I went to the 2018 International Conference on ADHD, and I feel it is my duty to encourage you all to attend this year’s conference. Trust me. You won’t regret going.

Confession time: I am a bit of a Trekkie. I have seen all of the Star Trek movies and every episode of every Star Trek TV show that has completed its run–The Original Series (TOS), The Next Generation (TNG), Deep Space 9 (DS9), Voyager (VOY), and Enterprise (ENT). I have come to greatly admire the Star Trek universe and all of the races and characters Gene Roddenberry and all who have worked on the various Star Trek projects that have been created over the years.

I have written previously on the importance of connecting with other ADHDers. Today, I would like to write to you about a unique way to connect with other ADHDers.

The challenges ADHD causes are not because you are broken. They are the result of a world that is not wired for brains that are wired differently. ADHD is a different brain wiring; it is not a defective brain wiring. You have a good brain. You are not broken.

One reason parents are often resistant to getting their child tested for ADHD is the fear that their child will be given a label. This is tragic. The ADHD label is not something to be feared. It is not a negative. Yes, there are struggles that come with ADHD, but the label itself does not doom an individual. On the contrary, seeking an ADHD diagnosis can be beneficial.

When you have ADHD, it is easy to feel bad about yourself. You hear a lot of corrective and critical statements. After hearing enough of those, you begin to internalize them. You begin to feel like you are not enough, and shame creeps into your life.

However, it is important to break free from this pattern of self-shaming. You are not broken. You are who you were created to be. I know it can be easy to feel shame about having ADHD, but you need to fight that temptation. Here are a few suggestions to break free of the shame.

Our society places high regard on individual effort. We are expected to work hard and show no weaknesses. However, we are social beings. We need others. When life gets tough, there is no shame in seeking the support of others. In fact, it is the smart thing to do.