When I first met Camille, no one in her life would have guessed she was struggling.
She had done well throughout her schooling. She had a husband she loved, a job she found fulfilling, and a strong support circle of close friends and family. If you saw her life from the outside, you would probably think she “had it all together.” Certainly, if there was one word that came to mind when you saw her life, it was not “unstable.”
And yet, when she first walked into my office, that was the very word she used. In fact, she didn’t even say she felt unstable. She said, “I am unstable.”
“I get stressed so quickly,” she told me.
“I have mood swings. I always find myself procrastinating even though I know it’s a terrible habit. Then, I work like crazy to meet my deadlines. I can’t set boundaries; I can’t let go of things; I can’t relax… My mind is always on the move, and I have to drink every night just to calm myself. I am exhausted all the time and I feel like I have no control over my life.”
Her story absolutely broke my heart. I could see the frustration written all over her face, and I wanted to help.
But she wanted me to treat her for anxiety.
And she was insistent about it, too. She wanted me to write her a prescription right then and there so she could go home with her relief in a bottle.
I could tell she was afraid and confused. But when I asked her to tell me more about her symptoms, I knew I couldn’t just medicate her. She told me she had been…
- Working hard at tasks to compensate for her internal frustration
- Getting things done with a lot of speed and urgency when scrambling to meet a deadline
- Taking long periods to finish more complex tasks or multiple tasks at a time
- Working past business hours, on weekends, or during lunch breaks to finish projects up to her own personal standards
“Camille,” I said, “I think you have been dealing with high-functioning attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.”
Now, when I mention ADHD, you may have an image in your mind of a child fidgeting at his desk or struggling to maintain focus in school. But ADHD shows up in many ways – not just the ones that spring to mind when you hear those four letters.
Some cases of ADHD – many, in fact – go undiagnosed and even unrecognized well into adulthood. ADHD can be subtler in adults than in children, and therefore much harder to identify.
But even so, the impact of ADHD on an adult’s life, even high-functioning ADHD, can be drastic – as Camille’s story tells us. Like Camille, many sufferers of adult ADHD have learned to mask their symptoms to minimize their disruption to their daily life.
This masking can make you feel like you are swimming upstream against yourself – like getting things done is much harder than it should be.
Sufferers of adult unrecognized adult ADHD can become overwhelmed and may even become susceptible to other mental health issues – including depression, sleep issues, substance abuse… and anxiety.
Camille and I worked together to relieve her symptoms. And in fact, knowing that she wasn’t going crazy – that there was an explanation for her struggles – brought her some comfort.
Does Camille’s story sound familiar?
If you can relate, it may be time to talk to your doctor about adult ADHD – or send me an email at [email protected], and we can discuss your options.
Do you know someone who could use this information?
Feel free to forward them this article and let them know there is help for those who may be struggling with adult ADHD.
Make today your masterpiece!
Florina
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