theadhdspecialists.com

theadhdspecialists.com Psychotherapist based in Richmond. 29 years experience in mental health. Senior clinical nurse speci

Many people only discover their ADHD when they start their working life.At school, it doesn’t always get recognised.You ...
05/06/2026

Many people only discover their ADHD when they start their working life.

At school, it doesn’t always get recognised.

You might have been told you were:
– not trying hard enough
– easily distracted
– disorganised
– “capable but not applying yourself”

So you learn to push through, mask it, or blame yourself. Then work starts.

You begin to notice that other people aren’t struggling in the same way as you.

They can:
– start tasks without a mental block
– stay on one thing and finish it
– keep track of details and deadlines

While you’re struggling to start, jumping between tasks, forgetting small but important things, or burning out trying to keep up.

That’s often the moment things click.

And now, more than ever, people are recognising it. Awareness of ADHD has grown. Understanding of symptoms has improved.

So what once went unnoticed or misunderstood is now being named.

“So my child has ADHD… what now?”Start here:→ Nothing about your child has changed.→ You just understand them better.—Wh...
03/06/2026

“So my child has ADHD… what now?”

Start here:
→ Nothing about your child has changed.
→ You just understand them better.

—

What a diagnosis actually gives you:
• An explanation for behaviour that didn’t make sense before
• A framework to understand attention, emotions, and reactions
• A starting point for the right kind of support

—

What matters next:
Not “fixing” your child.
But learning how to support them.

That might mean:
– working with school
– understanding how ADHD shows up day-to-day
– exploring treatment options if appropriate
– building their confidence in how their brain works

—

The goal isn’t to make them fit the system; it’s to help them succeed within it.

I wrote this in response to the recent headlines suggesting people are being “incentivised” to seek an ADHD diagnosis.I ...
01/06/2026

I wrote this in response to the recent headlines suggesting people are being “incentivised” to seek an ADHD diagnosis.

I assess patients every day, and I don’t know a single one who wants ADHD.

What I see are people who are exhausted. People who have spent decades being told they’re lazy, difficult, or not trying hard enough.

When they receive a diagnosis, the reaction isn’t excitement.

It’s relief.
It’s tears.
It’s finally understanding why.

We also need to be honest about the cost of not recognising ADHD. Research has shown a reduced life expectancy, by several years. Not because ADHD can’t be treated, but because too many people go unsupported for too long.

We’ve built a system where diagnosis is the only gateway to support.

And now we’re surprised people are trying to access it.

From where I’m standing, the problem isn’t people seeking help. It’s how hard we’ve made it to get it.

ADHD assessment is not just about spotting ADHD symptoms.It is about asking one crucial question:“What else could this b...
29/05/2026

ADHD assessment is not just about spotting ADHD symptoms.

It is about asking one crucial question:
“What else could this be?”

Poor concentration, restlessness, impulsivity, forgetfulness, emotional dysregulation, low motivation, and difficulty completing tasks can all be part of ADHD. But they can also appear in anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, sleep disorders, thyroid dysfunction, trauma, autism, personality disorders, or substance use.

That is why experience matters.

A good clinician does not jump to the first plausible explanation. They consider the full picture, look for what does not quite fit, and work through the realistic possibilities before reaching a diagnosis.
Because getting it wrong matters.

Treating anxiety as ADHD can make anxiety worse. Missing bipolar disorder can be dangerous. Overlooking trauma can mean someone gets medication when what they really need is trauma-focused support.

ADHD is real. But so is the responsibility to assess it properly.

That is the difference between recognising symptoms and understanding the whole of the person in front of you.

“These diagnoses are not ‘labels’. They are explanations of who people are.”That line stood out in a recent letter publi...
27/05/2026

“These diagnoses are not ‘labels’. They are explanations of who people are.”

That line stood out in a recent letter published by The Guardian.

Written by someone diagnosed with autism at 56 and ADHD at 57, it highlights something often misunderstood about ADHD.

Before diagnosis, she describes a lifetime of:
– depression
– low self-esteem
– wondering why she “couldn’t just do things like everyone else”
– and being told she was “weird”

All while unknowingly developing ways to cope.

After diagnosis?
“I cannot overstate the difference this has made to my mental health.”

Not because anything about her changed. But because she finally understood why.

She describes being able to reflect on her past and forgive herself, something many people struggle to do without that explanation.

It’s a reminder that diagnosis isn’t about labelling people. It’s about giving them the language to understand themselves.

“Managing my finances with ADHD felt like holding on to 10 helium balloons in a strong wind.”That’s how one woman descri...
25/05/2026

“Managing my finances with ADHD felt like holding on to 10 helium balloons in a strong wind.”

That’s how one woman described it in a recent BBC News article.

The piece highlights something often overlooked:
- The financial impact of ADHD.

- Impulsive spending that feels manageable in the moment.

- Subscriptions and repayments becoming “mental clutter.”

- Debt that “racks up before you notice.”

And then the part people don’t see:
“The anxiety and the shame… it consumed me.”

This is sometimes called the “ADHD tax”, the hidden cost of llate fees, missed payments, lost items, and executive dysfunction.

As one expert put it:

“It’s not laziness… it’s the executive dysfunction that makes it difficult.”

Because ADHD doesn’t just affect attention.

It affects how people manage everyday life.

Exercise can genuinely help ADHD, but only if you approach it in a way that actually works for your brain.What tends to ...
22/05/2026

Exercise can genuinely help ADHD, but only if you approach it in a way that actually works for your brain.

What tends to help:
• Start small. A short walk or a few minutes of movement is enough to begin building consistency.

• Choose interesting activities. ADHD brains respond better to novelty and stimulation than repetitive routines.

• Use structure. Classes, set times, or external cues reduce the need to rely on memory and motivation.

• Consider medication timing. Exercising when treatment is active can make it more manageable and rewarding.

What might not have worked for you before:
- Relying on willpower.
- Waiting to “feel motivated.”
- Setting unrealistic routines.

If exercise hasn’t stuck for you before, it’s not a failure.

It just means the approach didn’t match how your brain works.

Exercise is one of the most recommended strategies for ADHD.So why is it so hard to actually stick to?Because the same c...
20/05/2026

Exercise is one of the most recommended strategies for ADHD.

So why is it so hard to actually stick to?

Because the same condition that benefits from exercise also makes it harder to start.

ADHD affects dopamine, the system responsible for motivation and reward. That means your brain isn’t reinforcing habits in the same way, especially if your ADHD isn’t optimally managed.

So it’s not just “I can’t be bothered.”

It’s that your brain isn’t giving you the reward signal that makes follow-through sustainable.

Add in challenges with planning, time management, and consistency, and you get a frustrating cycle, starting strong, then dropping off.

This is why so many people with ADHD have a history of gym memberships, routines, or plans that never quite stick.

Not because they don’t care.

But because their brain is working against them.

ADHD and POTS might seem like completely different conditions.But in clinical practice, they often show up together, esp...
18/05/2026

ADHD and POTS might seem like completely different conditions.

But in clinical practice, they often show up together, especially in women.

And one of the biggest challenges? They can look almost identical.

POTS can cause:
– brain fog
– difficulty concentrating
– slowed thinking

All due to changes in blood flow when upright.

ADHD affects:
– attention
– executive function
– emotional regulation

So when someone presents with both, it becomes very difficult to separate what’s causing what.
On top of that, both conditions are commonly misdiagnosed.

POTS is often mistaken for anxiety.

ADHD is often mistaken for stress or personality traits.

Which means many people are living with both, without either being properly identified.

Understanding the overlap isn’t just interesting.

It’s essential for getting the right diagnosis and the right support.

Not all ADHD assessments are equal.And that matters more than people realise.ADHD can look similar to other conditions, ...
15/05/2026

Not all ADHD assessments are equal.

And that matters more than people realise.

ADHD can look similar to other conditions, including personality disorders and mood disorders. The symptoms can overlap, but the differences are critical, and recognising them requires experience.
Without a strong background in mental health, it becomes incredibly difficult to confidently make that distinction.

That’s why training and clinical experience matter so much.

An accurate ADHD assessment isn’t just about identifying symptoms. It’s about understanding the nuances, asking the right questions, and seeing what others might miss.

Because getting the diagnosis right changes everything that comes after.

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