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 <3

- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ADHD_love 

- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0BddWlSVqtvfSGy1mlWHr1 

ADHD Chatter podcast:

- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ADHD_Chatter_Podcast

- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/371UdLohffgSlWAEuQ55Hi 

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 watch the video version of this episode? You can find it on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@gothboss 

You can find me on:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/catburton/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/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.

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