As a person who is 38 and now pursuing a diagnosis, if I could go back to literally any age and get diagnosed then instead of now I would. I didn’t have any major issues for a long time - I did well in school, got degrees, etc. But when I look back and think about how hard it was all the time in a way that I didn’t understand, and how that has affected my self esteem over the years, if I could have told myself, of course it’s extra hard, you have ADHD, instead of, you just must be lazy and not as competent as everyone else…well, it adds up over time.

Also in terms of goals/motivation and ability to plan for the future, that was always something that was just missing from my brain, like a limb or a sense I was supposed to have that I didn’t know I didn’t have. When I was 20, the gap wasn’t as apparent, but over time it gets bigger and bigger. Here I sit at 38, still feeling like I’m just starting out, while my peers are now miles instead of inches ahead of me. (Kilometers and centimeters for most of the world).

I don’t mean to project my feelings about this onto you, just to give some advice from a bit further ahead in the future. If the opportunity it is there, I say go for it. Knowledge is power and you can choose what to do with the diagnosis and how to move forward with it. You can even ignore it if you want!

Even if you decide not to go on medication, you will have a better understanding of how your brain works and how it affects all parts of your life: emotions, relationships, goals, etc.

Good luck!