My ADHD diagnosis story is much like many other Women: non-existent until my mid-30’s. When it comes to diagnosis in children - the research is hard to track. Some studies show the ratio of boys to girls with ADHD as being 2:1 and some show 10:1. Based on my experience, I tend to believe that the number of females with ADHD will far out number the males - in time. But, I am not an expert and this is a difficult journey for all of us to really quantify.

Growing up, I noticed that things seemed more difficult for me than for everyone else. My obvious conclusion to this was that I was lesser. I was not as intelligent, not as capable, and basically a hot-mess of a person. I tried many different coping skills to balance these feelings out — alcohol was my favorite weapon to use against myself.

I had poor grades in school. I COULD NOT focus on what people were saying and my mind was just not in the same room as the rest of the class. I graduated High School by a hair - only because my Algebra teacher felt pity for me and modified my F to a D so that I could graduate. I was nowhere close to a star student. I did attempt college but I made it halfway into the second semester. Nothing was interesting to me and yet everything was - the real paradox of ADHD.

I have never been able to maintain a job for more than 2-3 years at a time. Yet, somehow I have worked my way up the ladder to a Leadership role in a reputable company. I attribute this to the MANY, MANY skills that I have as an ADHDer - which is what I’m leading to…

I was officially diagnosed in 2021. A newbie. The pandemic caused so many things to shift, that I was forced to self-reflect and it inevitably led me to therapy - which led me to ADHD. Yes, having ADHD has been debilitating. 100% has made my life more difficult than that of many others. However, it has also made me an incredibly adaptable, creative, adventurous, and brave individual. Knowing now that I have ADHD and that I’m not lesser, dumb, incapable and a hot mess — that I have a brain disorder — has actually empowered me to a place where I feel it’s necessary to empower others.

If you suspect you have ADHD, please reach out to a professional.

Knowing that I have ADHD has changed my life.

It may change yours too.