ADHD JOURNEY PART ONE
I was diagnosed with ADHD at the age of thirty-one.
I’m not exaggerating when I say social media, specifically TikTok and reels helped me feel seen. I wasn’t alone. It helped me get answers.
Before I talk about my personal journey, please remember this is my journey. If you feel like you might be feeling or experiencing the same things, please speak to a medical professional and remember — just because you were never diagnosed as a child, doesn’t mean you “don’t have it” as an adult.
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There is a lot of stigma with mental health and disorders, still in 2021. Which is just so crazy to me. You never know how impactful, openly talking about your personal journey could be for someone else.
BE AN ADVOCATE FOR YOURSELF.
Spoiler alert: just because you weren’t diagnosed as a child DOES NOT mean you don’t have something. In fact, upwards of 75% of women specifically, are misdiagnosed. Many of the direct correlations of ADHD are often diagnosed in place of a specific #adhddiagnosis — like depression, OCD, and anxiety.
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I went through countless providers and doctors. Once I received my initial, early diagnosis of depression and anxiety, the doctors in the following years would just assume that was correct as well… because well, that’s what I had, right? In my opinion no one ever cared to truly listen.
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I knew I had depressive moments and anxious feelings (lots) but I also intuitively felt that it was just the surface. There was much much more.
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I actually didn’t even think about ADHD until I downloaded TikTok at the beginning of 2020. There is a big stigma that people with ADHD are super hyperactive; that is not always the case. I began relating to a lot of what I was seeing on social media. Everything just started to make sense to me. So I decided to try one more time and reach out to another group of doctors. I finally was given what I had been unknowingly searching for, for so long.
Here are some natural supplements that I have been taking and things I have been implementing to help with my ADHD:
• adrenal detox, no more coffee and an acidic friendly diet
• vitamin b6, vitamin c, zinc, iron and magnesium (so glad I found qcore)
• omega-3 (lots of salmon, yum!)
• h3mp🤪 + CBD to help with sleep
• l-theanine and 5-htp for anxiety and sleeping (thanks to my sleep spray)
• writing out lists so I can visually see what I need to do
• heavily focusing on routine so I don’t disassociate and fall behind on tasks
Stay tuned for PART TWO!
**This is not meant to replace professional medical advice. Always consult your provider.