I honestly thought I was done with diagnoses, having already collected Visual Snow Syndrome, chronic migraine, interstitial cystitis, autism, C-PTSD and some hypermobility somethingorother I haven’t quite figured out yet.

Initally back in 2022, I went into an assessment for autism and ADHD, thinking I’d come out of there with an ADHD diagnosis. I didn’t, I left with an autism diagnosis, but only met two of the criteria for ADHD. At that point, I couldn’t really pick apart what bits of me were autism and which were ADHD, and I realise now, 2.5 years later, that I was heavily masking during that assessment.

After a good solid 2 years of unmasking, my ADHD traits became apparent to both my GP and my psychologist, who suggested getting re-assessed. I did so, and met 7 out of the 9 criteria for inattentive ADHD (my brain has now gone – seven of nine, Voyager, Star Trek, oh isn’t Janeway a hottie, what’s for dinner?). I had a Geocities website about Voyager back in the 90s, frankly that should be a diagnosis criteria all of its own.

As with the autism diagnosis, I went through the anger stage of late diagnosis with ADHD, then a bit of denial, now acceptance I suppose. Unfortunately I can’t take ADHD medication on a daily basis as it makes the Visual Snow Syndrome & chronic migraine ramp up, usually within 2-3 days of continuous use.

So in essence, I’m just winging it. And it shows – it’s taken me over a year to get this website finished. It’s gone through multiple different iterations, decision making processes, layouts… the indecisive part of me has been incredibly apparent. But what has been great is that everyone that has worked on this website and had input, all of them have been 100% neuroaffirmative throughout. Nobody has got frustrated with me at the length of time it’s taken, nor at my indecisiveness.

Part of late diagnosis is self-acceptance for sure, but it’s also surrounding yourself with the right people who can understand you, and accept you for who you are (and how you work!).