Hi. I have been wondering how to get an assessment for neurodivergence as I seem to struggle with some day-to-day things. I seem to relate to a lot of memes from the adhd and autism communities. I also seem to have a good amount of traits that overlap with autism and adhd.
How did you get your diagnosis? Do you have any advice regarding obtaining an assessment?
In what country do you live? That has a lot to do with how it will work for you.
For me (specific to ADHD in Michigan, USA), I started reading up a lot on the subject to help my son, and realized that I fit a lot of the criteria. Not so much day-to-day obvious things, but more in the overall arc of my life. “Gifted”, but struggle to fulfill my potential, constantly feeling overwhelmed with details, trouble remembering anything that happened more than a couple of years ago (maybe that one is just me).
In any case, I read a couple of books on adult ADHD, and it really clarified things for me. I put together a list of the reasons why I thought I had it, and made an appointment with a local mental health professional. In my case, it was a nurse-practitioner rather than a psychiatrist. He took me through a number of questions & said it was pretty clear that I had ADHD. Then we talked through appropriate medication & landed on Straterra / Atomoxitine.
The medication has been very helpful, though there are some annoying side-effects that I’m still working through. More helpful has been the growing understanding of what my limitations are, and building up more effective ways to work around them. It also helps me feel less guilty about dropping the ball on some things. And I’m working toward changing key elements of my career, including a job change, though I’m not there just yet.