Hi everyone.

I started this up partly to give me somewhere to record my thoughts and park useful info that others might find helpful.

On Friday I received a pack of surveys from the company who I’ve been referred to for assessment, Skylight Psychiatry.

In that pack were some surveys for me to complete to help the provider to build a picture of how ADHD traits affect me and they also wanted me to get somebody to also comment on how they feel I am impacted, so my partner kindly filled this in.

I know that she was worried that being brutally honest in the questionnaire might bring things to the surface that I might be upset about and she offered me the chance to read her submission before sending it off.

I did read her feedback and it did make sad reading just realising that the person closest to me identified difficulties some of which I feel are difficult for me to correct.

We then spoke about it again at the weekend and I made clear that if I do get a diagnosis of ADHD that it’s not a shield or excuse for behaviour such as losing my temper or missing important information – but we have committed to work together to bridge the gap between her neurotypical brain and potentially my neurodivergent one.

Communication is crucial in any relationship and I’m really working on self awareness of my own processes and behaviours, I know that some of them do not serve me so well whilst other really do.

I’ll be shocked if I’m not diagnosed as having ADHD with my son having it and with me identifying so many similarities with many others present with it. I’d be disappointed in truth as with a diagnosis I think that it would help me to work on it.

I checked the waiting times for ADHD assessment and already since the GP referral it has shortened to 8 weeks. The ‘Right to Choose’ process is so much quicker than the standard NHS wait of 3-4 years we have in many parts of the country.

As a patient you are being seen outside of mainstream NHS services which can bring drawbacks around future care. For me, I would most like to know if indeed this is ADHD as it would give me somewhere to go and I would feel less confused about my identity and inability to do things without so many barriers. I would also question whether I should remain on antidepressants, Sertraline has lifted me since diagnosis of depression in January but treating the cause would be more effective.

We’ll see, I’ll let you know when I get an appointment date. This side of Christmas would be fab.

Michael