When I realised it was just ADHD and I wasn't broken

All my life I felt like a failure, like I didn't fit in. Finally, all it took was watching a video at work and I realised why I felt like I had never fit in all this time.
Follow my journey of how I realised that what I thought was a character flaw was actually only ADHD and Autism. My brain was just working on a different operating system. I wasn't actually broken after all.

[@erinb2887]

Thank you so much for sharing your story & synthesizing an overwhelming amount of research that my unmedicated, menopausal brain has resisted. You've given me hope. 🙏🏼🤯❤

[@LateDiagnosed]

I'm so glad I can help. Menopause has made my own symptoms much worse and I'm looking more into that now and will be posting future videos on that subject. Thank you for following along. 😊

[@BetterNeurodivergentTravel]

Your story really resonates with me too. I wasn't diagnosed until the perimenopause. I found I was overstimulated all the time, couldn't sleep, zero focus etc. And the big one was that I get bored SO easily, which is how I found myself moving house all the time. HRT helped a bit but from my own research, the struggles I had were life-long. I haven't tried ADHD meds because I'm worried my autistic struggles will get a chance to shine hahaha

[@LateDiagnosed]

Thank you for your lovely comment. I've moved heaps too! The longest I've lived anywhere as an adult is where I live now. I only went for adhd meds to cope better at work. I rarely take on days off work. Lovely to have you here, thank you for following along 😊

[@jatorresrv]

Well explained. Thanks for sharing.

[@LateDiagnosed]

Glad it was helpful!

[@jatorresrv]

@@LateDiagnosed@LateDiagnosed Afterward, I thought that, while serendipitous, your discovery was through a work-related training video. This is mentioned, as work is so tricky for ASD folks. While unfamiliar with your employer on that action alone, it is an employer worth keeping if that makes sense to you. Again, thanks for sharing.

[@LateDiagnosed]

@@jatorresrv most definitely worth keeping. A lot of work has gone into getting a flexible work arrangement.

[@kathysmith1843]

I’m 59 post menopausal woman diagnosed this yr started meds and hrt. Finally I feel peace and joy and the guilt and shame r starting to ease. Yes I have grief and anger but at least my golden yrs will b golden

[@LateDiagnosed]

Kathy! I love everything about this! Yes!!Your golden years will be absolutely golden! Thanks for being here. :)

[@kathysmith1843]

THANKU for documenting your journey it helps others like myself recognise and get the help we were denied. I look back on my life and consider myself a walking miracle in what I have achieved. The more I understand about being neuro divergent the kinder I can b to myself and the more I’m able to extinguish and even laugh at the cruel inner critic that grew and blossomed in undiagnosed adhd.

[@LisabettaMedaglia]

I'm 48 years old now, and I was diagnosed back in January of this year...I strongly suspected for a long time that I might have it, because I had all the symptoms of inattentive ADHD, or people posting the memes on FB, and I'm like "....I'm in that picture, WTF??" One of the biggest irks for me, is whenever my husband (or anyone, really) is talking to me, I'm looking right at them, I'm nodding my head and looking like I'm following along...but I'm not. Instead, I'm thinking of 20-30 other things going on in my head, all the while the someone in the back of my brain is singing The Farmer In The Dell! XD I'm on medication for it now, and while it helps with some things, it doesn't seem to help with others, but...then again, I'm fairly new on these things, and maybe I'll need a change of dosage. What I *have* noticed, is that before the medication, I would look at my art space and how cluttered is - I knew I had to tidy it, put things into their proper homes, etc etc., but...just looking at the amount of work I would have to do, was completely over-whelming, and I would just tell myself "maybe tomorrow", but "tomorrow" never came. Since being on the medication though, I've got a little under half of the room tidied up, I've not only bought shelves, but assembled them myself! I still have a lot more to go on my art room, but since cleaning and tidying up as much as I have, it's been making me want to go up there and actually DO art! Which is a good thing because before, my art desk was just cluttered with stuff, and I just couldn't do anything on there unless I moved things temporarily to one place...which didn't help with the situation.

[@LateDiagnosed]

I laughed at your comment '20-30 other things all the while brain singing the farmer in the dell'. I relate so much! I have found the same with medication - being able to get some things done that have been laying dormant since forever. It's a great feeling to finally be able to get some momentum happening. Thank you so much for your comment. I'm so glad you're here!

[@CarlosBenjamin]

I use a cup analogy to explain my cognitive deficit to others.

[@LateDiagnosed]

I hope it helps people understand you better 😊

[@CarlosBenjamin]

@@LateDiagnosed for some it does.

[@shelleycharlesworth5177]

My partner talks too much…..I get overwhelmed and feel like I’m getting firehosed. He has an appointment with a psychiatrist to be evaluated for adhd. He is 63 and if he does not have adhd I will be very surprised. He is easily distracted, forgetful, he procrastinates, over reacts, often doesn’t listen, often doesn’t follow through. He loses things, lacks time management, jumps to inaccurate conclusions. He can be very negative at times. His strengths are he is smart, creative, caring, artistic, funny and loving. We don’t sleep in the same room as he snores..I go to bed earlier than he does and when I am Ready to get in bed and read for 10 minutes before lights out, he often wants to sit on the bed and talk about Whatever is bothering him and he goes on and on and if I cut him off saying I am too tired to listen & can we talk in the morning He will get offended and pout like a child & say that I don’t care about his feelings! NOT TRUE But I am exhausted at the end of the day - I get up much earlier than he does - and I need my sleep. Getting bombarded with his problems & complaints at bedtime is awful. Do you have a suggestion for me as to how I can shift him wanting to talk at my bedtime to another time?

[@LateDiagnosed]

@@shelleycharlesworth5177 Hi Shelley, thank you for your comment. I would have a conversation with him outside these times and just explain that you love to hear his side of things and understand that late at night is when his brain is switched on and he wants to address it so ask if it can be addressed before a specific time (say 8pm for example). Reassure him that you being tired is not a reflection on his opinions or a rejection of it, but you are hoping to find a solution that works for you both because you value those chats with him.

[@shelleycharlesworth5177]

@@LateDiagnosed very good thank you! I will try that!