From Curse to Resolution: How an ADHD Diagnosis Saved My Life, My Family, and My Purpose

I used to believe my ADHD struggles as a child and young adult were a curse, and perpetuated by familial and cultural beliefs. Born and raised in a barrio of South Texas, a whisper away from the US/Mexico border, where life was a fusion of cultures, mixed with resilience, devotion, and a significant influence of Mexican traditional spiritual healing. My family and I recognized I was different, a relentless storm of thoughts, self-sabotage, and anxiety, for which we did not have an answer other than being cursed.

Leading with ignorance, we tried to reverse the curse. Nonetheless, these inner struggles were perpetual, especially after visits to curanderas with my abuela and mother; the feeling of being broken never left. Mental illness was an unspoken reality in our family, especially for men, which felt like a personal failing, a stain on my character, a flawed child, forever running on a road to nowhere. Then, add the residual trauma of witnessing a gruesome murder as a child, we ignorantly shelved all logical reasons for my struggles, and continued with the practice of trying to “will them away”.

For years, I drifted aimlessly, a slightly accomplished but distraught man; unexpectedly, my “North Star” arrived. My future wife saw instability and, understandably, was ready to depart rather than fully engage. I had to do something. So, at the age of 31, I sought the help of a psychiatrist, and finally, my torment had a name: ADHD. It wasn't a curse; it was a condition. I now had the permission to heal and stop fighting myself.

My “North Star” turned into my wife, and with her, we began to build our future, family, and a life of purpose. Slowly, the troubles and self-inflicted failures started to lessen, and victories established confidence. Teaching became the ideal profession. Instantaneously drawn to students from barrios like my own, their potential became my passion. In 2021, I was named the 2022 Texas Teacher of the Year. Later that year, my wife and I completed our PhDs. We walked across the stage with our thirteen-year-old son and our eight-month-old watching. This accomplishment was a significant moment. It was a testament to the broken generational cycles or curses, not just poverty, but silence.

So, to all my people, mi gente, who are struggling with signs that feel like a curse or a perpetual thunderstorm, know this: It is not your fault. It is not a weakness. It is ADHD, a mental condition. Seek help, find your truth, and live on your terms, not in silence. Your story is part of our shared fabric, and it deserves to be one of resilience, love, and light. Many say that change takes time; however, change starts when it becomes intentional.