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Why We Need ADHD Awareness Month

Updated: Feb 7

This post was originally published in October 2020 on Medium



**My ADHD is the reason this wasn’t ready for October 1st!**

Edit: I’ve recently seen October referred to as ADHD Celebration Month (by Aspergers Victoria). I personally think that is a much better choice of words. However, as ADHD Awareness Month is the official name of the campaign I have used that terminology in this article.


If you’re not part of the ADHD community, you might not realise that October is ADHD Awareness month. Even if you do know, you might be wondering why we need awareness around ADHD. I mean, everyone knows what ADHD is, right? Or at least it’s predecessor ADD. It crops up in pop culture all the time – from TV to books, movies to songs. Except it doesn’t, not really. You may know what ADHD stands for, but we are not raising awareness of an acronym. ADHD Awareness Month is about challenging stereotypes and debunking myths. So this year I have compiled my top 5 reasons why we need ADHD Awareness Month.



1. Some people still think ADHD is “made up”

This is the big one. In the last few years, I’ve come across a staggering number of people who believe ADHD isn’t a real condition. It’s just an excuse for “bad” behaviour. Mostly they believe that kids with ADHD (because adults don’t have ADHD…) are spoiled brats with weak parents who would “behave” if they had boundaries and discipline. Which is interesting…using this logic, surely once in school – which is nothing but rigid boundaries and discipline – ADHD behaviour would disappear? Often these people also have very definite views on parents who choose to medicate their children. We are “lazy” and are taking the easy way out (they’ve obviously never tried to get a child to take meds they don’t want – Definitely not easy!).

Sometimes the denial is more nuanced. They may say they believe it exists but that is is over diagnosed, or that it can be treated with diet and exercise. Misleading headlines like “Screen time increases ADHD symptoms” or claims of an “ADHD Epidemic” feed into these beliefs. The truth is, yes, some children do exhibit ADHD-like symptoms that are relieved with extra time outside or less screen time. However, these children do not have ADHD. Misdiagnosis does happen, but that occurs when professionals do not follow best-practice when making a diagnosis, or when other factors are not taken into account.

ADHD is a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition that can impact all aspects of life. It has been comprehensively studied worldwide and its existence is not in doubt. MRIs comparing the brains of those with ADHD to neurotypical brains are just one of the tools used to demonstrate this. It is genetic, with a strong hereditary component and while environment can effect the severity of symptoms, it cannot create ADHD. In Australia, ADHD symptoms must exist in all environments. Not just at school or home. High-quality practitioners will look at all possible reasons for behaviour and only when all other possibilities have been ruled out is anADHD diagnosis given. Parental education and therapy play an integral role in the process and medication is not handed out lightly. I would urge anyone whose paediatrician is not following this procedure to find a new one.

The increase in ADHD diagnosis is primarily down to better awareness, not misdiagnosis. In truth, ADHD often goes undiagnosed, especially in girls. ADHD is not made up, and there is no epidemic. It is a neurodevelopmental disorder that effects all ages and genders. ADHD Awareness Month aims to correct these misconceptions and ensure everyone with ADHD receives the support they need.

2. ADHD is consistently misrepresented in the media and pop culture



Accurate representation of ADHD in the media is pretty much nonexistent (if you can think of any, please let me know in the comments). The go-to representation of ADHD is of a hyperactive young boy bouncing off the walls, creating chaos and refusing to listen to anyone. Or of a “zombie” child, addicted to medication and unable to just be a kid. Perpetuating those stereotypes is damaging and dangerous, for countless reasons. I could write a thousand words on why this is ignorant BS and how angry it makes me, but for now I will focus on some basic facts.

There are three types of ADHD: hyperactive, inattentive, and combined. There are three types because there are so many different symptoms associated with ADHD. The kid in the movies bouncing off the walls represents only a small handful of these symptoms. Focusing on these traits is in some ways understandable. They are easy to depict and send a clear message. But it is a cop-out and people with ADHD deserve better.

This lack of accurate representation has a very real impact. When people incorrectly assume they know what ADHD looks like, people with ADHD symptoms that don’t fit that mould are left undiagnosed and unsupported. Boys are much more likely than girls to be diagnosed with ADHD, but that is largely down to lack of understanding – even among professionals – around how ADHD presents in girls. Getting accurate information out into the mainstream is essential if we are to redress this imbalance.

Likewise, depicting children who are medicated as “zombies” is incredibly harmful. It can sway parents away from treatments that can be of enormous help to their child. It can influence teenagers to stop taking their meds, out of fear or shame. Or it simply creates false expectations, because medication is not a magic bullet. It absolutely helps, but taking medication doesn’t automatically give you the skills to manage your ADHD. It simply provides the opportunity to learn those skills, and apply them.


3. Children with ADHD are being failed by the education system



Ok, this one hits particularly close to home. As a teacher, I fight this battle professionally. As a parent I fight it personally. It’s almost become my raison d’être and I have to make sure it doesn’t consume me (ADHD hyper focus!). In Australia, ADHD is a disability. However, it doesn’t currently attract any funding. This leads to many schools failing to fulfil their obligations under the Disability Discrimination Act and the Disability Standards in Education. Children with ADHD require support and accommodations in order to have a successful school experience*. Unfortunately, poor knowledge and understanding about ADHD, a lack of funding for support staff, and the ever-increasing pressures on teacher time and resources mean that many children with ADHD are being let down by the education system. This has lifelong impacts across all areas: mental and physical health, employment, financial security, and relationships. It is vital that we work to change this and improve the long-term outcomes for people with ADHD.

*ADHD bears no relationship to IQ whatsoever. People with ADHD are as likely to have an intellectual disability or be gifted as the rest of the population. A gifted child with ADHD (twice exceptional) should not be refused access to academic extension because of their ADHD. Nor should they be refused accommodations for their ADHD because they are gifted.


4. ADHD does not suddenly disappear when you reach adulthood



ADHD is a lifelong condition. That doesn’t necessarily mean that people need to be medicated throughout their life, that is an individual choice, but choosing not to take medication doesn’t mean your ADHD no longer exists.

I was diagnosed at the age of 36 following my daughter’s diagnosis. She is, and always has been, a mini-me. If she has ADHD it made absolute sense that I did, too. Getting an ADHD diagnosis as an adult is not easy. The fact that ADHD medication is a highly controlled drug that is often abused (by people without ADHD – because they do not have the same effect on neurotypical brains) means that any adult seeking treatment is automatically considered suspicious. Nevertheless, I was lucky enough to find a psychiatrist who listened to me, took a thorough history and recognised that the challenges I had faced throughout my life were (at least in part) a product of untreated ADHD. Medication changed my life. I have been treated on-and-off for anxiety and depression my entire adult life. It never seemed to make much difference. My ADHD medication has helped in ways that I never thought possible. I no longer see myself as a failure for struggling with things other people seem to find easy. I know it is part of my DNA and I have accepted the fact that sometimes I need to adjust my expectations and make accommodations.

When people fail to recognise that adults can have ADHD they assume that the symptoms are personality flaws. They see laziness, procrastination, emotional reactivity, poor financial health, disorganisation, selfishness…the list goes on. Or, they don’t see any of this because the person with ADHD hides their difficulties and instead suffers from increasingly poor mental and physical health as they try to be “normal”. By increasing awareness of adult ADHD we can hopefully reduce the stigma, normalise workplace accommodations, and improve both personal and professional relationships.

5. The positive aspects of ADHD need to be celebrated!



ADHD impacts all aspects of life. However it’s not all negative. ADHD is often associated with creativity, curiosity, inventiveness, and entrepreneurship. There is an incredible number of celebrities and business people who acknowledge and even attribute their success to their ADHD. The list includes:

  • Mark Ruffalo

  • Justin Timberlake

  • Adam Levine

  • Michael Phelps

  • Dave Grohl

  • Will.i.am

  • Emma Watson

  • Zooey Deschanel

  • Michelle Rogriguez

And this is only a very, very small sample of the amazing men and women who have achieved success with ADHD.

Acknowledging that ADHD brings both challenges and benefits is essential. It allows you to work on the areas you want to improve whilst capitalising on the benefits. Focusing only on a deficit model of ADHD (as is usual in health and education) contributes to the stigma and shame many people with ADHD feel. Embracing the positive aspects of neurodiversity doesn’t negate the challenges, but it can act as a counterbalance to the negative impact of these challenges on mental health and self-esteem.



I hope you have enjoyed this post. Please share with as many people as you can during October!

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