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The “aha” moment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADD/ADHD) diagnosis -- let alone finding the appropriate treatment -- is a long time coming for many with the condition. Some are shocked by it, others surprised, and many have their long-held suspicions confirmed.
Below, our readers share their own “aha” moments, revealing just some of the variety behind the same diagnosis.
Diagnosed as a Kid
"My parents realized I had ADD when I was very young. I was bright, creative, and outgoing, but I forgot to do projects and assignments until the night before they were due. Somehow, I managed to make it through college and earn a degree without treatment. It wasn’t until I decided to return to school to become an engineer, while working full-time, that I realized something had to be done. I have been successful, at my job and in school, ever since." -Dustin H., Tulsa, Oklahoma
"I was first diagnosed in 1989, when I was nine. Not much was known about ADD in women back then, so little was explained to me about the condition. It wasn’t until 2002, when I attended Landmark College and learned more about the topic, that I accepted my diagnosis and went on medication." -Sara, Vermont
This article appears in the Summer 2010 issue of ADDitude.
To read this issue of ADDitude in full, buy the back issue.
