While the medical community has broadened its understanding of ADHD in recent years, many people still have an outdated understanding of what this condition looks like and who experiences it. Unfortunately, this makes it harder for some groups – like adult women – to explain their diagnosis to their loved ones without feeling dismissed. But not to worry! You can still get your mom to accept your ADHD diagnosis by pretending to be a small hyperactive boy.
Change your entire look and vibe.
Sure, you might be a quiet 28-year-old woman, but that’s not going to do you any favors in convincing your mom that your ADHD diagnosis is legit. Instead, try molding yourself into an archetype that matches her idea of what someone with ADHD looks like – specifically, your energetic little boy cousin who your mom is always saying “needs to be medicated.” If you do it right, she’ll be saying that about you in no time! How validating!
Challenge your mom’s existing understanding of who you are.
Your mom raised you, she knows that you’re a soft-spoken perfectionist who finds it hard to sustain friendships and has trouble coping with stress – she just doesn’t know that all of those things are symptoms of your ADHD. Flip the script by slowly and methodically convincing your mom that, actually, you’ve always been a loud little boy, prone to bouncing off the walls and not paying attention in class. Her perception of you will be forever altered, but she’ll finally recognize your ADHD for what it is.
Struggle in silence.
Oh, your ADHD manifests in making careless mistakes at work, having trouble keeping in touch with loved ones, and experiencing both anxiety and depression? That’s not going to register with your mom, who thinks all of those things are “normal” and most likely has undiagnosed ADHD herself. If you want your mom to truly accept your diagnosis, try exhibiting excessive talking, frequent fidgeting, and overt hyperactivity. Once your mom is on board, you can get back to dealing with your real symptoms in silence.
If you follow these easy, appearance-and-personality-altering steps, your mom will accept your ADHD diagnosis in no time! Then, once you’ve got her on your side, all you have to do is live out your life feeling misunderstood and alone! She’ll still yell at you for forgetting to call her back, but at least she’ll stop bothering you about why you’re on Adderall.
