How ADHD diagnosis helped my mental health | Mental health

By suggesting that it is possible that we all lie somewhere on an ADHD continuum, your correspondent (Letters, February 27) misses the point.

ADHD – and autism – are neurodiverse, meaning that the brains of people with ADHD and/or autism are “wired” differently than those with “typical” brains. In other words, you either have it or you don’t. Suggesting that everyone is a little ADHD or a little autistic is insulting to those of us who are actually ADHD/autistic and diminishes our lived experience. Yes, self-help tools can be helpful. But affirming a diagnosis can also be extremely beneficial.

I am a child health professional who was diagnosed with autism at age 56 and ADHD at age 57. I can’t overstate the difference this has made to my mental health and my approach to my life. I spent my life before diagnosis unknowingly developing strategies to cope with my neurodiversities, all while suffering from depression and low self-esteem, wondering why the hell I couldn’t do things like everyone else and why people told me I was “weird.” If I had been diagnosed at an earlier age, I would hopefully have understood better, wouldn’t have had to hide my struggles and wouldn’t have been so hard on myself. I am now able to reflect on and forgive myself for past behaviors and mistakes.

These diagnoses are not “labels”. These are explanations of who people are. In my professional role, I advise parents to have their children evaluated for ADHD or autism. The diagnostic process is robust and is not undertaken lightly. Please don’t campaign to take this away from us.
Francesca Finch Andrews
Belper, Derbyshire