ADHD — Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder — is a condition that affects how the brain regulates attention, motivation, and impulse control. It’s not about a lack of focus, but about how focus is managed and directed.

For some, ADHD means restless energy and racing thoughts. For others, it’s a quiet fog — difficulty starting, following through, or finishing tasks. The “H” in ADHD stands for hyperactivity, but many adults (especially women) experience what used to be called ADD — Attention-Deficit Disorder — a less outwardly hyperactive, more inwardly distracted form.

How it Feels

ADHD can feel like living with too many tabs open in your mind.
You might hyperfocus on one thing for hours, then struggle to do something simple the next day. Emotions can swing quickly, and small rejections can hit deeply — a sensitivity known as rejection sensitivity dysphoria.

It’s common to feel misunderstood or labelled as lazy, disorganised, or inconsistent. In reality, ADHD is a difference in how the brain’s dopamine and norepinephrine systems function — affecting motivation, time perception, and reward anticipation.

Why it Happens

ADHD tends to run in families and has strong genetic links. Brain imaging studies show differences in activity within the prefrontal cortex (which manages planning and impulse control) and the default mode network (linked to daydreaming and internal thought).

While ADHD begins in childhood, many aren’t diagnosed until adulthood — particularly women and girls, whose symptoms are often less disruptive and more internal.
Stress, trauma, and chronic sleep deprivation can also intensify symptoms.

What Helps

There isn’t one formula, but a combination of structure, understanding, and support makes a difference.

Treatment options:

• Medication (stimulants or non-stimulants) can help regulate focus and impulse control by balancing dopamine.
• Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) builds practical coping tools.
• ADHD coaching focuses on time, routines, and accountability.
• Lifestyle support — sleep, nutrition, exercise, and mindfulness — can stabilise energy and emotion regulation.

What also helps: self-compassion. ADHD isn’t a lack of discipline; it’s a difference in wiring. Learning to work with your brain rather than against it is part of healing.

Further Reading

• NHS ADHD Information → www.nhs.uk/conditions/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd
• Psychology Today: ADHD Overview → psychologytoday.com/gb/conditions/adhd
• The Body Keeps the Score by Dr. Bessel van der Kolk
• Scattered Minds by Dr. Gabor Maté
• ADHD 2.0 by Dr. Edward Hallowell and Dr. John Ratey