My ADHD
I’ve been thinking a lot about the use of “my ADHD” as a description of difficulties and strengths by those of us diagnosed, or suspecting we would be. What do folks here think about describing things we live through as “my ADHD?” I’d really appreciate some discussion about this… (and I think I must be missing recording TalkADHD due to ill health)
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Well I find “my ADHD” not to be any of that. I think it actually externalises the issue. It’s gone round and round in my mind and I’m coming to the conclusion that “my ADHD” is a reductionist concept that encourages folks not to own their individuality. I am who I am in part because my brain meets the criteria for ADHD, and that is different to many if not all others’ ADHD, but I am me first and foremost. I’m replacing “my ADHD” with “I / Me” now. ADHD is a description of why I do certain things but it doesn’t define me and I fear using “My ADHD” could cast a shadow on “me.” This may be as a result of the social misleadia that so often promotes “My ADHD” Perhaps this is just another rabbit hole of semantics, but “my ADHD” is only a small part of who I am and I value that so much more than the label. Perhaps the journey of understanding a diagnosis needs a period of thinking of “my ADHD.,” or maybe even a period of not thinking “my ADHD” like I’m having at the moment. I don’t think there is one right answer.
I’m keen to hear what others think of this aspect of making sense of our diagnosis. Please comment and get involved in the debate.
Matt and I have a well overdue podcast which covers this and my first ever broadcast mistake confession (which Matt has kindly fact checked and found me to be incorrect). I hope the fact that I’m up to writing this means that I am on the mend at last. We shall see.