Being Diagnosed With ADHD – To Disclose Or Not To Disclose?
So you were just diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. You’re probably half-relieved-half-worried being diagnosed with ADHD. All those doubts and wonders that you had are finally answered. Your thoughts might be like “This revelation explains so much about myself! Now life is going to be easy!” Sure, knowing that you have ADHD can be alleviating, but at the same time, it can also cause some concerns. “What does having ADHD mean? Is my brain completely ruined? Will people accept me for who I really am?”
Finally knowing about your ADHD is going to be such a shocking revelation. There’s just so much to take in and so many potential implications that need to be considered. You really can’t stop thinking about it or even talk about it. So many emotions are running through your head when, finally, Finally, you pause for a minute and think – “Who am I suppose to tell about my ADHD?”
Telling People About Your ADHD
Disclosing about ADHD is probably the biggest challenge for someone who was just diagnosed with it. You can wait for everyone to figure it out, or you can get ahead of yourself – just as what your ADHD tells you to do – and tell everyone you know about your condition.
Proceed With Caution
However, if you do decide to go for the latter, be wary. Once you’ve disclosed your ADHD diagnosis to someone, you can no longer ‘un-tell‘ them. There’s no turning back, and you have to face the implications that come along with it.
There’s nothing wrong with telling it to other people. It’s just that once everybody knows about your condition, it can bring a bizarre mixture of reactions. While some take it positively and adjust accordingly to your situation, some would be dismissive about it. Keep in mind that misconceptions and discrimination against people having ADHD is still a huge issue today. So, when you start blabbing about your condition, expect that some are not going to be thrilled to hear you have ADHD.
The Positive and Negative Reactions
In a perfect world, if you disclosed someone about your ADHD symptoms, their ideal response would be:
“Really? That just explains everything! I’m so happy that you’ve finally found the main cause of your daily struggles. It must be amazing to know what’s really going on with yourself. Now you have the basis to look for the ideal treatment for your ADHD. Just know that I’m right here to support you all throughout.”
Sounds like music to your ears, right? But we all know that’s just not the case.
In reality, the most common implication is that the people whom you disclose it to will immediately question the legitimacy of your diagnosis. They’d even go further as to disregard it or give a piece of their minds about ADHD assessment and medication. In the end, you either feel relieved or discouraged that you ever told someone about you having ADHD.
The most common comments/reactions would be:
“How can you have ADHD? You’re already an Adult!”
“How did you find out just now? If you do have ADHD, you would’ve found out sooner.”
“Well, everyone has ADHD these days, so you don’t have to worry about it.”
“You’re kidding. ADHD is for Boys!”
“You’re just being fooled by your doctor. They’re just telling you that to get money from you.”
“My brother has ADHD, too. You two should get to know each other.”
“ADHD is nothing more than a lame excuse for lazy people.”
People Need to Be Aware
It’s safe to say that if one of the people you’ve talked to told you either one of the comments listed above, they are unaware and uninformed on the subject that is ADHD. All of these comments are old stereotypes that are no longer applicable in today’s setting. If only these people read or have thoroughly researched about ADHD, they wouldn’t be able to say these comments to you.
Just don’t take these remarks seriously. Never let the words of others derail your belief on your ADHD diagnosis. Even if that person is someone you love or respect, you should trust your instincts a lot more than anyone else.
So with all, that’s been said, what are the best things you can do to avoid being judged or mistreated? Let’s go back to the start.
Knowing More About Yourself
So you were just diagnosed with ADHD. Surely at first you were enlightened by the news, but after the initial burst of relief and happiness has worn off, it is pretty common to face a lot of emotional turmoil. This would include anger, depression, worry, and even denial. Now that everything has sunk in, you now feel like you’re ready to share with the world about your ADHD, hoping that they will understand and give you the treatment that you think you deserve.
But hold right there! That’s where you’re wrong. The world is a cruel place, and it will not initially accept you for who you are, especially if they learned that you have ADHD. So before you disclose your ADHD to other people, give yourself some space to first process your emotions. Take things slow and don’t jump into conclusions right away.
During this hiatus, you can do some research and learn more about your ADHD condition. This will prevent yourself from being overwhelmed with your emotions and start thinking about more relevant ideas on how to take your condition and not carelessly disclose it to other people and just praying that they’d understand. The knowledge that you will gain will empower your understanding with ADHD.
Being aware of yourself is more important than what others have to say. So if people say an uninformed statement about you having ADHD, you won’t question yourself since you already know who you are. If you do want to tell anybody right away, tell the people who are nearest and dearest to you. But as for the rest of the world, pull the breaks, pause, and get educated first.
Conclusion
Having ADHD is nothing to be ashamed of. You can even tell people right away. But keep in mind that before you do, make sure you are fully aware of your condition and have the right mindset to manage it. ADHD clinics like The ADHD Centre is aware of your struggles. We want nothing more but your success in life. If you think you have ADHD, never hesitate to head to your nearest ADHD assessment clinic and be diagnosed by a certified ADHD doctor.
At The ADHD Centre, we offer an ADHD Test Online for you to know or confirm if you or a loved one happens to have ADHD and if you would like some further guidance and support on managing your ADHD then please contact us at The ADHD Centre on 0800 061 4276 or via enquiries@adhdcentre.co.uk.
The ADHD Centre offers holistic ADHD treatment and cares for both children and adults. We are also affiliated with other ADHD clinics and organisations to maximise our services. Are you living within UK? Lovely! We also offer an ADHD Online Assessment via Zoom for Healthcare. So wherever you are in UK, know that the ADHD Centre is always available for your ADHD needs.
