ADHD and Me: Discovering a Learning Style That Works For Me!

I have seen a couple of Facebook posts recently from people struggling with studying because of their ADHD, and it took me right back to the battle I had getting through the final module of my own degree.

One of the main reasons I decided to go for a private ADHD diagnosis was because I wanted support with the final two modules of my degree. I was lucky to be able to study full-time for the last two years, but without the structure of going out to work, things started to fall apart quite quickly. I cannot remember the exact moment when I began to strongly suspect I had ADHD, but I think the feeling started building gradually. One moment that stands out was when I showed my husband a list of inattentive ADHD symptoms and realised I ticked every single one.

Looking back, I had always felt like I had underachieved. I had to resit my O Levels because I only passed three, and I passed just one A Level. After that came a couple of BTEC courses, which I did not complete. I felt like a disappointment. To be honest, I knew I was a disappointment to my parents.

After that came various jobs and training courses. I trained to be a swimming teacher because I had been a strong swimmer as a child and teenager. I also trained as a counsellor, but I never really had the confidence to believe I could help anyone.

Getting a degree was something I had always wished I had done. So in 2016, when I realised I could get a student loan, I enrolled on a degree with the Open University. I loved studying. But right from the start, I struggled with procrastination. I would spend hours avoiding the work and then rush through it all at the last minute. I remember saying to my husband so many times that I was doing well, but imagine how much better I could be doing if I could just get on with it. I also had a lot of self-doubt. I found two Facebook posts a year apart, almost to the day, where I was saying how pleased I was with a high mark, and how maybe one day I would actually believe in myself.

I was diagnosed with ADHD in November 2022, at the age of 52. I applied for Disabled Students’ Allowance and received support through that. After an assessment, I was given some brilliant tools like a read and write app and noise-cancelling headphones. Most helpful of all, I was matched with a support worker who made a huge difference.

One of the most important things I learned at that time was that I needed to do things in a way that worked for me, instead of forcing myself to work like a neurotypical student. I tend to jump from one thing to another. I do not work in a linear way. I have learned to accept that now.

My final assignment was a 5000-word literature review. We were given a structured plan for how to work through it, and I decided to stick to it carefully for once. I even managed to start about ten weeks ahead, which gave me more time than usual. But I got completely stuck trying to follow the countdown. I could not do the tasks in the order suggested. I brought it up with my ADHD coach who asked me why I was trying so hard to follow a method that I already knew did not work for me. That was exactly the reminder I needed to throw the plan out and go back to doing it my way.

Understanding how my brain works has been such a gift. I grew up being criticised, and I was constantly made to feel that I had to do things the way other people did them. It made me miserable. Now that I am training to be an ADHD Life Coach, I finally get to learn in a way that fits me. I am no longer trying to force my brain to work in ways it never could.

It has made a real difference to my self-esteem and my confidence, and I am genuinely so much happier.

If anything I have shared here resonates with you, and you’re feeling stuck or overwhelmed in your studies or day-to-day life, I would love to invite you to book a complimentary Discovery Call.

It is a space to explore what is going on for you, learn more about ADHD Life Coaching, and see whether it might be a good fit. There is no pressure or obligation, just an open and supportive conversation.

You can book your Discovery Call here:

https://app.paperbell.com/checkout/bookings/new?package_id=158968

You do not have to figure everything out on your own. Support is available, and you deserve it.