What have you struggled with? When did it become too much?
Since the age of six, I was diagnosed with ADD/ADHD. I remember feeling a bit different from other kids in my grade. When I was in elementary school, my teachers would often say they were “concerned for me,” but I didn’t really understand what that meant at the time. I also remember my parents feeling stressed, and as a child, it was confusing to see everyone around me worried when I didn’t yet understand why. I felt it became too much once i reached middle school, when I would feel embarrassed to go to my resource center because I felt it separated me from the others
What kind of support did you get at first? Did it work?
I began working one-on-one with a paraprofessional in elementary school. From there through middle school, I received help from my school’s resource center and was assigned case managers up until I graduated high school. I felt that the support helped me a lot as I got older, I felt a little resistant at first, but over time, I started learning how to manage things on my own and understand what worked best for me.
Were there any turning points where things really started to change for the better?
Things started to change for the better in high school when I began to understand my ADHD more. I learned how to stay organized, ask for help when I needed it, and believe in myself. Gaining more self-awareness made a big difference in how I approached school and daily life.
What’s your life like now? What have you been able to accomplish, and what are you working towards?
My life feels much more balanced now. I still struggle here and there, but using calendars and planning tools has helped me manage my time and stay focused. I make sure to set aside time for my work, my business goals, and my personal life. I’ve been able to finish school, and I’m now working toward opening my own beauty storefront one day. I feel proud of how far I’ve come and how much I’ve grown.
What would you say to people who are having a tough time? What’s helped you that you wish you had known earlier
I’d tell people that it’s okay to ask for help and take things one step at a time. What’s helped me most is learning to understand myself and not being afraid to reach out for support. I wish I had known earlier about more peer support resources, because connecting with others who understood what I was going through would have helped me feel less alone and more supported emotionally.
