ADHD Awareness Month

Throughout the month of October, the ADHD community around the world is coming together to increase global awareness and understanding of ADHD.

From dispelling misinformation to sharing stories, this month is about more than the neurodevelopmental condition it’s a chance to champion the individuals and the families that live with the symptoms of ADHD every day.

ADHD is serious public health issue and the conversation is more prevalent than ever, from the media headlines to the recent statistics released by NHS England.

The aim of ADHD Awareness Month is to create a world where understanding ADHD leads to support, connection and real opportunities to thrive.

That’s why ADHD360 is joining the global community on the ADHD Awareness Month mission:

To raise awareness of ADHD by sharing accurate information, elevating lived experience, fostering connection, and promoting access to support across the lifespan.

Throughout the month of October many amazing ADHD, neurodiversity and mental health charities will be sharing great resources about ADHD. Explaining more about what ADHD is, how ADHD brains work differently, the symptoms and difficulties those living with ADHD face.

• ADHDUK – A charity supporting individuals with ADHD and their connections. They provide accurate information, emotional and informational support, and advocate for those with ADHD in various sectors.
• ADDiSS – The National Attention Deficit Disorder Information and Support Service. A charity dedicated to serving individuals and their families affected by ADHD and a wide range of comorbid conditions.
• “The Hidden 20% – A UK-registered charity on a mission to find and share the truth about neurodiversity.
• CALM – Campaign Against Living Miserably, is a registered charity providing help, advice and information to anyone who is struggling or in crisis.
• Mind – A registered charity providing life-saving information, support, and advice through their helplines, resources, and network of local Minds.

The best way to understand what living with ADHD is like, is by listening to ADHD voices. From those closest to you, to some of the amazing influencers that continue to advocate the ADHD community.

Living with ADHD looks different for everyone, it’s important to have an awareness of how those different from us experience navigating ADHD.

Listen:

• Hidden 20% podcast

  From the charity the Hidden 20%, on a mission o change how the world sees neurodivergence.

• Late Bloomers

  Podcast hosted by Rich and Rox Pink, known as ADHD Love, focusing on personal growth, neurodivergence, and turning messy life experiences around.

• The ADHD Women’s Wellbeing Podcast

  Whole-person, neuro-affirming conversations to help ADHD women understand their brains, regulate their nervous systems, support their hormones, and create lives that truly fit them.

Read:

• Unstoppable by design

  Real life stories of ADHD, grit and success.

• Unmasked – Autism and ADHD blogs

  Unmasked is a community created for neurodivergent busy brains, by neurodivergent busy brains. There blog is a great way to hear from a diverse range of ADHD and autistic voices.

According to NHS England, around 3 to 4% of the population in England – approximately 2.5 million people – are thought to have ADHD.

This is roughly 1 in every 25 people that you encounter every day, at work or school, popping to the shops or when your walking the dog.

By building personal awareness and being mindful, there are small ways you could make a substantial difference to someone’s day without even realising.

This could look like:

• Providing clarity and clearer communication when possible.
• Being open and flexible to possible adjustments people might need.
• Not making assumptions and asking others what would work best for them.
• Being patient and allowing a little more time for others, especially when you don’t know their circumstances.

This will also help to support those with all forms of neurodiversity, the estimated 1 in 7 people in the UK that are neurodivergent.

With Right to Choose wait times increasing and an estimated 960,000 people on that wait list for an ADHD assessment, the Government and the NHS continue to discuss potential solutions for ADHD diagnosis, treatment and care.

We know how difficult it can be taking in all the media coverage, discussion and debate. Everyday we hear first hand how this affects our patients and our colleagues. As a mostly neurodivergent workforce we feel it’s impact, so one of the key ways we support each other is by being aware of the what is happening.

By being informed on the situation you become a safe place for those struggling with the latest news.

At ADHD360 we are actively advocating for the ADHD community in research, policy and parliamentary conversations to champion positive change.

If you’d like to get involved, join us on social media.

We’ll be posting throughout ADHD awareness month, and we’d love to hearing from you. If you’d like to be part of the conversation, make sure you’re following us.

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