{"id":116509,"date":"2026-09-24T08:58:55","date_gmt":"2026-09-24T12:58:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/?post_type=articles&p=116509"},"modified":"2026-09-24T08:58:55","modified_gmt":"2026-09-24T12:58:55","slug":"diagnosed-adhd-aged-30-signs-everyone-missed","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/diagnosed-adhd-aged-30-signs-everyone-missed\/","title":{"rendered":"I Was Diagnosed With ADHD at 30 \u2014 These Were the 5 Signs Everyone Missed"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Amber
Credit: Amber Middleton<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When my little sister was diagnosed with ADHD a few years ago, I was frankly, shocked.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sure, she’s a little fidgety sometimes \u2014 but so am I. My whole family could be described as loud-mouths too, so that didn’t seem abnormal to me. But she was never badly behaved at school or had trouble staying in her seat. In fact, despite being 10 years younger, she was similar to me in a lot of ways.<\/span><\/p>\n

But as it turned out she <\/span>did<\/span><\/i> have ADHD\u2026 And everything I knew about the condition was based on typically little boy symptoms.<\/span><\/p>\n

Being a health writer, I spent a lot of time writing about the condition, interviewing psychiatrists and digging into the research. And after a while I discovered that it wasn\u2019t a coincidence that I had all the same symptoms. Rather, I might have the condition too. Finally, after a series of tests, I was finally diagnosed, age 30.<\/span><\/p>\n

The diagnosis really was life-changing. But I can\u2019t help but wonder how different my life would be if I\u2019d had this \u2018aha!\u2019 moment years before. Because there were some clear signs that many people missed\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

Daydreaming<\/span><\/h2>\n

I was a creative child<\/a> but I had issues with staying on task if I wasn\u2019t 100% stimulated (and still do, to this day). I wasn\u2019t shouting out every lesson. Rather, my restlessness meant I looked out the window or made up stories in my head.<\/span><\/p>\n

Rejection sensitivity<\/span><\/h2>\n

I have always found criticism a little difficult and an actual rejection would have me ruminating for the next week (dating is less than ideal).<\/span><\/p>\n

It turns out I wasn\u2019t \u2018too sensitive\u2019 and I didn\u2019t have an abandonment complex from being left at the park as I was a baby. I just had rejection sensitivity dysphoria, an emotional pain triggered by rejection \u2014 and a common aspect of the disorder that many of us face.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hyperfixations<\/span><\/h2>\n

I wish I could count all the projects and hobbies I have started and given up on over the years. Social media accounts, writing books, creating a zine, going to life drawing, attempting woodwork, marathon running\u2026 The list could go on forever.<\/span><\/p>\n

Many people with ADHD<\/a> will lose track of time because they become so wrapped up in a task they find interesting\u2026 But then, once they take a break, the shine wears off and they never pick up the task\/hobby again.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Amber
Running is just one of the hobbies I’ve tried. Credit: Amber Middleton<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Changing up my whole life<\/span><\/h2>\n

I love to change things up \u2014 I have moved house 13 times in the past 11 years, for example. But while I love to keep things interesting, I also need routine to keep myself regulated. It\u2019s a balance I\u2019m learning to get a hold of now that helps keep me grounded and regulated.<\/span><\/p>\n

Bad with money<\/span><\/h2>\n

My spontaneity, arguably, makes life interesting. I would say this is a good thing although American Express probably wouldn\u2019t agree. People with ADHD can struggle with money due to impulse control \u2014 we crave a dopamine hit and for me, checking out on my Lululemon<\/a> purchase or brand new pair of Levi\u2019s scratches that itch.<\/span><\/p>\n

Now, I\u2019m not saying that every person that relishes change or loves a new pair of jeans has ADHD, but these were signs that I never realised and helped paint a full picture. Since my diagnosis and subsequently, learning more about how my brain works, it has changed my life for the better.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":42794,"featured_media":116511,"template":"","format":"standard","categories":[6939,2723],"yoast_head":"\nI Was Diagnosed With ADHD at 30 \u2014 These Were the 5 Signs Everyone Missed<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"When Amber Middleton was diagnosed with ADHD aged 30, things she'd been struggling with her whole life started to make sense.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/diagnosed-adhd-aged-30-signs-everyone-missed\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"I Was Diagnosed With ADHD at 30 \u2014 These Were the 5 Signs Everyone Missed\" \/>\n<meta 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