Jersey adult ADHD support group offers 'camaraderie'

Two women who were diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as adults have set up a support group in Jersey.

Rachel Kelly "thought her life was a failure" before getting diagnosed, she said.

Ms Kelly and Niamh Mc Dermott were both diagnosed in their 40s while studying for degrees.

The women set up the support group themselves as they were unable to find any similar support in Jersey.

The two friends hope ADHD Adults Jersey UK will provide a "much-needed" support network for adults with ADHD living in Jersey.

Dr Tony Lloyd, CEO of the ADHD Foundation, a national charity, said there were "nowhere near" enough support groups for adults with ADHD.

Ms Kelly left school without passing any exams and says the constant negative comments about her academic ability destroyed her confidence.

"All the negative things that happen because of undiagnosed ADHD happened to me.

"I had young pregnancies, lots of break-ups, I was in trouble with the police till the age of 21," said the 44-year-old.

Leading psychologists have warned that gender bias is leaving many women with ADHD undiagnosed.

NHS Digital data suggests diagnoses have been on the rise for both genders in recent years in England, in 2019-20, 33,000 women were diagnosed compared with more than 100,000 men.

For Ms Mc Dermott, 41, all the years of not knowing why she struggled with certain things had a huge impact on her mental health.

"I would suffer with anxiety and depression, I always felt I was never good enough - that's coming from years of report cards saying not quite good enough, could be better if she tried, too lazy to achieve."

The 41-year-old said being diagnosed and given medication had a transformative impact.

"Being able to sit still, start something and finish it and not jump from paragraph to paragraph was amazing."

The support group, which first met in September, gets together to talk about people's experiences and challenges.

Ms Kelly said she takes comfort from knowing she is not alone.

"We talk about the challenges we face and laugh about it, it's great camaraderie."

The States has been contacted for a statement regarding the provision of support for adults with ADHD in Jersey.

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