What is ADHD? 
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Symptoms include difficulty focusing attention -often cant’s keep focused on something but sometimes get “hyperfocused” on something and can’t move off it when need to; acting suddenly without thinking (impulsivity); being really disorganised; fidgety, restless, can’t sit still for long; changing jobs a lot, messy and disorganised, misses deadlines, often seen as unreliable; can affect friendships



Why is it an issue in the workplace 
Historically ADHD was thought to only exist in children and that they would grow out of it
Now know that about 2/3 of people with ADHD as a child continue to have symptoms and signs as an adult
Lots of people missed being diagnosed in childhood but now realising that they might have it – so lots more people getting diagnosed as adults
Also increasing number of women being diagnosed in adulthood who were likely overlooked during childhood



How to support at work 
Recognising it’s ADHD is a good start rather than assuming someone is “lazy” or it’s something to do with their personality
Adjusting work environment to reduce distractions
Figuring out with the person how best they work – sometimes having tight deadlines is really useful as it creates positive pressure to get a job done. A number of journalists have commented to me that they think they have ADHD and news media is a great place for them to work as the content is constantly changing and the deadlines are tight and quick


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What is ADHD? 
<ul>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="2" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559684&quot;:-2,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1">Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder </li>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="2" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559684&quot;:-2,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="2" data-aria-level="1">Symptoms include difficulty focusing attention -often cant’s keep focused on something but sometimes get “hyperfocused” on something and can’t move off it when need to; acting suddenly without thinking (impulsivity); being really disorganised; fidgety, restless, can’t sit still for long; changing jobs a lot, messy and disorganised, misses deadlines, often seen as unreliable; can affect friendships </li>
</ul>
 
Why is it an issue in the workplace 
<ul>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="2" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559684&quot;:-2,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1">Historically ADHD was thought to only exist in children and that they would grow out of it </li>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="2" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559684&quot;:-2,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="2" data-aria-level="1">Now know that about 2/3 of people with ADHD as a child continue to have symptoms and signs as an adult </li>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="2" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559684&quot;:-2,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="3" data-aria-level="1">Lots of people missed being diagnosed in childhood but now realising that they might have it – so lots more people getting diagnosed as adults </li>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="2" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559684&quot;:-2,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="4" data-aria-level="1">Also increasing number of women being diagnosed in adulthood who were likely overlooked during childhood </li>
</ul>
 
How to support at work 
<ul>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="2" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559684&quot;:-2,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1">Recognising it’s ADHD is a good start rather than assuming someone is “lazy” or it’s something to do with their personality </li>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="2" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559684&quot;:-2,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="2" data-aria-level="1">Adjusting work environment to reduce distractions </li>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="2" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559684&quot;:-2,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="3" data-aria-level="1">Figuring out with the person how best they work – sometimes having tight deadlines is really useful as it creates positive pressure to get a job done. A number of journalists have commented to me that they think they have ADHD and news media is a great place for them to work as the content is constantly changing and the deadlines are tight and quick </li>
</ul>
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