A little about me
hi, I’m gwen.
If you’ve ever worked with me in the corporate world or visited my home, you probably wouldn’t think I have ADHD. Neither did I.
But when I hit my mid-40s, something felt off, and it was more than the hormonal changes of perimenopause.
- I lost my drive and motivation
- I was easily distracted
- Boring tasks felt impossible to finish
- I started forgetting things
- I was overwhelmed all day and wired at night
- I felt like I was constantly on the brink of burnout
- …but sitting still felt excruciating
The onset of all this coincided with finding out my sister was terminally ill, so the obvious explanation was depression. Deep down I didn’t believe that was the cause, but it was the only thing that made sense. Therapy helped with the anticipatory grief, but it was obvious this wasn’t depression.
The onset of all this coincided with finding out my sister was terminally ill, so the obvious explanation was depression. Deep down I didn’t believe that was the cause, but it was the only thing that made sense. Therapy helped with the anticipatory grief, but it was obvious this wasn’t depression.
I started researching my symptoms and learned that ADHD presents very differently in girls and women, and that many of us go our whole lives undiagnosed until motherhood and perimenopause push our nervous systems past their limit.
At 47 I was diagnosed with combined-type ADHD and it gave me the self-compassion I didn’t know I needed.
Everything I’ve struggled with throughout my life suddenly made sense.
And none of it is my fault.
I feel more comfortable and confident in my skin than I ever have, and I’m a better mom, wife, daughter, and friend because of it.
owning my adhd so you’ll feel seen in yours.
I impulsively started an Instagram account (@adhd.gwen) at the beginning of 2025 to share everything I’ve learned about ADHD since being diagnosed.
It was refreshing to have a space where I could figure out who I really am underneath years of overcompensating, people-pleasing, double-checking, and apologizing for things that aren’t my fault, but when my posts started to gain traction, I panicked.
What would my friends and family think if they found the account?
But every time I thought about deleting my page, someone would message me to tell me how much my content has helped them.
So I kept going, and the more I showed up as my real self, the more I realized I actually prefer this version of me.
