ADHD

Difficulties with relationships and ADHD

Navigating ADHD in the workplace for happier, healthier teams

22 April 2024

Advert for the Essex Health and Wellbeing Conference for HR In February with the title Navigating ADHD for happier and healthier teams

Essex Business Partnership Health and Wellbeing Conference

14th February 2024

On 14th February 2024, I was invited to speak at the Health and Wellbeing Conference in Chelmsford hosted by Essex Business Partners at Chelmsford Country Cricket Grounds regarding how to successfully navigate ADHD in the workplace.

I am sure you have noticed that ADHD has recently garnered increased attention in the media, with more individuals identifying and being diagnosed with it. However, this surge in awareness doesn’t necessarily imply a surge in incidence. ADHD has long been recognized by medical professionals and current thinking is that ADHD has been historically underdiagnosed, particularly among assigned female at birth individuals and people of colour. Thankfully, times are changing, and more people are becoming aware of ADHD, which is a positive step forward.

Picture of Leslie with a microphone in hand, wearing a blue sating top. She is standing in front of an advertising banner for Essex Business Partnership and the wellbeing conference where she spoke about ADHD in the workplace

What is ADHD?

ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by differences in brain structure and neurotransmission; the way in which messages are communicated around the brain and how different areas of the brain are activated. ADHD is primarily attributed to low dopamine levels in the brain. The behaviours associated with ADHD, such as difficulty concentrating, impulsivity, and emotional intensity, stem from this neurobiological basis. It’s worth noting that ADHD is strongly hereditary. If a child has ADHD, it’s very likely that one, or both, parents have ADHD too.

The main characteristics that people notice in those with ADHD are things like:

Difficulties with concentration
Issues with short term and working memory
Difficulties with planning and getting started (activation)
Difficulty with organisation
Losing things
Easily distracted by small things which others wouldn’t notice
Impulsivity- Acting or speaking on the spur of the moment without thinking through the consequences. Really noticeable in adolescents, ADHD teens take more risks are more likely to indulge in more risky behaviour that other adolescents and that’s saying something because teens are not known for their good judgement.
People with ADHD can experience emotions much more intensely than others do
Adults with ADHD are usually much less hyperactive than children with ADHD, so hyperactivity usually manifests in adults as restlessness and the need to tap or fidget. This can also manifest as talkativeness, particularly in those AFAB
Hyperactivity can also be internal – a racing mind that is never quiet, never still
Some people are diagnosed without the hyperactivity aspect: this is referred to as inattentive ADHD
There are loosely three types of ADHD – Combined, inattentive and hyperactive.

ADHD often occurs alongside a number of other associated conditions or symptoms:

These include sensory difficulties (being over- or under – sensitive to sights, sounds and other sensations) I have misophonia – I can’t bear to hear other people eating. I also can’t bear labels in my clothes and I can’t wear linen or wool or anything that is really tight. I don’t like bright lights or very loud environments but I also don’t like areas that are too dim. That’s why working from home is best for me because I can control the light and the temperature.
dyslexia,
dyspraxia (coordination difficulties),
Tic disorders
autistic spectrum disorder. Lots of ADHDers have autism as well.
Some (but by no means all) people with ADHD also develop mental health difficulties such as anxiety and depression.
Sleep issues – chronic insomnia often affects those with ADHD including children

Understanding ADHD in the workplace is crucial for fostering an inclusive environment. While not everyone with ADHD requires extensive support, simple adjustments—termed “reasonable adjustments”—can greatly enhance their effectiveness at work. Moreover, many of these accommodations benefit everyone, making them valuable investments for any organization.

Picture of Leslie at the health and wellbeing conference. She has a microphone in one hand and notes in the other hand and she is standing in front of an Essex Business Partnership advertising banner where Leslie spoke about ADHD n the workplace

People with ADHD often talk about lack of support from their employer as a reason why they may end up leaving a job. That’s unfortunate, because with the right support and changes that focus on capitalising on their strengths and talents, people with ADHD are likely to be a great asset to your organisation

Individuals with ADHD possess remarkable strengths, such as:

Ability to ‘hyperfocus’ on things they are interested in – this is a double edged sword and it does mean that ADHD employees are more at risk for burnout.
Willingness to take risks – so you’ll often find ADHDers in professions such as emergency services, rescue services and as entrepreneurs.
Spontaneous and flexible
Good in a crisis – people with ADHD are often drawn to work in the emergency services.
Creative ideas – thinking outside the box
Relentless energy
Often optimistic • Often an extraordinary eye for detail – many of my colleagues have mentioned that I think of and see things that others don’t notice.

Why should we talk about the impact of ADHD in the workplace?

ADHD affects each person differently and is often influenced by situational factors. In some environments or situations, a person’s ADHD symptoms could become very noticeable OR they could be very mild – that’s why it’s important to make sure that the environment around an ADHD employee is working for them and not against them.

Many individuals with ADHD are hesitant to disclose their condition due to fear of stigma or repercussions such as lack or promotion or progression or even a fear of losing their job. If someone has disclosed their ADHD to you, it would have taken courage and trust on their part and it’s important to acknowledge that.

This fear of disclosure can mean that employees do not disclose and therefore do not receive the support that they need in order to really excel in their roles.

Employers can potentially mitigate the fear of disclosure by educating themselves about the condition, demonstrating flexibility, and engaging in open communication with their employees. Providing training around ADHD and awareness of what ADHD is as well as how to manage team members with ADHD could be invaluable for managers within your organisation. It would equip them with the skills and knowledge to understand and support their teams effectively even if someone has not disclosed their diagnosis.

Supporting employees with ADHD involves a multifaceted approach including changes to the environment, working practices and managerial strategies.

Reasonable adjustments are usually low cost strategies that can easily be implemented and that make a noticeable difference in productivity. There is an argument that many reasonable adjustments implemented for those with ADHD would benefit everyone in the company and it is worth considering whether to make these options available for anyone to request. Doing so would also mitigate the need for people to disclose their ADHD.

Many people with ADHD require minor changes in their working environments or practices in order to fully succeed in their roles so this is an important topic to discuss within your workplace.

picture of leslie speaking at the Health and Wellbeing conference in Essex. She is wearing a blue shirt and has a microphone in her hand. and is speaking about ADHD in the workplace

Image of a pink patchwork notebook with a pink watch lying on top of it. On the right is a cut off cup of black coffee in a white china cup and saucer

Allowing people the flexibility to work during their most productive times could be one of the easiest and most impactful reasonable adjustments that can be made in the workplace.

My best times of day are early morning and late night. For years I had a working pattern of 5 hours in the morning and 2 hours at night. It worked for me and my family but it also worked for my company and my team because any work that needed to be completed outside of core hours was done by me.

At the time I was working as an IT professional for a global law firm who had a number of offices in the Far East. There was a need for working outside of core London operating hours.

Other reasonable adjustments to consider could be:

Remote work options
Allowing delegation of non core aspects of a task to another team member to aid in completion of the entire task
body doubling

Modifications to the work environment:

Visual prompts – e.g. wall charts for routines, checklists, post-it notes for reminders
Physical reminders – e.g. laying out everything needed for tomorrow at the end of today, labelled ‘homes’ for storing tools or equipment
Larger computer screens so everything is visible (reduces burden on memory)
Visible clocks, allowing / encouraging use of alarms and timers – eg pomodoro timers.
Reducing distractions: – Allow noise cancelling headphones with music or ambient noise, or ear plugs – Own space if possible, with reduced level of distraction

Potentially helpful apps include:

To do list reminders / scheduling apps (e.g. Todoist, Wunderlist, EverNote)
Aids if reading and writing are a problem – Text to speech software (e.g. Captivoice.com) – Speech to text software (e.g. Google Docs Voice Typing, Apple Dictation) Dragon Naturally Speaking, Word has a built in voice to text function
Screen readers
Blockers to eliminate distractions from social media / smart phones during tasks (e.g. Cold Turkey, Forest) My children and I use Forest.
White noise / ambient noise apps (e.g. Coffivity, Focusatwill)
Note taking apps (can be as simple as notes function on phone. OneNote, EverNote)

People with ADHD can benefit from regular sessions with an ADHD coach who can help them to develop their organisation and time management skills and strategies. So providing access to ADHD coaching is another valuable strategy that could be implemented to aid people in navigating the challenges of ADHD in the workplace,

Access to Work funding can sometimes be used to fund ADHD coaching.

Access to work can also be used to fund some of the reasonable adjustments that an employee might need to help them be more effective in managing their ADHD in the workplace. Some of my clients have been provided with Access to work funding for a Virtual Assistant to help them with their organisational tasks.

:Leslie and an ADHD coaching client are seated facing each other whilst talking about ADHD and it's impact on people in the workplace

Ultimately, fostering a culture of understanding and support benefits both employees and organizations. Regular communication and periodic check-ins can ensure that accommodations are effective and that employees feel valued and understood.

Everyone with ADHD is different and it’s important to talk to your employees and tailor the support that you offer to that employee’s situation and the requirements of their job.

Navigating ADHD in the workplace for happier, healthier teams Read More »

October ADHD Awareness Month – ADHD and Women

18 October 2023

Image is of Leslie speaking at the ADHD and women event. Leslie is seated at a conference table and is wearing a pastel rainbow coloured taliored jacket and a light pink jersey.

During October 2023, ADHD Awareness Month, I was invited to speak about ADHD and women at a large financial institution in London yesterday.

I shared my ADHD journey with them and I shared that I became an ADHD coach to help prevent people from going through the experiences that I went through.

My experience, my struggles, the crushing lack of self esteem caused by my struggles and the myth that I had outgrown my ADHD has caused me so much guilt and shame over my lifetime and I really would like to prevent that from happening to other women.

There were some very good questions raised prior to the talk and I want to talk about some of those questions.

What age were you assessed and what brought you to that need for an assessment – and whether the official diagnosis has helped you. Also curious if you’ve thought about how you might have dealt with not being formally assessed as having ADHD yet still feeling you were “different”.

I was diagnosed at age 7. This was because I was hyperactive and couldn’t sit still and my teacher couldn’t cope with me in the classroom. The school suggested to my parents that they take me for an assessment. I have combined ADHD which is less common in women. That initial diagnosis (in the 70s in South Africa) didn’t actually help me. Well, the Ritalin did help me, it helped me to focus and get my work done, mostly. However; no one – not me, not my parents, not my teacher – was told how my symptoms would impact me and what the implications of my diagnosis were. I was also told I would outgrow my ADHD in my teens so as an adult I believed that ADHD was something I had outgrown. I also doubted that I had ADHD in the first place as no one told me what it meant for me.

I felt different all my life. I internalised all my struggles as being my fault. I was just not good at the things that other people found easy. I struggled for years to keep my head above water and to make it look like I was coping.

I worked very hard to mask my ADHD traits (my personality flaws as I saw them), I copied other people’s social mannerisms in order to fit in socially. I hid all the parts of me that I felt were unacceptable to other people. Fortunately I married a man who accepted all those parts of me as being me so that afforded me the relief to just be me at home.

Then I discovered my children had ADHD and I find out that I had not outgrown my ADHD. I found out that all of my struggles were actually ADHD symptoms. My work appraisals telling me that I talk too much, yes I have ADHD – it’s not a character flaw, it’s something I can’t help.

What made the difference to me wasn’t so much my diagnosis, it was understanding what that diagnosis meant for me.

So I would argue that the most valuable aspect of diagnosis lies in learning and understanding what the diagnosis means for you.

Image is of Leslie in pastel rainbow tailored suit outside an office in London UK

As a man with ADHD, how best can I support my daughter with her ADHD given I find it hard to empathise and relate to others?

I think realising that your daughter’s ADHD is going to be noticeably affected by her hormones and her cycle is quite important. There’s been some research in this area that seems to indicate that in the first 14 days of the menstrual cycle, as oestrogen levels increase, ADHD medications appear to be more effective and ADHD symptoms seem to decrease and become more manageable. Conversely in the luteal phase of the cycle, as oestrogen levels decrease and progesterone increases, ADHD medications appear to be less effective and ADHD symptoms appear more pronounced and less manageable. Empathy is difficult for men with ADHD but it can be developed, it is something one can learn even when it doesn’t come naturally and it’s something that an ADHD coach can assist you with.

What if you have never been diagnosed but suspect that you have ADHD as you present with many of the symptoms. Is it worth getting diagnosed later on in your career? What benefits will it bring?

The answer to this is – it depends. What are you looking for out of a diagnosis?

If you’re wanting validation and recognition that there is reason for some of the things that you do and the struggles that you experience, a diagnosis could be invaluable.

If you are wanting medication to help with some of the more difficult aspects of ADHD then a diagnosis is imperative.

Image is of Leslie's hands writing in a notebook

If you’re planning to ask for adjustments or accommodations at work, then a diagnosis could be helpful although your employer should consider your request without a diagnosis. However, the reality is that a lot of employers will not consider putting any accommodations or adjustments in place for someone without medical “evidence”.

So, it depends on what you are hoping to get out of the diagnostic process.

I personally feel that self diagnosis is as valuable as a medical diagnosis but not everyone sees it that way and particularly in working life, it can be very difficult to get the right kind of support without a diagnosis.

October ADHD Awareness Month – ADHD and Women Read More »

A cause close to my heart

22 July 2023

Please have a look at @yorkdrf and join their challenge against the York ICB’s action.

Neurodivergent individuals are already marginalised and disadvantaged in society, we don’t need to be denied access to assessment and diagnosis in addition to everything else we face.

If you’re not sure why we need assessment and diagnosis, consider this:

Despite the Equality Act 2010 stating that diagnosis is not required to access reasonable adjustments: the reality is that most schools, universities and employers require medical evidence (aka diagnosis) in order to provide reasonable adjustments. The government themselves require medical evidence for Personal Independence Payment assessments and payments.

If we are denied access to assessment and diagnosis, we will also be denied access to reasonable adjustments across so many different settings Many people with ADHD are unable to work full time and therefore need access to Personal Independence Payments. PiP is already very difficult to get, it will be impossible without assessment and diagnois..

Another huge impact to consider is that ADHD is quite receptive to ADHD medication. Those medications can be life saving for some ADHD individuals.

IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO ACCESS ADHD MEDICATION WITHOUT DIAGNOSIS.

The implications of this action by York ICB is that vulnerable individuals could die. That’s the bottom line. Some people will end up dying if they are denied access to assessment and diagnosis. That’s not an exaggeration on my part, it’s a fact. A study by Cambridge University published in 2022 found that 15% of those who were hospitalised for attempted suicide had a diagnosis of autism. They also investigated 372 cases where people had died of suicide Of those cases, 10% were determined to very likely be people with undiagnosed autism.

This action by the York ICB is reckless and dangerous.

A cause close to my heart Read More »

Misconceptions about ADHD

22 November 2022

There are several common misconceptions about ADHD.

A very common misconception and one that many parents of neurodivergent parents will be quite familiar with is that it is a behavioural problem that can be cured by punishment or willpower alone. In reality, ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects the brain’s ability to regulate attention and behaviour. While behaviour therapy and other interventions can be helpful for managing the symptoms of ADHD, there is no cure for ADHD. That doesn’t mean there aren’t lots of strategies and tools that can be really useful for managing the challenges of ADHD but anyone selling you a cure is not being completely honest.

Another common misconception is that only children can have ADHD. While it is true that ADHD is most commonly diagnosed in childhood, it can also affect adults. In fact, many adults with ADHD do not realize they have it until they are in their 30s or 40s, when they start to have difficulty managing their time and attention. Many women find that the onset of perimenopause or menopause exacerbates their ADHD symptoms. There are many cases of ADHD diagnoses in late adulthood. Another common period when ADHD is diagnosed in adults is when parents have their child assessed and they discover that not only does their child have ADHD but so do they.

Some people also believe that ADHD is caused by poor parenting or a lack of discipline. However, this is not the case. ADHD has a strong genetic component, and it is thought to be caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. As mentioned earlier, it’s quite common for parents to discover that they have ADHD when they have their children assessed for ADHD.

Many people believe that people with ADHD are less intelligent or less capable than those without the disorder. This is not true. People with ADHD are just as intelligent and capable as anyone else, and many of them are highly successful in their chosen fields. It is important to remember that ADHD, like many other neurodivergent traits, is a disorder that affects attention and behaviour, not intelligence.

Misconceptions about ADHD Read More »