Lauren Fletcher. ADHD UK Ambassador
My name’s Lauren and I’m a People Consultant. I live in Bristol, I love travelling, exercising, socialising and being creative, I also have ADHD.
ADHD has not always been a word I used to describe myself. My school reports wrote “very intelligent, but often distracted”, “talks too much” or “tends to set big goals”, labelling me as an anxious overachiever, like many young women with ADHD. I always knew I was different from my peers, but couldn’t pinpoint why.
At 22, I had a conversation with a friend who shared her diagnosis and showed me the assessment. When reading it, I felt my stomach turn as I realised I resonated with every single question. “has difficulty sustaining attention to tasks or activities” “Is “on the go” or acts as if “driven by a motor”
I joined the assessment waiting list and within a few months I was diagnosed with Combined-type ADHD. I believed that once I had the diagnosis that was all I needed so I swore I’d never tell anyone.
The reality at the time was I was in a free fall into burnout after university and COVID and I needed to understand what ADHD meant for me.
I didn’t know how to slow down and although I was excited and loved what I was doing inside and outside of work, it was just too much for one person. I was anxious, overworked, overwhelmed, and I struggled to cope with any changes that came my way.
The best thing I ever did was learn about the Science of ADHD and go to ADHD UK webinars. This started the uncomfortable journey of unmasking; I was unlearning my original coping mechanisms, adapting to life with medication, dealing with UK medication shortages, and me worrying what people would think of Lauren with ADHD.
ADHD is classed as a disability and without the right support and understanding can be debilitating, but I also want everyone to know that when managed it can be your best asset! ADHD means I’m creative, absorb information quickly, think outside of the box, pick up skills fast and I care deeply about my work, my hobbies and those around me. But none of it would be possible without the tools I have in place.
I used to be scared to share my story due to the stigma attached to ADHD, but Neurodiversity and our differences make the world go round! So, I want everyone with a Neurodiversity to be able to ask for the support they need to thrive.