ADHD
ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) is a neurodevelopmental condition that can significantly affect daily functioning, attention, concentration, executive functioning, and emotional regulation.
For many adults, ADHD is not always obvious from the outside. A lot of people I work with are intelligent, capable, high-functioning people who have spent years trying to manage, compensate, push through, or work harder to keep up with life’s demands.
Often, they have also spent a long time feeling different, frustrated with themselves, misunderstood, or wondering why things that seem manageable for other people feel so difficult for them.
ADHD is not laziness
ADHD is often misunderstood. It is not simply a matter of “not paying attention,” lacking discipline, or being lazy. More often, it is a difficulty with regulation, regulating attention, focus, motivation, emotions, time, and the constant stream of information coming in from the world around you.
Living with ADHD can feel a bit like trying to tune into one specific radio station while several others are playing at the same volume in the background.
Many adults with ADHD describe:
feeling mentally restless
difficulty concentrating
chronic overwhelm
procrastination
difficulty starting tasks
difficulty organising or planning
constantly forgetting things
feeling emotionally reactive or sensitive
struggling to stay on top of everyday responsibilities
cycles of burnout from trying to overcompensate
For many people, there is also a huge amount of masking involved, trying to appear organised, focused, calm, or “together” while privately feeling overwhelmed or exhausted.
ADHD in adulthood
ADHD does not always present as physical hyperactivity in adults.
Instead, it may show up as:
a restless or overactive mind
chronic procrastination
hyperfocus
difficulty managing priorities
impulsivity
forgetfulness
emotional dysregulation
difficulty maintaining routines
overwhelm with everyday tasks
exhaustion from trying to keep up with neurotypical expectations
Many adults, particularly those diagnosed later in life, describe a long history of feeling like they are somehow failing at things they “should” be able to manage.
Receiving an ADHD diagnosis later in life can bring relief, but also grief. People often begin reinterpreting years of experiences, struggles, relationships, school, work, and self-beliefs through a completely different lens.
Executive functioning and ADHD
ADHD significantly impacts executive functioning, which are the cognitive skills largely managed by the prefrontal cortex.
This often shows up in four key ways:
Executive Dysfunction
Difficulty starting tasks, organising thoughts, prioritising, or following through on multi-step tasks without becoming overwhelmed.
Time Blindness
Difficulty accurately sensing or estimating time, including how long tasks will take or how much time has passed. This can contribute to chronic lateness, missed deadlines, or constantly feeling behind.
Emotional Dysregulation
Experiencing emotions very intensely, feeling easily overwhelmed, or having a lower threshold for frustration, stress, criticism, or rejection.
Working Memory Difficulties
Everyday experiences such as walking into a room and forgetting why, losing track of conversations, forgetting instructions, or struggling to hold and process information sequentially.
How therapy can help
Part of therapy is helping you better understand how ADHD affects your thinking, emotions, relationships, work, and daily life.
For many people, there is relief in finally understanding that these struggles are not because they are lazy, incapable, or broken.
Together, we can identify the core challenges, explore practical strategies, and build systems that work with your brain rather than against it.
The work is not about forcing yourself to function like everyone else. It is about developing more understanding, reducing shame and self-criticism, and finding ways of working and living that feel more manageable and sustainable for you.