Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is characterised by inattentiveness or hyperactivity – or both. So, someone with ADHD might have difficulty organising, starting and completing tasks. They might also fidget constantly, act without thinking and struggle to wait their turn.

People with ADHD can find it difficult to navigate their way through a neurotypical world, which can be tiring and frustrating. It can also evoke feelings of failure or inadequacy.

People with ADHD might also have to cope with the intolerance of others, perhaps creating or reinforcing a sense of themselves as useless, unreliable, lazy or stupid. Many people consequently hide or mask their ADHD symptoms: they don’t want people to see. But masking can be exhausting. It can also arouse anxiety. What if the mask slips?

Given the challenges, it’s perhaps not surprising that anxiety, depression, substance abuse and sleep disorders are all more common in people with ADHD. ADHD is thought to affect between 3% and 4% of adults in the UK – and that figure is pretty stable. But the number of people seeking help for ADHD has soared over the past few years, partly as a result of growing public awareness of the condition, particularly among women.

NHS services are struggling to cope with the rise in demand, leading to long waiting times for ADHD assessments. There is no centrally recorded data on waiting lists for ADHD assessment, but a BBC investigation suggests there are at least 196,000 adults on waiting lists across the UK – and the backlog could take eight years to clear. There is no cure for ADHD, but one of the benefits of a formal diagnosis is that it opens up a pathway to treatment and support. The NHS suggests medication or therapy – or a combination of both – to manage the symptoms. A diagnosis can also bring relief, enabling someone to make sense of themselves and others.

But a formal diagnosis isn’t always helpful. Instead, it can be restrictive and limiting, a label that weighs heavy. Some people also struggle with the medicalisation of ADHD. A diagnosis gives them a disorder, when they might think of their symptoms as a difference.

There is no right or wrong. A diagnosis might benefit some people but not others. Timing is also important. You might not want a diagnosis now, but that doesn’t mean you won’t want to pursue a diagnosis in the future.

A counsellor cannot diagnose ADHD, but they can help you to think about your symptoms and about the possibility of a diagnosis and what it means for you.

This blog was written by our Counsellor, Naomi, who sheds some important light on the rising topic that is ADHD.