My partner suspected it like a decade ago, pandemic rolled around, masking got harder. Started with my current therapist, who has ADHD, they worked with me exploring why I thought I may and helped me navigate diagnosis, seeing others lived experiences was big and is why I’m open about it at work and otherwise.

Had my preliminary consult with my psych and was given an eval that I passed with flying colours. Looking back, I check lots of boxes, I failed a course in uni because I got stressed and binged wow as an outlet, loss of structure hit me hard going from highschool. Courses I wasn’t interested in I had a hard time investing in. My masking at work didn’t do great for my mental health or personal life, food & alcohol were the drugs I used (incidentally vyvanse is used for binge eating disorder as well), hit financial issues from impulse spending. I’ve written about my experience with that in the past, was not a good time in my life (mentally or physically) but I’ve worked through it (with therapy) so it’s a chapter I don’t want to repeat.

I went through stages of acceptance after my diagnosis, which is totally normal, I’d get frustrated realising how much of my behaviour is linked to my ADHD, either directly or as a coping mechanism. Was annoyed initially I got the diagnosis in my 30s but hey, can’t change the past and I wouldn’t be who I am without my experiences. I’ve still got work to do and maladaptive coping mechanisms to unpack, but hey it’s a journey and diagnosis was absolutely vital, I’m super grateful to my partner for really pushing me towards it, they’re also nd so we help support each other.