When Angus student Elizabeth Freeman was at high school her behaviour was so bad, she was asked not to return at the end of fourth year.
As a result the 23-year-old from Kirriemuir left secondary with only a handful of National 4 and 5 qualifications.
She then attempted to study two college courses – one in art and design and the other in hairdressing and beauty therapy.
But she didn’t complete either of them.
Elizabeth was then left wondering what she was going to do.
It wasn’t until she was diagnosed with ADHD, that her life changed completely.
“I went to the doctor and she referred me to a psychologist.
“The psychologist asked me about my childhood and my teenage years.
“At the end of the appointment, the psychologist told me I had ADHD.
“He said there was no doubt about my diagnosis.”
After this, Elizabeth went on to study an HNC in social sciences at Dundee and Angus College.
And in October last year, she graduated.
Because she enjoyed it so much, she went on to study a a degree in psychology with development and education at Abertay University.
Elizabeth hopes to put her degree to good use by becoming an educational psychologist helping others with neurodivergent conditions like hers.
Struggles at school
Elizabeth struggled at primary and secondary school.
She now knows it was because she had ADHD.
“In every primary school report and at parent/teacher meetings it was always ‘Elizabeth gets distracted easily or she distracts others’,” she says.
“I was very loud and hyperactive because I couldn’t stop talking.
“I also had a habit of distracting others with my behaviour.
“This got worse when I went to Webster’s High School in Kirriemuir because I didn’t get any help or support.”
Elizabeth says she became quite rebellious and admits she wasn’t the “nicest child to teach”.
“There were a few times I had meetings with the headteacher and the deputy head teacher about my lack of concentration.
“But looking back at it now my behaviour was how a typical boy with ADHD would present because I was very boisterous.”
Diagnosed with depression
At the age of 13, Elizabeth started to struggle with her mental health so her mum took her to the doctor.
“My mum tried to get a diagnosis for me because she knew I needed help,” she explains.
“I had bad anger issues as a teenager. I also struggled with anxiety and I used to self-harm.
“But the doctor just diagnosed me with depression and put everything down to that.
“I was too young to be put on anti-depressants so I was given talking therapy – speaking to someone about how I was feeling.
“I remember one therapist telling me to get a rubber band and ping it against my wrist whenever I felt really angry.
“But to me this was quite ironic because I was thinking: ‘ok you want me to stop self-harming, yet you are teaching me a form of self-harm to keep my anger under control?’
“It just didn’t help.”
Leaving school and going to college
At the end of her fourth year, Elizabeth had no choice but to leave high school.
“I was asked not to go back by the headteacher and deputy head because of my behaviour.
“So I went to Dundee and Angus College, the Arbroath campus, to study art and design as it was the only thing I was good at.”
But Elizabeth, who was 15 at the time, only managed to stay on the course for around a year.
Later on she tried another college course – studying hairdressing and beauty therapy.
“Again, because of my behaviour, I wasn’t allowed back after the first year.
“I was disrupting the class, handing assignments in late and just not getting the work done.
“So at that point I was thinking what am I going to do?”
Elizabeth’s ADHD diagnosis
When she turned 18, Elizabeth’s mental health started to deteriorate once again.
“I kind of had a mental breakdown,” she admits.
“My mum noticed I was losing my cool over the slightest thing and I was feeling overwhelmed and emotional.
“I spent days in bed, I was really struggling.
“So I went to the GP’s practice at Muirhead, sat down with the doctor and literally bawled my eyes out. I told her everything.
“She then referred me to see a psychologist.”
In 2019 the psychologist diagnosed Elizabeth as having ADHD and she was prescribed medication.
“Getting the diagnosis, I had a mixture of emotions including shock.
“There was also relief because all this time I had these issues and no-one was listening.”
How has the ADHD diagnosis changed her life?
Elizabeth’s ADHD diagnosis proved to be a turning point in her life.
After she started taking medication, she found she was able to focus better and her overall mental health improved.
“Now I am able to concentrate a lot more, am generally happier and not as short-tempered.
“I am also more productive.”
Following her diagnosis, Elizabeth found she had a renewed focus and decided to give college another go.
So she enrolled in a social science course at Dundee and Angus College.
“The college does a social science course which covers psychology so I thought maybe I can take my diagnosis and make it useful towards a career helping people in education – people with ADHD who have no support.”
Elizabeth discovered she has dyspraxia
In 2022, while Elizabeth was studying her HNC in social sciences, she sought support for her ADHD and she ended up being tested by an educational psychologist.
Following the assessment, it was discovered that while she has ADHD, she also has moderate developmental dyspraxia.
“I have difficulty retaining and processing information and I also struggle with verbal instructions.”
She also admits to being clumsy and struggles with co-ordination.
But the Angus student says she wouldn’t be where she is today without the support of her family, which includes older sister Rebbecca, 34, and older brother Edward, 32.
“My mum has been hugely supportive from the beginning and I feel like after my ADHD diagnosis, my family in general has became more understanding.
“They now realise why I acted or behaved in a certain way before I was diagnosed.
“If I didn’t have my family, god knows where I would be.”
Looking ahead to the future
Now the Angus student is looking ahead to going into her third year this September.
She says: “Ten years ago I never thought I would have ever gone to university and here I am today about to go into my third year.
“I am hoping to stay on until the end of fourth year, but I just take each day as it comes.
“I’m not keen to make long-term goals because I don’t like failure – I have seen that for most of my life.
“So I try to make short term goals and each time I reach it, I create a new one.”
“Life is good at the minute and sometimes I can’t quite believe I have gone from achieving nothing to achieving a lot in such a short space of time.”
Angus Council is responsible for Webster’s High School. A spokesperson said the local authority “does not comment on individual circumstances.”
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