I will share an abridged version of my story. The longer version is captured in my book, Dear Mary: My Life with ADHD.

I was not aware of ADHD until 1999, when a younger co-worker exhibited many of the same behavioral traits that I did when I was his age. He mentioned he was diagnosed with ADD (the common acronym at the time). I spent five years researching the condition before I went in for an initial consultation with a certified ADHD clinician. The consultation became the impetus for the book.

I maintain that ADHD has many positive attributes, though I was unaware of them when I lived with the undiagnosed conditions. "What's wrong with you?" was a common refrain that I heard from family members, friends, peers, and authority figures. The constant demeaning inquisitions took a toll on my self-confidence.

After the initial consultation, I went on a mission to spread the word about ADHD in a book and on a Website that I created. At the age of 48, most of the symptoms have vanished, especially the impulsive and hyperactive ones. My goal now is to educate others on the subjective diagnosis process and rampant prescriptions of powerful narcotic stimulants for our children.

Many of the greatest entrepenuers, inventors, explorers, and entertainers have or had ADHD. This why I firmly believe my story is nowhere close to reaching fruition.