Author: Matt Raekelboom
Born with a neuro-divergent brain during a period where no one understood, no one wanted to understand, and no one cared, I grew up being told that I was stupid.
My entire life I was constantly being told that I was internally broken. Hearing things like, “you need to take your pills before you go outside.” This led me to believe that I was never going to fit in being my true self and it scared me into being a scared, quiet, and anxious kid.
I can’t keep you here with all of the details but this mindset and upbringing led me to cling on to anything that made me feel like a person. Naturally, I turned to drugs, alcohol, nicotine, and other things that I had a hard time mentioning to anyone.
After going from 160lbs in high school to 260lbs in a drug-induced daze and burning every bridge around me I started looking for my millionth diet. During this search, I came across a study on ADHD, explaining why it was a “superpower.”
The podcast I listened to, allowed me to reflect on my pain. What I found next changed my life. The guy on the podcast talking sounded exactly like me. We related to similar emotions, and came to realize that I wasn’t alone.
After listening to the podcast that explained what it’s like to live with ADHD, I gained some insight. I realized that people with ADHD can be amazing people if they treat themselves properly. So, I started studying more about ADHD.
This led me to the greatest night of my life, as it was the first night that I could fall asleep sober for the first time in countless years.When I woke up, I looked in the mirror and couldn’t believe who I saw. All the scars, the acne, the shape of my face compared to who I remembered, I realized that I was living my life all wrong. At the time, I decided to leave my (then) fiancé, leaving my house with nowhere to go, and started my journey with ADHD.
Today, I am 80lbs down, happily sober, mentally stronger than anyone I have ever met in person. Most importantly, I am happy.
