Love Island's Amber Gill has revealed she felt both “relief and sadness” following her ADHD diagnosis at the age of 24. Speaking on Good Morning Britain on Wednesday, the reality star opened up about her diagnosis. The 27-year-old confessed her undiagnosed ADHD affected her post-love island life, until the age of 24, when she was diagnosed.

Sharing her diagnosis with Susanna Reid and Ed Balls for the first time on live television, Amber said: “In school for me, I just thought I was a naughty child. I just thought I was always getting told off, I was always getting distracted, I was getting pulled out of lessons for all different kinds of things.”

“I wasn’t having a good time at school… Now looking back, I think “oh my god, that was what was happening” and it makes us feel a bit sad because it just went so under the radar and nobody noticed.”

She added: ‘I think I always functioned just a little bit differently to everyone else. Luckily in the past few years, it has been talked about a lot more and I just kept thinking to myself, “maybe you’ve got ADHD and that’s the reason that you’re struggling to get work done.”

Amber continued, “So I went to get diagnosed and found out I had it and it was like a mixed feeling of relief and sadness. Sadness for all of the lost years that I was at school not knowing and being undiagnosed to then the relief of thinking ‘finally I have an answer as to why my brain works a little bit differently to everyone else.'”

Understanding ADHD: Different Types and Symptoms

Describing how her brain functions, she continued: “I’d say there’s two types of ADHD. There’s the hyperactive type which is the standard one that you would think about when you think about boys in school that have ADHD and then there is inattentive and I am more inattentive.”

“I feel like I can’t get a task done, I’m distracted very easily. It’s all those internal things – it doesn’t present itself very openly so it’s hard to notice.”

Impact of Diagnosis and Medication

Revealing that she is now on medication for her diagnosis, Amber said: “I tried not to [take the medication] at first, for a lot of different reasons… But then I was just like ‘what have I got to lose?’, it might help me in my daily life and I just said ‘you know what, I’m going to do it.”

She continued: “From diagnosis, everything just got a lot better because I was a lot gentler with myself. I knew to say “okay, you’ve got ADHD so maybe you can’t do that today” and I was able to manage it a bit better which was then just enhanced when I was on medication as well. 

“I felt like I could get more done, I was getting less distracted and overall my life just improved.”

The Impact of ADHD on Amber's Life

Amber first announced that she might be getting tested for ADHD in 2021, however she did not share the results. It’s unclear what prompted her to seek a diagnosis, but her comments about feeling “a bit different” and struggling to get work done suggest that her undiagnosed ADHD had a significant impact on her life.

It’s also worth noting that Amber’s ADHD diagnosis comes at a time when there is increasing awareness of the condition. This is likely due to a number of factors, including the growing number of adults being diagnosed with ADHD, the increasing availability of information about the condition, and the growing acceptance of mental health conditions in general.

Navigating a Different World

Amber's story is a reminder that ADHD is a real and complex condition that can affect people in different ways. It’s important to remember that ADHD is not a sign of weakness or a lack of intelligence. It is a neurological difference that can be managed with the right support.

It is also important to remember that people with ADHD can live fulfilling and successful lives. Amber Gill is a testament to that. Despite her challenges, she has found success in the entertainment industry. Her story is a reminder that it’s possible to overcome adversity and achieve great things, even with a mental health condition.

Amber’s openness about her ADHD diagnosis is a powerful step towards breaking down stigma and raising awareness of the condition. Her story is a reminder that it’s okay to ask for help and that there is support available. If you think you might have ADHD, it’s important to talk to a doctor or mental health professional.