New to ADHD - finding out you have ADHD as an adult
In this blog series I’m taking you through some of the common responses to getting an ADHD diagnosis as an adult. You may recognise some, others may be nothing like what you have experienced - that’s normal. There is a lot of relief for some people, while others might experience anger and grief. Most go through a bit of both. I hear from clients that the paradox between the positive and negative in their own reaction can be the most confusing part of getting this diagnosis.
This series aims to shed light on the responses you may be experiencing and the fact that they are all completely normal - even when they are confusing.
Have a dig in the rabbit hole of the good bits, or scroll down to the bad bits. Or go straight to the end, to look at some next steps.
The Good
So let's look at the ´Yay, it’s ADHD!’ side of things. While I’d never want to minimise the difficulties living with ADHD can present, there are many people who find getting the diagnosis is genuinely helpful because it brings a lot of relief and clarity.
Here are the seven most common positive responses to an ADHD diagnosis that I’ve heard from my clients. Just click on a link to read on.
Reason 2: Phew, now I can start figuring out what actually works for me.
Reason 3: OMG I can stop doing what doesn’t work.
Reason 4: Ha! Now the weird stuff I do makes sense!
Reason 5: Now I know how to explain what I need.
Reason 6: Now I can figure out what’s me, and what’s ADHD.
Reason 7: Oh, now my family makes sense!
The Bad
The other side of the coin is that getting a diagnosis as an adult can just be really hard. The feeling of grief is very real. It can also absolutely co-exist with the positives (see above). While that may feel paradoxical, there's really nothing unusual about it. So if you feel pretty devastated by receiving an ADHD diagnosis, you are not alone and your feelings are completely understandable.
Where the ‘good news’ response comes in several variations, I generally see two very common responses with regards to why getting a diagnosis sucks. One is about the past, and one about the future. You may not experience both, but here is what I hear from, and work through with, my clients. If this feels like you, have a read, because sometimes just understanding you are not alone is helpful in and of itself.
Reason #2: Oh f*** - this is forever?!
Now what ?!
So here you are, you’ve got your diagnosis and the good and the difficult that comes with it. I’d love to hear what you found helpful about these blogs, so leave a comment below, or drop me a line.
If you are ready to take some new steps on your ADHD journey and you want experienced and caring support, empathy - as well assurance you can stay on track - contact me for a free consultation and we’ll get started.
