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‘A Constant Itchiness Inside Your Body’ — Growing Up With Undiagnosed ADHD
I spent my childhood unknowingly compensating for ADHD
“Maybe I don’t need medication at all,” I told my boyfriend before immediately realizing I was pouring my tea into the sink instead of a cup. This was a year ago — I could not decide if I wanted to try meds. It all seemed so surreal. Here I was questioning if I even had ADHD and how serious it actually might be, whilst simultaneously displaying classic symptoms and even bearing a clear diagnosis, supported by all the assessment tests.
In elementary school, my teacher used to tell my parents: “Dan is really smart. But he’s such a daydreamer!” I don’t blame her. I remember sitting in class, traveling to random places and events in my imagination, and suddenly realizing the teacher was calling my name for the third time. I kept forgetting to hand in my homework and return things.
I also couldn’t sit still. ADHD can feel like a constant itchiness inside your body. If you don’t move, the itch gets stronger. I would constantly fidget with any object that happened to be nearby.
And yet, I didn’t need educational help. I was at the top of my class (if that’s something you can say about elementary school). I…
