#anyways thanks this was your monthly overpersonal rant on how adhd can completely subvert your life

[kneebie]

Got diagnosed with ADHD at 32! Told my mom, excited that I'd finally have medication and the ability to get my shit together. She said, "oh, yes, we had you diagnosed when you were 8 or 9, but you didn't like the medication, so we took you off of it."

I remember the meds completely zombifying me, and I remember saying I didn't like it. I have no memory of being told I had ADHD, and also, I have no memory of any follow up action being taken.

What I DO remember is failing very nearly every class in middle school, a bunch of teachers saying "well he's clearly a smart kid, no need to hold him back," and then somehow unfucking all of that when 9th grade hit. Which *my parents* took as "ahh it was just a phase," but which actually was just hella anxiety developing to spur the ADHD on.

So! Letting that shit simmer is not always a good plan, is what I am saying

Not telling your kid they have a learning disability, chronic illness, mental illness etc. so they can “feel normal” actually does the opposite. They will not feel normal if they do not have the context to understand that their normal will be different from that of their peers.