A Black woman with ADHD shares her story.
The reasons for this are varied and complex.
When Black girls are diagnosed, there is often a lack of resources for treatment.
Ultimately, what helped Bryan to accept her diagnosis was finding an online community of people with similar experiences.
She generously sat down with Well + Good for an interview to share her story.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
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Well+Good: Before being diagnosed with ADHD, you never even considered you might have it.
Why do you think that is?
Paige Bryan:I didnt see myself in people who had ADHD.
And I think in my lifetime, ADHD was something that young white boys who fidgeted a lot had.
I was always like, Oh that couldnt have been me.
Im quiet, and I read books.
I spend my time daydreaming and writing and reading about fantasy and stuff like that.
But all of that was just me using escapism to hide what was going on.
I didnt see myself as going through an entirely different set of hurdles that were just being completely missed.
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W+G: Why was finding a community of like-minded people with ADHD so important for you?
A lot of the ADHD platforms were informative but did not necessarily speak to my life experiences.
Its Amazing How Its All Connected.
PB:I definitely felt unsure if I had it or that it wasnt true.
W+G: Is navigating ADHD in the professional world difficult for you?
PB:My job has thankfully been supportive.
And even now, Im able to have structured breaks where I know that Im not overexerting myself.
I can take 30 minutes to either take a walk, go to the gym, or eat lunch.
Im actually able to take care of my body and provide myself with space.
That Im trying to make a round peg go into a square hole.
Reminding myself that its okay is important.
W+G: Are there aspects of this part of yourself that you appreciate?
Im always considering how to take care of other people in my volunteer life.
Things that give back to the communitythats what really drives me and makes me the happiest.
I think I have a really unique communication and writing style, too.
I think that is a strength.
It helps me connect with others in a lot of different ways.
Black women should trust their instincts about their functioning.
Seek out health professionals who can speak honestly about their cultural competence.
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