Getting an ADHD diagnosis

[anonymous101]

I think that I have ADHD as I have almost all of the symptoms and have done for my whole life. The first time I actually learnt about it instead of just the misconceptions of it I felt like it was describing me completely and I felt reassured as I always thought it was just me that struggled with my symptoms.

 

I have spoken to my GP and they were very helpful and got me to fill out a self-referral which I scored highly on so they then recommended me to the mental health services on the NHS as the GP is not qualified to diagnose me. The only problem is that I've read it's quite difficult to be diagnosed as an adult (I am 18) but also as a woman. I also read that the waiting list is really long in the first place so I am worried that I won't get to talk to anyone about it for a while.

 

I also don't really have the support of my parents either which makes it harder especially as we are so close and I am lucky that I have always had their support before now. But for lot of my symptoms they just tell me that I need to learn to concentrate better and to organise myself, which I do really try to do but I forget things constantly and I'm often late even when I have alarms and reminders and try my best to fit what is expected of me. We often also argue because of my lateness, lack of concentration/ daydreaming and a few other symptoms, it is the only thing we really argue about and is making things really tense at home which in turn impacts previous mental health issues I've struggled with.

 

I have struggled with anxiety and low mood before and they were incredibly supportive with that so I am confused why it's so different with this and I don't know how to talk to them about it especially if I have to wait a long time to even get a diagnosis as I think this is the only thing they would take seriously.

 

[Monsoon]

Hey anonymous101

 

Thanks for telling me about your experiences with ADHD. I am wondering, by getting a diagnosis, what are your hopes for it? Are you hoping that it will help with your parents understanding it more? I think that when it comes to difficulties like ADHD, there can be a lot of resistance from parents as they tend to think it's down to laziness and being disorganised. You're right, the difficulties that are typical of ADHD can lead to a lot of tensions at home, and this is where having the diagnosis can come in handy, but I’m wondering, might there be another way to help them understand? I can help with this if you like.

 

When you go to the mental health services and if they diagnose you, could your parents possibly come to the appointment(s) as well so that the professional can explain it? This might help them to understand more. I often find that a reaction like your parents have had is often down to a lack of understanding.

 

I'm just wondering, would you like me to suggest some tips for managing your mental health and ADHD? I know of quite a few strategies to help with these, but I wanted to check to see what support you'd actually like from me first. I can also help you to figure out a way to talk to them about it properly. I hope to hear back from you soon.

 

[Monsoon]

Hey @anonymous 101

I just wanted to check in and see how you're doing?