Diagnosed with ADHD at 41: Turns Out, Tara Was Right

Hi to the ND-ers Out There

Hey friends! My name’s Cece, and I just turned 41. Yikes! I know, I know — I’m ancient. And yes, I’ve been politely informed by “the older folk” in my life that I’m not allowed to keep saying that out loud, but… here we are.

Oh, and because the universe loves a good plot twist, I was just diagnosed with ADHD at 41. Honestly, getting this far into the blog without wandering off mid-sentence feels like a miracle. Makes sense, though — it’s kinda the whole point of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (yes, the Hyper is in there for a reason).

The Diagnosis Journey (a.k.a. “Tara Called It”)

So here’s the thing: I didn’t exactly discover my ADHD on my own. I was staying with my boss-slash-friend-slash-Kei’s-mom (hi, Tara 👋) when she casually drops, “You know you’re probably ADHD, right?”

Since you just broke your leg, nobody CeCe...nobody!

At first, I laughed it off… but then she started listing the evidence:

• Dyslexic with numbers? ✔️ Okay, fine… and sometimes letters too, but only on bad days! And hey — I eventually get it right. That still counts, right? Maybe it's just dyslexia!

• Absolutely zero impulse control? ✔️ I disagree. Buying a motorcycle when I turned 40 wasn’t just an impulse — it was a dream. A very loud, two-wheeled, slightly reckless dream.

• A long, colorful history of questionable decision-making? ✔️✔️✔️ Look, I prefer the term “adventurous.” But yes… fine, this one’s my favorite.

• Can’t focus to save my life? ✔️ Oh, I can focus… just not on the thing I’m actually supposed to be doing.

• Starting seven things and finishing… zero? ✔️✔️ Hey, at least my to-do list looks ambitious. It’s not procrastination if you’re doing something, right?

See? Totally defensible. (Kind of.)

And okay, she wasn’t wrong — she almost never is. My unofficial life mottos have always been, "I'm here for a good time, not a long time," followed closely by “Live like it’s your last day — no regrets!”  These sounds inspiring until you realize it usually means, “Yes, I did buy that, yes, I did quit that, and yes, there may have been whiskey involved.”

We even have an ongoing joke: if I ever get arrested, Tara’s first question won’t be, “Are you okay?” It’ll be, “Do I Venmo the bail money, or are we going old-school cash?”

Fast-forward a few weeks, and I’m sitting in my psychiatrist’s office when, out of nowhere, he asks: “Has anyone ever told you that you might have ADHD?”

And I’m like, “Funny you should ask…”

Cue the diagnostic questionnaire — which was less of a test and more of a cosmic roast session — and boom: officially ADHD. Turns out, Tara was right. (She’s never going to let me live that down.)

No Boring Definitions Here

I’m not going to waste your time — or mine — with textbook definitions or copy-and-pasted research. Let’s be real, we both know I’d get distracted halfway through, and it would sound like boring plagiarism anyway. And honestly? I wouldn’t want to do it even if I could. It just sounds like… a lot of work.

I’m not lazy — I just don’t like doing boring things. Instead, I want to give you a little taste (and maybe a lot of flavor) from the wonderfully dysfunctional cookbook that is my life.

School, Chaos, and the One Degree That Nearly Killed Me

Let me start by saying this: getting through school without meds or proper support was NOT easy. Somehow, though, I made it all the way through and even earned my Bachelor’s degree (yes, in Arts… still counts).

I graduated despite spending most of my classes fidgeting, daydreaming, and occasionally taking unplanned naps in the back row. Honestly, it’s a miracle my degree didn’t come with a warning label: “May have slept through 60% of classes.”

So when I say ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE, I mean it. I’m not yelling — I’m just extremely emphatic about this one accomplishment. Yep, just the one. Sad, I know… but hey, I’ll take the win!

Lights, Camera… Dysfunction

Right after college, I jumped straight into one of the most chaotic, stress-inducing, anxiety-triggering careers imaginable: television production. To this day, I’m still not sure how smart that decision was. (Spoiler: my therapist says “not very.”)

But honestly, it’s easy to see why I did it: the adrenaline! The celebrity drama (we’re talking C- and D-listers, calm down). The constant problem-solving, putting out fires every five minutes (not literal fires, though sometimes it felt like it). And the best part? Traveling the world on someone else’s dime.

Maybe ADHD was my secret weapon — juggling five crises at once, hyperfocusing on deadlines, and thriving in pure chaos. I’d bounce from one task to the next without actually finishing the first… but somehow, eventually, everything got done.

Working in an environment where everything was constantly shifting might sound impulsive, chaotic, and stressful as hell — and it was — but I absolutely loved it. Honestly, I thrived on the madness.

After Being Diagnosed With ADHD at 41

After getting diagnosed, suddenly all the nicknames I’ve collected over the years started making way too much sense.

Fun fact: after the movie Over the Hedge came out, my friends started calling me Hammy — the hyperactive squirrel who moves at lightning speed and talks faster than the subtitles can keep up.

If you’ve seen it, you get it. If you haven’t, do yourself a favor and watch it. It’s technically a kids’ movie, but honestly? It’s basically an ADHD documentary disguised as animation.

Life With the Egyptians (a.k.a. My Family)

Now, let’s talk about my everyday life — which revolves around the Egyptians (aka my family). They’re loud, opinionated, egotistical, and somehow allergic to change. In my house, if you wanted to be heard, you had to out-shout the next person.

My mom still wonders why we all “can’t hear each other” now. Gee, Mom. No idea.

To be fair, though, the food makes up for almost everything. Almost.

Trying to keep up with my Egyptian family while also keeping my ADHD brain in check? Zero chance. Pass the hummus and pita, please.

Love in the Time of Lockdown

We’re not gonna dive deep into the whole “love life” thing because, honestly, it’s been a minute. The last time I was truly in love? Right before the pandemic. And when lockdown hit? There was no way I was risking my freedom just to be around someone else’s germs. I’ve already got enough voices in my head to keep me company.

Final Thoughts

Getting diagnosed at 41 feels like finally finding the instruction manual for a gadget I’ve been using my whole life… only to realize I’ve been holding it upside down. Here’s the thing, though: there’s nothing wrong with me — despite what people have told me for years. My brain just works differently.

So, to all my fellow late-diagnosed ND-ers out there: find your tribe, embrace your quirks, and stop apologizing for being exactly who you are. You are perfect even in messy ways, during the times when you’re still learning your powers, and especially when you think you’re at your lowest. You’re not broken — you’re just looking at it upside down.