Mark’s story

Mark was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) at the age of 40 after a pivotal moment in his life. He’s now a motivational speaker for schools and businesses and campaigns for the mental wellbeing of new parents. 

I struggled in school. I used to forget things and couldn’t concentrate.

The turning point, unfortunately, was when I had a breakdown in adulthood. I’d already been diagnosed with anxiety and depression, but then I knew something wasn’t 100%.

I linked it back to when my wife had severe birth trauma and post-natal depression, which had an impact on my own mental health.

I spoke to a psychiatrist for two and a half hours and told her everything in my life, did ‘the test’, and it was then that I was diagnosed with ADHD.

You go through this denial and start thinking, Why wasn’t this picked up in school? Would my life be a little bit different?

It’s like you’re going through this transition.

But then you come out the other side and think, “If it wasn’t for the ADHD I wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing now, I wouldn’t have done all the things I’ve done.”

So, you rethink and reframe in your mind: there are positives to ADHD.

Personally, it was a big relief when I could understand it, to educate myself about it and say, “Well, of course, that’s why I was behaving in those ways.”

And you can lead a successful life with ADHD.

I didn’t do well in school, but I’ve since been very fortunate to write academic books with the doctor I’ve worked with.

You can definitely have a successful career when it’s managed.

Find out more about Mark’s lived experience of ADHD by watching our Q&A with him.