Questions for women who have ADHD!

[LonelySingleNameChangeBecauseItsEmbarrassing]

When / if you got your diagnosis, what happened after?

Theraphy, medication, self-help books, something else?

Did figuring out you have ADHD help you, did it give you an answer / relief that there’s a reason why you ’are the way that you are’?

Did life get any easier?
What helped?

Drugs.

No.

I’ll speak for my dd.

Thr diagnosis put everything in perspective.

The drugs changed everything and were life changing. Eradicated social and other anxiety completely.

Sleep improved.

It was like flipping a switch.

Immeasurably huge life improvement.

Was diagnosed a few months ago via NHS. But haven't heard anything since.

It has helped me understand my life and why I behave in certain ways in certain situations.
Eg I have inside into my RDS and sensitivity.

have done self help books and gained suggestions as to how I can make my life and work better.

I don’t take medication . I do make colleagues aware for example - that I don’t like a lot of noise, can’t work in hot desk areas when I am distracted . I know that I will have days when I achieve nothing as well as hyper focus days and try to build this in.

Was diagnosed 2 years ago. 2 years after one of my kids was diagnosed.

I was a bit shocked by it tbh. Even tho I expected it.
I was diagnosed privately. Child with CAMHS
We had no follow up nor support after child diagnosis. We eventually found a parenting course run by ADHD Wise. Which was so helpful. And is the reason why I went for my diagnosis (plus driven by issues at work).

After my diagnosis I tried some meds. But after 6 months I was bored of it and out of £££ so stopped. When I have some head space and more £ I will have another go.

Perimenopause combined with adhd is my real issue.
I'm senior at work. So I have a coach. Which is helpful. I also had an adhd at work assessment. Which was even more helpful. They made recommendations for reasonable adjustments which included a remarkable2 note pad and some 1:1 coaching on organisation / planning / confidence.

Really helpful.

When I have more time I will find a therapist to address historic issues which run through my life.

The diagnosis does shed historic challenges in a different light. And makes me keen to ensure my kids are prepared and have more support and possibly coaching. I was very vulnerable at times and blamed myself for getting into scrapes or falling in with the wrong crowd.

In the meantime the diagnosis has helped us as a family to be more kind and forgiving and gentle. Mostly.

So definitely worth it.

Medication means I'm not permanently anxious and I can actually focus for periods of time. It also calms the constant chatter in my head.

I understand why I find some things so difficult, including being unable to study, despite being of above average intelligence.

It gave me the confidence to ask for reasonable adjustments in work, that have put me on to a level playing field with my peers.

I'm much, much kinder to myself, as I'm not lesser, I'm wired differently.

I'm more me, as I don't try and make to fit in. Conversely, people are generally more interested in me.

I can embrace my different ways of thinking and I'm actually listened to as I don't just go with the majority when I disagree with them.

I'm also autistic, and that diagnosis came first.

However, although medication and acceptance has helped me enormously, there is no magic bullet. I will always have my struggles and difficulties due to the world we live in. What I am though, is good enough for me and those who love me.

Thank you for all the answers.

So, medication has really helped with the anxiety, social and / or general?
I gear my anxiety is going to be the death of me.

It also calms the constant chatter in my head.

This is also so me, my mind is never quiet, not for a second.

If anyone is still here and don’t mind, what medication (so I can Google about them) do you have?

Delmosart 56mg which is methylphenidate, a stimulant medication. I started on 18mg and was titrated up over time to hit the right dose. It's helped with anxiety in general, although not quite as much socially but that's more the autism side for me. I just pace myself well to avoid burnout.

I had medication for about 18 months. Loved the calming of the chatter. Definitely reduced anxiety, more than any other meds had.
Stopped meds for a combination of reasons: Covid (was almost constantly asleep for about 3 weeks); realisation that I was not as creative as previously; then GP no longer allowed to prescribe.
I still feel a benefit from my diagnosis - better self awareness and self compassion. I need some work coaching but management didn’t agree to it when I tried before.
Massive struggles with organisation (home and work) but mental health so much better.