October: ADHD Awareness Month — Understanding the Many Faces of ADHD

October is recognised across the UK as ADHD Awareness Month, a time dedicated to increasing understanding, challenging misconceptions, and celebrating neurodiversity. This year’s theme, “The Many Faces of ADHD,” reminds us that attention deficit hyperactivity disorder doesn’t look the same for everyone — and that awareness can change lives.

Why ADHD Awareness Matters

ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition, meaning it affects the way the brain develops and functions. It can influence attention, focus, impulse control and emotional regulation. Yet despite growing understanding, ADHD remains widely misunderstood — especially in adults and women, who are often underdiagnosed or misdiagnosed.

Awareness is crucial because it helps:

• Dispel myths — ADHD is not caused by poor parenting, lack of effort or too much screen time.

• Encourage early assessment — Timely recognition can make a significant difference to mental health and quality of life.

• Promote compassion — Understanding the challenges people face can create more inclusive schools, workplaces and communities.

• Highlight strengths — Many individuals with ADHD are creative, energetic, innovative thinkers with incredible resilience.

  
  

The Many Faces of ADHD

There’s no single way ADHD presents. Some people may struggle more with focus and organisation (often labelled inattentive type), while others may find impulsivity or restlessness more prominent (sometimes called hyperactive-impulsive type). Many people experience a mixture of both.

ADHD can also look different at different stages of life — in childhood, adolescence and adulthood. Some learn to mask their symptoms to “fit in”, which can lead to exhaustion and low self-esteem. By listening to individual experiences, we can begin to see ADHD not as a weakness, but as a different way of processing the world.

How to Support ADHD Awareness Month in the UK

Here are a few ways to mark the month and help spread understanding:

• Share resources from trusted UK organisations such as ADHD UK, ADHD Foundation, or NHS Every Mind Matters.

• Encourage open conversations in workplaces, schools and families.

• Attend or host awareness events — many local councils and charities hold talks or online webinars during October.

• Challenge stigma when you hear it. Gentle education can go a long way.

• Celebrate neurodiversity — highlight stories of those thriving with ADHD.

  
  

A Note from Us at Flourish Therapy Clinic

At Flourish Therapy Clinic, we believe awareness is the first step towards empowerment.

ADHD is not a limitation — it’s a different lens through which people see and engage with the world. With the right support, understanding and compassion, those living with ADHD can flourish in every sense of the word.

This October, let’s work together to see beyond labels and appreciate the many faces of ADHD — each one valid, capable, and worthy of being understood.