| I fought so hard through every year at school. At home, computers let my mind explode in computer games, 3D realms and unlimited feeling exploring of operating systems and hardware. The only way to control my thoughts and mind was ridiculous amounts of exercise, 1 hour run daily or equivalent and drinking 5 cups of coffee per workday, just to have a normal focus. Somehow, after living a very random 20's. I graduated with a bachelor and a master degree. My life was a still a mess, but at least I graduated. Something had to be wrong. The thought had occured to me, is this ADHD, but I surpressed it. Didn't want it do be me. Felt agonized over the thought of having a condition, and offended by the character traits that were all exact descriptions of me. At age 32 I kept going at a rock bottom slow pace. Had no job. The occational consulting stint. No proper money in the bank. Everything messy around me, including my head, clean but untidy. Relationship with my girlfriend hanging by a thread. If I was was to stay in the paradigm of trying to get a solid career dayjob, and performing well, something had to change fundamentally.
ADHD is real. Get diagnosed if you believe you have it. I waited 7 years before daring to speak to a professional psychiatrist, don't do the same as me if you believe you have it! I took the plunge and visited a private Psychiatrist. Nice office, expensive art hanging on the walls, meters of full bookshelves on surrounding the interview area. The guy himself, top notch, understanding and genuinely interested. Through 5 solid sessions, and 2500USD later, I was diagnosed with ADHD level. "For your own sake, it was really fortunate that you came". I was prescribed Concerta 54Mg (3x 15mg Ritalin daily). My life is now entirely upended and everything has been an incredible improvement in all aspects of my life. - After taking the medication, I was able to focus completely on tasks. Seeing them through, completely focused and analyzing the problems.
-- Sequential tasks (doing something from A through to Z) like doing the dishes, cleaning my room, or building a spreadsheet model over 7 hours - no problem.
- Frustrated thougts and mild depression over lack of life progress completely evaporated
- Before this I couldn't get a job. Couldn't make it through the interviews. My CV was never good enough et cetera.
- After this, I got 5 job interviews with great companies, 2 job offers with high salaries
- I now work in the world's largest technology & strategy consulting company.
- I was just promoted, fast tracked
- I just got a raise
- My bank now believes in me financially and is about to offer me a mortage to buy an apartment
- My diagnosis and medication has given a fantastic life where all my opportunities are within reach. #RealLifeLimitless |
The one thing I would like to note here is that medication alone may not be enough. It helps me a great deal with persistence and motivation but it also brought issues to light that I apparently had previously suppressed. I find it hard to break the behavioral and emotional patterns I developed over the past 30+ years and I feel like I need help to overcome those.