Chichester ADHD coach challenges ‘superpower’ perception

ADHD4ADULTS

Jul 23

2 min read

Article first published in Sussex World, 21st Jul 2026, 12:06 BST, by Sam Morton

Chief Reporter

A Chichester-based neurodiversity professional is calling for a broader and more balanced conversation about ADHD, as the condition continues to feature prominently in national media coverage.

Kim Algar, founder of ADHD4Adults, said public discussions about ADHD can influence how employers, families, schools and communities understand people living with the condition.

Her comments follow recent coverage in The Times and discussions on the Jeremy Vine programme on BBC Radio 2.

Kim said: "Public conversations about ADHD matter because they influence how employers, families, schools and communities understand people living with the condition.

"Over the past few days we've heard discussions about ADHD being a 'superpower', about access to benefits and employment. While these conversations are important, they need to reflect the complexity of ADHD rather than merely reduce it to headlines or individual experiences."

Kim, who has lived experience of ADHD, has spent more than 16 years working in the field of neurodiversity as an ADHD coach, mentor and educator.

She said she believes ADHD is often misunderstood and wants to encourage greater understanding of the condition.

"ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition, not simply a matter of executive functioning or a mental health condition," she said.

"Many people experience anxiety, depression and burnout alongside ADHD, but those are often consequences of years of living with unsupported ADHD rather than the ADHD itself."

Kim also wants to challenge what she describes as a growing perception that ADHD is either a 'superpower' or simply an excuse for not working. "The reality is much more nuanced," she said.

"Hyperfocus, often described as a superpower, can leave people physically exhausted, neglecting basic needs and struggling to regulate their attention.

"Equally, many adults with ADHD desperately want to work and thrive, but lack the understanding or support they need to be able to do so."

After listening to the recent Jeremy Vine programme discussion, Kim contacted the production team to offer a constructive perspective on the subject.

She said she was subsequently told the programme would be interested in including her in a future discussion.

Kim said the response demonstrated there was an appetite for more balanced conversations about ADHD, bringing together lived experience and professional expertise.

She is now hoping to become a local voice for journalists and broadcasters covering ADHD and wider neurodiversity issues.

"My mission isn't simply to raise awareness of ADHD. It's to improve understanding," she said.

"ADHD is only one part of a person, it should never define who they are."