Yes, Black Girls and Women Have ADHD Too
Bridging the ADHD diagnosis disparity gap through community by Zuva Seven
My ADHD diagnosis has allowed me to be more compassionate with myself
I was diagnosed with inattentive ADHD in July of last year, and to say the diagnosis has changed my life is an understatement.
Research has shown that as many as 80% of adults with ADHD also have at least one coexisting psychiatric disorder. So my situation is far from unique, but I can definitely say it was my ADHD diagnosis that had the most significant effect on my mental health issues.
My depression has significantly reduced, my anxiety feels manageable, and my borderline personality disorder (BPD) symptoms have also decreased. My ADHD didn’t cause these disorders — therefore, it’s unlikely they’ll ever go away. But even still, progress has been made.
Moving away from anger
As I previously wrote, although finally getting diagnosed was terrific, I held a lot of anger. After all, getting diagnosed at 25 will do that for you! But these days, I am more accepting of the past and looking forward to the future.
Yes, it would have been fabulous to have started treatment in childhood, but there is still ample time to make significant changes in my life for the better. And that’s what I have been trying to do.
That said, treatment is very inaccessible
Things may be on the up for me, but going through treatment has highlighted the astronomical costs of the disorder. At the start of my journey, I spent upwards of £175 a month on my medication, consults and travel. Now that monthly checkups are no longer needed, I now average £100, but even this is quite expensive.
Obviously, my case is unique in that I am studying abroad. While ADHD is recognised in South Africa, it is not treated as life-threatening, so it’s not discounted by medical aids (medical insurance). But even still, in the UK, private assessment costs around £360, a follow-up assessment around £180 and monthly medications just over £105 a month.
This is all before we discuss other ADHD tools like a coach, apps, management software etc.
The problem is in the USA too, with 16% of ADDitude survey respondents reporting the costs of managing ADHD surpassed 10 percent of their family’s income.
ADHD can’t be manageable to the affluent only
Not only does privilege play a role in getting an ADHD diagnosis, but it also plays a crucial part in management.
I am very fortunate that at now 26, I have a job to help pay for my medical consults and treatments. However, the same can not be said for others who need treatment but can not afford it. This is particularly important for those in marginalised communities disproportionately affected by wealth inequality.
Although some data points to how diagnosis disparities affect Black girls, in particular, the research I could find on the topic was minimal — with most of the data focusing on the experiences of African American women and girls. So the true depths of the issues we face remain unknown.
With the lack of research available, it is no wonder content creators, charities, and activists are leading the march
Recently, there has been a sudden push by various publications to bring awareness to this disparity.
Why the sudden focus?
Many of these publications have had these issues brought to their attention by content creators and organisations led by marginalised folk with ADHD. Black and Brown folk are becoming educated on ADHD and how it affects us through these individuals.
Although there is still progress to be made, the current progress makes me feel optimistic for the future.
After all, it was through social media I was able to gain the courage to pursue my diagnosis.
In the interim, community is essential
When I first shared my experiences on Twitter, the post went viral. From there, I was sent hundreds of DMs from various people, particularly folks of colour, asking about the process I went through.
Speaking from my own experiences, social media is the first time we can see people who look like us with ADHD, so the requests I got weren’t surprising. But, this situation also brought to my attention how digital spaces are the only avenues for many individuals to find information that applies to them.
Obviously, many of us aren’t medical professionals but people trying to do the best they can with available resources. But even this is some reassurance and comfort. Therefore, it is vital for those of us with the means to share our experiences and coping mechanisms.
In closing
There are parts of the internet that would like to trick you into believing that ADHD is just a pandemic fad with no real-life ramifications. But as this newsletter has highlighted, ADHD is expensive as fuck — no one is faking this!
This stigma is especially damaging for marginalised people who are already disadvantaged through structural inequality. Therefore, community is more important than ever.
I got an official diagnosis after my symptoms had begun to affect my life severely, and I wanted to seek medication options. However, self-diagnosed ADHDers are valid and important too.
If anything, it is the responsibility of the rest of us to help fill in the gaps for those unable to seek “conventional” treatment methods.
We are all in this together!
Twitter Spaces
On Thursday, 24th February, I will be hosting a discussion with Rach Idowu, and Kesi and Opus from ADHD Babes at 7 pm GMT (London time)/ 2 pm ET.
The discussion will be centred around diagnosis, our various coping methods and the systems we have found to be of great support. There will also be a Q&A segment for audience participants to share their experiences.
I hope through this discussion, we can begin to help others form their communities and support groups online. I also believe it’s always lovely to hear how other people are coping.
It will be open to everyone, so put it in your calendar!
See you all then :)
In the meantime, you can find our guests on socials!Rach: @AdultingADHDADHD Babes: @ADHDBabes
