In my mid forties, I developed ‘burnout’ from working a high stress job for many years. I’d been working too hard, and finally got totally overwhelmed.
In seeking treatment I first was diagnosed with adult ADHD. Which was shocking, but after reading about how ADHD can present in adults, it did seem to fit.
Learning about ADHD and getting treatment did help, but really I did not get back to my baseline. I had symptoms I had never had before and it did not seem like ADHD, a neurodevelopmental condition, could explain it all. Even when you consider that stress and illness can exacerbate ADHD symptoms.
My health care providers, while wonderful people, couldn’t really seem to classify what was going on. Was I also autistic? This seemed unlikely, but again the more I read about it… well, maybe.
Did I have Long-COVID? I definitely had an illness and symptoms that fit in with my having had COVID in early 2020, but there was no testing then so I have no proof. And that meant no option of being accepted into any of the very few Long-COVID clinics.
So, I have been learning about neurodiversity and have been looking at scientific studies myself to try to determine what my various symptoms might mean and how I could treat them.
My goal is to use this site to share what I discover while I am learning myself. With a background in health research I will focus on what the science (such as it is for adults with VAST/ADHD, or autism or Long-COVID) tells us, but also share stories.
Let’s learn to love and to care for our beautiful brains,
Beth
