Doesn't everybody have a little ADHD?
I'm guessing that you, like others with ADHD, have heard this question from those you know when you inform them of your diagnosis.
Everybody has some of the challenges, feelings and behavior associated with ADHD sometimes.
The question to ask yourself is, do these challenges affect your life and how much?
Sometimes life's situations or circumstances lead to Executive Function (EF) challenges that wouldn't otherwise be present, but when you have ADHD, EF challenges are your constant companion.
What are symptoms of ADHD?
Symptoms or signs of ADHD are different for everyone.
Boys and girls, women and men, and different depending on your age and other traits such as sensitivity, anxiety, Autism, to name a few.
Executive Function challenges (managing yourself and your resources) are associated with ADHD and cause life to feel much more difficult because of them.
Executive Functions include:
Task Initiation
Time Management
Planning and Organizing
Working Memory
Focus and Attention
Impulse Control
Emotional Regulation
Self-Monitoring
Setting and Achieving goals
What executive function challenges do you notice in your own life?
ADHD can feel like you're out on a limb without a net, and never knowing there is such a thing as a net!
Do you need a diagnosis?
My own diagnosis came with relief knowing what had been "wrong with me my whole life". I like to do things my way and no longer see my challenges as something wrong with me, but understand that wiring differences come with challenges and also some amazing qualities!
In addition, being diagnosed led to a realization that there are people who just get me! and that I'm not alone in my challenges.
I later discovered that along with my challenges, I had other traits in common with my tribe such as curiosity, creativity, deep emotional connections, the ability to hyperfocus, take risks, have a strong sense of adventure, and think outside the box to name a few.
A diagnosis often provides clarity about your different brain wiring and the knowledge that you aren't lazy or incompetent, but even excel in ways you hadn't acknowledged before. A diagnosis can help a person to realize there is a reason for their challenges.
You may also find a new found sense of power over your life and hope.
Online tests for ADHD
Take a look at these sites, and my post
Signs and Symptoms of ADHD that you probably didn't know!
Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale: ADHD Symptom Checklist
Symptoms and Diagnosis of ADHD: DSM-5 Criteria for ADHD
Inside the ADHD brain, symptoms manifest differently in girls vs. boys, children vs. adults, and within the 3 types of ADHD: inattentive, hyperactive, and combined.
Here, find ADHD symptom tests, plus quizzes for related conditions like ODD, autism, OCD, learning disabilities, rejection sensitive dysphoria, and more. Additude Magazine
Now what?
A variety of supports are much more available now than in the past. Check out my Resources for ADHD post!
What would be different in your life if you found the support you need?
There are coaching, support groups, books, podcasts, classes, magazines, Youtube videos, meetups, websites, games, strategies, and apps to name a few.
Remember:
You are not alone
It's never too late
There are no failures, only clues
Somebody else's success is not your failure
Every step is forward!
"To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else
is the greatest accomplishment." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
