ITV reality star reveals life-changing health diagnosis aged 46, saying ‘I feel numb'

The Irish Sun

a day ago

REALITY TV star Natalie Russell has opened up about her recent life-changing diagnosis.
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Natalie Russell has been diagnosed with ADHD
Credit: Instagram
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The reality TV star said she was still processing the news
Credit: Instagram
Short for
attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, ADHD is a disorder that affects peoples ability to regulate their attention, energy levels and impulse control.
As Natalie pointed out in her Instagram video revealing her diagnosis, there has been
increasing numbers of cases
being picked up in adulthood
.
The 45-year-old said getting the diagnosis "brought up a lot of things, and it's made a lot of things make sense."
"There's that kind of relief and self-understanding that comes with it, and then there's also probably some grief there of knowing that had I had that understanding earlier on in life... might have changed the course of things for me," Natalie said.
adhd
"There's so many things that I'm now looking back at and going, 'oh, that explains it'."
Natalie spoke on experiencing emotional dysregulation and rejection sensitivity disorder which are common symptoms of ADHD.
"It's interesting times [for me], and I think I've definitely felt my symptoms more because of my perimenopause... it's become so much more apparent, and I've found that quite frustrating," she said.
"Although I knew I had a lot of the symptoms, I think just hearing someone else confirm it [has helped]."
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Natalie added: "I think the fundamental part of it is like self-acceptance. and compassion for yourself.
"That's so key, because I'm having to extend a lot of grace to myself."
'I didn't know how to cope' reveals Freddie Brazier, 20, as he opens up about his struggle with ADHD
Natalie's followers thanked her for her honesty and reacted to the video in the comments section of her post.
"It's a complex thing to process so definitely give yourself the time you need - lots of mixed emotions, and I'm sure the waves will rise and fall as you come to terms with them," wrote one person.
Another added: "Absolutely love you, you always speak from the heart."
And a third commented: "Thankyou for sharing. I can relate to every word."
The 9 signs of ADHD in adults
ADHD has long been associated with naughty schoolkids who cannot sit still in class.
And that is part of it. Fidgeting, daydreaming and getting easily distracted are all symptoms of the behavioural condition, which is why it is often spotted in children.
However, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is far more complex than simply having trouble focusing.
Henry Shelford, CEO and co-founder of ADHD UK, says: 'If it isn't debilitating, it isn't ADHD.'
In recent years, social media has given rise to trends which conflate specific personality traits or single behaviours with ADHD.
You might be thinking, 'I'm always losing my keys, forgetting birthdays and I can never concentrate at work — I must have ADHD'. But it's not as simple as that.
Though these may all point to the condition, Dr Elena Touroni, a consultant psychologist and co-founder of The Chelsea Psychology Clinic, says: 'The key distinction lies in how much a behaviour impacts a person's daily life.
'Genuine ADHD symptoms affect multiple areas of life - work, relationships and emotional wellbeing - whereas personality traits are typically context-dependent and less disruptive.'
ADHD UK's Henry, who has the condition himself, adds: 'Having ADHD is hard. One in ten men with ADHD and one in four women with ADHD will at some point try to take their own lives.'
So how can ADHD manifest in someone's life? While hyperactivity is a common indicator, here are nine other subtle signs:
Time blindness
- losing track of time, underestimating how long tasks will take, regularly being late or excessively early
Lack of organisation
- a messy home, frequently misplacing items, forgetting deadlines
Hyperfocus
- becoming deeply engrossed in activities for hours
Procrastination
- feeling overwhelmed by to-do lists and struggling to determine what needs your attention first so focusing on less important tasks
Heightened emotions
- emotional struggles can manifest in angry outbursts, feeling flooded with joy or shutting down because you feel too much at once
Being a 'yes man'
- agreeing to new projects at work or dinner dates with friends when you're already busy (a desire to please)
Impatience
- interrupting people mid-conversation, finding it painful to stand in a queue, being overly chatty
Restlessness
- tapping, pacing, fidgeting or feeling restless on the inside
Easily distracted
- by external things, like noises, or internal things like thoughts
Natalie, who is a self-esteem and relationship recovery coach appeared on My Mum, Your Dad.
She
was partnered up with Paul Edwards, 47, in the
- but it wasn't meant to be as they split soon after filming was over.
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Natalie starred on ITV's My Mum, Your Dad
Credit: Instagram/@iamnatalierussell