[Celyn]

I second everything that Charlie said.

I don't know how it works where you are but I'm wondering if you could look into finding a psychiatrist or psychologist who does specialise in ADHD, or neurodivergence in general?

The problem with mental health systems is that they are very good at detecting mental health, but neurodivergence isn't classed as mental health so ADHD and autism tend to get missed completely, or misdiagnosed. For example, some women who have been diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder find out that they are autistic and realise BPD was a misdiagnosis. Similarly, it can be difficult to tease out what might be ADHD from other disorders, such as being impulsive and perhaps gambling, could be ADHD or it could be Bipolar. (Of course, it's possible to have BPD or Bipolar and be autistic/adhd at the same time). It's also a bit more complicated if you have a history of trauma as sometimes trauma reactions can mask underlying autism/adhd or in some cases, some might get told they have what could be a trauma reaction/trauma related diagnosis, but some professionals may be unaware that the same outward behaviour could be autism/adhd. The difference is in the underlying cause of behaviours (for example, spacing out 'dissociating' could be trauma related or it could be due to sensory/social overwhelm).

But as Charlie says, what matters is that you can find evidence that you've had traits of ADHD going back to childhood (and if possible/relevant, before trauma so that you can prove not everything is trauma related) and that its impacted your life as well. If you have family members with autism or adhd that might add to your case as well since autism can at times be genetic and autism and adhd can sometimes be co-morbid.

It's good to do some background reading too but be aware that you may come across some terms online that aren't used by professionals. For example, Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria seems to be quite common when reading online about ADHD but it's a new term coined by the online communities (I think) that even professionals might not be fully aware of.

I went through some time over the last few years where I analysed almost every memory and part of my personality, behaviour, emotions that I could think of. Except I took it a little too far and pretty much broke everything about me down based on the things I had read....and I felt like I had literally reduced myself to nothing more than a bunch of criteria and symptoms. So while it's definitely good to get help, get a diagnosis to help explain things and understand yourself more and potentially get medication as well, it can also get a little heavy when you can't figure out what might be adhd, what might be mental health, trauma and what makes you, you. Talking to someone you trust, who knows you well, or even just us on TeenHelp might help to keep your perspective as well.

(I'm not a professional nor an expert but I do have a Masters in Child and Adolescent Mental Health, where I focused on autism but have briefly come across adhd and have spent time thinking about whether I have one or both of these, but haven't gone for a diagnosis yet).

Take care and feel free to keep us updated if it helps