PrintUndiagnosed ADHD and Low Self-Esteem
When the captain finally professes his love for Maria, she is befuddled. How could anyone possibly love her? She searches her memory to find something lovable about herself. “Somewhere in my youth or childhood, I must have done something good.” Only she can’t think what.
By the time an undiagnosed ADHDer reaches adulthood, her self-esteem is often shot. It’s hard to remember that “something good” among so many failures. Feeling like failures, undiagnosed ADHD adults may hide behind drugs or alcohol, instead of away in a convent.
Or, like Maria, some of us discover that a bout of exercise helps us focus and calm down. If I were Maria, running up and down the Alps and scampering through the abbey halls might well be among a few of my favorite things, too.
But without a nearby mountain to spin on, or an accurate ADHD diagnosis, untreated adult ADHD can lead to a lifetime of pain and confusion. So how do we solve a problem like Maria’s and mine?
