For as long as she can remember, Amrei Dizon, Vitalstrats Creative Solutions, Co. (VCS) Founder and Chief Creative Officer, has often found herself in sticky situations because of her restless personality. Amrei has never given much thought to the whys and wherefores of her eventful childhood. In the depths of her heart, however, she knew her behaviors were different from others.

It would take decades for Amrei to finally get the closure and answers to her life's biggest mystery. In 2021, at 40 years old, Amrei was officially diagnosed with ADHD or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

From lack of ATTENTION regulation
to being appreciative of her condition

In her younger years, Amrei has often gotten lost in the mall, occasionally upset her parents by breaking things, or was getting called out by her teachers for breaking classroom rules like eating in class, sneaking out, or cursing out loud.

“I frequent the Principal’s Office because I was impulsive and curious. I had difficulty controlling my thoughts and actions,” she reveals.

Growing up with undiagnosed ADHD, Amrei recalls an unforgettable unfortunate incident with one teacher.

“Pinagalitan niya ako kasi dumadaldal ako. Napahiya ako, so I drew my teacher on my notebook and the illustration was not attractive and it was discourteous. But it was for my own self-expression, and was never meant to be seen by anyone else. Unfortunately, my teacher caught me and I was suspended. I was nearly kicked out of school because I’ve had many prior minor offenses before this. I was forced to give a public apology in front of our entire school. I was really anxious, but I prepared for it. In my speech, I said that I read in a psychology book that if you’re angry, you have to express it-- which I did through drawing,” Amrei recalls.

After high school, Amrei was then exposed to creative environments through her friends, college course, and her chosen industry of marketing and advertising. This made her think that her “weirdness” and tendency to always go against the grain were simply common traits of creative people.

“Since we [people with ADHD] get bored easily, we always seek challenges. We look for what would give us dopamine and what will boost our adrenalin. I usually say ‘yes’ to things that are risky. I would also commit to tasks even if I know I will only learn how to do it while doing it,” she confesses.

It was no surprise then that Amrei, then only twenty-something years old, founded her own creative marketing agency despite the risks and no previous background in business.

When VCS was starting, Amrei had to wear several hats to make ends meet. She took the role of designer, video editor, account manager, and even delivery person,

“I thrive in highly stressful situations,” she admits. “I do well with multitasking. Managing multiple departments at the same time may be difficult for others, but I find it exciting.”

As her independent marketing agency grew over the years, Amrei realized she had to hire employees who would be responsible for specific tasks so that she can focus on the overall strategically creative client solutions and future of the business. As more people joined VCS, the then “accidental entrepreneur” found herself in charge of a thriving marketing agency with people now relying on her for their livelihood.

It was fortunate as well that Amrei’s life and business partner, Teejai Joson, soon joined VCS. While Amrei’s risk-taking and impulsiveness were great for an ambitious start-up company, Teejai’s level-headedness and penchant for systems brought the perfect balance for professionalizing the growing company through her attention to the nitty-gritty of operational systems.

Amrei has since realized that her condition does not just affect her alone. As TeamVCS continues to grow, more people look up to her for leadership and guidance. She could no longer allow her condition to affect everyone’s workflow and run the company.

Over the past decade, Amrei has also been trying to find ways to become a professional leader by reading books, implementing productivity systems like “Getting Things Done” and journaling. But after many years of trying to overcome her shortcomings, she always found herself back where she started. This was now negatively affecting her relationships and self-esteem. The constant self-doubt about her capability to lead reached its peak during the pandemic, until she decided to seek professional help.

"Before I went for a consultation, I had months of anxiety, low self-esteem, and endless feelings of helplessness. It was a tough decision to see a professional, because I initially thought that I can fix myself. But if I want to be a better person for others, then I need to acknowledge that I need help.”

From DEFICIENCY to
being determined to overcome the hurdles

For neurodivergent individuals like people with ADHD, the journey from noticing their tell-tale signs to accepting their diagnosis is often the road less traveled. But it is usually the first step toward personal growth.

"After being diagnosed and learning more about the ins and outs of this condition, I had a lot of Aha! moments. I gained clarity. I began to understand why situations, people, and things are how they are. Now I can navigate the world better because I am more mindful of my thoughts and actions," Amrei shares.

 Amrei believes that there is still a lot that needs to be done, especially for adults with ADHD, "A lot of adults with ADHD lose hope. We need to help them see the advantages of this condition and help them cope in general. Walang known personalities or role models who have ADHD who are doing well in their fields in the Philippines. This creates a stigma that people with ADHD aren’t reliable or can’t have successful careers. Maraming takot mag-out. I realized that this is where I can come in. Kasi if more of us are visible, mas marami tayong matutulungan.”

From HYPERACTIVITY
to harnessing ADHD as a superpower

Amrei talks about witnessing her parents sacrificing a lot and supporting her throughout her childhood. Back then, they didn’t know about Amrei’s condition. There were no tools and guidebooks to raise an impulsive child. Instead, Amrei’s parents simply experimented and did their best to raise her with kindness, perseverance, and support– and in their own way, successfully instilled a sense of much-needed structure in Amrei’s life.

As an adult now, Amrei also encounters parents who suffer from anxiety because of the challenges of raising kids diagnosed with the condition.

"More awareness is needed children with ADHD to thrive. Their parents also need support and to be educated in how to raise and support their kids. I want to give back to these parents because I see my parents in them," Amrei shares.

Amrei’s firsthand experience with her condition is what pushed her to embrace this advocacy through VCS. This year, VCS is collaborating with the ADHD Society of the Philippines (ADHDSP) in the hope to break the stigma, to support and educate parents with ADHD-diagnosed kids, to bridge the gap between opportunities that are available to people with this condition, and to uplift neurodivergent people and help them realize that they are just as capable of scaling career heights.

Through collaboration, VCS is the official creative partner of ADHDSP for Metamorphosis, the first National Conference for Adult ADHD in the Philippines happening this October.

Today, Amrei is ADHDSP’s Public Relations Officer and sits as part of ADHDSP's Board of Trustees. This group is composed of parents of ADHD-diagnosed kids and adults with ADHD.

“Through support groups like ADHDSP, people with the condition and even advocates can discuss their problems, ways of coping, experiences with loved ones, and other situations.

Amrei emphasizes the importance of support groups for neurodivergent individuals and their loved ones. “Before I found this group, wala akong kakilala na may ADHD. Kaya ako open about this, kasi alam ko na marami akong pwedeng matulungan na nakaka-experience ng same situation. Kapag nalaman ng iba na may totoong taong nakaka-experience nito, alam nila na hindi sila nagiisa.”

Amrei encourages entrepreneurs and aspiring business owners who are dealing with ADHD to look within themselves, reach out to others, and to seek professional help if necessary.

"Self-mastery is very important. The entrepreneur’s identity largely reflects how a business’s identity and culture will be formed. ADHD is both a weakness and a superpower. And once you know what your strengths and weaknesses are, the next step is creating strategies, systems, and processes to support your goals."

_____

Did you know that more than 36% of adults diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) reported having 4 or more jobs in the past 10 years? In the workplace, people with ADHD may struggle to get organized, be unable to properly estimate and manage their time to meet deadlines, or create friction in team efforts as they scramble for the last-minute completion of tasks.

While having ADHD can be challenging, it can be much more heartbreaking to go through life without being aware that this condition affects you. Millions of adults around the world today have ADHD. Fortunately, today's advancements in the medical and developmental fields offer various ways to cope with this condition.

If you're an adult who wants to understand how to thrive and succeed in your career and personal life with ADHD, or a teacher or medical professional who wants new ways to engage and accommodate your students and patients with ADHD, join us at METAMORPHOSIS: Succeeding with Adult ADHD, the first-ever national conference for Adult ADHD in the Philippines.

Find hope and discover your power despite ADHD, and be part of a growing network of individuals and professionals with ADHD as well as support groups. Learn more about the nuances of this condition and be part of the discussion to introduce systematic changes that are more inclusive of people with neurodiverse conditions.

METAMORPHOSIS is happening on October 22-23, 2022 in SM Mall of Asia. Face-to-face slots are limited depending on government policy on COVID-19 safety guidelines, so make sure to register early as slots will be released on a first-come-first-served basis. Q&A portions of the event will also be made available online.

*CPD Units Pending Application

Register now at bit.ly/adhdnatconreg

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Vitalstrats Creative Solutions (VCS) is a creative agency based in Quezon City, Philippines.
VCS specializes in content marketing, advertising, and video production. We use strategic creativity to help our clients grow their brands.

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