Emma Weaver and Niall Greene from ADHD NI promoting their Support Group In Enniskillen
AS OCTOBER is ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) Awareness Month the Fermanagh organisation that supports adults with the condition has called for more support and resources to be made available.
Emma Weaver and Niall Greene, both from Fermanagh, founded Adult ADHD NI two years ago when they realised there was no support services here, or anywhere else in Northern Ireland for adults living with the condition.
Two years on and they remain the only dedicated group and work across the North.
The purpose of the organisation is to create awareness of ADHD in adulthood, and to advance the education of professionals/public at a local and potentially national level in Northern Ireland to ensure that all adults with ADHD regardless of age, health, ethnicity, socio-economic status or religion have fair and equitable access to health, social, employment, and other services as needed, to promote and support research in the field of adult ADHD.
The group runs three support groups including one in Enniskillen, each on a monthly basis.
They also provide peer support to individuals within the Western Trust area in the community in various venues.
This includes information sessions to schools, colleges and groups, support to family members of those with ADHD and activity programmes.
Emma believes that ADHD is a very treatable condition, but at present it is not getting the focus it deserves.
“ADHD I would have to say is one of the most treatable conditions, but it’s not getting treated here in Northern Ireland.
We have been to the chief executive of the HSC (Health and Social Care Trust) to talk about it; to talk about raising awareness of ADHD, creating services and to highlight the lack of support. So we have raised these issues and what comes out of that we’re still waiting to hear.”
Speaking to the Herald she also highlighted the links to depression and suicide associated with ADHD and dispelled the myth that the condition disappears after childhood.
“The awareness that we are trying to raise is that it continues into adulthood. People think that ADHD stops at childhood, but it doesn’t. 65% of children diagnosed continue having symptoms into adulthood. It continues into adulthood and people don’t recognise that.”
For ADHD awareness month the group would like to reduce stigma, create awareness and to encourage people affected by ADHD to contact them by Phone 07955545236 or Adult ADHD NI on Twitter or Facebook for regular updates of our meetings.
The monthly meeting in Fermanagh is held in Enniskillen on the first Thursday of the month, every month in the Aisling Centre from 7pm to 8.30pm.
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