I Have ADHD Podcast 116 When you question your diagnosis
Jul 20, 2021
Emma Strong, a learning and development professional who navigated mental health care and an ADHD diagnosis, shares her diagnostic doubts and treatment search. She talks about masked symptoms, clinician dismissal, finding an ADHD specialist, using medication and coaching as supports, and learning to reapply tools as life changes.
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Diagnosis Journey From Dismissal To Confirmation
- Emma describes being first suggested ADHD by her therapist and then dismissed by one doctor who said she couldn't have ADHD because she did well in school.
- She later found a psychiatrist specializing in adult ADHD who diagnosed her on the first visit and confirmed it repeatedly.
Stereotypes Block Adult ADHD Diagnoses
- Kristen explains clinicians often hold a narrow stereotype of ADHD tied to hyperactive boys in school, which excludes many adults and women.
- This stigma causes qualified people to be misdiagnosed or dismissed despite clear symptoms.
Female ADHD Often Presents Differently
- Emma discovered women-presenting ADHD info and realized symptoms can differ from classic childhood hyperactivity.
- That knowledge empowered her to seek an appropriate adult ADHD assessment and treatment.