5 Steps to Take if You’ve Just Been Diagnosed With ADHD

So you’ve just been diagnosed with ADHD — congratulations! Welcome to the club! I imagine there must be a lot going through your head right now, and that’s totally OK and expected! Do you need a hug? Do you want to talk about it? Wherever you’re at is welcome and safe here. I’m so glad we’re in this together, and you’re not alone. If your diagnosis was anything like mine, you may be feeling a mixture of relief and stress at the same time — there’s no one right way to feel right now. I remember feeling confused, and asking myself, “now what?”

So here are some steps on what to do next now that you’ve been diagnosed. You don’t have to follow all these steps, nor do you have to complete them in this specific order — you do what feels best for you!

Other relevant stories:
• How to Be Productive With ADHD
• Is ADHD Overdiagnosed?
• How to Study With ADHD
• What is ADHD?

1. Process what you’re feeling.

If there are a million thoughts and feelings in your mind right now, you may need to slow down and take a minute to process. Or maybe you feel kind of empty and don’t really know how you feel — that’s OK, too. Try pausing and taking some time to yourself to check-in. Ask yourself, “how am I feeling about this?” Or, “what are the thoughts going through my mind right now?” Sit with your answers for a bit. Maybe try journaling, engaging a therapist, or saying your experiences out loud to help you process. Take your time to slow down and process before feeling like you have to make all these overwhelming life changes.

2. Allow yourself to grieve.

I found there were two types of grief I experienced when I got my diagnosis: grief around the things I had lost in my past because of ADHD (like my loss of confidence because I felt useless or lazy) and grief around my future, and the things that would always be harder for me than for others. When I looked back on my life, I realized that had I been diagnosed sooner, I may have had an easier time with certain things — I may have had treatment sooner and been able to do more things or feel better about myself. And then I thought about my future with ADHD, and if it wasn’t just laziness but rather a lifelong condition, would there be things I’d never be able to do? A part of me thought I could be this super tidy, organized, productive, proactive person if I just tried hard enough, but ADHD kind of prevents that. I had to accept that my memory would always be mediocre and that I would always struggle with ADHD to some extent.

3. Research lived experience.

I’ve never been the type of person to encourage someone to look up all the possible symptoms of their condition on the internet because it can get very overwhelming and scary. But I found that when I did research about ADHD, I found so many people who shared their experiences; I felt so validated and less alone in my own experiences when learning about theirs. A word of caution: there is a ton of misinformation out there, especially about ADHD, so try to find some reputable stories or more long-form pieces that might be more credible. You may learn that there are a lot more ADHD experiences you have than just the ones you learned about from your doctor or mental health professional. Getting any diagnosis can feel really lonely, so finding community and understanding with others who have been where you are now can be immensely helpful.

4. Explore various ways to cope.

Most doctors will recommend taking prescription stimulant medication for ADHD, and that makes sense because it’s considered one of the most effective treatments. But managing ADHD can be a lot more than just taking a pill every morning, so it can be helpful to engage other health professionals to provide some advice. Diet, nutrition, lifestyle, and therapy are all factors that can influence ADHD, and I found it helpful to work with more than just my doctor. It’s important to explore other options with a professional versus trying to figure out the best course of action on your own. For me, using a naturopath and a psychotherapist were just as helpful as using my doctor. You don’t have to take medication, you don’t have to change your diet, you don’t have to go to therapy — these are all things that may help, but it’s totally up to you to decide. I sometimes felt pressure to use certain coping tools, and that made things more difficult. I had to remember that ultimately, my health choices reside with me.

5. Share what you feel comfortable sharing.

Because diagnosis can feel so lonely, it can be helpful to share your diagnosis with friends and loved ones so they can support you and understand you better. That being said, I also had some less-than-ideal responses from people close to me, and had I not been so sure of my diagnosis, I would have been more negatively impacted by their responses. Sharing your diagnosis at work or school can also be helpful because you can get accommodations to better support you, such as extra time for exams or low-distraction working environments. I’d recommend sharing only with those who you know will be supportive of you and your needs not because ADHD is something to be hidden or ashamed of, but because you don’t owe anyone information about your health, and you deserve to be responded to with love and care.

At the end of the day, there isn’t one set formula or step-by-step guide on exactly what to do when you get diagnosed with ADHD, so take it day by day and follow what feels best. Sometimes, what feels best will be doing absolutely nothing, and it’s OK to take your time. Just know that you’re not alone, and I’ve been where you are. It’s a little scary and a little daunting, but a little exciting and maybe even hopeful, too. I know it can seem overwhelming and confusing, but I promise your world is about to make a lot more sense, and that can make things so much easier! Good luck, be kind to yourself, and always remember you’re worthy and enough as you are.