While October is full of cosy sweaters, pumpkin picking and fallen leaves, it’s also ADHD Awareness Month.

We want to share stories of our team beyond the extraordinary work they create for us and share what makes them amazing humans and how their different perspectives bring strengths.

Whether you’re someone with ADHD, questioning if you have ADHD or someone seeking to understand more about others. This month, we’re here to celebrate, educate and embrace all that comes with ADHD.

First, I had the opportunity to talk to Michael and ask him a few questions. Michael, like many, is currently awaiting an assessment and diagnosis. Read more on his journey so far, strategies he’s tried and some myths he’d like to bust.

You’re near the start of your ADHD journey. What helped you to realise and start to explore the possibility of you having ADHD?

A few years ago, I became friends with someone diagnosed with ADHD as a child. A few weeks after first knowing them, we were having a casual conversation about their ADHD, and they asked me how long ago I was diagnosed and what medication I was on.

They were quite surprised to find out that I wasn’t diagnosed and (at the time) didn’t think I had ADHD. During the conversation, they were going through common traits/behaviours/issues/side effects they experience as part of their daily life, and it was like there were green lights going off in my head! It was then that I started to think, “Oh, okay, that all actually makes a lot of sense.”

Have you noticed any patterns or recurring issues that have led you to explore the possibility of having ADHD?

Other than the standard “getting distracted easily”, I think the two main recurring issues for me are my lack of impulse control (regardless if I know there are major downsides/negatives to what I’m about to do) and having the inability to start any task/chore that my mind has arbitrarily decided isn’t entertaining enough (Washing dishes, going for a walk etc).

There was also a pattern of me having issues switching my memory that was noticed by my housemate - forgetting where I put an item I just had, forgetting if I locked the door when I leave the house, or even forgetting a word that I wanted to use.

Balancing work and ADHD can be challenging. What coping strategies or techniques, if any, have you tried to manage your challenges before seeking a diagnosis?

For work, I find that as long as I’m in an environment that has as few distractions as possible, things tend to go well. When in the office, this is easily managed (move to a quiet area of the office to remove distractions, including people), and at home, I have set up a desk away from the sitting room where my TV/home computer etc are.)

I have also tried the Pomodoro Technique and listening to music when working - listening to music helps me stay entertained when working and allows me to concentrate for longer periods of time. However, I’ve had mixed results when trying Pomodoro.

Are there any misconceptions or stereotypes about ADHD that you've encountered in your personal or professional life that you'd like to address or dispel?

People with ADHD are lazy. Trust me when I say we want to do a lot of things but simply cannot for whatever reason (e.g. executive dysfunction/lack of cognitive organisation/Chronic Procrastination)

Sometimes, I can get extremely frustrated when there is a task or chore I need to do, but end up in the loop of forgetting the task exists -> remembering the task and how I should have already done that, -> not being able to motivate myself to complete the task - > forget the task.

What support or advice would help others at the start of their journey to seeking an ADHD diagnosis?

Don’t wait to start the process, regardless of the waiting times or even if you are second-guessing yourself. Also, engage with people you know (or don’t!) with ADHD and speak to them about their symptoms/coping strategies/diagnosis journey!

To hear more stories during ADHD Awareness Month, read Kat’s story on living with ADHD.