What should I say or not say to the therapist for the first time? Should I come out and say I think I have ADHD or should I avoid my own self-diagnosis and ask them to evaluate my habits on their own? Anything I should say or not say in a first chat? Anything that may be a red flag or green flag with a new therapist?
I’m hoping that I won’t need meds at all and there’s an approach where I can just use therapy to help me understand myself and how I can manage my bad habits.
What’s frustrating is that I took some tests when I was younger but they were administered by someone in my family who actively was hoping I wouldn’t have ADHD and therefore wouldn’t need meds - so that confused me a bit… unless they were right and I’m potentially an anxious mess instead. But anxiety might be it’s own meds 🤪. Still would like to avoid it.
Do what you want, but you don’t have bad habits. Please don’t beat yourself up. It’s how your brain works.
I appreciate that perspective. They aren’t bad habits, they are different habits… and they work better in certain scenarios too. Convert those mannerisms to superpowers I say.