‘ADHD and OCD diagnoses have changed my life’

Love Island star and author Dr. Alex George says being diagnosed with ADHD and OCD “completely changed my life.”

The former A&E doctor, who grew up in Carmarthenshire but now lives in London, is calling for waiting times for assessments to be cut after revealing he paid thousands of pounds for specialist ADHD and autism tests.

In his new book, George describes the process of being diagnosed and says the symptoms of his condition have been evident since childhood.

“I was being blamed for events at school even though I didn’t go to school that day,” George told BBC News. “I wasn’t bad or naughty, I was just exploring the world in my own way.”

George was diagnosed with ADHD in 2022 when he was 30 years old, before being diagnosed with OCD in October 2025. He also said he paid privately for an autism evaluation.

She said not having a formal diagnosis as a child meant she struggled throughout school, and recalled teachers telling her mother that her family needed to “reach lower levels.” [their] Expectations from Alex”.

George said an early diagnosis of both conditions “would have completely changed my life.”

“There is so much pain that I have endured that I would not have endured if I had been diagnosed when I was younger,” George said.

“I could use my superpowers at a much younger age. I’m incredibly creative, when I focus on something there’s no stopping me.”

“That diagnosis would be the difference between surviving or not surviving and thriving, and it’s a very fixable thing.”

George, his youngest brother Llŷr, Person who committed suicide in 2020It was also neurologically different.

George said he paid £3,000 to access specialist assessments for ADHD and autism due to NHS waiting lists.

“That’s a painful amount to spend, but I’m lucky to be able to afford it,” he said.

There were 236,225 people awaiting an autism assessment in England by June 2025. National Autistic Associationsome adults eight year wait To access NHS ADHD services.

There were 16,812 children and young people in Wales awaiting an ADHD or autism neurodevelopment assessment by 2023, according to Senedd research.

“There are too many barriers to access and waiting lists are unacceptable,” George said.

“The question is, will we accept it and what will we do to change it?”

The National Autistic Society says some people choose to pay privately for diagnoses because of shorter waiting times, but the charity says some people have difficulty getting their non-NHS diagnoses accepted by local authorities and NHS healthcare services. It advises people to check whether a non-NHS diagnosis will be accepted in their area before undergoing a private assessment.

Similar concerns were expressed about the issue. specific ADHD diagnosesThe charity ADHD Aware says some GPs may recognize a particular diagnosis, while others may not.

British Health Minister Wes Streeting launched an independent review He weighed in on the growing demand for ADHD, autism and mental health, including whether there was evidence of overdiagnosis in the UK, but George said these conditions were actually underdiagnosed.

“When we say things like we want to look at overdiagnosis of something, that means overdiagnosis exists,” he said.

“The absolute truth of the matter is that this is categorically wrong.

“What I would like to see the government do is focus on how we improve waiting times for assessment, how we improve SEN support [special educational needs] “Create an environment where you will not be ‘othered’ if you are diagnosed with autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia, ADHD or many other neurological disorders through services in schools.”

The UK government has been approached for comment. this in december said it was investing in expanding services.

Last year, the Welsh government announced a further £13.7 million in funding to improve neurodivergence services and reduce waiting times for autism and ADHD assessments.

A spokesperson for the Welsh government added: “We recognize the growing need for timely and accurate diagnosis and support for neurodevelopmental conditions, including ADHD.

“We have already taken steps to address these challenges through our Neurodivergence Improvement Program, focusing on reducing wait times for children’s evaluations.”

George said he started writing his latest book, ‘Am I Normal?’ “by accident”. Three years ago when he began answering questions as part of the evaluation process for a diagnosis of ADHD.

“I was trying to figure out, is it me or is it the world? Am I normal?

“That was really the question I was asking myself, so I sat down in my journal and started writing those questions.”

He added: “These questions are very much a reflection of my own life.”

While the book is written from the perspective of living with ADHD and OCD, George also tackles topics such as alcohol, grief, and loneliness.

“This book is actually written for everyone who asks themselves: Am I normal?

“These are universal experiences and challenge many norms that affect everyone in society.”