My ADHD Diagnosis at 41

Growing up, I thought ADHD meant you had to be a hyperactive boy who couldn't sit still. I was the quiet, A* student, so it never crossed my mind that my burnouts, working memory issues, sensory overwhelm and a constant need for novelty were all part of the same picture. In this episode, I walk through everything that led me to seek an ADHD diagnosis in my 40s, what the private assessment process was like and the months since: unmasking, quitting alcohol and finally understanding why a 9-5 & sitting at a desk has always felt really, really difficult. I also answer listener questions on how diagnosis has impacted my career and share the coping mechanisms that are currently working for my brain. There’s a quick mention of perimenopause and I chat about what my next steps are. Chapters 00:00 Understanding ADHD Diagnosis at 41 00:55 The Journey to Self-Discovery 02:26 Exploring Neurodivergent Burnout 04:33 Identifying Symptoms of Neurodivergence 06:43 Boredom and Task Initiation 08:22 The Need for Novelty and Impulsivity 10:03 The Hobby Pile of Shame 12:06 Working Memory Challenges 16:29 Sensory Sensitivities and Their Impact 21:23 Body Awareness and Emotional Regulation 25:01 Navigating Social Relationships and People-Pleasing 30:38 Struggling to Stop 31:37 Anticipation and Waiting 33:32 Conversation Overload 37:19 Dopamine Seeking 38:58 Struggles with Reading and Attention 40:16 Why it Took Until 40 to Seek a Diagnosis 42:36 The Journey to Diagnosis 44:14 The Diagnosis Process 51:19 Understanding ADHD: The Assessment Experience 53:01 Post-Diagnosis Reflections and Adjustments 01:00:03 Embracing Movement and Fidgeting 01:02:40 Understanding People Pleasing and Rejection Sensitivity 01:05:29 The Impact of Masking and Authenticity 01:08:10 How I'm Reworking My Relationship With Dopamine 01:09:18 Reassessing My Relationship With Alcohol 01:12:08 Reassessing Introversion 01:13:46 Finding Joy in Exercise and Novelty 01:16:06 Reassessing Friendships and Socialising 01:19:02 Am I Taking Any Medication? 01:22:13 Career Reflections: Positives and Negatives of ADHD 01:26:16 Resources for Understanding ADHD 01:29:36 Building a Life That Works for Me Mentioned resources & links: CareADHD: https://www.careadhd.co.uk/ Brain.fm Late Bloomers Podcast YouTube:    / @adhd_love   Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0BddWlS... ADHD Chatter podcast: YouTube:    / @adhd_chatter_podcast   Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/371UdLo... Books I’m actually able to read: Piranesi - https://amzn.to/4aclRhF The Midnight Library - https://amzn.to/3QcZVwh Wool (Silo Series, pt 1) - https://amzn.to/4vWByBQ Shift (Silo Series, pt 2) - https://amzn.to/4xyWKQ5 Send me your questions/comments at: https://www.gothboss.co.uk/podcast Want to listen to the audio version of this episode? You can find the podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and wherever you get your audio podcasts. You can find me on: LinkedIn:   / catburton   Instagram:   / gothbosscat   P.S. Book links are Amazon affiliate links. Any clicks on those really helps support the show so I can keep producing free content.