Hello,

​

I was diagnosed with ADHD in 2025 at 39. Quite ironic really considering I’ve pent the previous 10 years supporting young people with ADHD and emotional wellbeing in schools 

 

For most of my life, I genuinely believed the way I was came from trauma and adverse childhood experiences. I experienced a difficult and chaotic childhood, and after a devastating bereavement at 15, I assumed the constant busy brain, overthinking and emotional overwhelm were simply part of who I was.

 

I spent years waiting to feel ‘normal’. 

 

At school, I would sit daydreaming in lessons thinking, ‘Maybe when I’m 18 I’ll feel like everyone else.’ Then it became, ‘Maybe when I’m 21.’ Then, ‘Maybe when I’m 25.’  

 

Eventually, I started to wonder if I would ever feel that way.

 

I could never quite explain what life felt like inside my head. I always felt different somehow. I constantly questioned my interactions, replayed conversations, worried about things I had said and ‘cringe’ moments that would make me feel physically sick for literal days!! I now understand that much of this was linked to emotional regulation and rejection sensitivity.

 

My brain has always felt like 100 thoughts happening at once. Constant mental tabs open. Rehearsing conversations. Walking into rooms and forgetting why I was there. Starting jobs and getting distracted halfway through. Having difficulty starting the smallest task. Masking my way through life not knowing who I truly was  

 

I have written to do lists since I was a teenager because they made me feel productive, only to lose the notebook and start another one with ‘FIND FLOWER NOTEBOOK’ written at the top because I was convinced I had written something life changing in there.

 

Outwardly though, I became ‘bubbly, smiley Kaz.’ The happy one. The outgoing one. The positive one.

 

I would psych myself up before social situations, perform being confident, then come home mentally exhausted whilst nobody had a clue how hard my brain had worked just to keep up.

 

I’ve always been deeply compassionate and emotional, probably because I know what it feels like to struggle silently. Helping others became my purpose because growing up, I never felt like I had anyone safe to talk to.

 

Alongside ADHD, I’ve experienced anxiety, depression and the lasting impact of trauma. For years, I hid it incredibly well until eventually I completely burned out in 2025. That felt particularly confusing because my job involved helping young people regulate emotions whilst I was hugely dysregulated behind the scenes.

 

Then one random day, whilst waiting for a glow up at the hairdressers, I spotted a book called ‘Happy Healthy ADHD’ by Lisa Dee and started having a little read  

 

Within minutes, my heart was racing and I had tears in my eyes because for the first time in my life, I felt SEEN 

 

I remember ringing my daughter Sienna, from the bathroom and saying:

 

‘You know how you and Chace laugh at me for being forgetful, clumsy and talking 100 miles an hour? I think I’ve got ADHD because I’ve just found a woman whose brain sounds exactly like mine.’

 

From there, everything started falling into place 

 

The constant pen clicking. The endless mental tabs open at once. The need for routines and lists just to keep life organised. Listening to the same song on repeat for weeks before suddenly never wanting to hear it again. Fixating on one food and then moving on to the next. Finishing people’s sentences because my brain had already raced ahead. The hypervigilance. The rushing thoughts. The exhaustion that came from appearing completely fine on the outside whilst my brain was working overtime 24/7.

 

I genuinely believed everyone’s brain worked like that  

 

Receiving my diagnosis at 39 brought both relief and sadness. Relief because my life finally made sense, but sadness because for so many years I believed there was simply something wrong with me. I spent years frustrated that things which seemed easy for other people felt so difficult for me.

 

Now I openly advocate for ADHD awareness within my school, particularly for girls with inattentive ADHD who are often overlooked because they mask so heavily.

 

I explain to staff that ADHD isn’t simply about being distracted or hyperactive. It’s a complex neurodevelopmental condition that can affect emotional regulation, executive functioning, memory, self esteem and everyday life.

 

For years I never understood why I struggled soooo bad with  verbal instructions from colleagues, but repeating information out loud like a parrot helped my brain process and remember it.

 

Alongside my role in education, I am also studying for a psychology degree and have become FASCINATED by the nervous system and emotional wellbeing.

 

I’ve a massive Stanley Cup collection, placed around the house so I actually remember to drink water  

 

Medication isn’t for everyone, but Elvanse has helped quieten my mind enough to feel more present and focused. Overthinking, rumination and RSD have basically been my middle names my whole life, although my middle name is actually Macarena, which is no joke  

 

The thing I am proudest of is the relationship I have with my two teenage babed and the connections I have built with young people throughout my career.

 

I have the privilege of supporting students every day, and the thing that matters most to me is that they feel safe, accepted and genuinely cared for. The trust they place in me is something I never take for granted! 

 

Despite the challenges ADHD has brought, I am incredibly grateful for the empathy and compassion it has given me too.

 

Now, as an ADHD Zone Ambassador, I hope to help raise awareness and understanding of ADHD beyond the stereotypes.

 

In recent years, ADHD has often been dismissed as a trend or I often hear ‘everyone’s a little bit ADHD.’ The reality is far more complex. ADHD can affect attention, memory, executive functioning, confidence, relationships and daily functioning in ways many people never see.

 

My hope is to help reduce stigma and encourage better understanding, particularly for those whose struggles may not be obvious to others.

 

If sharing my story helps even one person feel less alone, seek support, or finally understand themselves a little better……that really will be everything 

 

Much love 

 

Kaz