I’ve been in therapy for a month now (yay!!!) and have already had 4 sessions. During them, my therapist—a long-time psychiatrist—has been giving me homework to learn as much as I can about ADHD, which she believes is a different brain functioning mechanism, not an illness.
She’s asking me to focus all my energy on this topic and to explore theories that view it as “a different kind of brain,” rather than a serious congenital disorder. Medication likely won’t be necessary.
((Though she plans to add some vitamins)) — in short, she believes that the main obstacle in my life has been not understanding my different, perhaps even unique, brain. She believes we’ll increasingly find ways forward.
Sometimes I wonder if I’ll be able to stick with this 2–5 year therapy plan we’re aiming for. I often waver, often quit things I’ve started… and going three times a month is definitely a certain financial commitment as well.
She says that right now, she wants to understand me as fully and deeply as possible—as a person, with all my past, my traumas, and of course, the good things too. She said she wants to “connect all the dots.”
I feel that a tiny sense of self-trust has started to emerge—something I’ve been actively searching and striving for.
I’ve been learning about ADHD these past days too. I believe I have it. I’ll share a great video on the topic here. It’s the best one I’ve found so far or one of them
yes exactly! loool i found another really great channel! its so crazy some of the stuff they say, i feel like theyre describing my life exactly… i never looked into ADHD because i thought it just meant that youre hyperactive which i thought was the opposite of depression which i knew i had. but now i see its much more about drifiting attention and such. Im fully convinced i have it now that ive learned about it and know what it is. Very life changing for me.
By the way, I had personally “dismissed” any possibility of a congenital disorder, because I used to function almost perfectly — to the point of psychosis — even though I always felt that my “battery” drained faster than that of 90% of people. On one hand, I was very strong, but on the other hand, it took me more effort than it did for most. Anyway.
But definitely talk to specialists about your suspicions — they can offer valuable insights from long-term observation.
Sounds like a cool theory I often prefer to see these things as “conditions” rather than illnesses. They may cause some pain but they also provide something unique to society.
I would get a second opinion regarding having ADD, based on all that you have mentioned in the past.
For me, having it means that I cannot sustain focus, initiate focus, my mind drifts during focus, etc…When external stimulation is high, something is novel, or there is an emergency, I may be able to focus.
I am not suggesting you definitely don’t have ADD, but an opinion from a psychiatrist who specializes in ADD would be the best option.
Personally, I don’t trust therapists too much, definitely the ones I have encountered during my life. They have been very greedy I have realized eventually. And, also not very able, perhaps. Not saying that there aren’t able therapists, there definitely are, but if it a huge financial commitment, the therapist wants you to see her for years, etc to provide you treatment for the ADD diagnosis, then you ought to also get a second opinion from someone regarding having ADD.
And, do you think you have ADD yourself? I think that is the most important question.
You see, my suspected ADHD won’t be treated with medication—so I try to look at it as something I might have… am I personally convinced of it? I don’t know. I do know that I used to get bored very quickly, I couldn’t always concentrate, and I would complete tasks faster than others (but that last one just indicates high abilities, since I did the tasks really well).
Well, she’s not just a therapist—she’s also been my long-time psychiatrist, and for several years now she has believed it’s ADHD, even when I explained that I didn’t really have problems in childhood. She explained that my tendency to jump from one topic to another, even a certain emotional intensity in life (she mentioned a lot of things that align with ADHD), might indicate that it’s a rather mild form, but still present.
Also, when I filled out the DSM-5 questionnaire, I checked quite a few boxes—though I’m not sure if that really means it’s ADHD. At the time, I was definitely more scattered in life.
Honestly—I don’t know what I think about it right now. Time will tell. @angledangle
stupid ADHD. 
I often prefer to see these things as “conditions” rather than illnesses. They may cause some pain but they also provide something unique to society.