Hey there Free Ranger. Our fourth episode discusses the importance of getting tested for ADHD as an adult. I know what you are thinking - ADHD is a childhood disease, adults don’t have it. Wrong. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, 4.4% of U.S. adults between the ages of 18 and 44 are diagnosed with ADHD. (source) ADHD is not a diagnosis for kids to help them sit in chairs for six hours in school, it's a neurobehavioral disorder that often gets misdiagnosed as depression or anxiety in adults. Imagine going through your adult life thinking that you are struggling with depression when really your brain just works differently than others.
People with ADHD have some amazing superpowers. For instance, they have the ability to hyper-focus on tasks for hours, have emotional resilience honed over time after recovering from setbacks, possess heaps of creativity with strong problem solving skills, are natural conversationalists, have higher levels of social intelligence, have the ability to embrace spontaneity with courage, and experience high levels of energy. (source)
On today’s episode, we are talking to Laura Pipe, who was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult in her 40s. Laura is a friend of mine. She is brilliant, an amazing problem solver who can propose solutions while others are still wrestling with the problem. Incredibly creative and high energy, this woman could move mountains, yet she was struggling in various scenarios and could not understand why. I remember when she was being tested for ADHD and how this diagnosis gave her such clarity. Of course, she had a lot to learn about ADHD, but once she educated herself and talked to a therapist, she found ways to thrive and tap her superpowers. During the episode, she will share her journey starting with childhood when her father refused to let her get tested, struggles she faced before getting tested and what life is like after getting a diagnosis.
If you or someone you know is struggling with ADHD adult symptoms, please consider talking to your doctor to explore the option of ADHD testing and therapy. Here are some symptoms of ADHD in adults:
Here are some ADHD resources in case you want to read and learn more.
Adult ADHD from the Mayo Clinic
ADHD Online, LLC’s test for adults (fee involved)
Talkiatry’s ADHD test for adults online (fee involved)
Thank you for listening.
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