Throughout primary and high school, I was an A-grade student. School came easily to me, while the constant noise and struggle within my mind went unnoticed. I thrived in structured environments with the help of my parents and teachers. At the time, I did not realise that I was relying heavily on these systems to manage undiagnosed ADHD and anxiety. To others, I appeared capable and put together, and I believed that meant I was coping.

Everything changed when I entered university and adulthood. Without structure, I began to fall apart. Managing my time, initiating tasks, and sustaining focus felt overwhelming, even though I wanted to succeed. Anxiety amplified this struggle by turning procrastination into panic and mistakes into harsh self-criticism. My own mind became my worst enemy. I felt ashamed that something I once excelled at now felt impossible, and I struggled to ask for help because I was used to being the 'high achiever'.

Eventually, I opened up to a close friend about how much I was struggling. Saying it out loud felt terrifying, but it was also a relief. For the first time, I allowed myself to be honest rather than pretending I was coping. With their encouragement, I sought professional support and began learning about ADHD and anxiety.

Understanding my experiences through this lens helped me replace self-blame with self-compassion. I am still learning how to work with my mind rather than against it, but seeking help marked the beginning of regaining control and believing that I deserved support.

– Anonymous

Conversations about mental health and mental illness can sometimes be difficult, and reading about other people going through the same things as you might be confronting. If you need to talk, reach out to our counselling team.