Citlalli, diagnosed at 19 in Mexico

1. What made you decide to have your diagnosis?

I had no idea that I could've had ADHD, I went to a psychiatrist because of my depression and she was the one who diagnosed my little brother with autism, if he hadn't been diagnosed maybe I wouldn't have either

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2. What do you do for a living?

I am a university student

4. How were your school years?

I had a lot of difficulty concentrating in class and with homework, one simple assignment would take me hours to complete because everything around me was more interesting than whatever the homework was

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5. Looking back, what was an obvious ADHD trait in your childhood?

The constant distractions in class, constantly chatting with my classmates and my difficulty to socialize.

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6. Was it difficult to get a diagnosis?

No, It was a surprise actually...

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7. How did you prepare yourself for your diagnosis?

I was expecting to be diagnosed with OCD, and my research was other people's experiences

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✨ If you are wondering too if you have ADHD, check out my ADHD Self Assessment Workbook ✨

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8. How did you feel right after getting your diagnosis?

I felt confused and kinda lost, my psychiatrist only explained the basics and those basics were basically symptoms often found in boys, she didn't told me about the subtypes either

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9. How do you feel about it now?

Pretty good! I am not confused anymore, my diagnosis and further research has explained so much about me!

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10. Do you think you "look like" the ADHD stereotype?

Definitely not.

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11. What are you struggling with because of your ADHD brain?

Executive dysfunction, difficulty to concentrate on one task at the time, time management, impulsivity.

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12. What are your ADHD strengths ?

I am a pretty good problem solver (unless I am overwhelmed) I noticed that I often think outside the box and my 1001 interests make me a better person.

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13. Did your ADHD diagnosis help you?

Yes! If I hadn't been diagnosed, I would be so confused and guilty about most of my life.

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14. Do you feel your life could have gone the other way if you'd been diagnosed earlier?

Definitely! If I had been diagnosed when I was a kid and gotten the proper help, life would have been much easier in a lot of aspects.

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15. What was your family/friends' reaction to your diagnosis?

Mostly understanding and supporting, although they sometimes forgot about it or didn't understand the whole implications of having ADHD.

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16. Do you have any comorbid disorders or neurological conditions?

I am diagnosed with depression and still have huge suspects that I may have OCD.

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17. Do you deal with anxiety?

Yes, I am in the process of learning how to deal with anxiety in the most healthy way, stimming and breathing help but I also break down crying...

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18. Did people around you make you doubt yourself during your diagnosis journey?

Yes, but not directly, everyone around me didn't have a clue about mental disorders so anyone's problems were seen as personal weakness.

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19. Do you ever doubt your diagnosis now?

At the begging yes, I felt like maybe it was just me and not ADHD, now I have more understanding about it and even if I feel like that I know is just ny mind playing tricks on me, because I definitely have ADHD haha

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20. How has the diagnosis changed the way you live?

I am more patient with myself and also started to ask for the same patience from the people around me, I don't carry more weight than what I can handle because I know that's dangerous for my mental health.

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21. How do you feel about medication?

I am not medicated right because of financial difficulties but medication helps a lot!

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22. What was the thing that helped you most in your daily life? 

My mother's patience.

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23. What advice would you give someone who is wondering if they have ADHD?

Keep doing you own research and try to get a diagnosis as soon as you can, you are definitely not alone in this journey.

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