"I am proud and happy of everything I have achieved in my life."
Looking back and assessing my life in the academic, personal, and professional spheres, I can say that effort, discipline, and perseverance have been the three foundations that have led me to where I am today: a 31-year-old adult proud and happy with everything I have achieved.
A school stage full of obstacles
My school years took me through several different schools, and I also attended tutoring sessions and educational psychology appointments. My first school didn't know how to help me or find the right approach for me to develop normally in my studies; this led my parents to seek tutoring to help me year after year and prevent my self-esteem from plummeting. In parent-teacher meetings, the teachers told my parents that I talked too much in class (I had been sent out of the classroom many times for this), that I wasn't paying attention , but they never questioned why. They knew their daughter was an exceptional, normal, hardworking, and responsible child, and that perhaps the problem was with them. I even started to think I was "stupid" at times, but my family always knew how to help and encourage me. With tutors who were there just for me, I realized that I understood everything much better, that it became more interesting, engaging, and easier to focus on. That's how I successfully completed all my primary school grades.
How to support children with ADHD at school?
From a young age, I struggled to pay attention in class . Anything could distract me—the buzz of a fly, an unexpected noise, the most common and ordinary thing in a classroom of thirty students—and make me lose track. I was fully aware that my brain was in "its own world." I felt like I understood nothing. I did my homework and turned it in on time, and at home, when I reviewed the lesson with my mother's help, we both thought I was ready to pass. But when it came to the exam, I would get very nervous , and those nerves always betrayed me, completely blocking me out. Time was limited, and since I was just one of the class, no teacher ever asked me why I didn't finish the exams on time or offered me the possibility of more time.
The diagnosis of ADHD: a before and after
It was at the beginning of high school that my parents decided to look for another school that would better suit my needs, and it was the best decision they could have made. There, they provided me with the guidance and all the necessary support to make studying much easier. Personally, I think we all have the potential , but we don't all learn in the same way, and the education system is designed for only one learning style, when there are countless ways to learn. We are all good at something; it's just a matter of discovering what it is and pursuing it.
I started high school, and it was in my second year that I came home one day distressed, sad, and unsure of what to do next, because the subjects were getting harder and harder. I talked to my mother and my high school teacher, and through her, I found a therapist. That was a turning point. I started therapy and treatment , gained confidence and enthusiasm, and finished high school, a vocational qualification, a university degree , a postgraduate degree, and an Erasmus exchange in the United States, learning and traveling the world, doing one of the things I'm most passionate about: foreign languages and cultural diversity.
We all have the abilities, but we don't learn in the same way, and the education system is designed for only one learning model.
Over the years, I have built habits and learned different study techniques and resources , as well as getting to know myself by understanding my limitations, my abilities, and how far I can go; and always being very aware of all of this and working every day to enhance everything that I am good at and deal with what I don't like so much.
ADHD, a common disorder in the child population
Strategies in the professional field
Currently, I have a job I'm passionate about and never imagined I'd have, as it has nothing to do with my university studies. To make matters more challenging, there's no set schedule or order; I work amidst chaos. But within that chaos, I've created my own rules and routines to prevent it from affecting my brain. I know my limits and how much I can contribute, I don't take on more responsibilities than are appropriate, and I've tried to ensure my colleagues and managers respect my schedule and work style. For example, after a certain time in the afternoon (when the medication wears off), anything that doesn't interest me requires too much effort to focus on, which makes me irritable and anxious. So, after that time, unless it's a very urgent matter, we don't discuss it. I also find long conversations with a lot of information that don't follow a logical order very overwhelming . Therefore, now, if I need to interrupt to clarify something, I do, or if I need to continue the conversation later, I say so. For me, it has also been and continues to be a constant challenge, but feeling valued and part of a competitive team encourages and motivates me every day, because I'm truly very good at some things. As an adult, I would say that medication and daily exercise, along with a fulfilling personal life, are my best medicines.
I know my limits and how much I can give and perform, I don't take on more responsibilities than I should, and I have tried to ensure that my colleagues and bosses respect my schedule and way of working.
I remember when I was little, a teacher and psychologist told my parents, "Don't worry, your daughter is a born fighter. She has perseverance, responsibility, and a deeply ingrained work ethic, and she also has the social skills to help her achieve anything she wants." Those words are etched in my memory, and every time I've faced an obstacle, I remember them to keep going.
I cannot imagine this entire journey without all the people who have supported and helped me : teachers, educational psychologists, psychologists and specialists, but above all my parents and my family, they have been the fundamental pillar, for never ceasing to believe in me and encouraging me in all the decisive moments.
I would like to reach all those who have received a similar diagnosis and tell them that ADHD and laterality disorder are simply a way of being; after all, we all have our own unique characteristics and personalities, and that's what diversity is all about. But when you have to face your daily life and you see that this way of being is holding you back, with the help of good professionals, you can lead a completely normal, happy, even exemplary life.
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