Alex’s Story
Assessment:
ADHD
3 Minute Read
Alex has a history of anxiety, and despite her best efforts, people mistakenly believed she was “careless”. School was difficult - she had to arrive early for books and supplies, sit at the front to avoid forgetting things, and write reminders on her hand. Her attention would constantly drift to bright lights overhead, activity outside, or patterns on her pencil case.
At home, Alex listened to music and television while working, which provided enough input to allow her to focus on the task at hand. As an adult, Alex has had several jobs, initially thriving in new workplaces before beginning to feel behind. It takes Alex longer than coworkers to understand emails and documents - often needing to read them several times to ensure nothing is missed. Receiving new or unexpected assignments can be difficult, especially late in the day when Alex needs to pivot quickly.
This can feel overwhelming, and can really upset Alex.
She much prefers self-directed tasks where she can switch between activities as needed to maintain attention and set her own deadlines. She finds it difficult to work around other people in traditional office settings, often getting work done in a video call with a friend or in a coffee shop surrounded by others.
At home, Alex is often frustrated by misplacing important items - keys, phone, purse. She forgets doctor’s appointments or outings with friends, even with multiple reminders. Collecting groceries and medication is an ongoing hassle, which Alex will often not do until the “last minute.”
“These challenges have caused Alex to struggle with anxiety, as her life often feels rushed and chaotic.”
After leaving her most recent job, Alex began wondering if there was an explanation for some of her difficulties. After research online, Alex wondered if she might be an ADHDer. Growing up, she always thought being ADHD meant being extremely energetic and excitable.
She can sit still for long periods, and can focus for hours once she gets into a “flow.”
However, after reading about others’ experiences, Alex discovered that being ADHD is not the same for everyone. She also felt there was a possibility she may be Autistic - resonating with Autistic experiences around sensory differences, social interaction, and need for routine.
Through the identification process, Alex learned she has ADHD. Understanding this helped everything make sense - the strategies she’d always needed, the difficulty switching tasks unexpectedly, misplacing items, and needing background stimulation to focus.
Alex now knows:
Her “carelessness”was actually ADHD executive functioning differences.
Her ability to hyperfocus is an ADHD strength.
Her anxiety was often a response to navigating the world without understanding her ADHD.
The strategies she’d been using (music while working, fidgeting, reminders) were her brain’s way of self-regulating.