Top ADHD myths you need to know

There's a lot of old nonsense out there, so let's cut the crap

With or without a diagnosis, everyone who shows symptoms of ADHD will have come across at least some of these myths. As hearing these ADHD myths can have a detrimental effect on neurodivergent people, I’m breaking each of them down and showing you the truth behind each one so that you are reassured of the facts the next time you hear someone trotting one of these out.

1. "People grow out of ADHD."

Reality: ADHD is a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition, which means an ADHD brain is physically different from a neurotypical brain.

There are three main types:

• Hyperactive

• Inattentive (attention deficit)

• Combined type

Within these types, there are many different traits, so no two people experience ADHD in quite the same way.

There’s also more than a likelihood  of co-occurring conditions (known as comorbidities), which might include autism, hypermobility, dyslexia, OCD, dyscalculia, or dyspraxia.

Many adults are undiagnosed or misdiagnosed, especially women, who didn’t fit the ‘hyperactive boy’ stereotype at school.

This ADHD myth is busted!

2. "People with ADHD just need to try harder."

Reality: ADHD isn’t a motivation issue. It’s about how the brain regulates attention, emotion, and energy. It’s not about how much someone wants to succeed.

Some people with ADHD are fantastic planners, but the part of the brain that plans is different from the part that executes. ADHD can disrupt the connection between the two, making follow-through feel impossible, even on tasks they want to complete. There are many strategies you can use to help bridge the gap between intent and action. You may already have developed some of your own or you could try one of these ideas...

Understanding what motivates you can be very useful. For instance, what gives you dopamine and how could using this motivate you to do something that doesn’t intrinsically interest you?

Breaking the task down into smaller chunks so that it doesn’t feel overwhelming or subject to overthinking. There are many ways to do this, so don’t despair if you’ve tried one way and it hasn’t worked.

This is a big topic – too big for me to address in detail here - but  the good news is there’s a lot you can do about it. Trial an approach, and if something doesn’t work identify what’s causing the resistance? Then tweak your approach...

3. "ADHD means you can’t focus."

Reality: ADHD affects the regulation of focus, not the ability to focus itself, busting this ADHD myth.

Many people with ADHD struggle to concentrate on tasks they find boring or repetitive. But when something sparks their interest, they can bring intense, creative, and fast-thinking focus - often called ‘hyperfocus’ - to it.

For example, my client Dave loves developing new products for his clients and is able to bring an incredible focus to their development, and it’s all very exciting until he hits a glitch or an obstacle and his focus gets interrupted, and he then gets distracted and finds it hard to refocus again.

And my client Julia finds that her focus improves – for both interesting and less interesting actions - when external deadlines are set for her, she is clear about what her actions are and she has external accountability, she’s on it.

4. "Everyone gets distracted, that doesn’t mean they have ADHD."

Reality: Occasional distraction is completely normal, especially in a world full of smartphones and apps designed to steal your attention.

But ADHD involves consistent, significant challenges with distraction that can impact everyday life. It might include a relentless internal dialogue, making basic tasks like getting out of bed or choosing clothes a daily battle.

The ADHD brain naturally produces less dopamine, so it’s constantly scanning for more stimulating inputs, often leading to a cycle of distractions that feel impossible to ignore.

It’s important to understand what’s causing you to seek dopamine in the first place. For example:

·         Is what you’re doing boring?

·         Is the task unclear?

·         Is your environment distracting or overstimulating?  

·         Are you asking too much of yourself / are you being a good boss to yourself?

·         Do you need a break?

Once you understand what’s really causing the distraction, you’re better informed about how to resolve it. Your need for dopamine can distract you but it can also be used to motivate you.

5. "People with ADHD are lazy or disorganised."

Reality: Executive function challenges in ADHD can affect planning, time management, memory, decision-making, risk assessment, and emotional regulation.

In my experience working with many clients with ADHD, if someone isn’t meeting expectations, it’s not because they’re lazy. In fact, they’re often working harder than most, constantly trying to stay on top of systems that aren’t built with their brains in mind.

That missing regular supply of dopamine means they often need external stimulation (like deadlines, accountability, or novelty) to kick-start action.

6. "ADHD isn’t real, it’s just an excuse."

Reality: ADHD is a well-documented neurological condition with decades of research behind it.

You may be familiar with the history of ADHD – it’s not exactly thorough, but it was first formally described in 1798 by the Scottish physician Sir Alexander Crichton as “the incapacity of attending with a necessary degree of constancy to any one object.”

You can read more about the history here.

As an aside, I believe that as more research is conducted and more is understood about ADHD and neurodivergence / neurodifference, we will identify more and more significant people throughout history who are likely to have been neurodifferent.

Its impact is real. And so are the strengths that often come with it. When people with ADHD find ways of working that play to those strengths, they can be brilliantly creative, intuitive, and effective.

7. "Medication is a cure-all for ADHD."

Reality: Medication can be a game-changer for many, but it’s not a universal fix.

Some of my clients have found the right medication and say it gives them more headspace, clearer thinking, and fewer distractions. Others haven’t found meds that work for them, or they’ve chosen to manage their ADHD in other ways.

Medicated or not, people with ADHD often benefit from structure, coaching (self-led or with an ADHD-informed coach), lifestyle shifts, and a supportive community.

8. "If you’re managing okay, you can't really have ADHD."

Reality: Many adults with ADHD have masked their symptoms for years, often by developing complex coping strategies.

But just because someone appears “fine” doesn’t mean they aren’t struggling behind the scenes. The effort it takes to appear 'normal' can be exhausting, and over time, it can lead to burnout.

9. "You can’t be successful and have ADHD."

Reality: Many successful creatives, entrepreneurs, and leaders have ADHD, and they often thrive because of how their brains work, not in spite of them.

They tend to be lateral thinkers, strong problem-solvers and idea-generators, especially when working in environments that allow them to play to their strengths and delegate or support the areas that feel harder.

10. "You can’t run a successful business if you have ADHD."

Reality: You absolutely can! And many ADHD business owners do. But they often need to run their business differently.

That might mean building flexible systems, outsourcing the boring stuff, working in short sprints, or following their energy rather than forcing a strict 9–5.

The idea that professionalism has to look a certain way - organised, methodical, spreadsheet-loving - is outdated. People with ADHD can build successful, values-led, sustainable businesses by designing them to suit how they work best.

Top 10 ADHD myths

These are the top 10 ADHD myths that my clients and community report. While I’d love to help them avoid hearing any myths in the future, we can only remember that ADHD and wider neurodifferences have been widely misunderstood for years.

It can be hard not to take these myths to heart and you probably recognise many of these being said about yourself. Or worse, that your internal critic has said them to you on a regular basis because, for a long time, you believed some of these myths.

ADHD myths are not true and there is plenty of evidence to support this. All neurodivergent people currently need to fit into a world that wasn’t designed for the way their brains operate. This is why getting extra support can help you use your natural abilities to gain an edge in your business.

As a specialist ADHD coach, I can help you. Book your free, no-obligation Breakthrough Call  here.