I’m in kind of a weird situation. I’m past my 40’s, and a close younger relative of mine got diagnosed with ADHD and I was talking with their psych and she said “uh it’s pretty clear you have this too., and you’ve been masking.”
So I was already seeing a psychiatrist, for anxiety, paying out of pocket because I didn’t want people in my profession or the health insurance company to know.
I told my own psych about the ADHD idea and she started prescribing stimulant meds to see if it helps.
It’s been amazing. My anxiety has practically melted away and just everything has gotten better for me.
Should I get diagnosed officially now?
On one hand I like the privacy.
On the other hand, my current psychiatrist might retire soon, and also if I have to change jobs, I think I’m required to list any pre-existing conditions.
I’d really like to hear other people’s experiences either way.
I was diagnosed as a child. I don’t… I don’t think I would have a lot of the coping strategies I do have or be as functional as I am if I weren’t (even though I’ve never been on meds). I suspected being medicated would be better (I am also in my 40’s), but at the same time it is very hard to get past my executive dysfunction in that regard. I think I also worry that being medicated will help very little/not at all and my expectations will be shot to hell.
I don’t know if this perspective helps at all.
But for what it’s worth, being diagnosed may afford you some other support systems that might help you at work and in your professional life.