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If you were only diagnosed as an adult, did you suffer from depression (or think you did?)

1 reply

ADHDDepression · 12/01/2023 12:22

I am writing this post to get some info on behalf of my brother. As a child, he was diagnosed with ADHD and was prescribed ritalin. I do not know the details and as far as I can recall, besides the medication, he was not given any additional support for his ADHD. At some point, he was taken off the medication.

As an adult, he has suffered with depression. He is a popular, outgoing man who ran a successful business for a long time. He's excellent with people, a great problem solver etc but his depression has loomed over him, making it hard for him to feel motivated etc. He has had therapy as well as medications (i don't know details).

Then I had a bit of a lightbulb moment recently because I realised that I have seen people say in news articles or on social media that an ADHD diagnosis was life changing and put a lot of their challenges into perspective. I did some googling and it appears that 1. ADHD and depression go hand in hand more often than in the general population and 2. that ADHD might actually be present when depression is being diagnosed or treated.

For those of you with late ADHD diagnoses, can you tell please tell me how you experienced things before and also, what changed once you got the diagnosis. And did any of you suffer from depression which then was easier to manage or turned out not to be the case once the ADHD was diagnosed and better managed?

OP posts:
FizzyFucker · 12/01/2023 12:29

I was diagnosed with clinical depression as a teenager and put on antidepressants, which I took for 5 years before weaning myself off them.

Now I'm an adult, I see that I was never actually depressed. I am now quite sure I am neurodivergent (autistic/adhd) and am seeking a private diagnosis for my own peace of mind. One of my DC is so similar to how I was and it all feels pretty obvious to me now. I feel sad I spent so much of my youth suffering and relying on drugs that didn't help. I'm not sure if a correct diagnosis will help me much now, but hopefully it will allow me to be kinder to myself.

I've no real advice but didn't want to read and run.

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