Traditionally, ADHD was thought to be a male-oriented disease, and men were once believed to account for the vast majority of cases. But recent research has begun to focus on how the disorder affects females, so that ADHD may be identified earlier in women’s lives.
Although ADHD can cause some difficulties, many people with ADHD are very successful in life. Following diagnosis, what’s next?
Solange’s case is a lesson for all of us. Take control of your health. Be present in your health and not just take what is given to you. Here are some things we can learn.
1. Learn about the disorder—what it is and what it isn’t.
2. Try to get your significant other involved in learning with you.
3. Remember that getting a diagnosis of a condition like ADHD changes nothing. You only have a name for what was previously unnamed.
4. You will probably be relieved and sad after receiving your diagnosis. You may be relieved to know that something is the matter and that it is not your fault. You may be sad to know that something is the matter and no one ever realized it.
5. Recognize that getting the diagnosis is the first step to a better life. You have to know a problem before you can begin to address it and work with it.
6. Reexamine your past and realize that much of what happened was not your fault.
7. Begin to focus on what you can do to make your future better.
8. Remember that improvements will come slowly. Accept this and don’t be too hard on yourself.
This wasn’t her first bout with a health issue either.
In 2017, Solange did not share what type of autonomic disorder she was diagnosed with, but people with autonomic disorders have trouble regulating heart rate, blood pressure, digestion and body temperature as the disorder is a dysfunction in the nervous system.
Autonomic nerve disorders (dysautonomia) refer to disorders of autonomic nervous system (ANS) function.
Dysautonomia is a general term used to describe a breakdown or abnormal function of the ANS. The autonomic nervous system controls much of your involuntary functions. Symptoms are wide-ranging and can include problems with:
– the regulation of heart rate
– blood pressure
– body temperature
– perspiration
– bowel and bladder functions.
Other symptoms include fatigue, lightheadedness, feeling faint or passing out (syncope), weakness, and cognitive impairment. Autonomic dysfunction can occur as a secondary condition of another disease process, like diabetes, or as a primary disorder where the autonomic nervous system is the only system impacted. These conditions are often misdiagnosed.
For more information on symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment, visit the BlackDoctor.org ADHD channel.