A rant. FYI, this post might be a but triggering for some.

She called about ADHD. She was renewing her nursing license (though she’s retired) and said she took a course on adult ADHD. She said she felt bad that she has been so ignorant about it, and that she didn’t know I was suffering all this time.

I didn’t, but I wanted to say, “what the fuck do you mean you didn’t know??? How???”

I literally requested help for it at like 13, but the doctor gave up on it immediately after I was on Concerta for just a few weeks because I was FORGETTING TO TAKE IT (???). She said, “you’re just depressed and anxious”. Okay??? As if it’s impossible to have ADHD too???

Never mind the fact that when the doctor dismissed me the first time, it took me crying to get her to even consider it the first place.

My parents didn’t even say anything when she took me off of Concerta and reiterated that she thought i just had depression and anxiety. They just accepted it even though I KNEW I had it. I did the research, because no one else was going to, clearly. And I knew my feelings usually weren’t taken seriously, anyway.

I was finally able to get medicated just recently. I’m 32. I appreciate her trying now, but I needed help then. My life could’ve been so much different if I hadn’t been easily and frequently dismissed.

  • @sleepmodeEnglish
    7•4 days ago

    Mine got me diagnosed. She was frustrated because I burned out senior year and went from straight As to deliberately failing. One of my teachers demanded a conference and insisted I see a specialist. When the medication became too expensive after her divorce, she gaslighted me into thinking it wasn’t a real disorder. I ended up quitting college because of that. I still can’t help but hold that over her head sometimes.

    I wasn’t able to explain exactly what I was going through until I was older. I thought everyone was like me, I suppose, even though eventually I knew I was different. Being ostracized by classmates helped that realization set in.

    Both parents are more accepting and have apologized since realizing how debilitating it can be. However, without them experiencing it I still don’t think they fully understand. There needs to be some kinda VR simulation for that or something.

    You have every right to be upset.