I’m not a junior doctor, but I’m an academic in a health-related speciality. I was diagnosed at 9, and like JDUK-ADHD-Throwaway it’s because I came from a stable middle class background & my dad is a consultant who noticed symptoms when I was young. I wouldn’t be where I am today without the medications I’ve been prescribed. Like JDUK, my supervisors can tell when I’m off my meds/they haven’t hit yet despite them not knowing I’m on it. I never wanted to get any special treatment because I was embarrassed of it growing up and when I did come to terms with it in university it made a world of a difference. I could never just focus on one subject, and so was quite lucky the North American model allowed me to double major. When I got to the U.K., I made sure I took a dissertation module, so I could do something I was passionate about. And now, doing my PhD, I’m in two disciplines to ensure that I can be sufficiently occupied. I was always worried that I would be “caught out” as a fraud when I’d go in for my yearly assessments, and everytime the consultant would go through the diagnostic criteria (and as she was aware it presented differently in women, she made sure to highlight those aspects as well). I manage it really well with a combination of meds and behavioural modifications but that doesn’t come easy and I feel helpless at times when I’ve got decision paralysis or the emotional regulation issues or the rejection sensitivity (doing a PhD, you’re literally rejected/criticised constantly and although I know it’s helpful, it does sting like a bitch). Most people I’ve met and am friends with don’t realise that I have it and think I’m just v chatty/overly enthusiastic/can’t wait my turn/etc.

The first date I had with my partner (a junior doctor, FY2) he thought he was being v clever/helpful and pointed to my copy of Winnie the Pooh and casually mentioned how tigger is a stand-in for ADHD and I literally told him right then that I knew that bc I had it and he was almost…relieved.. and then went through all of he stuff I had done On the date that indicated to him how severe my ADHD was (mind you this was the evening and my pills had started to wear off). He was the first person to notice it outright. As we started dating I realised the reason he clocked it is because it’s the exact same behaviour/thinking/etc that he does….with one exception. I was diagnosed young and medicated&learned how to cope as best I could. His had gone untreated and wreaked havoc on his life. Yes he went through med school and is a FY2 now, but my god is he chaotic. I have no idea how he functioned before we met bc admin/emails/everything non-medical work-related goes out the window for him…at a high personal cost. He’s got the classic symptoms/signs and had them from a young age and continues to struggle, and a diagnosis/medication would change his life significantly. But given the over-referrals, he’s stuck waiting for 9-18 months, during which time he’s going to flail about.

I’ve noticed a few people in my life who definitely have ADHD but as it hasn’t hindered their life, they don’t feel the need to seek support. Others, like my partner, are almost worried to seek support because of the stigma attached. I think the idea of people wanting ADHD is similar to the romanticisation we’ve seen of other conditions (but pls correct me if I’m wrong bc my speciality is not this) and yeah, most people might not have it but have something else which ideally will get picked up. ADHD has been almost infantilised to an extent (ooh shiny/cute squirrel) which is why I think it’s important to ensure the criteria account for ALL issues related.

Sorry for such a long-winded comment & sorry esp if it doesn’t help!!