ADHD MYTHS VS FACTS
Sorting the truth from the stigma while you wait.
If you are waiting for an ADHD assessment, you may be navigating a swirl of emotions - curiosity, relief, worry and even self-doubt. This is all completely understandable but it doesn’t help that ADHD is often misunderstood.
So let’s clear up some of the most common myths and give you the facts that you really need to know.
Myth 1:
“ADHD isn’t a ‘real’ condition”
FACT:
ADHD is internationally recognised as a neurological condition.
Research shows that ADHD is hereditary.
Brain imaging studies show differences in brain development between people with and without ADHD.
Myth 2:
“ADHD is just an excuse for laziness.”
FACT:
ADHD has nothing to do with being lazy
People with ADHD often try incredibly hard - sometimes harder than others - but face real challenges with focus, memory, motivation and regulation.
The issue isn’t about willpower - it is how the brain manages attention, time and tasks.
What looks like procrastination or forgetfulness on the outside can actually be exhausting mental juggling on the inside.
Myth 3:
“It’s just a childhood issue - people grow out of it.”
FACT:
ADHD is a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition.
While some traits may change over time, many people continue to experience ADHD symptoms into adulthood - they just look different.
Research suggests that ADHD symptoms worsen over time.
A child who couldn’t sit still in school may grow into an adult who constantly fidgets, jumps between tasks or feels mentally restless.
Myth 4:
“ADHD is all about hyperactivity.”
FACT:
Not everyone with ADHD is hyperactive.
There are different presentations of ADHD:
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Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive Type
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Predominantly Inattentive Type (often missed, especially in girls or quiet students)
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Combined Type
Many people, especially adults or women, go undiagnosed because they don’t ‘look hyper’. Instead, they may zone out, forget things or seem disorganised - but that’s still ADHD.
Myth 5:
“ADHD is caused by bad parenting”
FACT:
ADHD is a brain-based condition - it is not caused by parenting.
While environment plays a role in how someone manages their ADHD, it does not cause it. ADHD tends to run in families and is linked to differences in brain structure, function and chemistry.
Parenting doesn’t cause ADHD but understanding ADHD can make parenting a lot easier.
Myth 6:
“ADHD is caused by eating too much sugar”
FACT:
Whilst there is no evidence that ADHD is caused by bad diet, a diet that is high in sugar and unrefined carbohydrates can exacerbate symptoms creating higher levels of hyperactivity and typically results in a ‘crash’.
Myth 7:
“Everyone’s a bit ADHD these days.”
FACT:
Everyone can get distracted but ADHD is a lot more than that.
ADHD is about patterns that persist across time and settings and significantly impact daily life.
Everyone loses their keys now and then. But people with ADHD might lose them every day, along with forgetting appointments, struggling to start tasks or feeling overwhelmed by simple routines.
Myth 8:
“ADHD is a superpower”
FACT:
Whilst hyperfocusing may be beneficial it isn’t always productive or healthy and isn’t something that you can choose to switch on or off.
It is very rare for it to align with the task that actually needs doing.
Rather, it can lead to burnout and may mean that important tasks are neglected.
While You Wait...
Waiting for assessment can feel frustrating, but it’s also a great time to:
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Learn about ADHD and how it might show up in your life.
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Try different tools (like reminders, timers and body-doubling).
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Be kind to yourself. ADHD isn’t a flaw it is just a different way of processing the world.
You are not imagining it. You are not alone and you deserve to be understood, not judged.
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