ADHD Collective Scotland

30/12/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1AWNPQfSXd/

The group is designed specifically for women with ADHD

30/12/2025

30/12/2025

Free webinar for anyone who has neorodivergent children

💫 Join Dr Tony Lloyd, Consultant, Trainer, Psychologist & Neurodiversity Specialist at Neurodiversity Training UK, for a webinar full of top tips you won’t want to miss.

Register for more details: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0qdX9-0

30/12/2025

🧠 ADHD Traits vs Impairment – Why the Difference Matters

Many people recognise ADHD-like traits in themselves such as distractibility, forgetfulness, restlessness, impulsivity, or difficulty with organisation. These traits are common and exist on a spectrum across the general population.

👉 Having traits does not automatically mean ADHD.

📌 When Does It Become ADHD?

ADHD is not diagnosed based on traits alone. What distinguishes ADHD from everyday difficulties is impairment.

Impairment means:

The difficulties are persistent

They occur across multiple settings (e.g. work, education, home)

They significantly interfere with daily functioning, relationships, learning, employment, or independence

Without clear functional impairment, someone may experience ADHD-like traits but not meet diagnostic criteria for ADHD.

🔄 Overlap With Other Conditions

Many conditions can present with similar traits to ADHD, including:

Anxiety disorders

Depression

Autism

Trauma and stress-related conditions

Sleep disorders

Learning difficulties

Sensory processing differences

For example:

Poor concentration can be linked to anxiety or low mood

Restlessness may be driven by stress or trauma

Executive functioning difficulties can appear in autism or during burnout

This overlap is why assessment should always explore alternative and co-occurring explanations, not just ADHD.

🎯 Why Specialist Assessment Is Essential

Because ADHD traits are not specific to ADHD, accurate diagnosis requires:

✔️ Expertise in neurodevelopmental and mental health conditions

✔️ Careful assessment of impairment, not just symptoms

✔️ Differential diagnosis to rule out or identify other causes

✔️ Understanding of how traits present across the lifespan

Misdiagnosis can lead to inappropriate treatment or missing the real support someone needs.

🧩 Our Two-Stage Assessment Approach

At ADHD Collective Scotland we recognise that not everyone who has ADHD-like traits has ADHD and that clarity matters.

That’s why we offer a two-stage assessment process:

1️⃣ Initial screening and trait-based assessment to identify whether difficulties may reflect ADHD traits or another explanation

2️⃣ Comprehensive diagnostic assessment for those where impairment and history suggest probable ADHD

This approach helps:

Differentiate traits vs clinically significant impairment

Avoid unnecessary diagnostic labelling and expensive costs

Ensure those who do need a diagnosis receive a robust, evidence-based assessment

Signpost appropriate support for those whose difficulties have other causes.

27/12/2025

Hot mess a short animated film about ADHD

Hot Mess is a British short animated film that has so far won 25 awards and had over 108 selections in over 20 different countries. It is both BIFA and BAFTA...

26/12/2025

21/12/2025

Choosing the right private provider for an ADHD assessment really matters.

It’s essential that assessments are carried out by appropriately qualified clinicians, with extensive experience, and that assessments fully meet national and clinical guidelines.

At ADHD Collective Scotland , we can confidently guarantee this.

With many years of experience delivering adult ADHD assessments across both the NHS and private services, our clinicians have the knowledge, skills, and expertise to ensure assessments meet the highest required standards.

Just as importantly, we believe in being open and honest with our clients. We are transparent about the reality around NHS accepting private ADHD assessments. Even when an assessment is completed to an excellent standard, there can be factors outside anyone’s control that affect NHS acceptance.

Our commitment is simple:

✔ High-quality, guideline-compliant assessments

✔ Highly experienced clinicians

✔ Clear, honest communication every step of the way

Because informed clients deserve clarity, not false promises.

18/12/2025

🧠 ADHD “Waiting Mode” — and why it can steal your whole day

If you have ADHD, you might know this feeling: You’re waiting for an appointment, a phone call, a delivery, or to go out later…
And suddenly your brain decides nothing else can happen until then.

This is often called ADHD waiting mode.

It’s not laziness.
It’s not poor time management.
It’s your brain struggling with task switching, time perception, and anxiety.

While waiting, your nervous system stays on high alert:

• “What if I miss it?”
• “I can’t relax yet”
• “I’ll start something and won’t finish in time”

So instead, you freeze, scrolling, pacing, or doing nothing sometimes for hours.

⏳ How to break the paralysis of waiting mode

Here are ADHD-friendly ways to reduce its grip:

✅ Create a “buffer rule”

Decide in advance: I don’t need to be ready until X minutes before.
Write it down so your brain doesn’t keep rechecking.

✅ Use alarms (not memory)

Set one alarm for “get ready” and one for “leave”.
Once alarms are set, you’re allowed to stop holding the time in your head.

✅ Choose “safe tasks”

Do things that can be stopped instantly:

• folding laundry
• showering
• tidying one surface
• watching a short episode

Avoid deep-focus tasks that feel risky.

✅ Physically change location

Move to a different room or go for a short walk.
Movement helps release the frozen feeling.

✅ Name it out loud

Saying “This is ADHD waiting mode” can reduce shame and unlock action.

You’re not broken.
Your brain just needs different systems, not more willpower.

💙 Share this to help someone else understand why “waiting” can be exhausting.

17/12/2025

🧠 ADHD & Anxiety: What’s the Link?

ADHD and anxiety frequently occur together and understanding the connection can be helpful

🔹 ADHD and anxiety are highly comorbid
Research shows that around 40–60% of adults with ADHD also experience an anxiety disorder. Many people are diagnosed with anxiety first, while ADHD remains unrecognised.

🔹 ADHD can contribute to anxiety
Living with ADHD often means:

Chronic stress from forgetfulness or disorganisation

Fear of failure due to repeated setbacks at school or work

Social anxiety linked to impulsivity or missed social cues

Over time, these experiences can lead to persistent anxiety.

🔹 They share biological pathways
Both ADHD and anxiety involve differences in:

Dopamine and noradrenaline regulation

Prefrontal cortex functioning (attention, planning, emotional regulation)

Stress-response systems

This means the link is neurological as well as psychological.

🔹 Symptoms can overlap and mask each other

Difficulty concentrating

Restlessness

Racing thoughts

Procrastination or avoidance

This overlap can lead to misdiagnosis, particularly when anxiety hides underlying ADHD.

🔹 Anxiety may temporarily ‘compensate’ for ADHD
Some people rely on anxiety (e.g. last-minute pressure) to stay focused. While this may work short-term, it often results in burnout and worsening anxiety.

💡 Why This Matters

Treating ADHD appropriately often reduces anxiety, especially when combined with:

Psychological therapies (e.g. CBT)

Skills-based support (organisation, emotional regulation)

Medication tailored to the individual

✨ Key Message

ADHD and anxiety often reinforce each other but with the right support, both can improve.

📚 Academic & UK-Relevant References

1. Kessler, R. C., et al. (2006).
The prevalence and correlates of adult ADHD in the United States.
American Journal of Psychiatry, 163(4), 716–723.
(Foundational study on ADHD comorbidity, including anxiety)

2. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).
ADHD: Diagnosis and Management (NG87).
NICE, UK, 2018 (updated).
(UK clinical guideline recognising high rates of comorbid anxiety)

3. Biederman, J., et al. (2008).
Functional impairments in adults with ADHD and comorbid anxiety disorders.
Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 69(12), 1933–1945.

4. Shaw, P., et al. (2014).
Neurodevelopmental trajectories of the human cerebral cortex.
Journal of Neuroscience, 34(29), 9349–9358.
(Prefrontal cortex development relevant to ADHD and emotional regulation)

5. Brown, T. E. (2013).
A New Understanding of ADHD in Children and Adults.
Routledge.
(Widely cited work on emotional regulation and anxiety in ADHD)

16/12/2025

ADHD Collective Scotland proud sponsors of football coach Aaron McCallion of Graeme Ramage 1-2-1 Football Academy

16/12/2025

We are excited to announce that our new website is now live.

It offers a wide range of informative content about ADHD, as well as comprehensive information about our team, our values, and the services we provide.

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