5-minute read

Key points

  • ADHD can look different in men, and many go undiagnosed for years.
  • Signs can include a short temper, restlessness, burnout and unfinished projects.
  • There are practical things you can try today, with or without a diagnosis.

Maybe your partner has asked, more than once, why you never finish the jobs you start. Maybe your boss has noticed you’re brilliant under pressure but miss deadlines on everything else. Or maybe you’ve spent years being told you’re lazy, or that you never listen.

If this sounds familiar, it could be worth thinking about ADHD.

 

More common than many people think

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a lifelong condition that affects how the brain manages attention, activity and impulses. It starts in childhood, but many people aren’t diagnosed until they’re adults. NHS England estimates that around 2.5 million people in England have ADHD.

Our clinicians often find that men come to an ADHD assessment because someone else suggested it. That might be a partner, a family member or a manager at work. ADHD can be easier for other people to see than for the person living with it.

 

Why ADHD in men can be missed

In our experience, many men with ADHD learn ways to cover up their difficulties. This is called masking. For example, you might:

  • Work longer hours than everyone else to keep up.
  • Take risks that other people wouldn’t.
  • Use humour to get out of awkward situations.

Masking can work. Some men with ADHD do very well at work, which can make their ADHD harder to spot, even for themselves. But masking takes a lot of energy, and over time it can lead to burnout.

 

Signs that are easy to miss

ADHD affects everyone differently. Here are some signs that men with ADHD often describe.

At work:

  • Starting projects with enthusiasm, but struggling to finish them.
  • Putting things off until the last minute, even when you care about them.
  • Finding paperwork and repetitive tasks much harder than other people seem to.
  • Changing jobs often, or feeling you haven’t reached your potential.

At home and in relationships:

  • A short fuse, where anger arrives fast and is hard to calm down.
  • Forgetting plans or promises, which others can mistake for not caring.
  • Feeling restless or on edge, and finding it hard to switch off.
  • Making sudden decisions you later regret.
  • Losing hours on something you find really interesting, and forgetting to eat or take breaks. This is sometimes called hyperfocus.

Having some of these doesn’t mean you have ADHD. But if several feel familiar and have been part of your life since childhood, it may be worth finding out more.

 

How are you really feeling?

Living with undiagnosed ADHD can be tiring. Years of being called lazy, or feeling you fall short, can leave people with low self-esteem and a sense of shame.

Adults with ADHD are more likely to experience anxiety and depression. Research also shows that people with ADHD are more likely to have suicidal thoughts and to attempt suicide. In England and Wales, the suicide rate for men is around three times the rate for women.

Some men also describe a sense of grief after a late diagnosis. They may feel angry or sad about missed chances. These feelings are understandable, and talking about them can help.

None of this is a sign of weakness. If you’re struggling, please talk to someone.

 

Practical things you can try now

You don’t need a diagnosis to start making life a little easier. Our clinicians often suggest changing the system around you, rather than relying on willpower.

  • Set alarms and reminders for appointments, bills and tasks.
  • Keep lists somewhere you can see them, not just in your head.
  • Choose one place for your keys, wallet and phone.
  • Set up automatic payments for regular bills.
  • Break big jobs into small steps, with breaks in between.
  • Try ‘body doubling’, where you work alongside someone else to help you stay on track.
  • Build in regular exercise. Early research suggests that even a single session may help with focus in adults with ADHD.

Start with one small change. Keep it going until it becomes a habit, then add another.

 

Worried about someone?

If you think your partner, a family member or a colleague might have ADHD, you could:

  • Choose a calm, private moment to talk.
  • Focus on what you’ve noticed and how it seems to affect them, rather than on labels.
  • Share this article or our webinar, so they can find out more in their own time.
  • Be patient, as it can take time for someone to feel ready to seek help.

 

Watch our webinar: Men’s Mental Health: How Are You Really Feeling?

To mark Movember, we’ll be recording a free webinar on men’s health. It covers ….

It will be available on our YouTube channel from Wednesday 18 November. You can watch it whenever suits you.

Do you have a question you’d like us to answer in the webinar? Send it to us anonymously, and we’ll answer the most common questions during the webinar or in our follow-up article.

Send us your questions or ideas for future webinar/article topics. 

 

Getting help

If you think you might have ADHD, speak to your GP about a referral. At Psychiatry UK, all our ADHD assessments are led by consultant psychiatrists. We know waits for ADHD assessment are long across the UK, and we’re working hard to reduce ours.

If you’re in crisis or worried about your safety, call NHS 111 and select the mental health option, or call 999 in an emergency. You can also contact:

  • Samaritans, any time, day or night, free on 116 123.
  • CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably), free on 0800 58 58 58 from 5pm to midnight every day, or through their webchat.

 

Reviewed by:
Dr Sam Spavin, ADHD Clinical Lead, 28.10.26

 

References

  1. ADHD UK. ADHD incidence, citing NHS England, Management information: ADHD (November 2025). Accessed 24 October 2026.
  2. Fu X, Wu W, Wu Y, et al. Adult ADHD and comorbid anxiety and depressive disorders: a review of etiology and treatment. Frontiers in Psychiatry. 2025;16:1597559. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1597559
  3. Septier M, Stordeur C, Zhang J, Delorme R, Cortese S. Association between suicidal spectrum behaviors and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews. 2019;103:109–118. doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.05.022
  4. Office for National Statistics. Suicides in England and Wales: 2024 registrations. Male rate 17.6 and female rate 5.7 per 100,000.
  5. Xu S, Zhao C, Hu L. The effects of acute and chronic exercise on executive functions and core symptoms in adults with ADHD: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychology of Sport and Exercise. 2026;84:103088. doi:10.1016/j.psychsport.2026.103088. Summary: ADHD Evidence Project.
  6. Hub of Hope. CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably). Accessed 24 October 2026.