In recent years, there has been increasing awareness of neurodiversity, yet a significant number of individuals still receive their diagnoses later in life. For many, this late diagnosis can bring a mixture of relief, frustration, and uncertainty. When individuals are diagnosed as adults, it can reveal a wealth of untapped understanding, but it can also trigger challenges that are often overlooked. In this blog, we will explore the implications of a late diagnosis of neurodiversity, including the unique experiences of burnout, the impact on the workplace, and the importance of workplace needs assessments.
Late diagnosis
Receiving a late diagnosis often means discovering your neurodivergence while you are already an adult, sometimes coinciding with the diagnosis of your child. Studies show that if a child has ADHD, there is a 50% likelihood of their parents having it as well (Attitude, 2022). A diagnosis can help individuals understand why they may have struggled in school, work, or social situations. This experience can be amplified for parents who are also navigating the neurodivergent journey with their children.
Burnout
One of the most significant challenges faced by those diagnosed later in life is burnout. Many neurodivergent individuals, particularly those with ADHD or Autism, have spent their lives masking their traits to fit into societal norms. This constant effort to “fit in” can heavily affect mental and physical well-being. In fact, 63% of neurodivergent employees have masked at work (Pearn Kandola, 2024).
Masking involves suppressing natural behaviours like stimming, an inability to focus in noisy environments, or the need for structure, leading to mental exhaustion and, ultimately, burnout.
Burnout can also be a key factor in why people may not seek diagnosis earlier. The inability to understand oneself, combined with the emotional fatigue from years of struggling, can prevent individuals from seeking the necessary support until they are already overwhelmed.
The impact of a late diagnosis in the workplace
A late diagnosis may lead to heightened difficulties as individuals struggle to reconcile their neurodivergence with workplace expectations, such as communication style, focus, and social interactions.
A late diagnosis can help to understand these challenges, but it can also create a dilemma: Is it too late to ask for accommodations? How will colleagues and managers react to this revelation? Some people may fear that revealing their diagnosis could impact their career progression or lead to stigmatisation.
How Workplace Needs Assessments support in the workplace
One of the most important steps employers can take to support neurodivergent employees, whether diagnosed early or later in life, is to offer workplace needs assessments. These assessments help identify the specific support an employee requires to thrive in the workplace, ensuring they can perform their duties to the best of their abilities.
In the UK, the Equality Act 2010 provides legal protection for employees with disabilities, including neurodivergent conditions. This means that employers are legally obligated to make “reasonable adjustments” to support these employees. However, many employers still fail to provide the necessary adjustments for neurodivergent individuals, often due to a lack of awareness or understanding of neurodiversity.
Our workplace needs assessments are holistic and, through a report, can help outline:
- Ways in which the customer needs can be best supported.
- Showing how first help, advice, and guidance during the assessment has been applied while on-site or online.
- What comprehensive recommendations will allow each customer to work openly and competitively in the workplace.
- Detailing high-quality, cost-effective solutions from the Thriiver portfolio to provide comprehensive information regarding these solutions.
Conclusion
Late diagnosis of neurodiversity can be both enlightening and challenging. For many, it is a moment of self-discovery, but it can also come with a heavy emotional and practical burden. More needs to be done to support late diagnoses and create inclusive and psychologically safe spaces.
