What does it Feel Like to Have ADHD as an Adult?
Not what you’d expect
I got diagnosed with ADHD late in life when I was 42. It came as both a shock and a relief. My friends dropped hints all around me.
“Hey, you ever been tested for ADHD?”
Me — “No, why?” (check my phone for the thousandth time, wave to someone I think I know, then realize they’re a complete stranger, chug a quadruple espresso.)
“Oh, I don’t know…”
After a few exchanges like this, I reached out to a psychiatrist who agreed to see me that week. After we talked for 15 minutes, she looked me in the eye and said, “Lindsay, you have it.”
What does it mean to be an adult with ADHD?
Once I started thinking of myself as a woman navigating the world with attention issues, I researched more about how my brain worked.
I found out I had executive dysfunction, which made it hard for me to plan out a day for myself. My thoughts couldn’t get in line whenever I tried to prioritize tasks. Everything moved in a cluster and jostled for the front spot. It felt terrible.
My brain had to work double-time to focus, which explained why I flopped onto the oh-so-soft living room couch for a nap every afternoon. The exhaustion followed…
