Is it common for adults to realise much later in life that they’ve had ADHD all along?

Yes, this is extremely common, especially for adults who learned to compensate well earlier in life. Many people weren’t identified because they did well academically, were quiet, or internalized their struggles instead of acting out. As life demands increase, work complexity, family responsibilities, cognitive load, the coping strategies that once worked start to fall apart. Late recognition often comes with mixed emotions, relief, grief, anger, and clarity all at once. Looking back, many people realize they weren’t lazy or flawed, they were working much harder than others just to keep up. This realization isn’t about rewriting the past negatively. It’s about finally understanding it accurately and moving forward with more support and self-compassion.