‘Embracing differences’: How kids and diagnosis saved mum’s life

One inspiring mum has opened up about her incredible journey with mental health and a late diagnosis, in a bid to help others.

Throughout most of Lennon Starr’s life she struggled at school and work because she was unknowingly living with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) until her diagnosis as an adult.

Now the 31-year-old is sharing her story with The Chronicle and on YouTube to inspire other people to seek answers and help with their mental health.

As a young teen, the Toowoomba local said she was repeatedly told she was acting out or not applying herself, despite being smart and trying her best.

Every time she would start a new project, Ms Starr was enthusiastic and committed, but after the three-month mark, would lose interest and not be able to see it through, without understanding why.

Weighing heavily on her self-esteem, Ms Starr would constantly face battles with her inner thoughts, convincing herself that something was wrong with her.

Throughout her teenage years, Ms Starr was repeatedly told by health professionals that she was experiencing depression and anxiety, but deep down she knew there was something else going on.

Things got worse when at just 15-years-old, she found herself temporarily homeless.

“I remember staying in this little shelter, and there were houses being built nearby, so I grabbed a tarp from the construction site and would stay under that during the night,” she said.

“For two weeks I sustained myself by asking people for money to use the payphone and when I’d collected enough, I’d buy a sausage roll from the BP.”

Eventually, Ms Starr was able to make contact with her grandmother, who she moved in with.

But by the age of 20, Ms Starr hit her lowest point and devastatingly attempted to take her own life.

Voluntarily admitting herself to hospital, she was assessed and discharged.

One year on, Ms Starr fell pregnant with her first child and was determined to tackle her mental health for her son.

It wasn’t until eight years later that she finally received her diagnosis of ADHD.

“Initially I didn’t believe it because I, like many, had this perception that ADHD was little boys who were fidgety and couldn’t sit still, and that’s so far from the truth,” Ms Starr said.

“For women, hyperactivity tends to manifest in our head, so it comes out in the form of anxiety, obsessive thoughts or we become really talkative, but women are also really good at masking it and acting like our peers, which is how it gets overlooked.”

Ms Starr, who is now 31 and a mother-of-three, has started her own business Tired Glitter Co, helping mums in the same boat to practise self-care in fun and engaging ways.

Opening up about her own mental health journey in a weekly video-blog on YouTube, Ms Starr also hopes to raise awareness and break down stigmas.

“It’s important for people who are struggling to know they are not a problem and it’s not a disorder they have, it’s a difference,” she said.

“The world is structured for what society defines as normal people, which is why mental health is stigmatised, so it’s time to let go of that.”

Hoping to pass on her strategy of turning the monotony of a routine into a more interesting process, Ms Starr said life was a lot brighter since receiving her diagnosis.

“I still have bad days and face challenges, but it feels so much better to have answers and to now understand that nothing is wrong with me, and that knowledge is really powerful,” she said.

“My nine-year-old son saved my life and gave me a reason to live – all my kids do and now I just want to help others.”

If you are struggling with your mental health, please phone your GP or the below support hotlines:

Beyond Blue – 1300 22 46 36

FriendLine – 1800 424 287

GP Psychiatry Line – 1800 16 17 18

Lifeline – 13 11 14

MensLine – 1300 78 99 78

Mind Spot – 1800 61 44 34

Suicide Call Back Service – 1300 659 467

Sunrise Way – 4638 9091

Toowoomba Clubhouse – 4632 4688.

Originally published as ‘Embracing differences’: How kids and diagnosis saved mum’s life