I gave 110% with ADHD. They still told me I’d never go to college. (Rebecca Gonzalez-Ojeda’s story)

A tangled ball of spaghetti. That’s how aspiring therapist
Rebecca Gonzalez-Ojeda describes her ADHD brain. Diagnosed with
ADHD in fifth grade, Rebecca grew up hearing messages to “just
try harder” while struggling with school and self-esteem. It felt
like giving 110% still wasn’t enough. 


Rebecca reflects on painful IEP meetings, discouraging comments
from teachers, and the emotional drain of being misunderstood for
years. She also shares what it was like “raw-dogging” life after
losing access to treatment, then getting re-diagnosed with ADHD
after college — and how ADHD medication changed her life.


For more on this topic


Listen: The “devastating” findings of a decades-long ADHD
study

Read: ADHD and self-esteem: What to say to kids

Watch: Psychologist explains the biggest challenges of adult
ADHD



For a transcript and more resources, visit ADHD Aha! on
Understood.org. You can also email us at adhdaha@understood.org


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Understood.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to
empowering people with learning and thinking differences, like
ADHD and dyslexia. If you want to help us continue this work,
donate at understood.org/give


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