Adulting with ADHD Anecdotes
The ADHD lived experience
✈️ I walked calmly to the departure gate, arriving at the airport 2 hours before my flight. But there was a problem: the boarding gate couldn't scan my boarding pass. I figured there was something wrong with the gate I went to, or it was my crinkled paper printed boarding pass.
I huffed, and I started to panic.
I rushed over to the nearest airport staff member I could see for assistance.
The man looked at my boarding pass and told me that my flight had departed hours ago, pointing to the departure time on my ticket.
🤦♀️ It was at that moment that I realised I had misread the departure time. I arrived at the airport in the afternoon to board a flight that had already departed in the morning.
👉 This was a visible representation of the ADHD symptoms: lack of attention to detail, impatience and being easily distracted at work in my life.
💰 My missed flight resulted in an ADHD Tax of around £200 to book a new flight.
I cried so much. Back then, I was a university student intern earning around 500 euros a month, navigating undiagnosed ADHD.
The Impacts of ADHD
There are many instances in our lives when things seem to go terribly wrong, and we just can’t figure out why and how it keeps happening to us.
Like we can’t seem to get it together, and every area of our life breeds its own type of chaos.
This is how my life was before I got diagnosed with ADHD Combined Type over 6 years ago.
📖 Extract from my upcoming ebook: Chapter 2 ‘I think I have ADHD’:
“There is a misconception that people are magically developing ADHD in adulthood and claiming they have ADHD to use it as an excuse.”
People fail to understand that:
ADHD is a Neurodevelopmental disorder where symptoms usually start before the age of 12.
Many marginalised groups are underdiagnosed.
ADHD tends to be missed in girls, so many women go undiagnosed.
People who have struggled for years now feel empowered to get assessed for ADHD.
I don’t know why everyone seems to want to play judge, jury and executioner whenever someone mentions that they think they have ADHD.
A word of advice: don’t let people gaslight you into thinking your concerns are ‘all in your head’. It’s never too late to get assessed for ADHD or seek out additional support…”
The ADHD lived experience ⤵️
In my upcoming ebook on Adulting with ADHD, I share personal anecdotes on ADHD symptoms/traits, friendships, emotions, career, relationships and mental health.
Because it’s important that we speak about the impacts, consequences, and health issues that ADHD can have on people’s lives.
The book will, of course, help us all better understand our ADHD brains, with step-by-step guides, coping strategies, and suggestions in each chapter for those who feel a little lost or could use a helping hand.
➡️ I want you to read it knowing that you are not alone or broken.
➡️ I want you to read it and laugh at the relatable ADHD dilemmas.
➡️ I want you to read it, screenshot, and make notes of all the ADHD coping strategies you are going to try.
➡️ I want you to read it, believing that things can get better, and you will feel lighter.
➡️ I want you to read it and remove any feelings of guilt or shame you are holding onto.
Are you ready to read it?
That’s all from me.
Rach, with ADHD.
I enjoyed reading your thoughts. I'm a neuroscientist with a strong cognitive science and philosophy background and strongly AuADHD and I thought you might enjoy my account : https://substack.com/home/post/p-194689894
I'm sorry this is happening to you. It's heartbreaking to know my fellow late onset diagnosed ADHDer circle members is having less than feelings abt themselves because of RX company. Within hours this company has a PHD and counseling degree. They have the audacity to rule your life, mind, and feelings, thoughts. This is not ok. I hope you are getting better this week.
I'd like to mention that my insurance company case manager called me after a recent hospital admit. She basically asked what happened, do I have prescribed meds? And if I had any issues filling said meds? Can she call the pharmacy jf I experience another medicine shortage for ADHD meds. I thought why is She being so nice? I've not had my meds in almost 30 days he'll ya call the pharmacy! Lol my point is k wanted to see if you looked into a case manager with your main insurance company? Not the RX company but the medical Insurance company. If the case manager benefit is an option, I'd definitely call abt the letter you received and find out what can be done.