I think I have ADHD.
My brain has always been scattered. I always take on more than I can finish, and I’m usually unsure about the next step.
So, I picked up a book called How to ADHD and have been reading it. I initially bought a hardcover copy but switched to the Kindle version because it is easier to read while traveling (then I read it on my iPad instead of my Kindle).
When I’ve told several of my friends about my suspicion of having ADHD, they all seem shocked that I haven’t previously been diagnosed. They feel like it is spot on.
They are probably right, but I don’t see it as a negative. My ability to switch is a superpower. It is how I’ve done so much in my life.
The challenge is with prioritization—or even prioritization paralysis. I have so much to do that it is often unclear what I SHOULD do next. In reading the book mentioned above, they talk about issues with executive function or the CEO of the brain. This is the part of the brain that helps with that prioritization.
What I find most interesting about reading this book is how I share and deviate from the writer’s ADHD experience. Sometimes, I feel like she is talking about me when she describes her life, and then there are many times when I don’t resonate at all. I get that everyone’s journey with ADHD is different, but they seem pretty far apart in certain areas.
While I have issues with prioritization or doing things, I still get a lot done. Even when I’m not sure what the next step is, I’m always trying to take one.
This makes me wonder if EF (Executive Function) deficiencies operate on a spectrum because mine operates, but not flawlessly.
All of this is just academic until I get a diagnosis. This is armchair therapy, and I still don’t know if I have ADHD or exhibit some of the same traits.