I Didn’t Know I Had ADHD: The Aha Moment That Changed Everything

“Keys? Lost again.
Appointment? Missed it.
Mind racing with ideas—but paralyzed to act on any of them.”
I didn’t grow up thinking I had ADHD…

I got through school. I checked all the boxes. I became a nurse practitioner, built a business, and wore a thousand hats. From the outside, I looked like I had it all together.

But inside? I was constantly overwhelmed, distracted, and mentally drained. I'd forget things even when I cared deeply. I procrastinated even when I wanted to get things done. And I couldn’t understand why managing everyday life sometimes felt so... heavy.

For years, I thought it was just anxiety. Maybe even depression. But the truth is—I was carrying undiagnosed ADHD, and I had no idea.

The Clues Were Always There… But I Missed Them

Looking back, the signs were everywhere.

I’ve always struggled with my weight. And when I first tried phentermine for weight loss, something unexpected happened—I suddenly felt more focused, more productive, more… clear. It wasn’t just appetite suppression. For the first time in my adult life, my brain felt organized.

That’s when the dots started connecting.

In college, I did well—but I had to work twice as hard as most of my peers just to keep up. I was once voted “Most likely to know what’s on the final exam on the first day”—but not because I was naturally ahead. It was because I was constantly emailing professors early, asking for the syllabus, recording lectures, re-listening to them over and over… because I had to. If I didn’t stay ahead, I knew I’d fall behind.

My mind would drift in class, even when I was trying to focus. I didn’t understand why I was always running late, or why I couldn’t start things until the pressure became overwhelming. I thought it was just a bad habit—but now I know: my brain works differently.

And that’s not a flaw. It’s just ADHD.

ADHD in Adults Looks Different

So many high-performing professionals—especially women—go their whole lives without realizing ADHD is behind their exhaustion. It doesn’t always look like hyperactivity or impulsiveness. Sometimes, it looks like:

• Chronic procrastination
• Mental clutter
• Emotional sensitivity
• Productivity in chaos—but burnout in calm
• Constantly wondering why everything feels harder than it should

Without the right tools, it’s exhausting.

From Burnout to Balance

Once I had my “aha moment,” I stopped blaming myself—and I started building support around how my brain actually works. That changed everything, not just for me but for my clients.

Now, at Empower You Mental Health & Wellness, I help other adults discover what’s really going on beneath the surface through a comprehensive mental health and ADHD evaluation called the Burnout to Balance Blueprint.