More about ADHD

There is increased awareness of ADHD in the general population in recent years. Yet there is a lot of misunderstanding about this particular form of neurodiversity, which I would like to dispel.

Firstly, being distractible, disorganised, restless, avoidant or procrastinating does not mean you have ADHD. There are many reasons why these areas may be challenging for someone, including anxiety, trauma, depression, and burnout to name but a few (of course, these problems can also be as a result of the impact of ADHD).

Diagnostic criteria states that ‘symptoms’ must have been present before the age of 12, be present in at least two settings, interfere with functioning and not be explained by other factors (see below).

It is very important that any ADHD assessment carefully considers the severity of impact, evidence from childhood and other explanations. Because the most likely alternative explanation can be mental health difficulties, clinical psychologists are well placed to conduct such assessments.

If you are autistic, there is a high prevalence of ADHD as a co-occurring condition. However the two interact with each other in unique ways which can be complex to tease out, and again this is why a thorough and comprehensive assessment is required.

Please take care to avoid anyone who offers quick assessments where assessors do not seem appropriately qualified.