Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common mental disorders affecting children, and it affects many adults too. However, society knows very little about what it actually means to live with this condition and how to care for the people who have it.

Moreover, Len Adler, M.D., one of the leading researchers in adult ADHD and a professor of psychiatry at New York University, believes that at least 75 percent of adults who have ADHD do not know that they have it. Adults with undiagnosed ADHD get fired from their jobs more frequently, or they impulsively quit, or they underachieve, slowly losing self-esteem, confidence, drive, and joy in life, resigning themselves to a life with less happiness than it could have been if they were diagnosed and treated.

So, to raise awareness of ADHD, a 26-year-old artist from the UK, who has been diagnosed with it, has created a comic series, titled ADHD Couple, where she shares both medical information and her own personal experiences.

Recently, one of her strips has been going viral all over the Internet, and people have been thanking her for opening their eyes to what’s happening to them.

More info: Instagram | ETSY

Image credits: adhd_couple

“I’ve got diagnosed with ADHD last year, and honestly, the diagnosis was life-changing,” Ingri told Bored Panda. “It helped me to accept myself, knowing why my brain works a certain way, has helped me to look at my struggles with more compassion. Also, getting the right treatment, helped with many uncomfortable ADHD symptoms, and made life more manageable.”

The artist said that living with undiagnosed ADHD is very hard. “I’ve constantly felt out of place, like there was something wrong and I’m somehow different from everyone else. I constantly felt overwhelmed and emotionally drained. For many people, undiagnosed ADHD can bring comorbidities like anxiety and depression, therefore it is especially important to get the right treatment as soon as possible. Also finding the community of people going through the same things really really helps! It made me feel less alone.”

Image credits: adhd_couple

Image credits: adhd_couple

Image credits: adhd_couple

Ingri thinks that one of the biggest misconceptions the public has about ADHD is that only children have it. “The truth is that most people with ADHD continue to have symptoms as adults too. However, many adults are shamed and not taken seriously for the symptoms they experience. I know for myself, it was quite hard to accept the fact that I have ADHD because all I knew about this condition were the misconceptions and stigma surrounding it. I didn’t fit the ‘hyperactive boy’ image, therefore it was hard to understand this diagnosis for myself, as well as explain it to others.”

Another big myth is that everyone with ADHD is visibly hyperactive. The artist said there are three types of ADHD, and one of them is ‘the inattentive type’ (which she also happens to have)—it doesn’t have an impact on activity levels. “Many girls and women tend to have this type of ADHD, therefore they are usually diagnosed later in life, as the ones who get noticed first are hyperactive boys.”

Image credits: adhd_couple

Image credits: adhd_couple

Image credits: adhd_couple

Ingri has based the characters we see in this and other ADHD Couple comics on herself and her boyfriend Jay. “I’ve started this Instagram account with the comics from our daily life portraying the struggles that ADHD brings into our relationship with a bit of humor (like our kitchen being constantly messy, or me waking him up every night because I can’t sleep, or us constantly forgetting things and ruining our date nights).”

“If anyone who reads this article recognizes these symptoms in themselves… you’re not alone!” Ingri added. “There’s a whole community of us going through similar things, we understand and support each other! Connecting with others and learning as much as you can about ADHD is key.”

If you want to learn more about ADHD, fire up this article by the American Psychiatric Association.

People think the comic is super accurate

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