| No worries, cheers. Small correction: I got my diagnosis when I was 31, late in my life (in context). Phrased that a bit poorly. > How did you get through the earlier parts of life un treated? In a lot of ways I didn't. Spent most of my time gaming, programming and doing (combat) sports, as they were the only activities that stimulated me enough to where I could focus. > Did you do well in school? The few times I made an effort, yes. In the large, no. Most of my teachers realized that I was capable, and sympathized with my position (poor family, ill parents), which via social engineering gave me good enough grades to get into (the equivalent of) college, which I later dropped out of. > If you don't mind me asking, what made you get the diagnosis in your late 30s? Approaching seniority at work, where my skills aren't just outputting code, but attending (and contributing in) meetings. Combined with the birth of my son, I realized that I could no longer lean on strengths and humor to get me forward in life. People, including off-the-clock-psycho(logists/therapists) have suggested that I have some variant of ADD/ADHD for as long as I can remember. I never did anything with it, as there wasn't enough pressure to justify me making the slightest effort at improving the quality of my every day experience. It's a strange feeling to now be (effectively) "normal", and to realize that I was never (just) lazy. In a sense, my life started a few weeks ago; for once I am in control, and it feels wonderful. |