Growing up, I always felt different. Throughout primary and secondary school, I struggled with friendships, fitting in and often feeling like an outsider. I never really understood why I found certain things more difficult than other people seemed to, but I simply accepted that this was how life was for me. I presumed everyone experienced the same struggles and that everyone just found ways to cope.
Interestingly, I went on to spend three years working in neurodiversity-related roles, initially as a Learning Assistant before progressing into two years as a Special Needs Teacher. I spent so much of my time supporting, understanding and advocating for my students, learning about their individual needs and recognising the different ways their brains worked. Yet, despite having all this knowledge and experience, I never once turned that understanding inwards or considered that the very things I was teaching and supporting others with could apply to me.
It wasn't until life started to feel overwhelming and things became too much that I began attending counselling. It was through this process that I finally started questioning whether I could be neurodivergent myself. I decided to pursue testing, and eventually, I received my ADHD diagnosis.
Although receiving my diagnosis gave me answers to so many questions I had carried throughout my life, the journey also opened my eyes to something much bigger. Having experienced the assessment process first-hand, I was shocked by how outdated and inadequate some of the standards and approaches felt. I began to realise just how many women and girls could be going through life feeling exactly as I had, without ever receiving the understanding or support they deserve.
That experience became the driving force behind my decision to start a UK Government petition calling for a review of the autism and ADHD assessment processes, particularly to ensure they better recognise the ways neurodivergence presents in women and girls.
I am grateful that I have my diagnosis now, but I often find myself wondering how different my life could have looked if somebody had recognised the signs sooner. An earlier diagnosis could have completely changed my experience growing up, helped me understand myself and given me the tools to navigate life with greater confidence.
And that is exactly why this matters so much to me. I don't want other women and girls to spend years feeling like outsiders, questioning themselves or believing they simply aren't trying hard enough. I want people to feel seen, understood and heard.
Through raising awareness, supporting my petition and raising money for ADHD UK, I hope to help create a future where fewer people have to wait until they reach breaking point to understand themselves. Because everyone deserves the opportunity to be recognised, supported and given the answers they need, regardless of when they discover their neurodivergence.