“My adult ADHD diagnosis shamed me. I thought of Hester Prynne in The Scarlet Letter, whose penance for adultery was to wear a bright ‘A’ on her chest. I imagined I bore my shame with ‘ADHD’ for all to see.”
. I felt exposed and believed everyone could tell that something was wrong with me, that I was damaged goods. I thought of Hester Prynne in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s book,, whose penance for adultery was to wear a bright “A” on her clothing. I imagined I bore my shame with the letters “ADHD” for all to see.After hearing Dr. Edward Hallowell say he was never ashamed of having ADHD, I began to heal.
It made a difference. Instead of rejection, my teammates gave me compliments such as, “You have a lot of good ideas,” “That’s a good suggestion,” and “Thank you for bringing it up.” I basked in their praise. With practice, I learned to focus on positive self-talk, pursue my interests, and stick to my strengths. These were the breakthroughs that transformed my shame spiral into ADHD empowerment.Please note that all names, models, prices, links, and specifications were accurate and items were in stock at the time of this article’s last update on June 6, 2022.