Most doctors agree that an early diagnosis is ideal for those who are dealing with mental health disorders. Unfortunately, that’s not a reality for many. In fact, it was only in the past year that I realized I’ve been living with not one but two mental health disorders. I also quickly discovered that I wasn’t alone.
I always knew that my thoughts and the way I handled things were a bit different from others. However, I chalked it up to being a worrier, being awkward, and loving to plan.
Over time, I learned different ways to manage how I expressed myself around others. To satisfy my need for structure, I followed a career path in science and quality assurance. When I craved something new, I changed jobs.
After almost 20 years of the same pattern, I thought it was how my life was always going to be. Then, I saw a thread on Twitter about how people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can present with conflicting symptoms because they’d learned how to use one disorder to complement the other.
I’d never felt something click so significantly before. There were several issues that I recognized but the one that stood out for me said that I would be constantly fighting the need for stability because of the instinct to be spontaneous. That one thread led me to investigate the symptoms of ADHD, and ASD, and how their symptoms can intertwine.
It also showed that I was far from alone. That thread was filled with commenters who had all gotten their diagnosis of either or both of these disorders in their 40s and beyond. Some of them had been diagnosed with different disorders entirely when they were younger and hadn’t been diagnosed at all.
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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), diagnosing ADHD and other mental health disorders in adults can be a little complicated. This comes from the fact that as we get older, we develop different coping mechanisms that can make it difficult to pinpoint the symptoms with accuracy.
To make matters worse, gender can make a difference in how certain aspects of the disorder are presented. For example, those who are born female are less likely to exhibit the hyperactivity that is characteristic of ADHD.
Instead, many people express having racing thoughts even while they’re sitting perfectly still. That’s something I can definitely relate to.
Of course, the next question is, “Why aren’t people just diagnosed as children?” as this would make their adult lives easier. Unfortunately, studies show that people of color are less likely to be diagnosed as children. When in school, they may be labeled as being withdrawn or disobedient instead. In most cases, this label is never re-assessed so the odds of them being examined for a mental health disorder drop significantly.
While I have yet to be officially diagnosed, it has made a world of difference to know what I’m dealing with. I can research and implement effective techniques that help me manage my mental health disorders.
So far using a to-do list, planning my day around when my brain is most productive, and learning when I need to stay away from more detailed tasks have worked for me.
If you suspect you may also be living with a mental health disorder or two, it’s never too late to talk to a doctor. It’s true that some people with a disorder need medication to manage it but using the right techniques can be just as effective.
The last thing I expected to discover at 40 is that I have mental health disorders. Still, that knowledge has been life-changing and I finally have the right tools to live a more balanced life. It can only get better from here.
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