Family non-believers...

Does anyone else have a hard time with your family (parents, siblings) not believing that ADHD really does affect all areas of your life, and not in a positive way? I'm 52 and as I am learning more about my ADHD, they usually roll their eyes up or give me the "that's just an excuse" response. It is very disheartening. I finally understand these life-long things that I thought were just me being a failure, or lazy, or stupid actually have a cause so I try to educate and share with my family, and their non-believer attitude makes me feel shitty. I did snap back the other day and told my mom that her diabetes is all in her head and she is using her pancreas as an excuse... 😉

BDSIngram😊

5mo

I currently have that challenge and I think it is hard for others to understand if they haven’t experienced it personally. That being said, I’ve decided I don’t give a shit what they think 💁🏻‍♀️ I just keep working on feeling better and learning more to help myself and my undiagnosed 6yr old son 🥰 I give others kindness and grace with it when I can but otherwise, I just don’t participate in conversation with them about it-there’s no benefit for me if they aren’t willing to try and understand. I’m not willing to give them my good energy at this point 🙅🏻‍♀️😊 It’s a form of self care for me 🥰

shrekmedaddeh

5mo

I have the same problem. when I first got diagnosed my dad and i felt like everything suddenly made sense, but when my dad told my brother about it, my brother said “he’s a bad psychiatrist, she doesn’t have adhd you just don’t discipline her enough” (I’m an adult, and maybe talk to my brother a total of 20 minutes out of the year). now my dad agrees with my brother and doesn’t entirely believe i have adhd either, even though he thought my mom had it and initially agreed with the diagnosis.

ParabolicHeater

5mo

I guess the best synonym for disbelief is just “ignorant”, and not in a pejorative way, you gotta just deal with them and enlighten them gently.

YKPWRLD

5mo

I had the hardest time trying to convince my mom although the doctors wanted to get me test for ADHD when I was younger and I also have 2 other comorbid conditions with ADHD she refused to see it, because I would ADHD mask so I would hid the symptoms and I could hyper focus on things I love so she swear I wasnt an issue, and I learned One thing is people won't understand until they are ready to try to understand it. My mom is finally coming around to understanding after years of un diagnosis because she's seeing it affect me I had to explain it like this "Yes everyone gets distracted but with ADHD it's a neurologic problem that makes it happen more often and the effects are stronger, it's not just something you can think away we have real issues out side of just paying attention we are constantly up and down multiple times throughout the day."

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