Sophie, diagnosed with ADHD at 23 in the United Kingdom

1. What made you decide to have your diagnosis?

Starting work after a few years without it, I really struggled with time management and procrastinating and lack of sleep.

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2. What do you do for a living?

Social Media Manager and Business Student.

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4. How were your school years?

I never did homework or always forgot, I was only good at the things I was genuinely interested in like art and music.

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

Daydreaming and getting bored, and the lack of function

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6. Was it difficult to get a diagnosis?

Yes. I’m still kind of going through it, waiting to see an professional after the initial long assessment period.

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7. How did you prepare yourself for your diagnosis?

I did a lot of research. I never thought about ADHD until my doctor actually brought it up after I’d been to her about bad sleep and lack of focus on my work.

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

Relieved in a way. I knew that something was “wrong” with me and to finally be told and to feel comfortable with a diagnosis was a huge weight off my shoulders.

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9. How do you feel about it now?

I feel okay about it really. I’m thankful that now I can continue with getting the help I need and use ADHD friendly hacks/tactics to make my day easier instead of struggling.

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

Sometimes yes. I have always been SO talkative and to the point where I don’t shut up it’s quite annoying for other people. I never know when to stop being hyperactive!

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

Executive dysfunction mostly! I find it hard to start tasks until it’s too late and I get complained at for it but I can’t explain it to people.

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12. What are your ADHD strengths ?

If I’m fully invested in something I will do amazingly at it, all my focus goes to an activity or task and I just simply ace it. I’m a genius in some areas!

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13. Did your ADHD diagnosis help you?

100%! I can move forward with my life from here now.

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

Absolutely, had I know that ADHD was a possibility in my life or had anyone else picked up on it I don’t think I’d have struggled as much as I have done.

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

No one has been particularly surprised, because it makes so much sense.

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

I was actually misdiagnosed with BPD but I never felt that was right, hence pushing for assessing for ADHD. But I do have bipolar which was diagnosed when I was 20.

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17. Do you deal with anxiety?

To me, anxiety is definitely something I deal with, but it’s not the BIGGEST problem in my life. I’m more of a “if you don’t face it, you’ll be scared of it forever” sort of person.

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

I didn’t tell too many people about it, so no!

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19. Do you ever doubt your diagnosis now?

Never, because I understand it so much now and have had previous misdiagnosis’s in the past, I am happy to finally understand why I behave this way.

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

It’s pushed me to use certain routines and tactics in order to make my life easier, something I only discovered through other people with ADHD.

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21. How do you feel about medication?

I’ve never stuck to medication such as antidepressants etc as they never did much for me and I liked to deal with things like that head on without relying on medication, but if I am offered meds for ADHD when the time comes I would definitely try it as it might really help me

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

Planning, planning, planning! Being prepared for the next day and breaking down everything I need to do into chunks. Sometimes it’s not successful but I’ve also learned to not beat myself up about that

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

Please try to see a professional. There are a lot of overlapping symptoms for other diagnoses’s, if you can get clinically diagnosed it will help you so much more with that confirmation so you can move forward

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