The Forums › Forums › I Just Found Out! › I Have a Diagnosis, Now What? › Found out 20 years ago I was diagnosed. › Reply To: Found out 20 years ago I was diagnosed.
First off, we don’t “Grow out of ADD/ADHD”. The condition is hardwired into our brains. We get better at coping with the condition as we get older. We do this by adding more and more tools to employ to situations. The condition is still there. It is just better hidden.
Let’s take a look at bad habits. At work when I get overwhelmed by too many things to do, I have a tendency to not do anything. This is a bad habit reaction to my ADD. My ADD makes it very difficult to prioritize and move out of being overwhelmed. That is a problem with executive function.
One of my coping mechanisms is prioritizing based on due date. Coping machanism = tool. I can solve any problem. That comes to me from my Autism. So I make a check list, order it due date and complete the first task, then the next, and the next.
What does this have to do with you? You get a diagnosis, you seek counseling, and you get on meds. This is the three=leg stool that will help you cope. The diagnosis is to help you label your condition and identify areas you need to work on. The counseling takes the guess work out of finding coping mechanisms to help you with your rough spots. The meds give your brain a chance of identifying situations and reactions BEFORE you get sucked into habitual behavior.
Hope this helps.
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