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Myth: ADHD is a condition that only affects “hyperactive, naughty boys”.

Fact: Many women and girls with ADHD are undiagnosed because of the damaging stereotype that ADHD is primarily a young boy’s condition. As a result, many undiagnosed adults are not receiving the support that would enable them to reach their true workplace potential.

Claire Ryan, author of ADHD and Me, speaks here about her journey to getting a diagnosis of ADHD as adult.

Growing up I was described as having ‘too much energy’ while also being ‘lazy’. My school reports were full of comments such as ‘Claire is capable but needs to apply herself’. Thing is, I was trying really hard, but the constant negative feedback made me feel like I just wanted to give up. When I was 12, my parents sent me to a Convent Boarding School in the hope that the discipline would do me some good. I was never in trouble during school hours, but I was still never the student everyone thought I ‘should’ be.

Growing up I was described as having ‘too much energy’ but also being ‘lazy’.

After school was a different matter altogether. I was suspended during my first year because, in truth, I was bored. The lack of structure, guidance, activities and stimulation was exactly the opposite of what I needed. I was never forgiven for this and for the remaining four years I was known as ‘that kid’.

I have always struggled with focus, either finding myself able to focus completely or not at all. This meant school work took so much longer as my mind and body battled with my willpower. My childhood had been overrun by a constant daily internal battle and this continued into adult life.

When my children began to get diagnosed I had some lightbulb moments that led to me ask for a referral to the Maudsley Hospital in London for an ADOS assessment. I knew I was different and thought I might have been autistic, although that never felt quite right. It took 18 months before I was seen by the team and I arrived terrified, armed with a pile of school reports and questionnaires. It soon became clear that they did not think I was autistic, and after the assessment they told me that I met the criteria for an ADHD diagnosis.

I felt nothing but relief. Pure relief that someone had finally recognised my struggles, that I wasn’t ‘that kid’, that I was actually trying really hard even if the adults around me hadn’t ever seen it. I hoped this would be a turning point in my life and accepted the offer of medication without hesitation. I spent the next few months re-evaluating my past and re-assessing my self-esteem and confidence. They had always been low, but now I felt I had the answer to so many ‘why’s’.

I felt nothing but relief. Pure relief that someone had finally recognised my struggles, that I wasn’t ‘that kid’, that I was actually trying really hard even if the adults around me hadn’t ever seen it.

As an adult I flitted from job to job until my current job, which I have been in for 16 years. I found studying difficult, and reading has always been tricky as my mind wanders off. However, I managed to gain the qualifications I needed.

If I am interested and mentally engaged, I hyper-focus at work. I don’t act impulsively, I don’t make quick decisions, I check and recheck. Tasks took me longer to complete than others due to the checking needed, which has led to me being a ‘perfectionist’ in all areas of my life. Anxiety was with me all day, every day and the mental effort it took to do the best job I could resulted in me finishing work at 3pm absolutely shattered.

After my son was born, I reduced my hours and only worked three days per week. This helped a lot and gave me the time to do household/family things that needed to be done. In my mind, it was either a work day or a home day and I couldn’t mix the two. My routine was so important to me to ensure I didn’t burn out, but I felt ridiculous trying to explain this to my family.

Many people with ADHD do not feel confident to be open with their employer about their condition. This is always a personal choice.

At first I didn’t tell my manager about my ADHD. Ten years after I was diagnosed, I needed to change my medication, which led to a period of crippling anxiety that required time off work. When I returned, I decided to be honest about my ADHD. My manager didn’t seem to be surprised. I was clear that I didn’t want or need adjustments, and luckily I have very supportive colleagues and am part of a fantastic team. In my current role I have found my perfect fit, but this may not be the case for everyone.

My new found awareness meant I could keep a check on things I might struggle with. Medication was life changing, and it was quite alarming to realise that I had never ‘relaxed’ before. I have been able to multitask at work because I am now tuned into my specific needs. As the pressure increases, I don’t lose skills I might have lost previously due to anxiety. Now I structure and then restructure to fit the demands. Things don’t take as long as I find reading easier and I don’t need to check and re-check as much. I sometimes feel exhausted from all the mental effort, but I feel proud of what I am achieving and confident I am doing a good job.

If you would like to learn more about ADHD we highly recommend Claire’s book ADHD and Me. If you are an employer, you can contact Adjust to ensure you are making the relevant workplace adjustments for employees with ADHD.