Is it helpful to talk to others about my ADHD?
If 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.
You 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- People may not know much about ADHD, or what they know could be outdated or wrong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.
Useful Links
Patient support organisations
- ADHD Foundation – Adults – https://adhdfoundation.org.uk/
- ADHD Solutions – https://www.adhdsolutions.org/
- The National Attention Deficit Information and Support Service (ADDISS) – https://www.addiss.co.uk
- Scottish ADHD coalition – https://www.scottishadhdcoalition.org
Professional organisations
- UK Adult ADHD Network (UKAAN) – https://www.ukaan.org
- National Health Service – Overview ADHD – https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd/
- Royal College of Psychiatrists – ADHD in adults – https://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/mental-health/problems-disorders/adhd-in-adults
- National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guideline NG87 – Information for the public – https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng87/informationforpublic
You are now leaving www.adhdandyou.co.uk. You will be re-directed to an external website. Takeda accepts no responsibilty for the content of other websites.