Understanding what it is like to have ADHD helps families, schools and workplaces give better support. This post covers what ADHD is, how it can affect daily life, and the kinds of support that are available.
What is ADHD?
ADHD is a difference in how the brain grows and develops.
ADHD stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and this diagnosis is given when someone presents with differences in their ability to sustain attention, manage their impulses, or has a higher level of activity compared to other people their age.
An ADHD diagnosis recognises that these developmental differences are having a significant impact on a person’s ability to function across multiple areas of life, including learning, work, social connection, and activities of daily living like household chores.
What Causes ADHD?
ADHD is part of who a person is from birth. ADHD is not something you can ‘catch’ or ‘acquire’ later in life – especially not from things like too much sugar, poor parenting or overuse of technology! In fact, there is a strong genetic component to ADHD – meaning parents are likely to pass on the ADHD brain type to their children.
How is the ADHD Brain Different?
Scientists think one of the main differences between brains with ADHD and those without is how well neurotransmitters, chemicals that send messages in the brain, function. In people with ADHD, these chemical messengers often struggle to communicate with the parts of the brain that handle important tasks, like working memory, planning, staying focused, controlling impulses, and keeping up consistent performance. Some brain imaging studies even show that the areas of the brain involved in these functions may differ in size and density.
How Does ADHD Affect Someone’s Day to Day Life?
Each person with ADHD is going to have a different experience of what it’s like to navigate the world.
For some people, having an ADHD brain may have very little functional impact on their day-to-day life. For others, ADHD might feel incredibly disabling and make it really hard for them to participate in the world around them.
For children, ADHD may impact their ability to get to school on time, remember all their belongings, pay attention in class, complete their homework or assignments on time (or do them too fast and miss answering questions!) – it can even impact their relationships with peers, educators and their family.
Kids with ADHD are often labelled as ‘forgetful’, ‘lazy’, ‘selfish’, or ‘disrespectful’ when their actions and responses don’t line up with the expectations placed on them. This can be really hard on their mental health – especially if they don’t yet have a diagnosis to help them understand why their brain works differently.
For adults, ADHD can show up in having a messy house, poorly organised belongings, being chronically late for work, forgetting birthdays or special events, engaging in ‘risky behaviours’, or always feeling like you ‘just need to try harder’ to try and keep up with everyone else.
There are also many strengths that can come with an ADHD brain. Many people with ADHD describe strengths such as creativity, problem solving, energy and determination.
Is ADHD a Disability?
In Australia, ADHD is recognised as a disability under the Disability Discrimination Act as it results in a person learning differently than others. This recognition makes sure that people with ADHD are protected from unfair treatment by schools, workplaces or members of the community on the basis of their disability.
ADHD affects everyone differently. How challenging these differences feel can depend on a person’s unique situation, their environment, and the support they receive from their community. This idea is known as the social model of disability. It suggests that disability happens when communities, services, or spaces aren’t inclusive or accessible to people with physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory differences. In other words, disability is often more about the barriers in the world around someone than about the differences they have.
What Support Is Available for ADHD?
Support for ADHD looks different for every person and family. It often includes a mix of support from a doctor (such as a paediatrician or psychiatrist), allied health professionals, school and family. Questions about medication should be discussed with your child’s doctor.
How Allied Health Can Help
- Speech pathologists can support language and learning, such as following instructions, organising and expressing ideas, reading and spelling, and social communication.
- Occupational therapists can support organisation, memory aids, routines, sensory and emotional regulation, and coordination, and help find tools that make everyday tasks easier.
- Psychologists can help children and families understand how an ADHD brain works and support the big feelings that can come with feeling misunderstood.
- Dietitians can support eating and nutrition, for example when a child forgets to eat for long stretches or has a reduced appetite, and help make meal planning simpler.
Family and Community
Having family, friends and teachers who understand and accept how a person’s brain works is an important part of support for anyone with ADHD.
At My Therapy Space, we work with many children with ADHD and their families. To talk about your child, please contact reception.
Where Can I Get More Information?
- ADHD Australia: https://www.adhdaustralia.org.au/
- ADHD Support Australia: https://www.adhdsupportaustralia.com.au/what-is-adhd/
- NeuroWild (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/p/Cs49GXvvy5M/?img_index=1
- National Centre for Mental Health Wales (video): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeamHE6Kank