(Photo: Andy)
When I was first told I may have ADHD a couple years ago, I had mixed feelings about it. At the time, I didn’t know many people with ADHD or how common it was. I knew it could explain most of my symptoms, but I had heard of ADHDers being labeled as underachievers and misfits. Sure, getting an official diagnosis would take a huge weight off my shoulders, but I worried that people might look at me differently.
“ADHD isn’t a bad thing, and you shouldn’t feel different from those without ADHD. Remember that you are not alone. There are others going through the same thing.” -Adam Levine, Maroon 5 lead singer, adult ADHDer, and spokesman for the “Own It” campaign
Those were wise words from Adam Levine. Turns out there’s roughly 8 million ADHD adults in just the U.S… Do you feel a little less alone now?
It actually took me a while to become comfortable with the idea that I had ADHD. Like many of you, I started out “googling” everything I could about it. I downloaded a few books, read a ton of articles, and basically let it all soak in.
Before long, I began to correlate my focus and impulsivity problems with ADHD. Then, I had them validated by my girlfriend, my therapist, several online assessments, and finally my primary care physician. It was kind of a relief to finally have a name for it, but it also felt strangely embarrassing and shameful.
To help get over that weird feeling, I did two things. First, I started telling my closest friends, family, and even a few coworkers. This allowed me to step out of my comfort zone and build my confidence. Secondly, I decided to write about it on my blog. That allowed me to interact with all of you and actually feel normal again. That, my friends, was a pivotal point for me in owning up to my ADHD.
Want to accept your ADHD and take control of your life? Here’s a recap on how I was able to own up to mine and how you can do the same:
1. Become more aware of how ADHD is affecting you
2. Become open to change – you have to really want it
3. Talk about it with your friends, family, or support group
4. Discuss it with a therapist or other ADHD-specializing professional
5. Take a pre-diagnostic assessment
6. Talk to your doctor for official confirmation
7. Stop complaining – negativity only begets more negativity
8. Stop rationalizing – excuses only you hold back
9. Admit your mistakes – be honest with yourself and others
10. Be proactive, not reactive – action speaks louder than words
Once you know you have ADHD and you’ve accepted it, a world of opportunities opens up for you. It’s exhilarating to finally have an explanation for why certain things have been happening to you. It can be scary too, though. Just look at the stigma surrounding ADHD and the plethora of treatment options. It can be exhausting.
So let’s say you’ve owned your ADHD… The next step is to completely… and utterly… DOMINATE it! That means making productive, consistent lifestyle changes, minimizing the negative effects of ADHD, and learning how to use it to your advantage. There are many roads on the way to ADHD domination, but the end result is your happiness. You can get there in 30 years if you go 5 miles per hour or you can turbo-charge your life, get to your destination in record time, and then just chill.
Have you owned your ADHD?
