Today is the first day of October, which means it’s the first day of ADHD Awareness Month. For those of you who don’t know, I was diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 4. Contrary to popular belief, ADHD is a real disorder, it’s not something “everyone has a little bit of”, and no, it’s not an excuse for zoning out. 

Growing up with ADHD was one of the most difficult challenges of my life. I was always the “weird kid” no one wanted to play with…the one who would talk too much, who got easily distracted, who sometimes had trouble sitting still, or maybe got a little hyper sometimes. I didn’t know why I was getting pulled out of class every now and then for special testing, or why my mom was driving me a few towns over for therapy. I didn’t even know about my diagnosis until I was in third grade, and a former educator who I will not name, told my parents that I’d probably never graduate high school, let alone go to college or be successful in life. And that was when my entire life changed.

Thanks to my village, I was able to get the help I needed to manage my ADHD. After that year, I got an IEP, which provided me with the accommodations I needed to get through school. If I had an exam, I’d be able to take it in a separate classroom, or I’d have a little extra time to finish my exams if I needed it. It also helped that I had a great team of educators over the years! I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the groundswell of support I received from my family. I remember my mom would never let me leave the table until all my homework was done, and neatly. I thought she was just being annoying and nagging me, but that extra push ended up helping me in the long run. By my junior year of high school, I was even taking advanced placement classes, and by my senior year, the director of special education had suggested that I be declassified. A year later, not only did I graduate high school, but I got into every school I applied to, and I ended up going to my dream school. And now, I have a college degree and a paralegal certificate under my belt (which will hopefully lead me to a job in the legal field someday soon). I’ve found my circle of friends, and although it may be small, they love me for who I am. I’ve already beaten the odds.

Unfortunately, ADHD is something that sticks with you for the rest of your life. I still find myself struggling to focus or sit still sometimes. Sometimes I can’t do something as simple as reading a book without getting distracted and having to backtrack a couple times. I can be talking to someone and have to pretend like I heard what they said, even though I didn’t because I zoned out. ADHD is also commonly linked to social anxiety disorder, and as a result, it’s often difficult for me to hold a conversation with people or form meaningful relationships (especially when it comes to the dating scene). I’ve tried so hard not to let my ADHD define me as a person, but I’m not going to pretend like I don’t wish things were different sometimes. 

All of this to say, every time I beat myself down, I remember how far I’ve come over the years. If anyone had told me 10 years ago I’d be where I am right now, I wouldn’t believe them. At the same time, I know that this is just the beginning, and the best is yet to come. Thanks to ADHD, the road ahead may be a little bumpy, but I will get there eventually…