This story comes from one of our office team members, V., to raise awareness for ADHD in the workplace.
"Getting diagnosed with ADHD as an adult is a bit like finding the missing piece to a puzzle you didn’t know you were solving. Suddenly, things start making sense—but it also brings a flood of “aha” moments and a few “oh no” ones too. Here's what hit me hardest after my late ADHD diagnosis:
1. I Wasn't Prepared For Mourning The Loss Of What I Could Have Been
The questions – what if this had been diagnosed sooner? Would I have achieved more? Would I have made less mistakes in life? Less bad choices?
Of course, I'll never know. And 'what if's compound misery, so forward we go.
2. It Wasn't Just Me Being Lazy
For years, I thought I was just bad at life—disorganized, forgetful, always procrastinating. Turns out, it wasn’t laziness; it was executive dysfunction.
3. Hyperfocus Is Real—and It’s a Double-Edged Sword
I can work for six hours straight without blinking… but only on something I’m really into. Everything else? Feels impossible to start.
4. "Time Blindness" Is a Thing
Five minutes, two hours—same difference. Deadlines sneak up like ninjas, and appointments disappear into the ether.
5. Childhood Clues Were Hiding in Plain Sight
The fidgeting. The forgetfulness. The constant zoning out in class. The “naughtiness” I wasn't being "difficult"—I had ADHD all along. No one noticed because I was a girl who got decent grades.
6. Shame Had Been Living Rent-Free in My Brain
Years of feeling “not enough” left scars. The diagnosis brought relief—but also grief for the time I spent feeling broken.
7. Not All ADHD Looks the Same
I don’t bounce off walls. I’m the “day-dreamy, anxious, disorganized” type. ADHD is a spectrum, and I finally see where I fit on it.
8. Medication Isn't Magic—But It Helps
It didn’t turn me into a productivity robot, but it gave me enough mental bandwidth to function without melting down over simple tasks.
9. I Started Being Kinder to Myself
I still overthink EVERYTHING. I still talk over people. But, I'm aware of this and stop myself and/or apologise – and knowing my brain works differently helped me let go of toxic perfectionism. Now I focus on what works for me, not just what’s “supposed” to work.
10. Its Not All Bad
ADHD has some upsides – in the right environment, with the right employer, negatives become positives, my creative, here, there and everywhere brain can be magical and effective – and an asset to my work.
Final Thoughts:
A nod of thanks to British Nannies for employing me without prejudice and accepting my quirks.
A late ADHD diagnosis doesn’t “fix” everything, but it explains a lot. Understanding is the first step toward self-compassion, better tools, and real change."
Thank you to V. for sharing your story!