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ADHD Coaching for Adults
ADHD in adults has only been formally recognised as a special needs disorder since the late 1960s. Up until that point it was thought that ADHD was something that a person would grow out of. What we now understand is that ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is present across the person's lifespan which can still significantly impact an adult’s daily life.

Also, a high percentage of adults that were not diagnosed as children or are still living not knowing they have ADHD. Adults that have received their diagnosis in adulthood and/or late-adulthood, have expressed that up until that point they believed that they were “just failing at being a human”.

In adults, the typical symptoms of ADHD behaviours may look like this:

Inattention – excessive mind wandering, shifting thoughts from one topic to the next, simultaneous thoughts – internal mental distractibility which impact on engagement with day-to-day tasks as well as relationships.

Hyperactivity – significant impatience, internal restlessness, forgetfulness, disorganisation, difficulties prioritising and completing tasks. Boredom or overly focused on enjoyed tasks.

Impulsivity - “Hot temper” easily experience anger outbursts, frustration, irritability, and mood swings (emotional instability), impatience driving in traffic and waiting in lines.

 
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          ADHD in Adults
Family Pathway have done their research and we know that a one fit for all programme does not work.              
ADHD in Men and Women

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Just like with children, we must always remember that ADHD symptoms present, and most importantly are experienced, in different ways depending on the individual. Something else to consider is that traditionally, ADHD was considered to only impact males and even though the physical development of the brain is the same between males and females, the manifestation of ADHD symptoms or challenges can differ somewhat. This is thought to be believed why so many girls and women are misdiagnosed to this day.
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Research suggests that typically ADHD males’ presentations are outwardly displayed, for example, in the form of being physically hyperactive or an outburst, whereas females experience their ADHD symptoms more internally. For this reason, it is not uncommon for both professionals and people to dismiss females’ symptoms or misdiagnose. Take this scenario, there are two children in a classroom. One is quiet and withdrawn, doesn’t really complete their class tasks on time, or at all, but makes no fuss. The other child blurts out answers, interrupts the teacher, moves around the classroom, and has angry outbursts which interrupts the whole class. Who do you think will be referred for extra support? The one who is causing the most “pain” for the teacher. In females, the hyperactivity aspect of ADHD is not always explicit and may manifest internally. This can then lead to a “referral bias” which means that only the more “noticeable” people get referred for support or behaviour interventions, while the quiet and withdrawn individual is suffering in silence and unnoticed.
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Typical picture of an adult with ADHD:
 
     Struggle to complete tasks                                    Struggle with time management
       Disorganisation                                                                     Keeping to commitments
       Impatience                                                                            Mood swings
       Anger outbursts                                                                   Difficulties with employment – employability or maintaining                                                                                                            job
        Feelings of shame                                                               Paranoid
       Challenges with social relationships                                   Boredom
       Feeling overwhelmed                                                          Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (finding it extremely difficult to                                                                                                        deal with rejection and criticism)
       Withdrawn                                                                            Social rejection
       Impulsivity with sexual acts                                                 Unplanned pregnancies (in a study with a group of women                                                                                                              45% had an unplanned pregnancy, compared to 10%                                                                                                                      neurotypical women)
       Depression                                                                            Self-harm
       Suicide                                                                                   Anxiety
       Struggles with weight management                                   Bullying
       Messy                                                                                     Hyper fixation on enjoyed things 
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       Fidgeting – this can be overtly clear or subtle ways like tapping fingers and legs
       Talking fast or too much
       Poor decision making – struggle to filter out good decisions from bad
       Emotional
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Find out further about our holistic and client-centred coaching programme . We focus first and foremost on enhancing wellbeing, which can be greatly impacted by the symptoms of ADHD. We believe that when a person can participate in the things that they want and need to do they live fulfilled lives.
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