How dyslexia and ADHD became a silver lining - new book

John has lived in New Zealand since 2015 but previously spent most of his life in Sussex – East Chiltington where he grew up, Brighton, Lewes, Lindfield and Plumpton apart from a 12-year spell in London.

“ I wrote NHOJ because I wanted to recount my journey from the seven-year-old boy packed off to boarding school unable to read or write because of undiagnosed dyslexia – apart from one word, his name spelled backwards – to the man who finally found his place in the world as a journalist and author. Among the journey’s many twists and turns, its disappointments and false starts, was the late discovery, in my mid-sixties, that I’d travelled through life unaware of a second neurodiversity – ADHD.

“I also hoped to demonstrate that dyslexia, or other neurodiversity, often comes with its own hidden advantages. It can sometimes take a while to appreciate this flipside, particularly when you’ve been told so often that you don’t fit the mould or have failed to live up to neurotypical expectations.

“Seeing the world differently doesn’t have to be a barrier to attaining your goals in life, from achieving your potential, finding your purpose, or realising your dreams and ambitions. In my case, it gave me the opportunity to experience the true joy and fulfilment of working creatively – a life path that initially seemed way beyond my reach.

“Ultimately, I wanted to describe how my attitude to neurodiversity, and my understanding of it, evolved – to the point that I no longer see dyslexia as an affliction, but as an asset, a silver lining which, when harnessed correctly, can bring an abundance of gifts.

“As someone who had already been written off by the education system at age seven, who was once beaten 12 times in one term, who was perennially last in class and labelled a fool, most of my early life was spent paying a price for my undiagnosed dyslexia and ADHD. However, nowadays if people ask me about my diverse brain wiring, I tell them that I’d rather have had it than not, that I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way – which amounts to a huge and profound sea change.

“Unsurprisingly, given my experiences at boarding school, I did everything I could to mask my dyslexia when I first started out as a young journalist in Sussex. Subsequently, I spent most of my working life struggling to escape from the old looming shadows of fear and doubt – the dread that I would be rumbled, found out, or commit some terrible error for which I’d almost certainly be sacked. It was as if, for nearly all my life, I thought I was my neurodiversity. I really hope that NHOJ resonates with people who have experienced similar feelings or faced struggles and challenges in their own lives, particularly those who have felt ignored, isolated, written off or misunderstood.”

John added: “I wrote NHOJ during a particularly challenging and transitional phase in my life, when I was house-sitting in New Zealand; at one point I found myself writing in 11 separate locations. During that time, I learned much about my diverse brain-wiring that I’d never understood before, especially my ability to hyperfocus on anything that interests me – one of ADHD’s great strengths. It meant I could keep writing consistently no matter how impermanent the environment.

“In fact, many of the warm memories of my childhood came flooding back: the music of the 1960s and 70s, the culture, the movies, the fact that I was lucky enough to see The Beatles play live in London, aged nine. I realise now that Koura the golden retriever, with his consistently fun-loving and reassuring presence, was having a regulatory effect on my wellbeing and security, and the words just flowed. Two years later, we are still in each other’s lives – the ten-week pet-sit morphed into a full-time residence, which enabled me to complete the bulk of the book in the best possible circumstances.”