Written by: Marshall Fields
October is ADHD awareness month, a time to raise awareness about ADHD, share accurate information about the condition, and make resources more accessible. The month celebrates neurodiversity and honours the strengths, creativity, and resilience of people with ADHD while also fighting to reduce stigma and misinformation.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) can affect people across their lifespan. It affects around 5% to 10% of children aged 3 to 18 (Ayano et al., 2023; Salari et al., 2023) and between 2% and 6% of adults (Dobrosavljevic et al., 2020; Ayano et al., 2023; Staley et al., 2023). The definition/criteria for ADHD has undergone constant change throughout the past two decades due to updated research. With updates to the diagnosis and its growing prevalence, it is important to understand current criteria and concerns regarding ADHD.
ADHD has a spectrum of symptoms, in addition to hyperactivity and attention concerns, with severity levels mild, moderate and severe that affect an individual’s life. Some of these are:
- Impulsivity and difficulty managing self-control
- Inability to concentrate
- Difficulty listening and completing assigned tasks
- Time-management issues and forgetting schedules
- Losing belongings
- Difficulty staying still
- Difficulty remaining quiet
- Interrupting others or difficulty waiting for one’s turn
However, it is important to remain open-minded and curious about how each person’s ADHD presents and how best to support them. It is also vital to note that symptoms can look different across ages, so adults, adolescents, and children with ADHD may appear differently in addition to individual differences.
Some things people with ADHD have found helpful are:
- Ensuring regular and sufficient sleep
- Eating regular meals
- Sticking to routines
- Writing down schedules
- Breaking tasks down into smaller chunks
- Connecting with people who support and understand your individual challenges can be a great coping strategy.
It’s also recommended to contact an expert to learn more about which strategies may work best for you. Experts may suggest medications or various forms of therapy that can help reduce symptoms and support you in your everyday life.
One major call to action across ADHD Awareness Month is the need for early recognition. When ADHD goes undiagnosed, especially in children, it can lead to challenges at school, strained family relationships, and lower self-esteem. In adults, it can show up as difficulties at work, in relationships, and with other mental health conditions.
If you have friends or family with ADHD, there are various things you can do to help ensure an understanding environment when you are with them.
One thing that may help is accompanying the person with ADHD as they complete tasks. This can help them feel comfortable and encouraged to do chores that may otherwise feel difficult to focus on if they are alone. Learning more about ADHD and asking your friend or family member how you can help may allow them to feel more seen and let them know that you support them. Most importantly, be patient with them; understand that ADHD affects everyone differently, and the severity of its impact is not always visible from the outside.
This International ADHD Month, join us in breaking down stigma, staying open-minded and patient, celebrating their uniqueness and strengths, and supporting those around us with awareness and sensitivity. With proper support and management, people with ADHD can and do shine and have successful lives.
Below is a list of resources and further information for individuals, families and friends about ADHD. For further information about TELL’s assessment services for children and adults, please visit our website www.telljp.com.
Helpful resources in the US, UK and Australia.
https://www.cdc.gov/adhd/php/communication-resources/index.html
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/adhd-adults
https://www.adhdaustralia.org.au
https://adhdfoundation.org.au/resources
References
- Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: What you need to know. (n.d.). National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-what-you-need-to-know
- Ayano, G., Demelash, S., Gizachew, Y., Tsegay, L., & Alati, R. (2023). The global prevalence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children and adolescents: An umbrella review of meta-analyses. Journal of Affective Disorders, 339, 860–866. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2023.07.071
- Ayano, G., Tsegay, L., Gizachew, Y., Necho, M., Yohannes, K., Abraha, M., Demelash, S., Anbesaw, T., & Alati, R. (2023). Prevalence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in adults: Umbrella review of evidence generated across the globe. Psychiatry Research, 328, 115449. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2023.115449
- Dobrosavljevic, M., Solares, C., Cortese, S., Andershed, H., & Larsson, H. (2020). Prevalence of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 118, 282–289. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.07.042
- Gudka, R., McGlynn, E., Lister, K., Shaw, N., Pitchforth, E., Mughal, F., French, B., Ward, J. H., Newlove-Delgado, T., & Price, A. (2025). Digital health interventions with healthcare information and self-management resources for young people with ADHD: a mixed-methods systematic review and narrative synthesis. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 34(6), 1817–1835. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-025-02676-y
- Salari, N., Ghasemi, H., Abdoli, N., Rahmani, A., Shiri, M. H., Hashemian, A. H., Akbari, H., & Mohammadi, M. (2023). The global prevalence of ADHD in children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis. the Italian Journal of Pediatrics/Italian Journal of Pediatrics, 49(1), 48. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13052-023-01456-1
- Staley BS, Robinson LR, Claussen AH, et al. Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Diagnosis, Treatment, and Telehealth Use in Adults — National Center for Health Statistics Rapid Surveys System, United States, October–November 2023. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2024;73:890–895. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7340a1.