husband was diagnosed well into his 30s, just a few years ago. He had been running a business, had gotten through school spectacularly, etc. so I guess no one thought about the fact that he talked constantly and never stopped moving. Like you, a person who coped by being extremely organized.
He was put on Adderall and did great with it, meaning that of course the medical system couldn't just leave that alone. I don't know if it's true everywhere but here a person on Adderall is treated like an addict. There were so many rules and controls about getting it that he gave up. (This also happened with one of my patients, who lives in a remote area and was unable to travel to the appointments needed to get authorized to continue the prescription she'd been on for 20 years....)
To make things a bit more interesting, my daughter, a special ed teacher, lately has been noticing all the ways she appears to be on the spectrum.
It's crappy that you didn't get the help you needed as a kid. Being poor shouldn't have mattered-- school systems are required under federal law to screen for ADHD and such and give you an appropriate education and medical treatment as needed. I don't know how old you are but that's been true for a long time. Still, as you said, you built all those skills that you might not have otherwise.
I was diagnosed at almost 44. I am abrosexual, clearly neurodivergent, C-PTSD, a woman. I am also a therapist, and even with my knowledge and life experience, it still took me that long for a psychologist who really listened to me to finally connect the dots properly and see how I held on, fingernails dug into the side of the always-swaying building of my life. Prior to that I had been given the diagnosis of MDD and GAD, possibly BPD. None of it fit, and none of the meds/treatments worked. Until I got my first Adderall prescription. Women have and will continue to be overlooked until researchers stop assuming men & boys are categorically default & “normal”, while women & girls are the strange, “overcomplicated” ones, and the broken DSM becomes more inclusive & nuanced. Glad you got your eventual, correct diagnosis🤍
I've also been wondering about my reading comprehension lately. I'm confident, competent at reading, but mostly use audio books to speed up the process. I've read that adhd folks use more of their right brain when reading than nuerotypical folks. (I'm diagnosed adhd)
Thank you for sharing! So relatable to me personally, and so similar, in my personal experience, to the experiences many bi+ folks face when interacting with others and their biases (e.g. myths like it's not real, adhders just want attn/ to be understood as different/ special, all making the experience way worse through attacking and delegitimizing). I expect this will be a popular episode. Thanks always for your work! True champions!
I had this happen as I was always told I “only had ADD”, it took years and a new therapist to tell me I had ADHD. The non stop small projects that are not done and the over thinking mind while zoning out was constant and still is. I didn’t really think about math component until recently when my daughter started having some of the same issues with math as I did. My therapist and I came to the conclusion that I really should’ve been tested for ADHD and possibly a learning disability when it comes to math. The kiddo will eventually be tested for both as well. I’m super happy that you received this information and that more than one person out there can relate.
sitting here like “wait, did I write this?!” as a bi audhder diagnosed late in life myself 🥲 glad to know I’m not alone but hate that you had the same struggle!
We got there eventually!
My daughter's husband was diagnosed well into his 30s, just a few years ago. He had been running a business, had gotten through school spectacularly, etc. so I guess no one thought about the fact that he talked constantly and never stopped moving. Like you, a person who coped by being extremely organized.
He was put on Adderall and did great with it, meaning that of course the medical system couldn't just leave that alone. I don't know if it's true everywhere but here a person on Adderall is treated like an addict. There were so many rules and controls about getting it that he gave up. (This also happened with one of my patients, who lives in a remote area and was unable to travel to the appointments needed to get authorized to continue the prescription she'd been on for 20 years....)
To make things a bit more interesting, my daughter, a special ed teacher, lately has been noticing all the ways she appears to be on the spectrum.
It's crappy that you didn't get the help you needed as a kid. Being poor shouldn't have mattered-- school systems are required under federal law to screen for ADHD and such and give you an appropriate education and medical treatment as needed. I don't know how old you are but that's been true for a long time. Still, as you said, you built all those skills that you might not have otherwise.