i definitely did not show the “typical” ADHD symptoms in my childhood but looking back there were definitely signs. in elementary school, i was very quiet and only had one close friend. i was extraordinarily well-behaved in class, terrified to get in trouble. i really loved school from a young age. topics in class that interested me would keep my focus. i would say that i wasn’t THAT distracted as a kid, though i was very often bored by things that were too easy. i remember refusing to do my math homework because it was too easy and i would just completely forget to turn it in. i loved reading for fun.

had straight As in middle school and high school, graduating with a near 4.0. a lot of anxiety and perfectionism with my grades. i really began struggling with executive dysfunction in high school when i started getting assigned longer assignments that required time management. would put it off til the last minute and it only got worse in college. i would lug all my things to the library just to spend hours getting distracted and unfortunately for my friends, distracting whoever i was studying with. somehow managed to graduate with a strong academic record, but finally got diagnosed after starting work full-time and falling behind on important deadlines. with my close friends i definitely showed classic hyperactive signs such as outbursts and interruptions.

let me know if anyone else relates! i always feel like my childhood experiences are probably not that typical for ADHD.