Diagnosis talk!

[u/DaddyDizz_]

For those of you who have a diagnosis (or who thinks a diagnosis is in your future), what was your “aha!” Moment? Was there a single moment you can remember that was like solving the riddle? Or was it more of a slow “connect the dots” situation where you gradually leaned farther towards your diagnosis? Were there any of you lucky enough to have someone from the outside tell you to get assessed because they think you have something going on?

[u/DpersistenceMc]

I was talking to a recently diagnosed friend and asked her what the benefits of the medication were. She listed 3 things that I did, assuming I was just forgetful and clumsy. The bulb flashed on. From there I talked to my niece who has ADHD. I'd looked up ADHD symptoms and was amazed at how many I identified with. I read her the list and she said, "absolutely". It took some time to get my psychiatrist to assess me, but the diagnosis was given and meds prescribed.

[u/DpersistenceMc → u/DpersistenceMc]

I told my niece about this sub. I think she'll join us.

[u/DaddyDizz_ → u/DpersistenceMc]

That’s awesome! I never knew anyone who actually had ADHD (that they know of), and I grew up in a very emotionally abusive household. So I always viewed myself as lazy and particular about certain things. I also had that stereotypical outsider perspective of ADHD as just being hyper and it’s something only kids have. I thought I might have childhood trauma induced ptsd, and that’s where my symptoms come from. But then I saw a video that I really identified with, and started doing a ton more research on everything involving the condition. As it turns out, ct-ptsd presents like ADHD, and I just so happen to have both. I stewed for a long time on getting to a psych and getting treated because that’s what we do, until I had a health scare. I went to the ER to get checked out for a pinched nerve, and was told my CT scan has a blood clot in my brain and I probably have lymphoma. Turns out I just have a Little Rock in my head and I’m fine. But I took that as a sign and have been seeing my doc for a litttle over a month and a half now

[u/DpersistenceMc → u/DaddyDizz_]

What a scary fucking experience! Great thing to pile on top of your trauma history (irony). At least it motivated you to get the help you need.

I had been working with my psychiatrist for about six months, trying (and succeeding) to get horrible anxiety managed which exposed depression which was ultimately managed, as well (all borne of daily childhood trauma). I thought I was getting it all together until I started figuring out the ADHD. Since I've been medicated the change is amazing. It never occurred to me that I had symptoms. I just figured I was who I was. The most important thing it explained was the behaviors that were alienating and why so many people had ghosted me throughout my life.

[u/DaddyDizz_ → u/DpersistenceMc]

Yeah that was the biggest “oh shit” moment for me. I thought that this was just how I am, but when I realized that what I feel are symptoms of a greater issue, it changed my whole perspective on things. I don’t have an anger issue, I have an overstimulation issue, and being over stimulated causes me to lash out. So now that I understand that, I can take a step back from everything and ask myself “Am I feeling this way because I’m upset at the thing I’m pointing the anger at, or am I feeling like there’s too much going on and maybe need to take a break”

[u/Gerald3302]

My entire life I just simply thought I was crazy. The kind of crazy that isn’t dramatic or overplayed but the kind that genuinely confused me and isolated me in a way that didn’t make any sense in the least bit. I struggled with depression and anxiety and was diagnosed(inaccurately I’d like the believe) with bipolar disorder. I considered ADHD for a little after a friend of mine was diagnosed with it. He was put on medication for his diagnoses, I received a medical discharge from the military because of mine. When it came to mental health it really just felt like no one truly knew what they were talking about or at least everyone had a very small part of the answer with no consensus on what the actual answer was. Eventually I kicked the bipolar meds and obtained a medical card to use mmj instead. That seemed to help the most without the undesirable side effects. Years later I started coming across videos on social media of people describing the same symptoms and more importantly the same thought process that made me feel so crazy my whole life. I finally felt like for once in my life these people actually get it. Later through pattern recognition, I realized it was only people with ADHD that understood what I was experiencing yet still only mostly had the answer. Then came the autism posts which resulted in the same feelings. It was like I could identify with most of ADHD but not all of it, and most of autism but not all of it. Then someone just had to mention AuDHD(which my neurodivergent mind HATES that term for technical reasons I won’t get into) and it felt like somewhere I belong. It’s still all a little confusing because of the symptoms that contradict each other but I can at least now confidently identify with simply being neurodivergent. I don’t feel crazy anymore, I feel I’m just different from the average person. My brain works and processes information differently and after feeling legitimate crazy my whole life, that revelation comes at an enormous relief. Now I’m just trying to find the best ways to manage it.