Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a condition of the brain that may result in high levels of activity or hyperactivity, impulsivity or difficulty focusing, and affects people in many different ways.
I’m mostly open about the ADHD because it helps people understand that the random noises that I sometimes make… It’s just me
Often wrongly thought of as being something only children experience, ADHD may change the way it manifests from childhood into adulthood, with many people not diagnosed until they become adults.
Approximately 4% of adults in the UK have some form of ADHD.
Strengths and talents of people with ADHD
People with ADHD often have particular abilities in:
- Hyperfocusing on a task; can be excellent in emergency or urgent situations
- Thinking outside of the box and problem solving, seeing the bigger picture and creativity
- Being personable, and having empathy for others who process differently
- Being passionate about particular interests or subject areas
Other traits
People with ADHD may also find that they:
- Fidget, doodle or do something with their hands to help maintain concentration
- Can be impulsive and act without fully considering the consequences
- Jump from one thought or activity to another
- Struggle with attention to detail if their brain isn’t motivated by the task, or can get lost in their own world
Non-urgent advice: CUH staff tell us
- We need work that will keep our attention and keep our dopamine levels up; we need new and novel things to work on to keep our focus.
- We can be great at breaking down complex processes into step by step, easily understood guides with diagrams, or translating technical language into something that everyone finds easier to use.
- It’s not about making excuses but about finding a way of working that suits me.
- We might need to fidget, or get up and move around, to help us think and concentrate. Many of us mask this at work so as not to be annoying to other people.
- ADHD often goes hand in hand with anxiety or depression.
- We might have had the conversation in our head three times before we actually speak it out loud, so may need to remember to provide the other person with the context.
- We might be more sensitive to what our brains perceive as rejection, such as negative feedback.
- We can be great at gauging other people and adjusting our personal approach.
- There may be gender differences in how people are socialised when they’re younger, with girls being told more often to sit still, be quiet and not interrupt.