Hi there.
I was 44 by the time I got a correct answer to what was happening. From 17 to 44 I'd been told I had general anxiety disorder. I was like your self. I found the correct diagnisis by booking a full diagnosis clinical examination. generally, it involves a video interview with a clinical phychologist first. In my case, the phycologist told me her thoughts on what the problems she feels she is seeing. Then you attend in person for about 2 to 3 hours, they go through a series of exam-like tasks, from maths questions to seemingly strange simple things like going through a children's book and explaining what you see happening.
It's all for a reason though. In my case the phycohogist was spot on. It was always ADHD and ASD. I had been given anti deppressants, one after the other for all those years, with no benefits, only side effects. (this is purely me, I'm not suggesting those medications are wrong for everyone.)
But that was achiened in 2 days, when everyone from phychologists to doctors were not on the right path at all foe decades.
These types of clinical assesments cost around $2500. but in the end you walk away with a 50 to 60 page thouogh explaination opf the findings, which you can take to an experienced clinical phychologist, who will be able to work from tose pages to really hone in on the correct therapy. And for me, That document has been invaluable in pretty much all further ares in life from job agencies, to phychatrists, and a lot more.
sio it's 2 days, then the phycologist spends 4 weks interperating the results into a guiode for anybody who may be asssting you going forward.
I think, if you can afford that, $2500 is not a great deal of money, compared to feeling of being misunderstood, and put into the "too hard basket"
but if you can not afford that. n the mean time, there are very good clinical phycologist who you can use a medical health plan to see. the word "clinical" is important. like any feild, there are not so good to amazing clinical phycologists. Experienced pratctioners are the ones I'd recommend.
what actually happened over a period of 8 years. 2 different clinical phycologist's Had indicated ADHD and ASD. But one at the time, only saw the ASD part, and I think she felt it wasn't important for me to know the term. But she was going to work down that line with me, But she had to move away. Another, during the covid lockdowns saw ADHD, but it seemed to far fetched to me. My best friend had that; he was a " trouble teen" and the wait list to see a psychiatrit was over a year and a half. I just forgot about it.
So those two, both clinical phychologists did see the issues. Nobody else was able to spot those issues.
I hope this helps. And good luck. You are still young.
