Latest news with #LADBible
Scottish Sun
09-07-2025
- Lifestyle
- Scottish Sun
I was raised Amish – young couples sleep separated by wooden boards but my sister has 7 kids despite being ‘on the pill'
Including why dating couples are separated by a wooden board in the bedroom DIFFERENT LIFE I was raised Amish – young couples sleep separated by wooden boards but my sister has 7 kids despite being 'on the pill' STIFLED by the strict rules that had her sneaking around, one woman escaped her Amish community at 17 - and has since spilled the beans on what her ultra-conservative upbringing was really like. Born into the Swartzentruber Amish sect in rural Michigan, Naomi Swartzentruber, now 44, had to follow strict rules regarding everything - from the way she dressed to whom she could talk to. 5 Naomi Swartzentruber, now 44, was forced to leave her education behind to cook, clean, and do household chores full-time Credit: Naomi Swartzentruber/instagram 5 After leaving the community behind aged 17, she ended up finding excitement and confidence as an exotic dancer and kept doing it for the next 20 years Credit: Naomi Swartzentruber 5 The mum-of-one, who quit her stripper career around the pandemic, has been very vocal about the hardships of growing up Amish Credit: Naomi Swartzentruber/instagram Having now been out of the strict world for almost three decades, Naomi has detailed the hardships of growing up Amish, which also included no regular loo roll and waking up at 5am to help on the farm at just five. By the time she was 14, school was no longer considered a priority and instead Naomi was forced to leave her education behind to cook, clean, and do household chores full-time. ''There wasn't much time for play - and we had to dress modestly. When I asked my parents why we had to dress and work, they said it was 'just our way','' she told Mail Online. Fast-forward to now, the former Amish has spoken about what really went on behind closed doors whilst she was still living in the community - home to more than 370,000 people in the world. As an Amish, she recently shared with LADBible, you have to follow a set of very strict rules known as Ordnung. The guidelines regulate everything - from the way you dress to even the farming equipment the households use - and there's punishment if you don't abide by their way of life. ''If you are baptised and you break the rules, you get shunned - sometimes for four weeks, five or six weeks. It depends on what you did.'' To be accepted back, the rule-breakers would have to admit that what they did was wrong, before begging for forgiveness. One of the biggest sins an Amish could make is dating an English person - a term the community uses for non-Amish people - which Naomi did when she was a teenager. Unbeknown to her at the time, exploring her desires and sneaking out to see the boys is what eventually set her free. I ran away from the strictest Amish community – we didn't have indoor plumbing but people could learn a lot from them The consequences of watching porn While Naomi became a stripper to make ends meet after leaving the community, those she left behind still had to abide by the rules - which also meant no porn. While those who got caught after being baptised would get shunned, the ramifications for those under the age of 18 were different. If they were 18 and not baptised, and if they were already going to the singing, the teenagers would have to skip the ceremony a couple of times. Amish singing is a cappella hymns sung in German by the Amish community during religious services and other gatherings, and they're key for reinforcing their identity, history, and connection to their faith. Who are the Amish and what are their beliefs? The Amish are a group of people who follow the teachings of Jacob Ammann, a 17th century citizen from Switzerland. It is a Protestant denomination, closely related to the Mennonites. The Amish, most of whom live in the US, follow simple customs and refuse to take oaths, vote, or perform military service. They shun modern technology and conveniences. Transportation for the Amish is by horses and buggy. The man usually wear beards and trousers with buttons instead of zippers. The women wear white head coverings and plan dresses, usually without buttons - they use straight pins to fasten the clothing. Couples separated by a wooden board When it comes to sex before marriage, the worshippers are very strict - it's ''a big no-no'', Naomi said in the interview. One of the most intriguing Amish rituals has to do with dating couples and the bedroom. It's the practice of ''bundling'', which takes place during courtship. Ironically, it's only the most conservative Old Order Amish communities that still do this, as per Amish Rules. Bundling entails spending the night together, in bed but fully clothed. Sometimes, the young lovebirds will also be separated by a wooden board in the middle of the bed. Even a cheeky smooch isn't allowed during this practice, but while this courtship bedroom ritual may seem counterintuitive, the Amish believe that ''bundling encourages bonding and teaches restraint''. 5 At 19, her ex-Amish friend brought her to a strip club and she made £40 by dancing Credit: Naomi Swartzentruber 'Nobody ever talked to use about sex' Naturally, Naomi also had very little understanding of how ''babies were made'', being told that a ''stork dropped the baby in a bag down from the sky''. ''Eventually, I figured out that mum was the baby maker because her tummy would get big, and one day there was a baby and her tummy would get smaller. ''But at that point, I didn't know how they got in there - or out - until I was older,'' said Naomi, adding that sex education at school didn't exist. ''Nobody ever talked to use about sex. I just figured it out when I would see the dogs having sex or the animals on the farm. But it's very taboo.'' 'Natural contraception' Traditionally, the Amish people oppose and condemn all birth control methods. The Amish church believes contraception interferes with God's will and natural order. However, there is no religious doctrine about birth control, as Amish ordinances and practices can vary among Amish group, as per Amish Furniture Factory. The household Naomi spent her first 17 years did ''not use contraception''. ''My youngest sister belongs to a church that's less liberal. She doesn't use modern birth control - but she takes these pills that are natural that are supposed to help you not get pregnant all the time. ''But she still has seven kids. ''So I don't know how well they're working,'' the former Amish chuckled. ''But she thinks they work sometimes - and sometimes not.'' 5 Naomi wrote her memoir, The Amazing Adventures of an Amish Stripper Credit: Naomi Swartzentruber Cutting ties from the modern world The ultra-conservative community also limits most technology the rest of the globe would struggle to go a day without - and in most households, TV is also off-limits. ''The strict ones, they use very little technology because they don't want to be tied to the modern world - they try to stay separate from the modern world,'' Naomi said in the bombshell interview. Some of the limited technology that's permitted for use include a battery-operated flashlight, generators to run the washing machine and a table saw. I thought it was real and those people really got shot and hurt Naomi Swartzentruber It wasn't until Naomi was around 15 when she first watched a movie on the TV screen - at an English pal's house, without informing her parents. The experience, she revealed, was traumatic. ''I had nightmares, it was horrible because I thought it was real and those people really got shot and hurt - I was traumatised.'' Even years later, after Naomi had ditched her home and had found new ''people'' who had taken her in, she still struggled with the concept of acting. ''We were watching a movie and there was violence - and it freaked me out and I was like, 'I can't watch this because those people are dying'. ''And they're like, 'It's just a movie'. They had to explain to me that they were acting, that it wasn't happening in real life.'' 'I'm definitely going to run away' ''One Saturday night I got caught when I was almost 17,'' she previously told The Sun. "I always wanted to run away, but I didn't know where I was going to go or when. "After I got caught sneaking out by my parents, I was like, 'That's it. I'm definitely going to run away.' "I didn't want to sneak the rest of my life to have fun." It wasn't until a random weekday morning that she started to figure it out. "One morning, I was picking strawberries and this guy that would deliver logs to my dad's farm came to the garden when I was there picking them by myself," she explained. A light bulb went off in her head. "I just blurted it out. I was like, 'I want to run away and I want to live with you,'" she said. At first, the man called her crazy and was worried about the wrath of her father. "I was like, 'I don't care. I just need your help. Please help me,'" she added. After Swartzentruber's relentless pleading, he eventually said he would think about it and give her an answer in seven days. As expected, he came back and said she could live with his sick mother who had dialysis three times a week. "Then, it was just finding the right time but it never seemed to come," she said. Exactly a week later, the opportunity presented itself and she ran away with that man in July of 1997. Naomi danced until the 2020 Coronavirus pandemic, which started her venture into content creation and a popular TikTok account. Now, she's a book author who lives with her long-term partner and is the mother of a baby girl. Her memoir, The Amazing Adventures of an Amish Stripper: An Erotic Memoir, £12, details her ups and downs and is available on Amazon.
New York Post
17-06-2025
- General
- New York Post
McDonald's fans shocked to see customer go behind counter to make his own McFlurry: ‘He has no right'
McDonald's ice cream machine is notorious for being broken — so much so that there's even a website dedicated to it. But one customer decided to take matters into his own hands when his McFlurry wasn't mixed properly. LADBible recently posted a clip with 1.4 million likes that showed a customer asking a McDonald's employee if the mixer wasn't working after receiving his McFlurry. A video showed a customer asking a McDonald's employee if the mixer wasn't working after receiving his McFlurry. TikTok/@thelitoutletpod Rather than letting it be and moving on with his unmixed McFlurry, the patron walked around the counter, into the kitchen and straight to the mixer. When he mixed his own McFlurry, the machine seemed to work and mixed up the Oreos with the ice cream as the customer wished. The whole debacle sparked debate, with some defending the customer's overstep and accusing the McDonald's employee of lying. 'Probably close to closing, and it was already deep cleaned, so they didn't want to clean it again and lied about it,' one claimed. 'Y'all act like the mixer touches the ice cream… it literally mixes with the spoon. That lady just straight lied,' another wrote. 'Why is McDonalds always lying about the Ice Cream machines'? one questioned. However, many others argued that there was likely a valid reason the employee said the machine wasn't working. 'Sometimes, this is worker code for 'I can't in good conscience use it on your food,'' one person said. When he mixed his own McFlurry, the machine seemed to work. TikTok/@thelitoutletpod 'I worked at McDonald's for years. If an employee tells you something isn't working, please trust them,' an apparent former Golden Arches employee emphasized. 'We told people that every day for their own safety! Those machines go MONTHS without being cleaned!' 'Regardless of whether the machine was working or not, he has no right to go behind the counter and do it himself,' another pointed out.
Business Upturn
15-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Upturn
Taboo Season 2: Release date speculation, cast and plot details – Everything we know so far
By Aman Shukla Published on June 15, 2025, 17:30 IST Last updated June 15, 2025, 12:58 IST Fans of the gritty BBC period drama Taboo have been eagerly awaiting news of Season 2 since the show's explosive first season aired in 2017. Starring Tom Hardy as the enigmatic James Keziah Delaney, Taboo captivated audiences with its dark storytelling, complex characters, and 19th-century London backdrop. With Season 2 officially confirmed, here's everything we know so far about the release date, cast, plot, and more. Taboo Season 2 Release Date Speculation As of June 2025, no official release date for Taboo Season 2 has been announced. However, recent updates provide some clues. Tom Hardy confirmed in March 2025 that the scripts are actively being written, stating, 'We're writing that at the moment' in an interview with LADBible. Producer Steven Knight previously told Collider in 2021 that six of the eight planned episodes were written, with production delays largely due to Hardy's busy schedule and the COVID-19 pandemic. Filming has not yet started, but if production begins in late 2025 or early 2026, a release could be expected in late 2026 or early 2027. Taboo Season 2 Expected Cast The only confirmed cast member for Taboo Season 2 is Tom Hardy, reprising his role as James Keziah Delaney. Hardy, who co-created the series with his father, Chips Hardy, and Steven Knight, remains deeply invested in the project. While no other actors have been officially confirmed, several key characters from Season 1 are expected to return based on the story's conclusion: Jessie Buckley as Lorna Bow, Delaney's stepmother. Tom Hollander as George Cholmondeley, the chemist and ally. Stephen Graham as Atticus, the loyal underworld figure. Edward Hogg as Michael Godfrey, the East India Company clerk. Taboo Season 2 Potential Plot Taboo Season 1 ended with James Delaney and his crew sailing toward America after a bloody confrontation with the East India Company. Season 2 is expected to follow their journey westward, exploring new themes and settings. Steven Knight has teased that the show will become 'more narcotic, more opium-affected' as it heads west, with a focus on the mysterious American spy network 'Colonnade.' This suggests a deeper dive into espionage and political intrigue. Where to Watch Taboo Season 2 When released, Taboo Season 2 will air on BBC One in the UK and FX in the US, following the first season's distribution. Season 1 is currently available on Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and for purchase on DVD/Blu-ray, suggesting Season 2 may eventually stream on these platforms. Check official BBC and FX websites for updates on streaming availability. Ahmedabad Plane Crash Aman Shukla is a post-graduate in mass communication . A media enthusiast who has a strong hold on communication ,content writing and copy writing. Aman is currently working as journalist at
Daily Record
14-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Diagnosed narcissist reveals how to tell for sure that you aren't one
Jacob Skidmore has shared with his 300,000 followers what it is like to live with narcissistic personality disorder. A diagnosed narcissist with his own social media account has revealed the 'real reason' you can tell that you aren't one. Jacob Skidmore has shared with his 300,000 followers what it is like to live with narcissistic personality disorder (NPD). NPD is a mental health condition that gives an increased sense of self-importance, a deep need for admiration, and a lack of empathy for others. Skidmore, who is known as The Nameless Narcissist online, says he didn't tell people about his diagnosis for years. "Whenever I attempt to be vulnerable with my friends, it's like the shame catches the words in my throat and I psychically can't say it," he told LADBible. In a video uploaded to his TikTok page, Jacob said: "A lot of people will be like, 'Oh, I have those thoughts too sometimes. Does that mean I'm a narcissist?' And the answer is probably no, and it's not because necessarily that, 'Oh, if somebody considers they're a narcissist, that means that they're not a narcissist'. "I mean, obviously I've considered it, been considering it for a while, been diagnosed with it." The 'real reason why you probably aren't a narcissist' he says is because these thoughts have to apply 'to literally everything in your life'. "Not just 'Oh, man, I got a promotion at work, so I'm feeling a little grandiose and thinking a little narcissistically'," Jacob added. "No, it's, 'Oh, I took in the groceries today better than anybody who's ever existed'." Jacob said that narcissistic thoughts must be pervasive and ego-based, meaning there's no self-judgment involved. True narcissists don't feel the need to hide their thoughts or feel guilty about them, as they believe their behaviour is justified, he says. Jacob continued: "Like me, for example. I know that these thoughts are abnormal, but I don't have any cognitive dissonance regarding them. I'm not like, 'Oh, man, I can't believe I thought this narcissistic thought today'. No, I'm thinking, 'Everybody should think like this'." He added: "A genuine narcissist thinks it's okay and justified to be a narcissist." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. The content creator, who is better known online as The Nameless Narcissist, previously shared a clip with his hundreds of thousands of followers explaining there are three main signs which can indicate you don't have NPD. Jacob explained that he'd never met a narcissist who didn't 'do these things', but pointed out this is just his opinion. First, he explained that feeling 'genuine' emotions is a sign someone isn't a narcissist, as he finds himself 'faking' his, saying: "Narcissists don't have those normal emotional reactions, we have to emulate them half the time." Next is whether or not you believe every person on the planet has equal worth - as in his eyes, it's 'inconceivable that two people can have it inherently the same amount of worth.' Jacob said: "For me, there's always gonna be a better person and a person below." Lastly, if you love yourself, the diagnosed narcissist reckons you definitely haven't got NPD. "A lot of people think narcissists love themselves," Jacob said of the common perception around NPD. "No, we think we're better than everybody else. "We might love how we look. We might love our intelligence. But my internal monologue is a constant stream of 'You're so stupid. Why did you do that? You're better than all these other people. How could you be so stupid?' 'There is no self love. There is no self compassion there. It's just grandiosity."
Scottish Sun
07-06-2025
- Health
- Scottish Sun
My ADHD diagnosis at 34 was ‘clear as hell' – here's how I've silenced the caffeinated squirrels rioting in my brain
UNILAD and LADBible founder Alex says it took his mum finding 23 empty bottles of wine under his bed and a brutal legal battle that pushed him to the brink to discover the truth NUT A PROBLEM My ADHD diagnosis at 34 was 'clear as hell' – here's how I've silenced the caffeinated squirrels rioting in my brain Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) TO the outside world, he was the mega successful founder of two multi-million pound companies. But secretly, Alex Partridge was battling crippling anxiety, using alcohol to "press his brain's brake pedal", and pouring up to £14,000 down the drain every year. It wasn't until a shock diagnosis aged 34 that his life started to make sense and he turned things around. 6 Alex Partridge - the founder of UNILAD and LADbible - discovered he had ADHD in his mid-30s Credit: Alex Partridge 6 He was misdiagnosed with anxiety as a child Credit: Alex Partridge Here, he shares his story. I'VE always known, deep down, that I was different. This began during my school days, when I'd copy my classmates' mannerisms and tone of voice just to fit in. I altered who I was to appear likeable to others, because I didn't understand who I was. This carried on into secondary school where, as a fellow student so sensitively put it, I 'could have been one of the cool kids if I wasn't so weird'. I have vivid memories from this period of when teachers would ask me questions that I didn't know the answer to, and the stress would lead to full-blown anxiety attacks. My palms would get all sweaty, my face would go bright red and my heart rate would shoot right up. In a panic, I would rush out of the classroom. I remember one day I found someone in the corridor and told them to call an ambulance because I thought I was having a heart attack. At the time, aged 15, I was misdiagnosed with generalised anxiety disorder (excessive, uncontrollable worry about everyday situations). I now know this not to be the case, but I was put on beta blockers (to slow my heart by blocking hormones like adrenaline) and antidepressants. Do you or your child have ADHD- Here's the NHS test as Brits waiting two years for diagnosis They didn't help - in fact, they actually made me feel worse - so I stopped taking them after six weeks. Following a tumultuous young adulthood, which included founding the websites LADBible and UNILAD in quick succession – and a protracted legal battle over their ownership that turned my life upside down – I was finally diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) two years ago, aged 34. Like so many others across society, I had thought ADHD was just something hyperactive little boys had, so I never even considered that I might have it. But when I hired a director to help me set up a podcast, before losing interest in the project three days later, he asked me: 'When did you get your ADHD diagnosis?' This casual question changed my life forever. So much of my life up until that point – the anxiety attacks, the constant picking up and dropping of new hobbies, identities and business ideas – began to make sense. I had an assessment, and a psychiatrist told me that my ADHD was 'clear as hell' – and it's a day that I'll never forget. When I began to learn more about the condition and the different ways it can present, it was the first of many 'lightbulb moments'. The 'ADHD tax' cost me up to £14,000 a year at my worst Alex Partridge I'm not physically hyperactive like the naughty schoolboys I had previously imagined; my brain is a different story entirely. Describing how it feels to anybody who hasn't spent time inside it is tricky, but my ADHD means that all my energy can be concentrated in my head. The closest approximation I can give is that it's like 10 highly caffeinated squirrels running about at once! Hyperactivity associated with ADHD can be internalised and, after realising this, so many of my previous life experiences suddenly made sense. For me, ADHD means that: I possess the creativity and hyperfocus to create two global social media brands, but if a task doesn't interest me, it simply will not get done. I've always been entrepreneurial, but I had poor financial skills and often lost interest in projects once the novelty waned. I own an impressive list of domains, and enjoy buying things, but this often results in overspending and financial difficulties. I love meeting new people, but I've always struggled to maintain friendships. One way it presents is impulse purchasing, which I've always struggled with. It would cost me hundreds – sometimes thousands – of pounds a year. I estimate about £14,000 annually at my worst. I now know this to be a little-known (and costly) consequence of ADHD known as the 'ADHD tax', referring to the higher living expenses that so many of us with ADHD (and other neurodivergences) can incur due to challenges with impulse control and executive functioning. The ADHD tax might show up in the expensive hobbies we've signed up for (and then lost interest in), the impulse purchases we buy and forget about, or the dreaded monthly subscriptions that we sign up for, never use but never cancel – a classic example of how knowing how my brain worked would have been extremely helpful earlier in my life. 6 Alex would buy food he'd then forget to eat Credit: Alex Partridge 6 Alex developed an alcohol addiction Credit: Tanya Grace I used to buy so much food that I would then forget to eat. I impulsively signed up for an online sewing course on a Monday, then had lost all interest in it the following day. My electricity bills increased as I was having to wash my clothes multiple times because I'd forgotten to empty the washing machine. When I thought I'd found my new calling in life as a master candle maker, I bought a 2kg box of paraffin wax from Hobbycraft, only for it to sit there unused for months. I bought a trumpet thinking I'd learn to play, but again, it stayed firmly in its box. I even bought new socks when all of mine were dirty, and decided to buy a new rug when my dog went to the toilet on the original as the thought of cleaning it was too overwhelming. Hundreds of pounds splashed on unused gym memberships, vitamins, app subscriptions… the list goes on. The 9 'hidden' signs of ADHD in adults ADHD has long been associated with naughty schoolkids who cannot sit still in class. And that is part of it. Fidgeting, daydreaming and getting easily distracted are all symptoms of the behavioural condition, which is why it is often spotted in children. However, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is far more complex than simply having trouble focusing. Henry Shelford, CEO and co-founder of ADHD UK, says: 'If it isn't debilitating, it isn't ADHD.' In recent years, social media has given rise to trends which conflate specific personality traits or single behaviours with ADHD. You might be thinking, 'I'm always losing my keys, forgetting birthdays and I can never concentrate at work — I must have ADHD'. But it's not as simple as that. Though these may all point to the condition, Dr Elena Touroni, a consultant psychologist and co-founder of The Chelsea Psychology Clinic, says: 'The key distinction lies in how much a behaviour impacts a person's daily life. 'Genuine ADHD symptoms affect multiple areas of life - work, relationships and emotional wellbeing - whereas personality traits are typically context-dependent and less disruptive.' ADHD UK's Henry, who has the condition himself, adds: 'Having ADHD is hard. One in ten men with ADHD and one in four women with ADHD will at some point try to take their own lives.' So how can ADHD manifest in someone's life? While hyperactivity is a common indicator, here are nine other subtle signs: Time blindness - losing track of time, underestimating how long tasks will take, regularly being late or excessively early Lack of organisation - a messy home, frequently misplacing items, forgetting deadlines Hyperfocus - becoming deeply engrossed in activities for hours Procrastination - feeling overwhelmed by to-do lists and struggling to determine what needs your attention first so focusing on less important tasks Heightened emotions - emotional struggles can manifest in angry outbursts, feeling flooded with joy or shutting down because you feel too much at once Being a 'yes man' - agreeing to new projects at work or dinner dates with friends when you're already busy (a desire to please) Impatience - interrupting people mid-conversation, finding it painful to stand in a queue, being overly-chatty Restlessness - tapping, pacing, fidgeting or feeling restless on the inside Easily distracted - by external things, like noises, or internal things like thoughts Among the most challenging periods of my life, however, came in 2017, before my diagnosis, during a long-running legal battle that pushed me to the brink. 'Two members of the public found you staggering in an alleyway. It was 2am. You were alone and clutching a bottle of vodka. As they approached you, you slipped and hit your head on the wall. They called an ambulance.' These were the first words spoken to me by the nurse next to my hospital bed when I woke up. Upon hearing them, I was hit by an overwhelming wave of shame and anxiety, and the immediate need to self-medicate. Unfortunately, it was alcohol - my medication of choice at the time - that had landed me here in the first place. So how did this all come about? I was 18 when I discovered booze, and quickly figured out it turned down the volume in my head. As I've often been a pleasure-seeker with low impulse control, it wasn't a shock when I discovered the strong link between ADHD and addiction. And alcohol became an addiction that would temporarily run my life. 'It was like I'd pressed my brain's brake pedal' It was being effectively ousted from UNILAD, the business I founded alongside two others, that really kick-started my alcoholism in 2013. I still remember staring at my computer screen, suddenly unable to access the site because they had changed the password, paralysed with overwhelm and crippled by anxiety. I stood up, went and bought a bottle of wine, drove home and drank the whole thing in five minutes. Suddenly, it was like I had pressed my brain's brake pedal. My thoughts instantly slowed down, and the caffeinated squirrels stopped running around. My anxiety had, temporarily, disappeared. 6 Alex describes his ADHD as like having '10 highly-caffeinated squirrels running about' in his brain Credit: Andrew Mason 6 He is the host of the podcast ADHD Chatter and author of the book Now It All Makes Sense Credit: Luke Hamlin For various reasons, such as rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD) – an extreme emotional reaction I feel to real or perceived rejection - that accompanies my ADHD, I've always been terrified of confrontation. So much so, that my coping mechanism for effectively having my life's work snatched from me was not to confront those responsible, but rather to bury my head in the sand and drink myself to sleep every night. After my mum found 23 empty bottles of wine concealed under my bed, we finally arranged to speak to a lawyer, who told me: 'You will win this case over ownership of the company if you choose to fight it in court. You will, however, have to give evidence in the witness box.' My mind immediately flashed to the opposing lawyer saying: 'Alex, do you know the answer to this question?' And I panicked, remembering the little version of me sitting in the classroom all those years ago. I abruptly stood up and left the lawyer's office, bought a bottle of vodka, and woke up in hospital 12 hours later with a nurse looking over me, saying the sobering words you see above. Much of the next year was characterised by the court battle, which was an unbelievably stressful time. During the trial, I was cross-examined in the witness box for five days, during which I had to excuse myself several times to 'use the loo' – when in reality, I was doing breathing exercises to divert a panic attack. A further three months passed before my lawyer phoned me. He said: 'Alex, are you on your own?' 'Yes,' I said. There was a pause. 'You've won everything.' I broke down crying – one of the biggest legal, and mental health, or battles of my life, and I'd come through it. I won my 33 per cent stake in the company back. How to get help UNFORTUNATELY, a GP cannot formally diagnose ADHD but they can refer you for a specialist assessment. Be warned, the wait can be long. Data suggests there are at least 196,000 adults on waiting lists across the UK. And a BBC investigation found in many areas it would take at least eight years to clear the backlog. For an adult to be diagnosed with ADHD, the NHS says their symptoms should have a moderate effect on different areas of their life, such as underachieving at work or having difficulties in relationships, and the person has been displaying symptoms continuously for at least six months. There must also be evidence symptoms have been present since childhood - it's thought that the condition cannot develop for the first time in adults. After a diagnosis, treatment can include psychological therapies, psychotherapy, social skills training and medication. For many, a diagnosis can be a relief, but also unravel mixed emotions and feelings of 'being different'. ADHD UK has information on considering diagnostic pathways and can offer support. UNILAD went into administration in 2018, then was bought by the same company that had earlier bought LADBible for an undisclosed amount. Reports suggest the brand was valued at up to £40million. My celebrations included a trip to Las Vegas, a new tattoo (that I had no memory of getting in the first place) becoming infected, and another hospital visit. But in 2018, I managed to kick the alcohol habit for good. I attended my first Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meeting where I said the most important sentence I'd ever uttered. 'My name is Alex and I'm an alcoholic.' I've been sober ever since, which is among the best decisions I've ever made. I'm now 36, living in Brighton, and I can confidently say that quitting booze has enabled me to take back control of my ADHD, suffocate the negatives - and allow the positives to thrive. Alex Partridge is the founder of LADbible and UNILAD and the host of the ADHD Chatter podcast. His book Now It All Makes Sense: How An ADHD Diagnosis Brought Clarity To My Life (Sheldon Press, £16.99) is out now.
