Our Research Associate Jeremy Lyons is proud to be part of that community. He revels in overcoming barriers having been presented to him, in primarily navigating unforgiving spaces with ADHD and dyslexia. One in three from the community have both ‘comorbid conditions’ and are six times more likely to be diagnosed with a mental illness. In addition:

1. depression, often due to executive dysfunction impairs key parts of work, education or home life
2. generalised anxiety happens often due to excessive worry, which partially combats inattentiveness
3. social anxiety, often when ADHD traits like impulsivity, inattention and different thinking styles impair social functioning
4. OCD-like cycles, often since fixations and excessive checking partially combats inattentiveness and disorganisation

The above does not account for many others who struggle without any recognised diagnosis and therefore no support. Unlike physical challenges, ADHD isn’t visible, so individuals with ADHD often feel unsupported, unwanted, and misunderstood. From the child at school struggling to keep up with the rest of their friends, to the office worker feeling like they don’t belong.

In an interview on the Time to Talk podcast about student mental health, Jeremy Lyons spoke of his experiences overcoming the challenges he faced at school as a result of his neurodiversity being dismissed as just an ‘excuse’. “I remember for GCSE English I was bottom of set 7, a teacher even told me my work looked like it had been written by a foreign child. So I decided to learn the same way as the students for whom English was a foreign language and write down any words I could not understand in a separate book. When it came to the exam, I watched the film of our book instead of struggling to read it and that same teacher had to ask if the school could use my paper to teach as I scored an A* in literature and an A in language.”

This experience taught Jeremy that thinking differently can be exactly what sets you apart from the rest. This really became apparent when he was able to get a diagnosis for Dyslexia and ADHD, as now he has the key to further understand his difference and the ability to empower others to do the same. He now has two master’s degrees and continues to raise awareness acting as an advocate and trainer. Showing work emphasizes the importance of understanding neurodiversity, which cannot only prevent poor mental health but also bring out hidden strengths within our workforce.

The main challenge for someone with ADHD carrying out tasks that rely on executive functions relate to:

● Memory

● Organisational Skills

● Time Management

● Managing Stress

● Concentration

● Listening & Taking Notes

These challenges often lead to discrimination, low productivity and absenteeism, however we suggest the following tips you can take to help support in these areas:

Work outcomes broken up into clear SMART goals

• Structure and accountability
• Concentration breaks
• Flexible working (remote, hybrid options)
• Medication
• Therapy

It is equally important to empower ADHD-ers to utilise their strengths such as;

• Hyperfocus productivity
• Crisis management
• Creativity
• Conversational skills and empathy
• Problem-solving
• Passion and enthusiasm

Resources:

At PILAA we carry out neurodiversity impact assessments for organisations. If interested in learning more about what this entails, in order to create a more inclusive environment for neurodivergent employees, please get in touch with us!