Most people walk out of an ADHD or autism assessment holding a list of everything that has supposedly gone wrong. Here is the other story, the one with research behind it.

The first big study designed to find the strengths that come with ADHD found adults rating themselves more highly on traits like hyperfocus, humour and creativity. And the people who knew their strengths and used them reported better wellbeing and fewer mental health symptoms.

This week, try noticing one thing your brain did well.

What is one thing your brain did well this week?

If your ADHD feels dramatically harder to manage in your forties, there’s a neurological reason. Oestrogen plays a significant role in dopamine regulation and when it fluctuates in perimenopause, ADHD symptoms can intensify in ways that catch even well-adapted adults off guard.