Hello, I’m David, and like many others who have found their way to this blog I’ve had quite the journey in the 50 years of my life. Let me share a little about the challenges and the path that’s brought me to where I am today.
Relatively late in my life, at the age of 48, I was diagnosed with ADHD. It was a revelation that explained so much about the way my mind worked. Growing up in the countryside, in a family of academics, school wasn’t always a smooth ride for me. Like many children with ADHD, I faced all the common difficulties, struggling with focus and often juggling various interests and projects without ever seeing many of them through to the end.
Leaving my parent’s house at the age of 18, I ventured into my first own house, an extremely exciting endeavour at this age and without a real perspective. I then embarked on a 4-year professional education journey in a creative field, which I successfully completed. Since then, I’ve mostly worked as a freelancer in a creative industry, my entire career being under the influence of undiagnosed ADHD.
A pivotal moment in my life arrived when, in my mid-30s, I embarked on a three-year journey through evening school to achieve qualifications equivalent to the UK’s A-Level exams, enabling me to pursue higher education at a university. With the unwavering support of my closest friends, I not only successfully completed the evening classes but also emerged as the best in my class, earning excellent marks.
This period of personal growth and success coincided with the start of a long-term relationship with my partner. Our journey hasn’t always been easy, as both of us struggle with mental challenges, which has occasionally posed extreme challenges in our relationship. Periods of being on and off over the years weren’t uncommon. Despite these difficulties, however, we’re now reaching our 19th year together, a testament to our resilience and commitment to each other, and I cannot mention this relationship without saying that the best times of my life fall into this period!
Life then guided me from my home country to the United Kingdom with my partner, and I found myself chasing various entrepreneurial ideas, though many of them dwindled due to a lack of determination and the ebb and flow of my interests. Throughout this, I continued to ply my trade as a freelancer.
A pivotal moment arrived when I was offered a role in full-time management in London. At around this time, I began to suspect that I may be grappling with ADHD. The lengthy waiting lists of the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK for diagnosis prompted me to seek a private examination with a psychiatrist to acquire answers before commencing my new job.
An affirmative diagnosis led to the commencement of medication, with several adjustments to the drugs and dosages along the way. For nearly three years, I relied on medication to manage my ADHD symptoms, and I have been fortunate enough to not suffer from any serious side effects from these drugs. However, the quality of my sleep deteriorated significantly during these years of medication, prompting me to take action to address this issue.
I’ve since ceased taking medication and have delved into a holistic lifestyle transformation, centring on dietary modifications supported by an array of nutritional supplements. The results thus far have been remarkably positive, compelling me to pursue this journey further, embracing dietary changes, engaging in physical exercises, practising meditation, and exploring other strategies to thrive in my career and life.
Despite all the struggles I have experience I wouldn’t want to change a thing about my life. Despite its challenges, mainly because of the lack of an early diagnosis and the unknown reasons for my issues, I’ve discovered incredible abilities in myself that I’m immensely proud of. The level of empathy, creativity, optimism, and endurance for passion projects or any subjects of interest often surprises even me.
I have learned during all these years to keep going, to not give up, and that, because of the many struggles caused by ADHD, I often have to try harder than most of my friends or colleagues. My unique journey has shaped me, and I’m excited to continue this transformative path, embracing both my strengths and my journey with my partner.
Nevertheless, if I had the opportunity to rewind the wheels of time and make a major change in my life, it would be this: I would never lose sight of my friends again, some of whom have supported me through the years. Many of them I owe an immense debt of gratitude; without their unwavering support, I would not be the person I am today. The same holds true for my family, whom I, unfortunately, neglected for many years and continue to do so, as maintaining connections with people does not come easily to me. Paradoxically, those I hold dearest are often the ones I inadvertently overlook the most.
So, regrets, I must confess, are not absent from my reflections on life’s journey. But I am embarking on a voyage of self-discovery and transformation, firmly committed to rediscovering and cherishing the connections that have enriched my life.
I would love to hear from you about your journey, the good and the bad, so please take a few minutes and share your thoughts with me.