You can know exactly what needs doing, have the time to do it, and still feel completely stuck. That gap between intention and action is where a lot of ADHD shame lives, so we wanted to talk about it properly, with a clinician who sees it every day. Richie is joined by Dr Denzel Mitchell, Clinical Lead at Assessment UK, to strip ADHD back to the essentials: what it is, how it shows up, and why it is far more than the stereotype of someone who cannot sit still. We get into the lived reality of ADHD symptoms in adults, from sleep problems and a mind that will not switch off, to dopamine and why mundane tasks like laundry, cleaning, and admin can feel weirdly impossible. Dr Mitchell explains the ADHD spectrum in plain language, including inattentive ADHD without visible hyperactivity, internal restlessness, and the ways girls and women can mask symptoms for years. We also unpack time blindness, not as “not knowing the time”, but as misjudging how long life actually takes. With ADHD diagnosis numbers rising, we take on the overdiagnosis headlines and talk about what is really driving demand: awareness, reduced stigma, changing lifestyles, and the loss of structure in a post-COVID, device-heavy, hybrid-working world. We also cover why a robust ADHD assessment matters, especially when anxiety, stress, trauma, depression, and lack of sleep can mimic or worsen attention problems, and when other neurodivergent conditions can overlap. If you’re looking for clear, UK-focused ADHD information that respects both science and lived experience, press play. Subscribe, share this with someone who needs it, and leave a review so more people can find the series.
