An illustration of a rainbow, representing the author's characterization of her adhd and ld diagnosis as"the port of gold at the end of the rainbow"
At the age of 40, I was diagnosed with learning and attention issues. It was something of a surprise. I had not been hyperactive as a child. I could focus when it was important. I had been a high-achieving student and relatively successful at work. So how could I possibly have ADHD? As I thought about it, my diagnosis and my life began to make sense, especially when I thought how differently ADHD shows up in women.
In my elementary school years, I tried hard to be a good girl, but I worried about everything. Puberty brought social challenges and the feeling that I was going crazy. My high school years were filled with stimulation-seeking and self-medication, and using my body to seek approval. In the 1970s, who knew all this was typical of