I have a similar story, but with a twist. In primary school (also in the UK) my teachers thought I was a genius. I was miles ahead of other kids my age, and came out with things you'd be surprised to hear a child twice my age could understand. As time went on that changed to "a very bright child who needs to learn how to focus", then "a student who is wasting their potential by not completing work" and finally, just a failure and a drop out. I couldn't understand it, the more I was expected to work for myself, without guidance, the harder it got. I still enjoyed learning, but somehow persisting at studying got harder and harder. By the time I got to university and was expected to manage my own money, as well as my own study habits, it was damn near impossible. I just assumed that teachers had got the wrong idea and I'd never really been bright in the first place.

Anyway, a few months ago I got diagnosed with ADHD, after many years not knowing what the hell was wrong with me. Don't really know how to feel. I suppose better? But at what point does it become too late to turn things around? All those years where I convinced myself I just couldn't manage to function like a normal human being.