I didn’t know I had ADHD while filming Love Is Blind: Lancashire star opens up about how ADHD affects marriage
A Love is Blind contestant from Lancashire is opening up about how a late ADHD diagnosis has affected his marriage and how they’re learning to deepen their relationship-after reality TV.
Benaiah, a structural landscaper from Longdridge, met his wife, Nicole Grünewald-Bridi, when the pair both appeared on Netflix’s Love is Blind in 2023.
But when Surrey based Nicole signed up for the show, she had no idea the biggest plot twist would come after the cameras stopped rolling.
Watching the show back, now knowing she has ADHD-helped her finally make sense of years of emotional highs,impulsive decisions, and chronic overwhelm.
“I could suddenly see all the things I’d missed: the emotional ups and downs, the impulsivedecisions, the constant burnout. It was like the pieces finally fell into place, and I realised I’dbeen masking for most of my life,” says Nicole.
“Telling Benaiah was one of the hardestparts. I was terrified he’d see me differently, or think I was too much. I genuinely felt unlovable. But he met me with so much compassion, and that helped me feel less alone. Now, I want to offer that same sense of understanding toothers who might be going through the same thing.”
Now, Nicole, who has been with Benaiah for nearly two years, is sharing her story to help others who may be navigating similar realisations.
She’s hosting a live event on July 1 called ‘ADHD & Relationships: Unmasking the Chaos with Love’ alongside Benaiah.
Together, they’ll explore how her diagnosis reshaped theirmarriage, and what they’ve learned about self-acceptance, communication, and embracing difference.
Nicole has also teamed up with UK-founded platform get dopa unmasked to bring morevisibility to late-diagnosed ADHD, emotional masking, and the unique challenges of neurodivergent relationships.
Her blog series and webinars will share her journey and champion a message of celebrating differences, with a focus on relationships, health, and identity.
“Choosing a holistic route to manage my ADHD feels right for me; even if it’s not alwayseasy,” says Nicole. “It takes effort, trial and error, and a lot of self-compassion. That’s why discovering get dopafelt like such a natural fit. They genuinely get the day-to-day reality of being neurodivergent. They’re not just talking about neurodiversity; they’re actively creating tools that support our wellbeing and building a community where there’s no shame, just understanding.”
Matt Buff, founder of get dopa and get dopa unmasked, adds: “Nicole brings honesty, heart, and lived experience. Many of us who are neurodivergent canrelate to the masking, the missteps, and the sense of not quite understanding ourselves.Nicole’s story shows howone decision can alter the whole course of your life-and how self-awareness can change everything. Like meand so manyinour community, she’sfound thatdiscovering and embracing neurodivergence can be a game changer for relationships andwellbeing. We’reproud to help share her voice.”
get dopa is a smart, science-backed supplement designed to support focus, energy, andemotional regulation-especially for busy, neurodivergent brains. get dopa blends targeted nutrients, adaptogens, and probiotics to help people feel more balanced, less burnt out and better equipped to handle everyday life.
get dopa unmasked is a content and eventsplatformthat opens upreal, relatableconversations about neurodivergence, mental health, and wellbeing. Through webinars, blog content, community stories and expert interviews, get dopa unmasked exists to reduce stigma, share support and celebrate the strength of brains that work a little differently. It was founded by Matt Buff after his own late discovery of his neurodivergence and frustration at the lack of support available.