I found lectures during university stressful because I would lose focus, and ended up finishing my undergrad degree online. From elementary to high school I excelled in classes when I was allowed to fidget, but struggled when I wasn’t able to keep my hands busy.
However, in retrospect, there were indicators that pointed to ADHD throughout my life. On the contrary: I am a married mom of two young daughters, hold a managerial position and am well-respected by my colleagues, and at the time of diagnosis I was close to completing my Masters of Education degree. Until I was diagnosed, I had experienced challenges, but did not experience problems at school, at work, or with relationships which would cause me to question whether I had the condition. And while many people learn of their ADHD diagnosis in childhood when a teacher refers the child for testing, my own diagnosis didn’t come until I was 39 years old and in my last year of graduate studies. Research indicates that 4 to 8 per cent of the global population has ADHD, and the level of impairment the person experiences can be moderate to severe. ADHD primarily causes the person with the condition to struggle with executive functioning: adaptable thinking, working memory, time management, and organization. Those with ADHD do not have a deficit in attention rather, they have an abundance of attention and have to manage regulating that attention. My specific invisible disability is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), which besides being an awful term, is fairly inaccurate. By definition, a disability is any condition of the body or mind (impairment) that limits or prevents the person with the condition from doing certain activities and interacting with the world. I used to really struggle with terms like invisible disability, because I don’t necessarily feel that I have a disability.
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