I was diagnosed at around 6 years old. Everyone from family to friends to work colleges don't seem to really understand what it means, even when it's plainly explained to them.

I say I can't concentrate and people are like "yeah that happens to me too, I just get over it." and then get frustrated that I can't just choose what to focus on. Like, buddy, I just told you. Do you think I'm making shit up? Do you think I enjoy this? Do you really think this self-help book telling me to drink kombucha is really going to 'cure' me?

I'm not a damn disease.

  • SeizeDameans [she/her,any]
    ·
    4 years ago

    Oh hell yeah everyday. Especially since I was diagnosed as an adult and I'm a ciswoman. I am like most where I am more inattentive type than hyperactive, and I've either heard that I'm faking for drugs (cuz oh yeah adderal yay....?) or I just need to learn to meditate and practice mindfulness and willpower and learn to concentrate. I'm sorry...if you ask me to do three new things while I'm in the middle of doing the first one you told me and you don't give me a chance to redirect my attention before you start talking, then now there's four things that aren't getting done until I can reset the circuit breaker in my brain that you just broke.

    • LargeAdultSon [she/her]
      ·
      4 years ago

      Oh hey! I'm an inattentive adult-diagnosed ciswoman too. (In hindsight, was hyper as a kid, though.)

      I feel like my parents selectively believe me. Or believe in the disorder, but not the medically-recommended treatment. Like, if they're being judgy about me smoking weed or spending my money on something they consider frivolous, then I have this very real and serious problem that compels me to substance abuse and bad financial discipline. (I don't and have never had problems with either.) But meanwhile, I totally don't need medication and would be fine if I just read {current trendy neolib productivity grifter book}, took an omega 3 supplement and learned some good old-fashioned self discipline. Maybe yoga too, depending on when last my mom came across one of those awful "I have (probably self-diagnosed) ADHD and I'm treating it with downward dogs not pills!" accounts on Twitter.