My Unique Life Journey

Have you ever wondered when life started to make sense? My life started to make sense when I reached 36. It was 5 years ago. I was diagnosed firstly with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism a year later. At first, I was devastated since I became a person with disabilities. Then, I had a bit of joy since I could get the Registration Cards for People with Disabilities. This helps me to save money on classical music concerts.

Living with my neurodivergent conditions is a team sport. I need support from psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, occupational therapists and social workers, and from medication to improve my executive function. The most important thing is no matter what support others give, the most important thing is to love myself – accepting who I am, understanding my limitations and living with self-compassion.

I wish it was easier for people to change their views on neurodiversity. Some people may not understand or accept neurodiversity or may have negative stereotypes and assumptions about individuals with ADHD. I also received comments like “Don’t make ADHD an excuse for poor work performance”; “You don’t look like having ADHD”, and “You are just lazy”. And some people decided to disconnect with me after I shared my stories publicly. But I believe that by continuing to speak out and advocate for neurodiversity, we can help to challenge these stereotypes and create a more equitable and accepting world for all.

What gives me hope is that many people contact me after my sharing – a cup of coffee to talk about the joy and challenge of living with conditions. I am often commended for being courageous to share my experience publicly. This is great, but it is time to normalise mental health conversations now since we all have unique journeys in life.

Jonathan – a neurodivergent person, speaker and panellist on neurodiversity and NGO board member