“When individuals with ADHD are provided with the necessary treatment promptly after being diagnosed in childhood, it grants them the greatest opportunity to achieve their complete potential.” These words struck me profoundly one day while my preceptor was sharing his experiences treating adult ADHD patients. I absorbed every piece of knowledge he imparted about ADHD, but when he concluded the informal teaching session with these thoughts, they consumed my mind as he began his next patient visit. As a 36-year-old woman who had been diagnosed with ADHD just a month earlier, I couldn’t help but reflect on how things might have been vastly different had I been informed my brain operated differently.

I was aware of my “quirks” regarding my study habits, but I grew increasingly frustrated when I couldn’t comprehend why I was unable to retain as much information despite all the effort I had put into my first year of medical school. Having biweekly exams was an arduous pace, yet I never felt that the content was particularly challenging to grasp. However, it seemed to elude me as I studied, and I couldn’t fathom what was going on since this had never been a problem in my long academic career. But with OSCEs intimidating me to the degree of rendering me robotic in my interactions with the standardized patient, I dismissed it as anxiety. That’s when I first sought assistance from a VA psychiatrist. Identifying the issue that plagued me sparked hope that I could improve my focus and excel for the remainder of my second year once my anxiety was managed. But even after my anxiety was well-managed, concentration problems persisted. In fact, it heightened the visibility of other executive dysfunctions; the absence of anxiety no longer served to motivate me to take action. That was when a clinician recommended I undergo an evaluation for ADHD. Months passed through the VA to facilitate neuropsychological testing and an assessment by a psychiatrist before I was finally prescribed medication. Up until that point, I hadn’t realized the significant loss I had endured during all those years without a diagnosis.

As more explanations unfolded, the more grief I had to contend with. The most challenging blow came when I encountered something that confirmed that grief when I least anticipated it. I wouldn’t have needed to discover how to study while preparing for a board exam. It’s hard not to ponder how my SATs and MCATs could have been an entirely different experience with accommodations. How much less self-criticism I would have absorbed over the years, understanding that my brain operates differently and that I merely needed to adopt alternative methods. Yet, I was also reminded of the numerous instances where my neurodivergence has aided me along the way. Traits typically labeled as “negative” aspects of ADHD have allowed me to be adaptable and high-performing. I’m unsure if I would have made the decision to join the Navy so straightforwardly had I not faced “issues” with impulse control paired with a desire to evade stagnation. The necessity to stay engaged in activities has driven me to be a self-initiator. Furthermore, needing to be attentive to my surroundings has made me someone capable of analyzing and interpreting situations effectively, contributing to me being a better collaborator. And when the physical demands of the Navy fell short, I pursued mental engagement by enrolling in college courses during my senior year of high school and while in the Navy, even in the midst of deployment in the middle of the ocean, all because I yearned for mental enrichment, not solely for the credits.

The more I delved into ADHD, the more I recognized that my experience, albeit unique, is not unheard of, especially among women. With 55.9 percent of adults diagnosed with ADHD receiving their diagnosis at age 18 or older, considerable delays in diagnosis are common. The average diagnosis age for women is 37, as they are less likely to be diagnosed in childhood compared to men, frequently due to more subtle, inattentive manifestations and gender biases in diagnostic parameters. Additionally, being misdiagnosed with various medical conditions is a frequent occurrence for many, particularly women. This transforms it into not just an ADHD experience, but a collective human experience. It signifies that even though we have had different journeys, the conclusions we arrive at or lessons we learn often resonate, fostering greater compassion for others. While I may still mourn the opportunities lost due to a delayed diagnosis, I acknowledge the unintentional lessons that my detours and setbacks have imparted. They peeled away the protective layers of survival mode and afforded me the chance to enhance my self-awareness. This clarity will serve as the cornerstone of my practice. It implies that I don’t merely address symptoms; I recognize the unvoiced, lifelong battles existing behind them. I can