'I remember my parents coming to the school counselor’s office, the ADHD diagnosis being delivered, the light going out in their eyes. I knew their expectations for my life had lowered because they didn’t understand ADHD. They thought I was defective.'
I was diagnosed with attention deficit disorder at 9 or 10 years old — I can’t quite remember. What I do remember is sitting with suction cups stuck to my forehead and the doctor telling me to sit still. More than once.
Because I didn’t do well in school, and my folks were not wealthy, they never encouraged me to go to get a higher education. It simply wasn’t important to them, and so I followed in their footsteps of dropping out of school and working. And work I did. I worked in call centers. I worked manual labor. I worked as a server and tried out other jobs in between. I worked away the years of my life when I should have been going to college and making friends my age.
What I’ve learned is this: People with ADHD can accomplish the same things as neurotypical people, but we have extra barriers — not the least of which is people who won’t lift a finger to help us because they wrongly believeI have overcome the impulsivity that is the trademark of ADHD. I know this because I have balanced my budget and all my bills are paid on time. I have done it without coaching, counseling, or medication. I am always early to work and I keep my appointments.
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