ADHD Diagnosis at 55 Inspires Councillor to Retire

Will Russell, a senior councillor on Brentwood Borough Council, said his diagnosis of autism and ADHD (AuDHD) at 55 inspired his retirement from local politics. Russell stepped down as Conservative group leader in October and will retire as a councillor in May.

Russell said he recognised some of his own undiagnosed traits in his eight-year-old son, who had received an autism diagnosis. He admitted being "tired of the political shenanigans" and that "masking all the time had taken a toll on me".

Russell, who has held the Brizes, Stondon Massey and South Weald seat since 2021, now plans to create a wellness retreat for neurodiverse people. He recalled his AuDHD being "clear as day" while growing up, but he had never sought a proper diagnosis, despite his suspicions. His son's diagnosis marked a key turning point in his father's life.

Russell said his diagnosis, which he received in the past year, had come as a "huge relief at first", but also as a "painful" fact to come to terms with. He described living with AuDHD as feeling like being under a "cloud of confusion" and himself as a "frustrated perfectionist".

Russell has been offered woodland in Doddinghurst, just north of Brentwood, as a potential base for his retreat and he wants to obtain planning permission for it. He said it would consist of yurts where neurodiverse people and their families could relax in a sensory environment, and stated it had received support from Essex County Council.

A spokesman for the Reform UK-led county council said improving the local SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) system remains a priority. The spokesman also noted that pressures on the SEND system are a national challenge.