A problem shared is a problem halved, or so the saying goes,
But whether that is really true is debatable I suppose.

My problem had been hidden deep inside until you called it by its name,
And that was like the whistle, blown to start the game.

The problem that was diagnosed affected how I lived,
It stopped me getting on with things, it made my brain a sieve.

This problem that you helped me with is tricky to unpack,
It means my brain keeps worrying; I never can relax.

The problem I am grappling with is not a sickness I contracted,
Rather it’s part of me, so always I’m distracted.

The problem you explored with me in many ways defies convention,
It’s not that I don’t want to, I just can’t control my attention.

The problem that I shared with you for years has had me troubled,
And to be honest since you got involved its size has more than doubled.

It isn’t that you didn’t help because certainly you did,
It’s just that now I’m in the game; you’ve helped me lift the lid.

The problem that was inside me has now come bursting out,
And now I want to dance and sing and jump and scream and even shout!

My problem shared it hasn’t halved or reduced in size at all,
But now we’ve torn down all the bricks it’s no longer a wall.

So although my problem may have multiplied by three or four or five,
Truly I give thanks because you’ve helped me come alive.

(c) Tim O’Hare, July 2023

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About this poem: My diagnosis of ADHD in summer 2022 was completed through a private provider called ‘Problem Shared’ and for about 9 months in late 2022 and the first half of 2023 I had roughly monthly online sessions with a prescribing nurse. These conversations were always very enjoyable (for both of us I think) and helped me to unpack some of the challenges I was experiencing and to express my thoughts and ideas on tackling those challenges and on ADHD more generally. The poem was not intended to relate only to my interactions with the ‘Problem Shared’ organisation but used the name as a starting point. It captures the idea that whilst my diagnosis and subsequent treatment has certainly made things generally a lot better it has also opened up all kinds of additional issues and challenges.