Late ADHD Diagnosis
Following my ADHD diagnosis a year and a half ago at the age of 52, so many things started to make sense. I had underachieved my whole life. Some of my most vivid memories from my childhood were of me catching up with schoolwork while my friends were out playing. My parents insisted I catch up over weekends and holidays because I’d not studied when I should have.
With the benefit of a diagnosis, I now know that my parents approached ‘the situation’ in completely the wrong way. In their defence, ADHD, which was known as Hyperkinetic Disease of Infancy in the 1970s, wasn’t something considered to affect girls. Also, it’s now known that girls present differently from boys. Girls are more likely to be inattentive rather than behaving like the stereotypical hyperactive boy.
What my parents and teachers saw was an intelligent child who wasn’t reaching her potential. I should add that my mum was an educational psychologist, and she used to regularly give my brother and me intelligence tests (IQ) to do. She also didn’t believe in dyslexia!! So I think she really would have struggled to get her head around there being a reason for what she and my dad saw as laziness and not reaching my potential, something a lot of us with ADHD hear!
I struggled to make friends. I was very shy, low in confidence, and almost always felt like I didn’t fit in. I’ve now learned who my tribe are! I have a few close friends, and that’s all I want!
One of the most valuable things I’ve done since receiving my diagnosis was ADHD coaching. It’s allowed me to increase my awareness and understanding of ADHD, and to learn to work with what I have rather than fighting to do things the way a neurotypical person would. Our brains work differently! There are some things we can’t do the ‘usual’ way! Knowing this is both frustrating and enlightening! We get to learn how to do things in a way that works for our ADHD brain.
I am four weeks into my ADHD coaching journey, and I’ve been surprised by how triggering it has been. I am going to blog my journey for the next 11 months, whilst I learn more about ADHD and learn more about myself. I would love to share my journey with you all.
What others are reading
Diagnosed with ADHD at 52, I finally understood why life had always felt harder. This post shares how coaching helped me unlearn shame, embrace difference, and finally work with my ADHD rather than against it.
I set big goals for this holiday, and then felt like I was failing for not meeting them. This post is a reflection on ADHD, high expectations, RSD, and learning to be gentler with myself, one imperfect day at a time.
Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria (RSD) can make even small comments feel crushing, and it’s often hidden beneath ADHD. This post explores why it happens, how it affects daily life, and what can help you feel more in control.
ABOUT ME
Hi, I'm Petra Earnshaw, an adoptee with ADHD. I am also an ICF ACC Credentialed Advanced-Certified ADHD Life Coach. I share my coaching and late ADHD diagnosis, and share some tips along the way.
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