A FRANKLEY councillor has opened up about his potential neurodivergence in a bid to raise awareness in the wake of World Mental Health Day.
Birmingham City Council’s Simon Morrall opened up about the prospect of having undiagnosed ADHD and autism on social media during the international campaign yesterday (Thursday, October 10).
The independent councillor has finally sought help for his own mental health and has received counselling throughout 2024 after experiencing severe panic attacks over the last 18 months and turning to alcohol to cope.
The agencies he has been supported by have concluded he has undiagnosed ADHD and autism, as well as an anxiety disorder which displays as OCD. The conclusions have been linked to undiagnosed and untreated childhood trauma.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a condition that affects people’s behaviour. People with ADHD can seem restless, may have trouble concentrating and may act on impulse.
According to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), the prevalence of ADHD in adults in the UK is estimated to be between 3 per cent and 4 per cent.
However, the majority of people with ADHD in the UK are undiagnosed. Sometimes ADHD was not recognised when someone was a child, and they are diagnosed later as an adult. People with
ADHD may also have additional problems, such as sleep and anxiety disorders.
On social media, Simon Morrall said: “I’ve procrastinated this decision my entire life, helping everyone else while running away from my own problems, ignoring requests from friends and family.”
After deciding to seek help, Simon has ‘poured his soul’ into a written letter for the doctor, in order to discuss his psychological needs and obtain a formal diagnosis and referral onto psychological therapy.
Simon told the Standard: “I’ve always known I was different… just not this different. I talk fast, I pace about, I’m full of energy, and a task for me is all or nothing. I either hyperfocus on it, or don’t focus at all.
“I’ve spent my life encouraging others to seek help and open up, all the while I’ve been too afraid to deal with my own issues.
“I think that pretty much encapsulates the issues we have in society with men opening up. We really are stubborn.
“It’s this stoic nature we have. We just kind of get through life, from one breakdown to the next, ‘falling forwarding.’
“It really doesn’t have to be this way, and it really shouldn’t be this way. Things need to change, and that can only happen, when we have the courage to change ourselves.”
Visit https://www.samaritans.org/ and https://www.mind.org.uk/media-centre/how-to-report-on-mental-health/ for support.
