I was diagnosed with ADHD at age 46. As a child, I remember getting in trouble for talking too much, daydreaming on the soccer field, and writing poems instead of sleeping. As an adult, I let dishes pile up, forgot to pay bills, and was often late. And for a long time, everything was okay.
I did well in school, finished college, got a good job and was successful, found a good guy, and got married. But after my second baby, things began to fall apart. I felt more emotionally dysregulated than ever. My eldest struggled with symptoms of ADHD, then my youngest, and we couldn’t afford evaluations. I spent all my time, energy, and money trying to find support. Then my marriage fell apart.
I felt so lost, until my boys were finally evaluated and diagnosed at ages 9 and 12. I got diagnosed soon after. I felt such clarity and relief…then debilitating grief. Yet diagnosis brought awareness, compassion, treatment, and purpose on my journey to becoming an ADHD advocate and wellness practitioner.
Becca Weideman