Unlocking ADHD writer Sanju Prabhakar shares about overcoming and excelling despite ADHD and finding friendship within the community.
I was always seen as a “bright student”. I pressured myself to achieve the best and performed well in school, along with being active in several extracurricular, leadership and community activities. I never suspected I had Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD). I think my condition went unnoticed because of the misconception that people with ADHD cannot be exceptional students.
Bright but Struggling
At the age of 16, I was enrolled in a very challenging academic programme and struggled to achieve the top marks I once did with ease. The rigour of my academics, along with the pressure I put on myself, led to a diagnosis of anxiety and depression.
While I received support for these, my ADHD symptoms (namely, lack of motivation, disorganisation and inability to focus) started to become much more prevalent. With treatment, my anxiety and the pressure I put on myself to do well in school decreased, and in turn I became less motivated and increasingly unable to focus.
Although my grades remained the same, I noticed that I needed a lot of coffee or other energisers to focus. I finally put two and two together when I realised that caffeine is a stimulant, and that spurred me to undergo a full psychological testing for things like ADHD.
Diagnosis and a Better Life
With my official diagnosis at 17, I was able to receive the treatment I needed. In retrospect, I am grateful to my family and my doctor for being observant and picking up on my symptoms, allowing me to receive medical treatment before my final examinations.
Other than medication, regular exercise and being mindful of what I eat (e.g., yoga and following a vegan diet) have helped me considerably since. I do yoga four to five times a week, and I feel this, as well as the diet, has significantly eased some of my more difficult ADHD symptoms. Also, getting support from others – for instance, asking friends to hold me accountable for finishing a task on time – has also really helped me maintain motivation and focus on my tasks.
My diagnosis helped me realise that I do have resources available and am able to seek support when I need it. It has helped me to understand myself better and comprehend why I did things in certain ways, allowing me to stop blaming myself and instead find ways to make progress. More importantly, my diagnosis opened up to me a community of like-minded individuals who I can relate to and learn from.
My experiences have made me grateful to be pursuing studies in clinical psychology which allow me to contribute to the ADHD community. I am very passionate about this subject and hope to help raise awareness about this community through Unlocking ADHD!
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