“Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.”

— Aristotle

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Many adults come to therapy with a quiet sense that something has always felt harder than it should. Focus drifts easily. Thoughts move quickly, sometimes too quickly. Tasks feel overwhelming even when they are important. Relationships can feel intense, confusing, or emotionally draining. For some, these experiences lead to questions about ADHD later in life.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is often associated with childhood, yet many adults only begin to recognise its presence much later. This can happen after years of coping, masking difficulties, or attributing struggles to stress, personality, or lack of discipline. Understanding ADHD in adulthood is not about labelling yourself, but about making sense of long standing patterns with compassion and clarity.

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Common traits of ADHD in adults

ADHD can look very different from one person to another. Some adults experience difficulty sustaining attention, especially during tasks that feel repetitive or unstimulating. Others describe a restless inner world, with thoughts constantly moving from one idea to the next. Time management can be challenging, with deadlines either looming suddenly or feeling abstract until the last moment.

Emotionally, many adults with ADHD report feeling things deeply. Reactions can be quick and intense, followed by self criticism or confusion about why emotions feel so hard to regulate. There may also be a history of feeling misunderstood, underestimated, or repeatedly falling short of expectations despite genuine effort.

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Challenges beyond attention

The impact of ADHD is not limited to concentration. It often affects self esteem, relationships, and one’s sense of identity. Years of being told to try harder or be more organised can lead to internalised shame. Adults may question their abilities or feel that something is fundamentally wrong with them.

In relationships, misunderstandings can arise around forgetfulness, emotional reactivity, or difficulty staying present. Over time, this can create distance or conflict, especially when ADHD is unrecognised or unsupported.

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Understanding rather than fixing

At The Healing Hub Mental Wellness, we approach ADHD through the lens of understanding rather than correction. Whether or not a diagnosis is part of your journey, therapy can offer space to explore how your mind works, how you relate to yourself, and how past experiences have shaped your coping strategies.

Support does not begin with changing who you are. It begins with recognising patterns, understanding triggers, and developing ways of relating to yourself with greater patience and care. For many adults, this shift alone brings relief and a renewed sense of agency.

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Therapy as support

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Therapeutic support can help adults with ADHD explore emotional regulation, self criticism, and relational patterns alongside practical challenges. It offers a space to slow down, reflect, and build awareness of how attention, emotion, and identity intersect.

This work is not about becoming someone else. It is about creating the conditions for clarity, self trust, and steadier ways of moving through the world.

If questions about ADHD are part of what brings you to therapy, you do not need to have all the answers. Beginning with curiosity and openness is often enough.

At The Healing Hub Mental Wellness, we offer psychologically informed therapy in a calm, reflective setting in Canary Wharf, London, as well as online. Our work supports understanding, insight, and meaningful change at a pace that feels steady and supported.

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