How does growing up with undiagnosed ADHD shape your life and what happens when you finally get answers?
In this episode of All Aboard ADHD, Claire is joined by Laura Mears-Reynolds, diagnosed with ADHD at 38, host of the ADHD AF podcast and founder of the ADHD AF Plus charity.
Laura tells her story of shame, burnout and survival, sharing how her fierce sense of justice led her to build a grassroots movement providing real-life peer support for adults with ADHD across the UK.
🧶 The penny-drop moment: how a friend's diagnosis shattered the “naughty little boys” stereotype, prompting Laura to recognise her own ADHD traits and realise: “If you’ve got it, I’ve definitely got it”.
🔥 From chaos to “dumpster fire”: perimenopause, three-year waiting lists, escalating crises and the devastating point where Laura felt “I was done”.
💊 Diagnosis and the day after: being told she had “severe combined” ADHD and waking up the following morning with a glimmer of hope, realising, “I don’t have to hate myself today”.
👧 Childhood through an ADHD lens: constant anxiety, rejection sensitivity (RSD), insomnia and being labelled “disrespectful” for leaving GCSE coursework until the last minute, despite agonising over it all night.
🎭 Girls, masking and minimising: how gender expectations, people-pleasing and trying not to be “a nuisance” can contribute to ADHD going unrecognised in girls and women.
⚖️ Justice sensitivity and ADHD: why Laura challenges the idea that ADHD is a “superpower”, exploring how her fierce need for justice has both challenged her, and fuelled her advocacy for others.
🐆 Building ADHD AF and the Leopard Print Army: from responding to podcast DMs at 4am to creating a community through body doubling, national meet-ups and the ADHD AF Plus charity, which now provides over 17 free peer support groups across the UK. As Laura puts it, “It’s about us, by us, for us”.
Laura's honesty about the challenges of living with undiagnosed ADHD, the impact of shame and the power of finding community, provides a conversation about reframing how we understand ourselves, finding hope and recognising that we don't have to navigate the ADHD journey alone.
If you’ve ever felt “too much” or like you’re failing at “adulting”, this episode will help you see yourself, and your children, through a more compassionate lens.
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The views shared in this episode are those of the guest, based on their professional expertise and personal experience. This content is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical, educational, or psychological advice. Please consult a qualified professional for personalised support relevant to your individual circumstances.
