This morning I have my assessment for ADHD, with Psychiatry UK, and I expect to be diagnosed with ADHD, although my imposter syndrome is worried I’m wrong.
If I’m wrong, I may have to publicly eat my words, as I have been describing myself as ‘AuDHD’ for several months. A ‘queer AuDHDer’ in fact, as I prefer identity-first language and I like rhymes.
I do recommend professional diagnosis, especially for ADHD, unless you are concerned about a formal diagnosis being career-limiting, or negatively impacting in some other way, for example in the family courts, but I do believe self-diagnosis is valid.
Anyway, there are many barriers to diagnosis; not just long waiting lists, initial screening can be biased and discriminatory, diagnostic criteria too rigid and stereotyped.
Yikes, and what if they say, “you have ADHD, but ASD was a misdiagnosis”.
However it goes, I’ll always be neurodivergent.
#ADHD #AuDHD #SelfDiagnosis #IdentityFirstLanguage #ImposterSyndrome #ActuallyAutistic #Autism #ASD #Autistic #Neurodivergent #Neurodiversity
Ausome Charlie 