I'm also diagnosed with ADHD, along with anxiety and depression. Self-diagnosed with Autism, as reading about it and ADHD felt like reading my autobiography. Long NHS waiting list for an assessment in UK. Over 4 years in my region.
So I will eventually pay to have a private assessment, and I lost my place on the NHS waiting list due to them losing my original assessment, which I checked on progress of my wait 1.5 years after having been referred by my GP. They resent me the questionnaire and it was a Dr's copy, clearly not meant to be seen by a patient. They said to complete it anyway. Then the place which does the actual assessments called me, told be about the waiting list and sent me yet another questionnaire. At which point my gut just said the timing isn't right. Yes, I could fill out the paperwork, yes I could endure the awkwardness of asking my parents to do their bit. Yet I didn't want to be waiting that long and I felt deflated by the whole referal experience.
My parents seem uncertain at best about Neurodiversity. Not that I don't think they believe it exists. More that me and my brother aren't autistic. My brother is textbook autistic, whereas I bottle and mask a lot of what he does in public. My mother said that my brother has quirks, but that's as far as she'll go. There seems to be some shame attached to it. A boy in my class at school was very similar to my brother in behaviour. He was diagnosed, and my mother has referred to him several times in quite a scathing tone - as in, of course Robert is Autistic, but me and my brother couldn't possibly be. Truth is both my parents are clearly on the spectrum too, but she's in her early 70's and my dad is 13 years older. The likelihood of diagnosis or understanding of the spectrum from that era, and at their current age is small.
I literally ticked every box in the 1 to 1 interview and questions for ADHD in my private assessment, and still my mum dismissed it entirely. I did actually stand my ground in one conversation with her about it. She said her spirit guides told her that I don't have ADHD and that spirit doesn't lie. I said quite firmly, I know what you believe, but I do have ADHD.
Anyway, long story short - there's a lot of patterns and similarities I've seen in being on this forum for 2 years. Many of us will share or relate with similar tales of our own experiences, struggles and worries.
I recommend looking up Gabor Maté on Youtube. Also he has published many books. He has ADHD and is a medical doctor, author, speaker and philosopher for our times. Truly inspiring and very helpful.
All the best, and enjoy your time here. It's a very welcoming and interesting place to be a member of.
Ed
Be as mean as you want to me, I'm a queer and autistic teen in a small town, I've heard worse, and it was accompanied by rocks aimed at my head.
