Hi James1008 (or anyone else who reas this)!
I was looking online for ADHD resources and saw your post. I know it is old so you probably won't see it but I wanted to reply for you or anyone else!
I just got diagnosed with ADHD in January and I am 24. I initially self-diagnosed, assumed I was wrong, was too scared to discuss it with my GP incase I ended up with a depression or anxiety diagnosis (not that those are bad but the social stigma and what that means for a person is daunting!). It took me two attempts to get it sorted. I initally discussed it with a bulk billing GP who I had never been to before (had a one off appointment for a script). This was a really good way for me to discuss my concerns with a professional without the 'commitment' of discussing it with my GP. The bulk-billing one was nice and told me to rebook to discuss it more. I never did but about 6 weeks later after some serious struggling with uni and keeping a record of how often I got distracted (a lot!), I plucked up some courage and went to my GP for a few things and then told her I thought I had ADHD. She asked me a lot about my behaviour as a kid, grades, my moods etc. She thought ADHD was likely and referred me to a Psychiatrist. The referral took me by surprise as I thought ADHD could be diagnosed and treatd by my GP but where I live it has to be diagnosed, treated and managed by a psychiatrist. It took me 7 months to get an appointment. In my appointment my psychiatrist and I discussed moods, childhood, eating disorders, realtionships, sexuality, agression etc. They diagnosed me with ADHD. Initially I was petrified I'd get a dianosis with a mood disorder other than ADHD and wasn't sure how to handle a mental health consultatoin as I've never had anything like it before but it was not as bad as I expected and I am actually glad that now I know exactly what I have and don't have.
I like my psychiatrist a lot but they aren't an ADHD specialist (which is fine for me because they handle my condition well). I started stimulants about 6 weeks after diagnosis and I'm glad I did even though I am still at the awkward stage of trying to work out what medication works for me but I'm definitely glad I sorted it out. Also I work in a highly competitive profession and my ADHD had to be disclosed. It hasn't been a problem so please don't let concerns about that deter you from getting help! If you need a chat reach out!
Elsie 🙂
