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ADHD Research Lab

@adhdresearchlab

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Research group at King's College London, UK.
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We’ve launched a new content series called Shared Thinking, where we bring together expert voices in neurodivergence to talk openly about challenges our community faces, offering advice and lived experience in plain language.

To celebrate #MenopauseAwarenessMonth, we’re talking about the overlap between ADHD and the menopause transition.

We’ve partnered with Professor Ellie Dommett PhD, Professor of Neuroscience at King’s College London, to create this GP checklist, and our Psychoeducation Lead, Laura Philliskirk shares her thoughts on when it might be time to explore an ADHD assessment.

If you think this might help you or a loved one, save this post for some practical advice on how to open up the conversation with your GP.

ADHDResearchLab The image is a poster titled "Shared Thinking: Opening up the menopause conversation." It features two individuals, Prof. Ellie Dommett and Laura Philliskirk, with their names and titles displayed below their photos. The text describes their roles and mentions King's College London and ProblemShared. The poster discusses creating a checklist to discuss hormonal fluctuations and ADHD.

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🧠 SAME DIAGNOSIS. DIFFERENT NEEDS.

What if understanding ADHD and anxiety means looking beyond diagnostic labels?

A new Nature Mental Health study analysed brain-connectivity, cognitive and behavioural data from 3,508 children aged 9–11 to investigate patterns spanning both conditions.

🔬 Researchers identified two main dimensions: cognitive control and emotion–attention regulation—linking brain-network patterns with differences in thinking, attention and behaviour.

These dimensions revealed three research-defined profiles: predominantly outward behavioural dysregulation, predominantly inward emotional distress, and mixed difficulties. They crossed diagnostic boundaries rather than neatly separating ADHD from anxiety.

The researchers also found that the patterns generalised to an independent sample of 224 children.

💙 My takeaway: understand the child—not just the label.

Instead of asking, “Which brain type is my child?” a more useful question is: “What support helps this child learn, feel understood and manage everyday demands?”

⚠️ These are not three new official ADHD types. This observational study does not prove causation, establish a clinical MRI test or show which medication or treatment an individual child needs.

Better understanding should lead to more personalised support—not another box to put children in.

💬 What do you wish people understood about the overlap between attention difficulties and anxiety?

📌 Save and share with a parent, educator or someone who supports neurodivergent children.

📚 Jiao et al. | Nature Mental Health | 16 October 2026
DOI: 10.1038/s44220-026-00740-3

Asphar Mental Health Neuroscience
🌐 www.mentalhealthneuroscience.com
Education only—not medical advice.

#ADHD #Anxiety #ChildMentalHealth #Neuroscience #Neurodiversity MentalHealthNeuroscience

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DISCLAIMER: I am not taking away the struggles of being autistic or saying they don’t ’deserve’ the help… they do and I’m so happy to see the recognition that is happening. I’m saying that ADHD needs the same and shouldn’t be dismissed despite struggles being similar.

ED treatment is not accessible as an individual with ADHD without adjustments. When advocating for myself I was told I was being selfish for having certain needs or that I wasn’t engaging with treatment. Both were completely wrong.
As an outpatient, I have more control over tending to my needs and treatment thus far has been much more effective.

What is most concerning, I’m not the only one with this experience.

#adhd #adhdawareness #anarecovery #edrecovering #edawareness

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The most creative ways are always the best 😆

Never judge yourself for the way you get there- getting there is what matters!

#adhd #adhdawareness #adhdproblems #adhdsupport #adhdlife

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@channel4 @channel4documentaries you have messed with the wrong people 😌

#adhd #adhduk #thegreatadhdmyth #adhdsupport #adhdawareness

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ADHD is real. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be asking difficult questions about how we diagnose and support it.

After recently finishing six months working clinically in a CAMHS ADHD service, this is a conversation I care deeply about.

There’s an important distinction between questioning the legitimacy of ADHD and questioning the quality of ADHD assessment and care.

A good assessment isn’t just a questionnaire or a quick snapshot of someone’s life.

It means taking time to understand the whole person: their development, environment, physical and mental health, co-occurring conditions, differential diagnoses and wider circumstances.

And diagnosis is only one part of the picture.

People need timely access to high-quality assessment, reasonable adjustments and personalised support that might include lifestyle changes, organisational strategies, therapy, coaching and/or medication.

Really glad to see @thercpsych speaking so clearly on this following the recent rather shocking documentary, particularly our President Professor Subodh Dave @subodh.dave .

We should absolutely scrutinise rising diagnoses, waiting lists and variation in assessment quality.

But we can do that without invalidating a well-established neurodevelopmental condition or the people living with it.

Nuance matters. Especially when the conversation affects whether people feel able to seek and receive help.

#adhdcare #thegreatadhdmyth #psychiatrycare #adhdisreal #neurodiversitymatters

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Here’s what helped and why:

1. Blind weigh ins- takes away the control mechanism within my ED which takes away a ‘benefit’ to engaging in behaviours, also prevents a hyper fixation which allows me to progress.

2. Treatment decisions also including me- for example, my meal plan is decided by me alongside the team which means my preferences and life schedule are considered as well as executive functioning challenges. Things are at my pace, still being pushed but not too far that I hit overwhelm and it sends me backwards, considering my difficulty with processing/change. This way it’s more sustainable and easier to follow.

3. Not focusing solely on my ED and seeing it as a package including my ADHD- you cannot make one better as the other becomes worse, so addressing both means relapse is less likely. It also makes recovery accessible because my ADHD can make many aspects of treatment harder so adapting allows me a better chance of success.

Why does this matter?
It provides that..
a) treatment is not a ‘one size fits all’ and typical approaches are not always best
b) there is no right or wrong way to recover and what matters is making it fit your needs

In the same way that short people need something to stand on to reach a high shelf, accepting individual differences is vital in achieving success!

#anarecovery #edrecovering #adhdawareness #edawareness #recoveryispossible

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To reiterate, this is NOT about all and I am so very grateful for the professionals who have helped me 📣
(Also inspired by the incredible @finding_fi_ post!!)

Unfortunately, my experience is not unique and the system (although many improvements have been made) shout not be letting down neurodivergent individuals.

I made this post, not to put down anyone, but for awareness as I hope to use my experience to improve care for future patients🫂

#edrecovery #neurodivergent #adhd #neurodiversity #edawareness

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💫 Fidget Toys for ADHD! What do you think?!

They are great for ADHD Stimming and relieving anxiety.

Fidget toys are squishy, spinning or a clicker.

Do you have Fidget toys?

If so, what do you think is the BEST Fidget toys for an Adult?! 💫

I would love for you to weigh in!

XO Val 🧡

#adhdfidget #stimming #adhdentrepreneur
#adhdhacks #fidgetspinners

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Just because the teachers haven’t noticed, doesn’t mean we aren’t struggling!! 📚👩🏼‍🏫

Teachers are not specialists in neurodivergency, therefore we cannot rely on them. A friend, family member, or another person in their life might pick up on their symptoms and that is just as valid! Being diagnosed sooner, rather than later provides so many benefits, and prevents things such as, development of co-existing mental health disorders, heavy masking, unhealthy coping mechanisms etc.

Never feel ‘wrong’ for noticing or questioning, doing so will only cause more good then harm 🫶🏻

#adhd #neurodivergent #neurodivergence #autism #adhdawareness

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Here is some advice on how to support adhders in treatment and reasonable adjustments that can be made:

- providing information around what to expect (the environment, treatment, professionals) to reduce anxiety of unknown situations.
- keep appointments, if ongoing, consistent to help with organisation e.g. in the same room/with the same person/at the same time.
- provide a quiet area for the patient to wait in, or schedule appointments at quieter times for sensory needs.
- allow for longer appointments due to processing differences, also information to be accessible and both written and verbal.
- allow for short breaks and fidget items to aid focus/concentration.

These adjustments make treatment accessible, especially because treatment must address not only the eating disorder but also ADHD for the best possible outcome 🩺

#anarecovery #adhd #eatingdisorderrecovery #adhdawareness #eatingdisorderawareness

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.
Sometimes I think in rhymes.. many times actually..

#adhd #neurodivergent #bipolar #rhymes #mentalhealth

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