What I've Learned About ADHD

I learned something new weeks ago. I learned that the world is full of surprises when it comes to being diagnosed with ADHD.

Since then I've questioned my own sanity when it comes to my diagnosis and how I handle it both on the air and in the real world. More specifically, I did some soul searching to a question I never knew was really an issue. 

 Is there really a specific set of rules that makes a person qualified to talk about their ADHD? 

A few weeks ago I received a message from a follower on my podcast show, The Fight Within Her, who wanted to know why I had not taken the Professional test for my ADHD because I hadn't given the detailed results of my ADHD score.

At first I started to beat myself up for not memorizing that number because I thought may be others really don't believe that  I have ADHD without memorizing that score. Maybe I shouldn't even be talking about ADHD on my podcast without being focused on that number. But then I realized, why be someone I'm not? 

First and foremost, I do want to thank that person for their question and for listening to my podcast. 

Growing up,  I was never a fan of math or science. Heck, I was never a fan of a lot of classes unless they held my attention.  

I failed Algebra with flying colors because I would always do my English assignments in math class. Poor Mr. Harding who was my Math teacher at that time would always get so frustrated when I would do his wife's ( Mrs. Harding ) assignments in his class. But Algebra never fascinated me and still doesn't. I mean X =Y what is that and who the heck thought the entire world needed to be just like them in knowing that answer! 

Now science was a slightly different story. I found the videos of snakes and how they ate, and the hands on dissecting to be a bit interesting, but when it came to the scientific names, chemical reactions and so forth, my mind was out the door because to me it was tedious and boring. Maybe that explains it. I honestly don't know. 

What I do know is that number scores and how low or how high I rank has never been a focus for me as far as my ADHD. I guess it's because when I received my Professional diagnosis for ADHD by my doctor, I already knew I had the mental disorder, and to me it didn't matter how low or how high I scored because no matter what the results say, my ADHD is going to do its thing score or no score. I'm always going to have the symptoms of ADHD no matter if I obsess over a score result or not. And I know that my ADHD affects my day to day life, some days not so much, while others more than I want to admit, but enough where those around me do notice it. They have noticed it all of my life, and of course so have I. 

A test score doesn't change how ADHD effects you. It doesn't tell you how you should manage your symptoms. Despite what any test score states, no two people are exactly alike. While one person who has been diagnosed with ADHD might exhibit some symptoms, another may exhibit one symptom or all. 

Our lives also play a big part in how we manage our ADHD symptoms. And what might work for one person may not work for another because of how we were raised, how we live our lives and the symptoms we have. It also depends on if you are taking a prescription medication for your symptoms or if you are managing them naturally. 

So to me, ADHD isn't a number. That's like the companies out there who only see a personas a number. It's crappy and it makes a person feel unappreciated. ADHD is a diagnosis that I have slowly learned how to manage because of what works for me and what does not. 

So here's a question for those of you who have been Professionally diagnosed with ADHD. Do you focus on that test number or do you focus on your ADHD and it's symptoms only? I would love to know your thoughts on this matter?