Discovering my ADHD Brain

The kids were in the back of the car ready to go to school. As usual, we were already late. Then I realised I had left the keys inside and locked us out. My husband had to make the nearly 40 minute journey back from the city where he works to let me in. This was the third time this month it happened (we did have a lock box with a spare key, but I lost this too) so my husband was annoyed but not surprised, he’s used to it. If I’ve arranged to meet someone who knows me well, they’ll text me on the day to make sure I’ve remembered. We’ve all been unknowingly compensating for my ADHD brain, which until recently, I had no idea I had.

I am 37 years old, and after years of taking anti-depressants, I decided to come off them as I felt, although helpful, they were masking something underneath. I saw a psychologist, and after our first session she suggested I had ADHD. I was dismissive as I am not hyper or particularly chatty, then she told me about the inattentive type. I did some research and soon realised I had been living with this brick tied to my ankle pulling me back my whole life and didn’t know. Coincidently, around this time my daughter’s school raised concerns about her learning. My heart sank as they described exactly what my teachers said about me; day dreaming, loses focus, difficultly following instructions, not grasping literacy and numeracy concepts, well behind the other kids.. We are now in the process of getting her diagnosed too in the hope that she can get the right support in her education that I never got. My brother has also struggled with his mental health, and from our in-depth discussions, he is now seeking a diagnosis as it’s quite clear he has it too.

As I said to my psychologist in our last session, due to her insight, knowledge and understanding of ADHD, she has been able to essentially transform 3 people’s lives. It is therefore paramount that our health care professionals know about ADHD so we can save ourselves years of confusion, difficulty and pain.

…due to her insight, knowledge and understanding of ADHD, she has been able to essentially transform 3 people’s lives. It is therefore paramount that our health care professionals know about ADHD so we can save ourselves years of confusion, difficulty and pain.

Sophie, ADHD WA Member