A woman from Colchester, Essex, has paid off £35,000 in debt after being diagnosed with ADHD, which she says drove her impulse spending. Georgie Howe, 32, began struggling with finances at 18 when she received a credit card without guidance on responsible use.
By age 23, she had accumulated £20,000 in debt across four credit cards, store accounts with Argos, Next and Very, plus PayPal credit. She took out a consolidation loan to clear it, but during maternity leave in 2021, she fell back into old patterns and added another £15,000.
In September 2024, she was diagnosed with ADHD by the NHS. She says medication immediately helped clarify her thinking and control impulses. 'Having undiagnosed ADHD made me chase the dopamine hit that spending money gave me,' she explained.
Now, she can visit shops without buying unnecessary items. 'It feels so freeing to be in control of my finances,' she said. She hopes to save for a house within five years.
