How a wrong diagnosis of ADHD pushed me to break down barriers

Since I was a child, I have always had a hypnotic relationship with light.

The rays of sunlight passing through the leaves and stems or through the window caught my attention, I played with them and with my fingers, I interrupted them, discovering their shadows.

My favorite part was when the dust would enter the ace of light producing that unique glow.

Photo by Kristine Weilert on Unsplash

Can you imagine the torture it was for my teachers? Yes, exactly. Poor mom, they sent me to psychological therapy not once, but many times!.

They found nothing, the therapists merely said he was distracted until they made their final diagnosis.

"Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)" It sounded serious and unknown (late 70's), inside I didn't agree.

Honestly, I felt normal, I didn't have brilliant grades, but I was average, I liked sports, I practiced Karate, Bike-cross, soccer and mountaineering with a lot of enthusiasm, I shared with my classmates. I did not feel different at all.

Photo by Ruben Christen on Unsplash

I must confess that I found this situation unpleasant, because from that moment they treated me as if I had learning problems, they sat me next to the teacher "so they could attend to me better" but it was embarrassing. I got angry.

The result, with all my environment supporting this "professional diagnosis" my parents, brothers, teachers, and classmates. 

My classmates made fun of me, I no longer belonged to them, my teacher pushed me to the point of humiliation, my grades started to drop even lower, as a result I was kicked out of sports because they assumed I was a distraction to me.

I struggled as best I could, but slowly, sadly I ended up believing it.

Without knowing it, I was entering a very depressive stage, I was 10 years old.

At such a young age, in those 70's, you didn't know you were depressed, you just acted out and let yourself go. Fortunately, there was not as much information available as there is now, and between that and my curious restlessness, in silence, I managed to recover my illusion and self-esteem.

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

My father separated from my mother, but we always had a very good connection. He, a great photographer between the 60's and 80's and who established one of the most important black and white photo labs of the time in our city, was my inspiration.

Art, reading, culture, observation, and curiosity were always present. Visits to museums, concerts, shows or fun stops in the middle of a trip to watch a sunset were normal for him.

Today, after 40 years, with a beautiful family, wonderful wife, three amazing boys and a successful career as a photographer, designer, publicist, and entrepreneur, I can say that at no time have I suffered from any of the symptoms that characterize that diagnosis, let alone been paralyzed.

Me in 1978

A great curiosity, obviously misunderstood, but a curiosity for everything moved me, and continues to move me.

It made me break through the barriers and limitations that the ignorance of others tried to establish for me, and I was able to build my own self-confidence.

Now, at the age of 50, I find myself entering into pure art with my art photography proposal, challenging, once again, a new frontier.

For this and more loudly I say:

Let the light speak, dance, and sing to our eyes.

What have you done when they have tried to put barriers or limitations, have you overcome them?

Please, let me know your thoughts about it