Surprising Myths & Misdiagnoses Debunked: The Truth about Adult ADHD

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Smartphones are terrible for ADHD. Right now I'm watching /half listening to the podcast, typing this, and thinking of 3 other websites I HAVE TO VISIT NOW.

Stimulants are the gold standard for a reason. I understand pills don't build skills, but to learn or build skills, I needed dopamine. When I have a fever I take Tylenol. I've been in therapy my entire adult life and still had depression and anxiety. I lost too many jobs, too many friends and family members because they did't want to be around me.I was called lazy, disrespectful when I was always late for appointments, weddings, you name it

My diagnosis happened last year at the age of 70!! My creative nature is blooming. Now I can start a project, finish it & share with friends & family. Life is so much better!😊

Diagnosed today!! I am 44 years old! I have definitely spent my life this far “chasing the wrong tail”. It’s sad and relieving at the same time.

When something is new and exciting, I get hyper focused. That's why I'm so anxious at work. In the beginning I get a lot of praise... as it's a new thing, I'm 100% present and focused. But as it begins to become a routine, my brain goes to autopilot and the screwing up starts happening. This has happened in every job I worked ... then I get the inevitable call to the boss office and they ask if I'm doing alright, something is off at home, because I clearly know how to do good work, but I seem to progress backwards... Right now I'm 1 month in my new job and I'm so anxious that I will inevitably screw up... but the anxiety is clearly a consequence of me knowing how the cycle goes for me.

Not everyone with ADD is hyperactive. That's such a common misconception that needs to be recognized and publically acknowledged. I wasn't diagnosed as a child because I wasn't hyperactive. Parents and teachers didn't even think ADD was a possibility. I was basically diagnosed as "lazy" and asked to try harder. So I became a talented actor. Pretending to focus while my mind was in a million different places. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't retain information the same way my peers could and it affected my grades. I had to read over tests and assignment instructions four or five times for each question to sink in. I lied about the severity of my situation due to shame and embarrassment. I didn't want to be considered lazy again. To this day, I have yet to finish reading an entire novel (thank god for audible and the internet). Had I been properly treated as a child there's no limit on what I could have achieved. I loved learning, I just needed help absorbing and retaining information. Not being able to perform to the best of your ability throughout your youth impacts the rest of your life.

My heart goes out to everyone in these comments who have gone through so much unnecessary pain and loss.

Late diagnosed, misdiagnosed, ADHD and misfit, Black sheep, scapegoat Family mobbing, toxic family abuse..these things go hand-in-hand. Results: ADHD + cPTSD.

It finally hit me -- all those adults and even my parents never bothered to figure out why I was different! 58 years of struggling mentally and emotionally!! Thankfully my wife cared enough to find out. <3

My meds give me the missing part in my brain. It slows down the random thoughts and allows me to focus. The exercises you suggest do not help all the way, they improve certain things slightly. Meds are the answer since I've been taking my meds my work and home life have improved. I am 41 years old and tried everything to help myself and have failed miserably, surprisingly the meds have turned on the light in my darkness.

I have ADHD &wasnt diagnosed until 2007. I was 50 yrs old & have had the same therapist for 13yrs. After being medicated the world opened up to me & I could comprehend what I was reading. What a blessing.

At the age of 34 I discovered I have adhd. It really broke my heart. I live in Bangladesh and the most sad part is noboby is believing me that a adult can have adhd.

People like her are why it was so hard for me to get the help and treatment I needed. In my community, any sort of disorder carries a stigma. Therefore, I had to wait until I was 18 years old only to get turned away from multiple clinicians that “believed” that it wasn’t ADHD. Meanwhile, my college GPA tanked and I was barely holding on to any form of employment. Years later, once the damage to my college career was tarnished, I was able to receive the treatment I needed and finally began to realize my potential. This could have happened much much earlier.

I think the main difference between depression and ADHD is that in the first case it's a cause, in the other one it's a consequence. For years I thought I wasn't able to do things because I was depressed. When I found out I had ADHD, I realised it was the other way around. I was depressd because I had difficulties doing things. I was frustrated because I knew I had the capacity to do things but not being actually able to do those things was causing stress, anger, questioning, over thinking and eventually depression. It's a vicious circle.

I'm 22 about to turn 23 and going through screening, I suspected it for the longest time but my doctor and therapist talked me out of it because they "couldn't see it" and "everyone struggles with boring work", and making it sound like it's a world of hurt and waste of time going through diagnosis... I recently dug up an old cognitive and psychological assessment I'd undergone at 6 yrs and suspected ADHD was listed at the end... I found another therapist that is taking it seriously and am currently going through it. I feel like of I'd known since then it would've saved me so much pain and self hatred over the years...

When I was diagnosed at 17 I convinced myself that I was fine and didn’t need treatment. I’m 39 now, my life eventually fell apart and I finally looked into treatment. I couldn’t believe how obviously I was wrong for so many years. My behaviour hurt a lot of people and ultimately myself. I feel like I’ve been given a second chance in life because left untreated I would have ki11ed myself I’m sure of it.

It is a heavy burden to carry on with ADHD in adult life. It caused me a lot of relationship issues, interfered with work productivity, and even co-occurring with other mental health issues like substance abuse, anxiety, and depression, adult ADHD is pervasive—especially when it goes undiagnosed until 2006. But I was not given CTB or stimulants. I still battle with ADHD in the inattentive mode, and in my executive functions.

Skill sets are easier to learn when you have meds, but knowing the meds are not the 'fix' is important.

Hi. I'm 53 and only yesterday I've discovered that I'm an ADHD. Yes. It's really emotional to me and at the same time, I'm finally so relieved that I will know where to deal with my symptoms.