3 minute read
MY LIFE BEGAN AT 40
MY LIFE BEGAN AT 40
Lori Lloyd lived with undiagnosed ADHD for years. She tells how getting help changed her life.
As a child I was called a daydreamer. The reality was I couldn’t understand schoolwork, I’d go into a sort of trance. I told my mum, but ADHD wasn’t understood back then.
At school I was mature and knew I had the brains, but there was a mental block. It was only when I was diagnosed with ADHD and prescribed medication at 40 that I was able to properly read a book.
I was seen as difficult, but inside I was struggling and too proud to ask for help. I had friends but I always felt on the outside.
Everything I did was on impulse, and nothing lasted, including relationships –I married three times in six years. My last marriage was to the solicitor looking after my second divorce!
That time I was in love, and we have two sons together. But through it all I was still struggling. I’d forget or lose things. I was constantly looking for something new. I’d wake up with a long list of jobs but do none of them. My mind was racing so fast that I couldn’t think straight. I drank and wasn’t nice to be around.
Eventually I was expelled. I did a hairdressing apprenticeship, it was easier because it’s practical. But I’d come home and want to go straight out again – I couldn’t settle. Your mind is constantly racing, you go from being in a fog to having too much energy and wild ideas.
My husband says it was like having a third child. We split for eight years but I was lucky, he asked if we could try again and we’re still partners.
When my sons were diagnosed with ADHD, I learned it was genetic and had tests.
When they found the right medication, it was like going from night to day. I’m calm and able to do things one at a time, at my own pace. I’ve reunited with friends I lost along the way, and I’ve trained as a
counsellor. I also run a recovery group for people struggling with alcohol addiction. I’d advise anyone who thinks they may have ADHD to seek help. I feel like my life has just started.”
WHAT IS ADHD?
Adults with ADHD may have problems with:
• Organisation and time management
• Following instructions
• Focusing and completing tasks
• Coping with stress
• Feeling restless or impatient
• Impulsiveness and risk taking
• Some people may also have issues with sleep, strong mood changes or social interaction and relationships.
Find out more about living with ADHD at:
• NHS UK: https://www.nhs.uk/ conditions/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd/living-with/
• ADHD Foundation: adhdfoundation.org.uk
Try reading:
ADHD: A Hunter in a Farmer’s World by Thom Hartmann, a guide to reframing our view of ADHD and embracing its benefits.
