Support & Resources

Living with ADHD as an adult can feel isolating, even when support and resources are available. The challenge is often knowing where to look.

This page brings together trusted tools, information, and practical resources to help you better navigate ADHD. If you know of a community group, resource, or tool that could help others, we’d love to hear from you.

ADHD Support: Resources, Courses, and Practical Help

National ADHD Resources

Find support and advice for ADHD across the UK:

ADHD UK – Offers guidance and resources for individuals with ADHD and their families.

CHADD – Provides advice and tools for parents and children living with ADHD.

NHS ADHD Information – Learn about symptoms, treatment options, and how to manage ADHD effectively.

Workplace Support

Helping employees with ADHD and their employers build inclusive workplaces:

Access to Work Grant Scheme (ATW) A government scheme offering practical and financial support to help individuals with disabilities, long-term health conditions, or neurodivergent traits start, stay in, and thrive at work.

Local Support (Staffordshire)

Free advice and guidance for families and individuals with SEND in Staffordshire:

Staffordshire SENDIASS – Staffordshire’s Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information, Advice, and Support Service. They offer:

    • Free, impartial, and confidential advice.
    • Support for parents and carers of children and young people with SEND (0-25).
    • Help for children and young people with SEND.

Podcasts and Videos for ADHDers

Explore relatable tips and personal stories to support ADHD management:

ADHD reWired (Podcast) – A podcast offering productivity tips, emotional regulation advice, and community support for adults with ADHD.

How to ADHD (YouTube Channel) – Jessica McCabe shares practical strategies for organisation, relationships, and mental health.

The ADHD Women’s Wellbeing Podcast– Created for women with ADHD, this podcast offers practical advice and emotional support to navigate challenges and embrace strengths.

Motherhood in ADHD – A podcast focused on helping mothers with ADHD balance parenting, work, and self-care while providing insights tailored to their unique experiences.

The ADHD Adults Podcast– A light-hearted, informative podcast discussing ADHD topics, science, and real-life experiences, hosted by professionals with ADHD.

Online Courses on ADHD

Learn more about ADHD through these trusted, free online courses:

Understanding ADHD – OpenLearn (Open University)

This free, self-paced course provides an overview of ADHD, focusing on the neurodevelopmental and impact aspects of the condition. No questions or assessments—just informative content to help deepen your understanding.

Understanding ADHD – King’s College London (futrelearn.com)

This highly recommended course offers up-to-date information about ADHD in both children and adults, covering males and females. It explores the latest research on the ADHD brain and its functioning.

Financial Support

Get help managing finances:

StepChange Debt Charity – Free, confidential advice to help people manage debt and regain financial stability.

Understanding the Key Features of ADHD

Recognising the main features that define ADHD is crucial for understanding how it impacts individuals’ lives. Here’s an introduction to the four main features of ADHD and why they are important to know:

Interest-based nervous system

Individuals with ADHD have an interest-based nervous system. This means their attention and focus are intensely drawn towards things they find personally stimulating or relevant. This dynamic system constantly adapts to prioritise engagement with the world based on changing levels of interest.

Emotional hyperarousal

Emotional hyperarousal is a hallmark of ADHD. It’s like having the brain’s emotional volume constantly cranked up, amplifying both positive and negative feelings. This leads to intense emotional swings, where joy, excitement, frustration, or sadness can feel overwhelming.

Rejection sensitivity

Rejection sensitivity is a common experience for those with ADHD. Due to a heightened emotional response, perceived rejection (even minor) can trigger intense feelings of hurt, shame, and self-doubt. It’s like a supercharged emotional reaction that can be difficult to manage.

Impulsivity

People with ADHD frequently have a reduced ability to control their impulses. This can mean acting without thinking things all the way through, getting distracted easily, struggling to wait their turn, or interrupting others. Impulsivity often contributes to decisions or actions that have unintended consequences.

Why These Features Are Important

Understanding these core features of ADHD—interest-based nervous system, emotional hyperarousal, rejection sensitivity, and impulsivity—provides valuable insight into the daily experiences of individuals with ADHD. This knowledge is essential for families, educators, employers, and healthcare professionals to offer effective support and create environments where individuals with ADHD can thrive.

By being aware of these characteristics, you can better empathize with and support those affected by ADHD, helping them navigate their unique challenges and harness their strengths.

Assistive Technology for ADHD: Tools to Thrive

Reading and Comprehension

Microsoft Immersive Reader
Turns text into speech and highlights words, making reading easier and improving comprehension.

Natural Reader
Free text-to-speech tool that reads text aloud, simplifying understanding and focus.

BeeLine Reader
Uses colour gradients to guide your eyes smoothly along the text, reducing eye strain.

Organisation and Task Management

Microsoft To-Do
A simple tool for organising tasks with satisfying feedback when tasks are completed.

Todoist
Straightforward task manager to help keep track of priorities with reminders.

Trello
A visual task organiser with boards and lists, ideal for breaking tasks into steps.

Focus and Productivity

Forest App
Encourages you to stay off your phone by “growing” a virtual tree while you work.

Cold Turkey
Blocks distracting sites for set times, creating space for focused work.

Fathom.video
Provides real-time meeting transcriptions and summaries. Works with Microsoft Teams and Zoom, and lets you copy summaries to Slack, Google Docs, Gmail, and more.

Writing and Communication

Grammarly
Checks grammar and clarity, ensuring your message is clear.

Google Docs Voice Typing
Lets you dictate instead of typing, perfect for capturing ideas quickly.

Note-taking and Mind Mapping

Google Keep
Simple note-taking with voice commands, colour-coded notes, and reminders.

MindMeister
A mind-mapping tool for visually organising ideas, great for brainstorming.

Saner.ai
AI-powered note-taking app designed for productivity. Includes a 50% discount for up to 3 months with code ADHDPIRATESSANERAI.

Scheduling and Meeting Management

Calendly
Simplifies scheduling by letting others book time directly with you.

Fathom.video
A versatile meeting tool for automatic summaries, action points, and transcription that works with major video platforms like Microsoft Teams and Zoom.

Books for Understanding ADHD & Living Well

Understanding ADHD

Books that provide foundational knowledge and insights into ADHD.

Driven to Distraction: Recognizing and Coping with Attention Deficit Disorder
A seminal work offering a comprehensive overview of ADHD, combining clinical insights with personal stories to demystify the condition and provide practical coping strategies.

ADHD 2.0: New Science and Essential Strategies for Thriving with Distraction
Building on their previous work, the authors present the latest research and innovative strategies to help individuals with ADHD harness their strengths and thrive in various aspects of life.

ADHD: A Hunter in a Farmer’s World

Hartmann introduces the “hunter versus farmer” theory, suggesting that ADHD traits were advantageous in ancestral environments, and offers guidance on leveraging these traits in the modern world.

Thriving as an Adult with ADHD

Practical guides focused on helping adults manage and excel with ADHD.

The Silent Struggle: Taking Charge of ADHD in Adults
Addresses the unique challenges faced by adults with ADHD, providing strategies for self-management, productivity, and quality of life.

Your Brain’s Not Broken: Strategies for Navigating Your Emotions and Life with ADHD
Practical advice on managing emotional dysregulation and daily challenges, helping adults work effectively with their ADHD brains.

Adult ADHD: How to Succeed as a Hunter in a Farmer’s World
Expanding on his hunter theory, Hartmann provides actionable advice for adults with ADHD, helping them adapt their strengths to personal and professional life.

ADHD in Family & Relationships

Resources aimed at supporting families and improving relationships affected by ADHD.

ADD Success Stories: A Guide to Fulfillment for Families with Attention Deficit Disorder
Hartmann shares inspiring stories of individuals and families overcoming ADHD challenges, offering practical advice for achieving fulfilment.

ADHD in Later Life

Books addressing ADHD at different life stages, including older adulthood.

Still Distracted After All These Years: Help and Support for Older Adults with ADHD
Focused on the experiences of older adults with ADHD, this book provides tailored strategies to manage symptoms and improve quality of life in later years.

For the Newly Diagnosed

Supportive resources for individuals recently diagnosed with ADHD.

The Year I Met My Brain: A Travel Companion for Adults Who Have Just Found Out They Have ADHD
A compassionate guide for adults newly diagnosed with ADHD, offering insights and practical advice to navigate the initial stages of understanding and managing the condition.

Latest Articles

Time Blindness and ADHD: Why Time Feels Different for Us

Time Blindness and ADHD: Why Time Feels Different for Us

At ADHD Pirates, we’re passionate about making the science behind ADHD accessible and practical. Time blindness is a common struggle for many of us, but why does it happen, and how can we work with our brains instead of against them? To dig into the neuroscience...

read more
ADHD: Beyond Gendered Stereotypes

ADHD: Beyond Gendered Stereotypes

ADHD is one of the most misunderstood neurodevelopmental conditions, with its recognition shaped by societal biases and gendered stereotypes. These narratives exclude many individuals and perpetuate harmful misunderstandings. This article explores these biases and...

read more
Shares
Share This
Skip to content