Sally Walker

What was your experience pre-diagnosis?

When I didn’t know I had ADHD, I would follow my mind. So, I would do everything and I was always driven by watching others. I always say, I live from the front of my head and there is a block to the rest of my brain. I wouldn’t think past the front of my head and was generally driven by what (I thought) other people thought of me. This is the way I thought life was for everyone.

Why did you go to the doctor?

I Googled everything. Every time I noticed a new symptom, I would try to find a reason for it and see if it would come up with a different diagnosis each time. After searching for months I’d come to the conclusion that it was anxiety and went to my local GP. The doctor sent me for counselling, but I carried on searching.

I started to see more articles and stories about women with ADHD online and it made me think “is this me?”.

At the time we were locked down due to COVID-19, so I had a telephone appointment with my GP. At the same time my brain went into overdrive (what I now know to be hyper focusing) – I joined online support and awareness groups for ADHD and started looking at holistic ways of treating my symptoms. I stumbled on The Right to Choose* ADHD assessment referral request through a Facebook group and went through a private provider of ADHD services.

Tell us about your diagnosis experience.

The benefit of having a diagnosis is that now, I know why I do the things I do. I take time to research and understand my ADHD.

It’s hard to pinpoint the impact of my diagnosis, I didn’t have a lightbulb moment. I felt I knew before the doctors officially told me. I didn’t feel a sense of relief, more frustrated that I could’ve found out much sooner.

How are you now?

Sometimes I find it frustrating. Having a diagnosis has really helped me but my friends and family tend to associate my ADHD with everything I do, when it isn’t always everything I do.

For me, it is about finding the benefits in my ADHD – I am working out how to manage my triggers.

What advice do you have for women who think they may have ADHD?

I am the type of person that needs to know how things work. I know everyone is different but if you are like me, speaking to a professional is so important and understanding your triggers can help to manage it long term. One thing I do know is anything is really possible when you have ADHD.

* If you are registered with a GP surgery in England and you are referred by a GP to a consultant or specialist in mental health, you have the legal right to choose the organisation (qualified provider) to whom you are referred, as long as that organisation is providing that service in another part of England. https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/about-the-nhs/your-choices-in-the-nhs/

Gloucestershire

Event planning and catering

Aged 35

Key symptoms Anxiety, hyperfocus