There’s a particular kind of exhaustion that comes from constantly explaining yourself — not because you don’t want to be understood, but because you’ve been translating your inner world for years. This piece explores how ADHD can quietly shape identity, why misunderstanding becomes so tiring, and what shifts when you stop building your sense of self around other people’s expectations.

ADHD is often misunderstood as a focus problem. In reality, it’s a regulation problem — affecting attention, emotion, energy, and motivation. When you understand this shift, self-blame fades, and strategies that actually work finally make sense.