Am I Neurodivergent?

It usually starts with a question. Something quiet. A wondering you can’t quite put your finger on. It’s not dramatic, and probably not fully formed. Just a quiet question that keeps coming back. What if?

For me, it started in a pub. I was having a conversation with a longtime friend over a beer. He had just been diagnosed. As he described ADHD to me, I started mentally checking off boxes. Everything he said sounded just like me. By the time I got home that night, I couldn’t let it go. I took an online screening test. The results came back immediately suggesting a high likelihood of combined type ADHD.

One of my all time favorite films is The Matrix. More and more of that film started to resonate with the journey I found myself on…

“You’ve felt it your entire life. That there’s something wrong with the world.”

- Morpheus, The Matrix

That quote landed differently after that night. Because for some of us, the world never quite makes sense. We adapt. We hide our true selves. We push harder. We survive.

And then, one day, the question slips through.

Could I be neurodivergent?

But even that question comes with its own spiral.

What if I’m making it up? What if I’m just tired? What if I’m not struggling enough?

That’s imposter syndrome. And it shows up before we even speak the question out loud.

This new series is for the quietly curious. The people who aren’t sure yet.

It walks through the early signs, the diagnostic process, the fears, the relief, and the reality.

We will explore : -

• The early signs, and why we so often explain them away

• Imposter syndrome before and after diagnosis, and why it’s normal

• What the ADHD and autism diagnosis process actually involves (especially in the UK)

• Why autistic traits often show up more clearly once ADHD is treated

• What biopsychosocial treatment actually means, and what can help

• How to move from survival toward something more intentional

Whether you’re at the start of the journey or somewhere in the middle, I hope this meets you where you are.

Not with polished answers.

Just with research-backed information and a good dose of personal experience.

If you know someone quietly wondering the same thing, feel free to forward this.

The next post will explore early signs — and why so many of us explain them away.