I pointed out to the doctor that tested me how I could answer many questions as a 1 or a 5 depending on how I interpreted it. For example, “have problems with being on time.” I could say never or almost never, or I could say the overwhelming fear of losing track of time and being late ensures I’ll do nothing beforehand and leave way too early out of boredom/anxiety.
In the end I put 5 because what they’re looking for is if you’ve struggled with these problems for your whole life. Learning and implementing coping mechanisms isn’t an argument against that struggle, it’s evidence for it.
But for what it’s worth, I answered 1 the first time I took
one of those and went 12 more years without getting diagnosed. I think about that a lot.
You’re right, and I suppose I should have answered that way, but for now I’m undiagnosed and unmedicated. However, being aware of the pitfalls I at least feel better equipped to understand and counteract some of my more detrimental idiosyncracies.
I think most of the time when the conversation comes up I don’t feel “qualified” to talk about it because a doctor hasn’t given me the ADHD Purity Seal of Approval, and in turn I feel a little bitter there seems to be this sort of “label that explains why you’ve struggled your whole life,” but I don’t get to have it because of a technicality.
I only mentioned it because it took me a long time to realize, and if you ever try again I hope it helps.
Even after getting a diagnosis my brain keeps moving the goalposts, so I get it. Now I keep thinking things like: “it’s just one opinion”, “maybe they were being generous”, etc. I don’t know if I’ll ever give myself a damn break. But I can easily say the words to other people.
The fact is, getting ADHD properly diagnosed is extremely variable. Some people are much easier to diagnose, and some doctors are much better. Those of us still figuring this out later in life aren’t the easy cases, and a lot of doctors won’t look too hard. It doesn’t make your case any less valid. It just means you have to work that much harder to get the right diagnosis - while struggling with a condition that literally makes it harder.
I pointed out to the doctor that tested me how I could answer many questions as a 1 or a 5 depending on how I interpreted it. For example, “have problems with being on time.” I could say never or almost never, or I could say the overwhelming fear of losing track of time and being late ensures I’ll do nothing beforehand and leave way too early out of boredom/anxiety.
In the end I put 5 because what they’re looking for is if you’ve struggled with these problems for your whole life. Learning and implementing coping mechanisms isn’t an argument against that struggle, it’s evidence for it.
But for what it’s worth, I answered 1 the first time I took one of those and went 12 more years without getting diagnosed. I think about that a lot.
You’re right, and I suppose I should have answered that way, but for now I’m undiagnosed and unmedicated. However, being aware of the pitfalls I at least feel better equipped to understand and counteract some of my more detrimental idiosyncracies.
I think most of the time when the conversation comes up I don’t feel “qualified” to talk about it because a doctor hasn’t given me the ADHD Purity Seal of Approval, and in turn I feel a little bitter there seems to be this sort of “label that explains why you’ve struggled your whole life,” but I don’t get to have it because of a technicality.
I only mentioned it because it took me a long time to realize, and if you ever try again I hope it helps.
Even after getting a diagnosis my brain keeps moving the goalposts, so I get it. Now I keep thinking things like: “it’s just one opinion”, “maybe they were being generous”, etc. I don’t know if I’ll ever give myself a damn break. But I can easily say the words to other people.
The fact is, getting ADHD properly diagnosed is extremely variable. Some people are much easier to diagnose, and some doctors are much better. Those of us still figuring this out later in life aren’t the easy cases, and a lot of doctors won’t look too hard. It doesn’t make your case any less valid. It just means you have to work that much harder to get the right diagnosis - while struggling with a condition that literally makes it harder.
I have the same thing, anxiety about being late counteracts my minds want to wander and fuck off into the unknown.