Issue #88: I Have ADHD, Now What?

On navigating through a new diagnosis and the changes that I am making.

Back in July, when I interviewed Alex Gilbert about how to work well with ADHD, I had no clue that just a few months later, I’d be implementing some of the tips that she shared into my own life and business.

I suspected that I had ADHD, but I brushed it off and kept telling myself that if I did, one of my doctors or therapist would have caught it by now.

But over the past few months, depression has taken a new form that not even therapy or medication could help. And I knew that there had to be something else going on in my head. So I posted on Instagram asking my followers how they went about getting diagnosed with ADHD. It was then that a friend sent me a text sharing that her doctor told her that ADHD can look very similar to depression. 🤯

I don’t know about you, but when I think about ADHD, I think of someone who has so much energy that they can’t keep still or concentrate long enough to complete one task. It wasn’t until that text sent me into a research spiral that I realized my symptoms aligned with many adults my age who have ADHD.

My symptoms looked like struggling to get out of bed or even caring enough to get out of bed. My mind would wander while I was in the middle of conversations which made me totally disconnected. And the overwhelm that came with trying to focus on one task would have me wanting to cry in the middle of the day which then led me to getting back into bed.

So, I took the evidence that I had and requested a psychiatrist referral from my primary care doctor. By the end of our first call together, it was determined that I do in fact have ADHD.

I’ve shared a lot through this newsletter about my experience with anxiety and depression and how those diagnoses have changed the way that I approach my personal and business goals. So now, with being diagnosed with ADHD, I’ve had to figure out a new way to move through my day successfully.

Here’s what I’ve been changing and implementing over the past few weeks.