6 ways ADHD impacts daily life as Chris Packham presents documentary on the condition

Yahoo

12-05-2025

Ahead of the release of his new documentary Inside Our ADHD Minds, broadcaster Chris Packham has criticised those who dismiss attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as a fad.
ADHD is a neurodevelopment condition that affects an estimated 2.6 million people in the UK, which influences how individuals experience, process, and respond to the world around them. While children and adults may show different symptoms, the underlying cause is the same: their brains function differently from those who are not neurodivergent.
Now 64-year-old Packham, who was diagnosed with autism at 44, is returning with a new instalment of his Inside Our Minds series. This time, he's met people living with ADHD, with the documentary premiering tonight at 9pm on BBC Two.
The naturalist and nature photographer told Good Morning Britain today: "There is a tendency these days for people to say, 'Well, I think I'm a little bit autistic, a little bit ADHD, a little bit OCD,' but these are real conditions that impact people's lives all of the time. They're not a little bit any of these things. They're full on these things all of the time.
"That can have quite a significant impact on their lives, particularly when they're young, and particularly, I have to say, if they are young females, girls and young women, where they're not getting the diagnosis in the time that they should, so that they can live happier and more fulfilled lives. So our mission here is to ask people to better understand these conditions so that we can make small changes in society to make all of our lives easier and more productive."
Speaking about people who casually claim to have ADHD symptoms without a diagnosis, he added: "Let's be clear, some of the traits that I have as an autistic person and people have as someone with ADHD, it is a spectrum condition, you may have some of those [traits], but they may not be impacting on your life in the same way that they do ours.
"In our programs, we ask our contributors, brave, bold people who speak out frankly about the difficulties and challenges these conditions present in their life. But also, I have to say, about the attributes that they confer on their capacity to do things. It's not all negative."
The NHS estimates that 3-4% of adults and 5% of children in the UK have ADHD, with many presenting symptoms such as difficulty concentrating, forgetting tasks (or everyday events like brushing your teeth) or struggling to manage your time.
The condition may also present itself in hyperactivity, such as feeling restless, having high energy levels, being more talkative or making impulsive decisions.
"ADHD can greatly impact individuals lives," Tom Howcroft, from the ADHD Foundation explains. "Understanding its impacts and implementing effective management strategies can greatly enhance daily functioning and overall wellbeing.
"Receiving an ADHD diagnosis offers valuable insights into personal behaviours and challenges. By recognising the multifaceted impact of ADHD and implementing personalised management strategies, individuals can enhance their daily functioning and quality of life."
Howcroft says ADHD can lead to difficulties with concentration, organisation, and completing tasks, which can impact your school or workplace performance.
The best practice for coping with times were you feel easily distracted is to break tasks down into more manageable chunks, advises Howcroft, so focus is only needed for a short period of time.
Techniques like the Pomodoro method (25 minutes working followed by a five-minute break) can be helpful.
ADHD can make forming and sustaining friendships difficult, Howcroft says, due to a lack of impulse control and hyperactivity. It can be useful to find support groups or a community of likeminded people who understand and perhaps even live with ADHD themselves.
Howcroft also recommends counselling and coaching that can provide tailored strategies to help deal with the process of coming to terms with a diagnosis and how to work with your neurodivergent brain.
Stress is an inevitable part of all our lives, but ADHD can lead to a heightened sense of low mood or anxiety. "Persistent stress can exacerbate ADHD symptoms, leading to heightened anxiety and potential depressive symptoms," Howcroft explains.
In these circumstances, try to take regular breaks to ground yourself and alleviate these feelings by going for a walk, doing exercise, spending time outside or with loved ones.
ADHD can also lead to "repeated challenges and misunderstandings, such as perceived failures due to impulsiveness or disorganisation which can impact self-confidence and self-worth," says Howcroft.
If you have ADHD, it's important to practice self-compassion and focus on leaning into how your brain works to reframe ADHD-related struggles.
ADHD has also been known to lead to "struggles with planning, prioritising and completing tasks, which can affect personal and professional responsibilities," Howcroft says.
It can often help to lean on productivity tools such as planners, reminders or apps such as Notion or Monday to organise your tasks and track responsibilities and upcoming deadlines. All of this preparation can help to reduce feelings of overwhelming or feeling flustered with juggling your workload or life admin.
"Individuals may experience 'time blindness' leading to difficulties in perceiving and managing time effectively," Howcroft continues. "Creating consistent daily schedules can provide structure and reduce uncertainty, aiding in task completion and time management."
Read more about ADHD:
Psychiatrist explains why we've seen surge in ADHD and depression (Wales online, 4-min read)
Living with undiagnosed ADHD felt like I was always chasing my tail (Yahoo Life UK, 8-min read)
Nadia Sawalha tearful as she reveals ADHD diagnosis on Loose Women (Yahoo Entertainment, 2-min read)