Dear Diary,
This week I’ve been thinking a lot about individuals with ADHD. About their ability to seek help and support to learn and live with their ADHD rather than against it. I feel that this is one of the hardest steps after a diagnosis. There’s a sense of relief after you get diagnosed and receive some answers. However, stress also tends to closely follow and you may think:
What’s next? What do I do with this diagnosis? How do I live my life now?
There seems to be very little assistance to help people move forward from and with their ADHD diagnosis. It’s almost like no one realizes how hard it can be for individuals with ADHD to figure out all of it on their own. Asking for help and advocating for themselves—I’m sure—are unknown concepts to many. A lot of you with ADHD may have gotten too used to masking and creating limiting beliefs. You may not know where to start and the steps to take to get help. A lot of your executive functions are required for this too, making it even harder!
When it ultimately comes down to receiving help for ADHD, there’s a certain question that never seems to be thought about:
ARE YOU READY?
Getting help is great; there is so much support that is offered for individuals with ADHD (still a way to go) like medication, alternatives therapies, coaching, specific accommodations and so on. However, none of this is useful if the individual seeking the support is not ready for it.
So, what do I mean by being ready? It’s a state of mind and willingness to be open and vulnerable. It’s about being willing to take a big leap and being willing to change and tackle the challenges that the support may present. As discussed in previous diaries, are you ready to unpeel the onion?
My experience:
After being diagnosed with co-existing conditions (before my ADHD diagnosis) I was certainly not ready to seek any extra help. To be honest, I didn’t even know where to go or whom to seek help from, let alone, try to move forward. I just wasn’t ready. The same thing happened when I was diagnosed with ADHD. Sure, it was a relief, but I simply chose to ignore it and let it fade into the background.
It took moving countries, a global pandemic and an impulsive decision to drive me towards taking action and confronting the layers I had not addressed! I’d done work with various therapists in the past, however, I only merely dealt with things at a surface level. Neither did I go into the core of it nor was willing to be genuinely open to it until then. Yes, it took a huge transition in my life to finally feel ready but I’m okay with it. One day, I woke up and just felt that the timing was right!
Initially, as you may already know, my ADHD hyperfocus set it and I was consumed by it. I was listening to, reading about, and exploring the topic any way I could. Once I had a good idea of it, I began to unpeel all of my layers by going to therapy, coaching, and starting medication. No this was not easy; I wanted to give up many times. I cried, got frustrated and was unmotivated so many times. However, I knew I had to keep going and my resilience got me through. I was ready, and even though I may have not realised it, I knew it was time to take control of my life and start making the most of who I was.
As a result of my experiences, I developed a great fondness to assist others in using their strengths to become the best version of themselves, which led to the founding of Indigo Hub. I want to make it easy for others with ADHD who may be going through similar situations or who are looking for guidance and assistance.
Listed below are some pointers that may evoke awareness regarding how ready you are to seek help for your ADHD:
Are you ready?
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I am ready to take new measures, step out of my comfort zone change, and try to grow from my experiences
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I don’t want to be fixed; I want to work with my unique ADHD brain wiring vs against it
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I am ready to enter into a partnership with my coach to create an even better life
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I want to be active and take ownership of my life to move forward
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I can be transparent, open, and honest about my experiences
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I am willing to face and recognise beliefs, fears, and challenges to reframe and move forward
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I see coaching as an investment for the future
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I am prepared to be on time for all coaching appointments
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I am committed to taking care of myself in all areas during coaching
Check out the video here if you prefer to listen.
If in case you are wondering how many of the listed points you need your intentions to align with, there’s no specific limit. My goal in making a list of these responses is to get you thinking about what your inner voice wants and see if you are ready to take the next step.
Everyone is on their own journey and just like how one type of treatment does not fit all, one strict timeline does not fit all either. After a diagnosis, if you feel like the timing is not right for you to open up the hidden layers and make a change, THAT IS OKAY!!! Accept the point you are at because one day, you will feel ready before you even know it. And when that time comes, you can finally take charge of yourself, your life, and your ADHD!!
So, are you ready yet?
If you are ready for coaching or other similar support, reach out to us! We are here to help