Do I Have ADHD?

Just something I've been thinking about for a while.

How to Know if you have ADHD

SciShow Psych

I am very lucky to have found myself (and gotten myself) in a situation that is well suited to the quirks of my personality. But I still find myself sometimes unintentionally hurting people, annoying people, or letting people down even though I often know the exact mistake I am making.

Finally, here's a thing I didn't say in the video. I've struggled with worrying that if I get diagnosed, I will blame the disorder instead of myself and let that excuse my behavior. I know that's dumb, because if I'm being impaired by something, I should know and take the steps to reduce that impairment. But part of me always wants to believe that I'm strong and smart enough to handle any curve ball I get thrown without letting myself or other people down.

I think that might be a pretty destructive way to look at it, which is why I'm glad I've allowed myself to get support from friends, family, and professionals over the years.

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[KTGetc]

I got diagnosed with ADHD when I was in college after taking an abnormal psych class and realizing "wait, this is ME." Turns out, because girls present less often with the hyperactive symptoms, I wasn't diagnosed as a kid. Neither was my older sister, who didn't realize she had it until I talked to her about my diagnosis. She was FORTY. She (and my mom, who probably also has it) had built up some pretty bulletproof coping mechanisms throughout life, but it also cemented patterns and habits that were really destructive to her life, personally and professionally. We're both medicated now, and it's such a huge change. I'm extremely appreciative that knowing this about myself will probably help me avoid some of the pitfalls that befell them.

And MAN do I get pissed at assholes who say ADHD doesn't exist, or that the medications that treat it are "basically crack". Maybe with YOUR brain chemistry, Nathan Neurotypical, but if they didn't help me I wouldn't take them.

[oliverage]

whenever I Google my symptoms for anything I always end up reading that I'm going to die

[maarakailet]

As a woman with ADHD this video makes me very happy. I found out recently that my mother tried to get me diagnosed when I was a child, but was told "girls don't get ADHD". My whole life I have struggled with self-esteem and self-image issues with no idea why. I just assumed I was broken or stupid. It wasn't until my 30s that I got an official diagnosis and medication. Being able to think for the first time in my life is incredible. While so many things in the past now make sense, I do mourn all the missed opportunities and ruined friendships. I can't help but think, "Where would I be if...?"

[samanthaistan]

me, watching this three and a half years ago: wow these symptoms sound like me!

me, now with an ADHD diagnosis: it was the ADHD

[AaronMcHale]

The best definition of disability I’ve ever hear is: A disability is the mismatch between a person’s abilities (or features) and their environment; I love this one because it highlights that disabilities are often highly contextual.

[sterlinganderson]

This episode of vlogbrothers brought to you by Hank's Toes! Hank's Toes: They're goin' right now!

[EyeLean]

"I still often hurt people's feelings or annoy them by going somewhere else in my head when people that I care about are talking to me."

Boy, do I know this story! Thank you so much for addressing this.

[JadeDRail]

ADHD can be tough but it can be useful too. The problem is when it also comes with Anxiety and Depression. I call them the Unholy Trinity.

[krstng]

“But here’s the general thing about psychological disorders…disorders are only classified as disorders when they’re ongoing, frustrating impairments.” This quote was what I needed to hear today.

[erraticonteuse]

Re: not wanting to get diagnosed because you don't want to start blaming things on it: It doesn't sound like you have the problem I had, but getting diagnosed allowed me to stop blaming *myself* for various shortcomings and mistakes I'd made that I felt like I "should" have been able to just avoid like a "normal" person. That self-blame also led to a lot of self-doubt and completely crippled my self-esteem for most of my young adulthood. Having something to "blame" for a lot of my past troubles made my confidence shoot up and allowed me to move forward with my life. And now the things I still do wrong sometimes, I don't feel all "omg I just do those things and I don't know why and I can't seem to change it what is wrong with me??" kind of helpless. I feel empowered, because I know why I do those things and I know I *can* change them, or at least find some way to compensate for it.

[Carla-desz]

Maybe no one will read this but, I was diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia at 19 in my second semester of my senior year of high school. I've always been an average student, getting Cs wasn't a rare occurrence but no one ever suspected anything. I just thought that taking 2-3 hours on one assignment was because of my depression and anxiety and OID. I only got tested because I did REALLY bad on the ACT (standardized test to go to college in the US) and after spending thousands to get my diagnosis, it really cleared stuff up for me. I can't imagine how much better as school I could have been if I was diagnosed as a kid, and I think it wasn't caught because I'm a girl and was taught to sit quietly with my hands to myself. I thought I was just stupid because I couldn't read out loud or spell, and still in college I struggle to get work done. But now I know I'm not alone, getting that diagnosed changed me and I can catch myself when I have bad days or weeks. I wish more people would openly discuss learning disabilities in girls and women because it often gets over looked because the symptoms are different. Thank you for making this video

[aekaydubs]

Oh, man. I'm an ADHDer, and the irrational rage about interruption thing gets me in heaps of trouble all the time. I feel that.

[sorchaOtwo]

I was looking into the Autism spectrum for my granddaughter, and I found myself. : O

[ewwahheternus]

"I get irrationally angry"

*HANK SMASSSHHH!!!*

[noor.alyateem]

Hank, I love how you’re recognizing the privilege that you’ve had - support, economic advantages, luck - and it’s also good to know that ADHD symptoms can be tackled - as a person who struggles hearing that you can lead a good life makes me excited to start therapy

[nerdlife]

So basically, Hank should've gone to Camp Half-Blood but missed his opportunity.

[betsyanderson]

So this is why DFTBA socks are so quality

[nintando]

AS SOMEONE WITH SENSORY PROCESSING DISORDER + ADHD YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW HAPPY IT MAKES ME TO KNOW THAT SOMEONE SUCCESSFUL THAT I LOOK UP TO ALSO HAS A SIMILAR CONDITION

[Kaylad]

Hi Hank - I just wanted to stop by and say thank you for making this video 7 months ago. It was a long journey from this video, through How to ADHD's channel, and working with my current therapist to receive a formal 3rd party ADHD evaluation and diagnosis, as well as working with my PCP to get started on a medication. Thanks to your video, I now have answers about my anger/impulse problems as a child, my parent's reactions to my childhood behavior, my compulsiveness toward food, my suicidal ideation as a teenager, and my job hopping and relationship struggles as an adult. Prior to understanding ADHD, specifically it's presentation in girls/women, I let myself and the doctors I worked with point me towards PMS, depression, anxiety and even PTSD. Now I understand that my symptoms for each of these things fall under the umbrella of ADHD, which I can treat directly, rather than playing whack a mole with my list of symptoms. *TL;DR This video directly led to immense improvement for my quality of life and my understanding of self. Thank you!*

[cruxdraloor]

This video convinced me to go in for ADHD testing one year ago. Since then, my life has improved immeasurably. Thanks, Hank.