🌍 What is ADHD?
ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) is a neurodevelopmental disorder.
👉 It affects:
- 🧠 Brain development
- ⚡ Brain chemistry
- 🏃 Body regulation
- ❤️ Emotions and behaviour
🧠 ADHD in the Brain
🧬 Brain Chemistry
People with ADHD often have differences in:
- Dopamine levels 🧪
- Norepinephrine activity 🧠
👉 These chemicals help with:
- Motivation
- Attention
- Focus
- Reward processing
🧠 Brain Structure
Key areas affected:
🧠 Prefrontal Cortex
- Controls planning
- Decision-making
- Organisation
- Impulse control
👉 In ADHD:
- Develops more slowly
- May show reduced activity
❤️ Amygdala (Emotion Centre)
- Controls emotional responses
- May be more reactive
👉 This can lead to:
- Strong emotions
- Quick frustration
- Emotional overload
🌫️ Default Mode Network
- Used for daydreaming and internal thoughts
👉 In ADHD:
- Can activate at the wrong time
- Interferes with focus during tasks
🧠 How ADHD Affects Thinking
ADHD can affect:
- Focus 🧠
- Memory 💭
- Organisation 📋
- Task completion
👉 These are called executive function skills
⚡ ADHD and the Body
ADHD is not only “mental” — it affects the body too.
🏃 Physical Symptoms
- Restlessness
- Fidgeting
- Difficulty sitting still
- Impulsive movement
🧠 Internal Restlessness
In adults especially:
- The body may look calm
- But the mind feels “busy” or “on” constantly
👉 This is called internal hyperactivity
❤️ ADHD & Emotional Regulation
ADHD strongly affects emotions:
- Intense feelings 😰
- Low frustration tolerance
- Quick emotional reactions
- Difficulty calming down
⚠️ ADHD and Mental Health
ADHD is closely linked with mental health challenges such as:
😰 Anxiety
- Racing thoughts
- Overthinking
- Difficulty switching off
- Sleep disruption 🌙
😔 Depression
- Low mood
- Mental fatigue
- Feeling overwhelmed
⚡ Chronic Stress
- Emotional overload
- Burnout
- Constant mental pressure
🌙 Sleep & ADHD
ADHD can cause:
- Difficulty falling asleep
- Racing thoughts at night
- Poor sleep quality
👉 This can affect both children and adults
🧠 Can ADHD Affect Both Brain and Body?
👉 YES.
ADHD can present in different ways:
🧠 Brain-based symptoms
- Inattention
- Forgetfulness
- Distractibility
🏃 Body-based symptoms
- Hyperactivity
- Restlessness
- Impulsivity
👉 Some people have both
👉 Some have more of one than the other
🔄 Variations in ADHD
ADHD is not the same for everyone:
- Mostly inattentive type
- Mostly hyperactive-impulsive type
- Combined type
🧬 Key Understanding
ADHD involves:
- Brain chemistry differences
- Structural brain differences
- Emotional regulation differences
- Physical energy regulation differences
💊 Support & Treatment
Support may include:
🗣️ Therapy
- CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy)
- Emotional regulation support
💊 Medication
- Helps balance brain chemicals
- Improves focus and impulse control
🧩 Lifestyle Support
- Routine
- Sleep support
- Diet awareness (caffeine, sugar effects ☕🍬)
🌟 Key Message
👉 ADHD is not just “energy” or behaviour
👉 It is a full brain–body condition
👉 With support:
- Focus improves
- Emotional regulation strengthens
- Mental health becomes more stable 🌟
📘 EASY READ VERSION
🧠 What is ADHD?
- A brain difference
- Affects focus and behaviour
⚡ What it can feel like
- Busy thoughts
- Restless body
- Strong emotions
😰 Difficulties
- Focusing
- Sleeping
- Controlling emotions
🤝 Support helps
- Medication
- Therapy
- Routine
- Understanding people
🌟 Message
👉 Your brain works differently — not incorrectly
📊 POWERPOINT SLIDES
Slide 1 – ADHD Brain & Body
Slide 2 – What is ADHD?
Slide 3 – Brain chemistry (dopamine, norepinephrine)
Slide 4 – Prefrontal cortex
Slide 5 – Emotional centre (amygdala)
Slide 6 – Default mode network
Slide 7 – Body symptoms
Slide 8 – Emotional regulation
Slide 9 – Anxiety & depression link
Slide 10 – Sleep difficulties
Slide 11 – Brain vs body symptoms
Slide 12 – Support options
Slide 13 – Key message
🎭 ACTIVITIES
🧩 Activity 1 – Brain or Body?
Sort symptoms into:
- Brain (thinking)
- Body (movement)
🗣️ Activity 2 – Feelings
What helps calm:
- Your mind?
- Your body?
🎭 Activity 3 – Scenario
👉 Someone cannot sleep due to racing thoughts
Questions:
- What is happening?
- What support would help?
📝 QUIZ
1. ADHD is:
A. A behaviour problem
B. A neurodevelopmental disorder ✅
2. One brain chemical involved is:
A. Dopamine ✅
B. Oxygen
3. ADHD affects:
A. Only behaviour
B. Brain and body ✅
True or False
- ADHD includes emotional effects → ✔ True
- Everyone with ADHD is hyperactive → ❌ False
🧾 ASSESSMENT SHEET
Name: __________
Date: __________
🧠 Knowledge
☐ Understands brain and body effects
☐ Understands mental health link
🤝 Skills
☐ Can explain symptoms
☐ Can identify support
❤️ Attitude
☐ Respectful
☐ Non-judgemental
🌟 FINAL MESSAGE
👉 ADHD affects the whole person:
- Brain 🧠
- Body 🏃
- Emotions ❤️
👉 It is not one simple condition
👉 With understanding and support:
- Life becomes more manageable
- Mental health improves
- Strengths can grow 🌟
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