Is it helpful to talk to others about my ADHD?

Man with arms crossed and back turned to woman explaining something to himIf you’ve been diagnosed with ADHD, it may help to involve your family and friends so they can help you. Think carefully before you talk to someone about your ADHD, as you can’t ‘untell’ them.

If you have one particular friend or loved one that you can really trust, maybe tell them first, so you can get their thoughts. Try to talk to people face to face rather than by text or social media. Not everyone understands what ADHD is so think how you can explain it to them. Maybe you could use some of the information on this website or download the booklet to share with them.

Two older men sat down and having a serious conversationYou may need to talk to your tutor or employer, so they can help you at college or work (please see What about work or college). Is there a tutor or colleague that you trust that could help you?

Remember you don’t have to tell everyone. Think about the arguments for and against, for example:

For

  • It will help friends, family, colleagues or teachers to understand you better
  • They can support and help you
  • You will be in control of the situation and what is said
  • They may be able to help you avoid situations where you could become anxious or upset

Against

  • People may not know much about ADHD, or what they know could be outdated or wrong
  • People may tell others who you don’t want to know
  • What if someone puts it on social media – are you ok with this?
  • People might treat you differently

Remember

  • You have plenty of time to tell people about your ADHD – there’s no rush
  • Learn as much as you can about ADHD to give you confidence to talk about it
  • Choose wisely, not everyone needs to know, the decision is yours

There’s lots of help for people with ADHD. Some useful websites can be found in the Resources section of this website.

Your healthcare professional may also be able to provide details of local support groups.

Adult

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