Young woman reveals how ADHD diagnosis changed her life

Natalie was a good student who thought ADHD affected boys who couldn’t sit still. But forgetting appointments and fidgeting led to her discovering she has the condition.

Natalie Grisenti. Picture: Alan Barber

Natalie Grisenti never thought she would be diagnosed with ADHD, believing it only affected boys.

But struggles with forgetfulness and chronic busyness eventually led to her being diagnosed with the condition last year.

The 21-year-old from Geelong, who also has autism, said when ADHD was suggested by her psychiatrist, she denied the likelihood of having it. 

“When I first saw the checklist, I thought, ‘no, I don’t have any of these symptoms’,” she said.

“I knew ADHD as the stereotype – boys who can’t sit still, disrupt the class, and get into trouble.

“That wasn’t me, I was the quiet and good student.”

A year after ADHD was first suggested, Ms Grisenti’s masking techniques began to crack as her life became more demanding as she juggled university, three jobs, volunteer roles, hobbies, and friendships.

“I realised most of my symptoms were internal … I guess that’s why it took so long for me to be diagnosed,” she said.

“It’s like there’s 10 people talking in my head,” she said.

She described being “super fidgety,” and constantly needing to keep her hands busy, as well as

forgetting appointments if she didn’t write them in her calendar, as “exhausting” traits of ADHD that she faced daily.

“I just zone out, and everything around me goes silent,” she said.

Natalie Grisenti. Picture: Alan Barber

Currently studying psychology at university, Ms Grisenti said her transition from a high school routine to adult life revealed more ADHD traits she had been masking. 

She said studying could be a challenge as she battled hyperfocus, often pouring hours into classes she loved while neglecting the more tedious ones.

“University is practically impossible … my brain can’t focus,” she said. 

More women are seeking answers about ADHD diagnoses, according to clinical psychologist and Deakin University researcher Grace Hancock.

“Women learn techniques to cope in social and stressful situations, meaning they often only realise how much they have been masking in adulthood, commonly following hormonal and life transitions,” Dr Hancock said. 

Once Ms Grisenti accepted the possibility of having ADHD, she found the diagnosis process to be quick but expensive, costing $900 on top of her autism assessment with a private psychiatrist last year.

To help manage, Ms Grisenti takes ADHD medication Ritalin — a prescription-only medication that should not be taken without a health professional’s advice — and regularly sees a psychiatrist, social worker, and occupational therapist. 

She said while you can “be more yourself when not taking Ritalin”, she found herself feeling

“exhausted” and burnt out when not using her medication.

“Ritalin silences the funky voices in my head,” she said.

Ms Grisenti said the diagnosis helped her “make sense of everything”. 

“It gives me relief to know I’m not a broken person, I’m just built differently,” she said.

“I see the world in a unique way and wouldn’t change that.”