To the Teen with ADHD, Anxiety, and Depression: I See You

Hey, you. Yeah, you.

If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you’re feeling overwhelmed. Maybe you’re tired—like, deep in your bones tired. Maybe your mind won’t shut up, overthinking every little thing you’ve said or done today. Or maybe you’re staring at homework that feels impossible to start, even though you know you need to do it.

And if you have ADHD on top of it all? Whew. I get it.

I know what it’s like to feel like your brain is running a million miles an hour in the wrong direction—to want to do everything and nothing at the same time. To feel like you’re somehow “too much” but also “not enough.” To want to explain how hard it is to focus, to stay motivated, to feel okay, but not knowing how to put it into words.

So let me say this, loud and clear: You are not broken. You are not lazy. You are not failing.

You’re just a human with a brain that works differently. And yeah, sometimes that makes life harder. But it also means you have strengths that the world needs. I have struggled with ADHD my entire life, and while yes…it has made aspects of my life harder, my wife and I also joke that it is my superpower!

High School Isn’t Forever

I know it’s hard to believe when you’re stuck in the middle of it, but high school is not the whole world. Right now, you might feel like everything is measured by grades, test scores, and how well you can fit into a system that wasn’t designed for ADHD brains. And honestly? That system kinda sucks.

But hear me out: life after high school is a whole different game.

There are jobs that actually want creative thinkers. There are careers that don’t require sitting in a classroom all day. There are people out there who will celebrate you for your passion, your energy, your out-of-the-box ideas. The stuff that feels like a weakness now? It might just be your biggest strength later.

You Are Not Alone (Even When It Feels Like It)

Anxiety and depression love to lie to you. They’ll tell you that you’re the only one struggling, that everyone else has it all figured out. But trust me—so many people feel the way you do. Even the ones who seem like they have their life together.

You don’t have to do this alone. Talk to someone. A friend. A teacher you trust. A therapist who actually gets ADHD. Someone who can remind you that you don’t have to fight your brain every single day by yourself.

It’s Okay to Rest (Like, Really)

If you take one thing from this, let it be this: You are allowed to rest.

You don’t have to earn breaks. You don’t have to push yourself until you’re falling apart. Rest isn’t being lazy—it’s recharging. And guess what? You deserve to recharge.

So take the nap. Put the phone down and breathe for a second. Give yourself permission to not be productive 24/7. Your mental health is just as important as everything else on your to-do list.

Your Future is Bigger Than You Think

I know that right now, the future might feel like a big, scary, uncertain thing. But I promise you—there are so many ways to build a life that works for you, not against you.

Maybe college will be your thing. Maybe it won’t, and that’s okay too. Maybe you’ll find a job that lets you move around instead of sitting at a desk all day. Maybe you’ll create something amazing that no one else could have imagined.

But whatever your future looks like? You belong in it. And it’s worth sticking around for.

I know it’s hard right now. But you won’t always feel this way. The world is so much bigger than high school. And you are so much more than your worst days.

Keep going.