Finding Focus: How an ADHD Diagnosis Can Change Your Life

I've been thinking about what led me to seek an ADHD diagnosis. While I don't remember a specific incident, I gradually became more aware of ADHD symptoms and realized how many I had!

One of my dreams was to get a degree. I didn't go to university at 18 like many of my friends because I didn't get the grades. In 2016, at 46, I started studying part-time with the Open University. My degree changed three times before I settled on an Open degree with Honours. I was working full-time and studying part-time. I wasn't confident I'd complete it, but I did well in my studies, putting immense pressure on myself to get high marks while procrastinating and feeling frustrated.

In 2021, I stopped working to focus on my degree. My plan was to complete the last two modules in one year while looking after our new puppy and settling into our new house. This is when things fell apart. Without the structure of work, I struggled to find motivation to study, even though I wanted to do well. I deferred one module, then the other, and tried to keep my brain occupied with short training courses.

The next year, I signed up for my final two modules again. We no longer had a tiny puppy, and we were more settled, but I still felt overwhelmed and deferred one module again. I was anxious, overwhelmed, angry, and frustrated with myself for not creating routines and structure. I struggled to concentrate, reading the same paragraph repeatedly. I thought I wasn't trying hard enough and berated myself. Even though I got good marks, I still doubted myself.

Around this time, I became more aware of ADHD and its impact. I talked to my husband about it and showed him a list of inattentive ADHD symptoms. He said he had some of them, but I realised I had every single one! ADHD affects different areas of life, like relationships, employment, friendships, and education. For me, it affected all those areas.

I wanted to be assessed for ADHD as soon as possible to help with my studies. The waiting lists were long, so I was privately evaluated within weeks. I was diagnosed with predominantly inattentive ADHD, but now my psychiatrist's notes say I have combined ADHD, explaining my impulsivity, inability to sit still, and racing brain!

My diagnosis marked the start of a challenging but rewarding journey. I had to accept that teachers and parents weren't familiar with ADHD, especially in girls, in the 1970s and '80s. I'm still undoing the damage from negative messages about being lazy, not working hard enough, and not reaching my potential. Since completing my degree with First Class Honours and training to become an ADHD Life Coach, I'm learning to accept that I'm capable and have a lot to offer.

I still have more to learn about understanding my ADHD symptoms and taking care of myself with healthy food, regular exercise, and sleep. But I'm on a journey of discovery, and I'm very thankful for my ADHD diagnosis.

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