> I didn't realize these things because I had systems in place to cope.

This really resonates with me.

Before I was diagnosed with ADHD I considered myself a basically functioning adult. I read about symptoms like being overly sensitive and thought "Hah, that's not me, I have a clever system to get around that". Both for small everyday things like wearing clothes ("I'll just wear them inside out/cut out all the labels to avoid the annoying sensation") and bigger things like the inability to keep a job ("I'll pick up some freelance work. It's normal to be in and out of work in the fast paced world of startups").

Looking back, these were all clear signs of my ADHD. I was in my 30s when I was diagnosed. I wish I had noticed sooner, but I was so good at hiding it no one noticed. I didn't even notice myself.