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Hey there! Sorry for the delay – it's not a dumb question at all first off and a lot of solid responses were posted below.

Here's what worked for me (EU) after suspecting ADHD early last year:

1. I searched for and found a local psychotherapist who is specialized in ADHD and had experience with adults[^1]

2. We met and went through several weeks of testing that resulted in a specific diagnosis[^2]

3. She referred me to a local psychiatrist who I've since worked with in regards to medication[^3] As stated below, psychotherapists can NOT (EU) prescribe medication.

Things I had wished I knew before:

1. To work with a psychotherapist in parallel because the diagnosis was both, very liberating and de-stabilizing and needed space to discuss. In my experience, the psychiatrist is NOT your talking buddy but a professional who you work together to find a treatment that works for you.

2. To not expect family or friends to understand the (positive) impact diagnosis and treatment have on you.

Hope this helps!

- [^1] While I also think that it's important to highlight and discuss "Adult" ADHD because we're adults here, it's the same underlying neuro-genetic disorder, so I don't personally make the distinction often

- [^2] See "Types" at https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/facts.html

- [^3] I'm intentionally vague here mostly to not suggest or recommend a specific class or product.

I very much agree and share a similar experience.

Struggling with ADHD is not a matter of not being able to focus. Part of the issue is directing and keeping attention on non-pleasant tasks that are stacked up against a brain chronically low on dopamine and norepinephrine transmission.

As someone with diagnosed and treated ADHD, these articles are misleading. In my opinion it's dangerous to claim "Do this ONE behavioural thing and your ADHD goes away (or gets easier.)"

After struggling with ADHD for 25+ years I can tell you: These life-hacks don't work. Please, consult with a medical professional instead. It'll save you years of agony and disappointment.

Again, if you have – or suspect – ADHD, work with a psychiatrist to discuss diagnosis and treatment options. Period.

Quoting Dr. Russell Barkeley "ADHD is one, if not the best-understood psychiatric conditions. We understand it for several decades now - it's also called the diabetes of psychiatry because there's treatment"[^1].

So, we know what it is and have known how to treat it. It's a neuro-genetic disease, and we have had working medications for – I think – 50 years including the obvious methylphenidate and dexamphetamines.

After reading the article and so many like it, I feel frustrated because I think they're predatory. They're targeting neuro-divergent people like myself. And boy, did I fall into those traps over and over again until I enrolled in actual medical treatment.

I'll assume that Jacqueline writes and published this in good faith to a point. My smell-test says otherwise - but please correct me if I'm wrong: The article smells like a classic "authority" post that's designed to generate leads for her mailing-list via the "free"-for-email ebook "YOUR ADHD STRENGTHS" just below. Once singed up I imagine I'll... [conjecture!] get an email drip campaign for a week providing "value" to join her community to eventually be offered an intro offer for $37 with an upsell for $197 etc.

[^1]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCAGc-rkIfo