Try a supportive ADHD group
Find people who get it, and check that the group feels safe and useful.
Guideline advice, not formally gradedADHD evidence
Start with the time you have
1 minute
Write down what you'd want from a group: understanding, shared experience or practical encouragement.
5 minutes
Use the NHS resource list to identify one suitable group and check its audience and cost.
15 minutes
Check moderation and privacy arrangements, then enquire about attending once as a listener.
How sure the science is
Guideline advice, not formally graded, ADHD evidence
Recommended by ADHD clinical guidelines, but nobody has pooled the trials and graded how sure they are. Guideline advice is a considered judgement, not a measured certainty. Measured in people with ADHD.
Explicit NICE ADHD support recommendation; no published certainty rating or symptom-reduction estimate for peer groups.
The number, drawn
Provide information about local and national ADHD support groups
Why it matters
NICE recommends giving people with ADHD and their families information about ADHD support groups. Other people with the same experience can offer understanding and practical suggestions. The recommendation does not show that a group reduces ADHD symptoms. You can just listen at first and decide whether it meets your needs.
How to do it
- Find a group through a health service or an established ADHD organisation.
- Check who it's for, whether someone moderates it and how privacy works.
- Go to one meeting with no pressure to share. Keep only the advice you can verify.
Peer support complements professional help. Do not follow another member's medication or diagnostic advice.
Putting it into practice
In real life
- Join an adult group as a listener before deciding whether to return.
- A parent asks an ADHD service which local carer group welcomes newcomers.
Watch out for
- Common mistakeAnecdotes are not treatment evidence, so verify medical claims with a qualified professional.
- Common mistakeA group that pressures you to disclose or buy something may not suit you, so leave or try another.
Trusted guides
How we rated it
- Evidence grade
- A Moderate or high certainty evidence in people with ADHD, or an explicit ADHD guideline recommendation.
- The number
- Provide information about local and national ADHD support groups (NICE, public HSC Northern Ireland copy, 2018)
- Benefit
- 45/100 The benefit score is an editorial prioritization for the general list, weighted by certainty. It is not a prediction of what will happen for you.
- Effort
- Quick win
Sources
- Tier 1 guidelineADHD: diagnosis and management, NG87, information and supportNICE, public HSC Northern Ireland copy, 2018
- Tier 1 guidelineSupport Available: understanding emotional regulation in ADHDEast London NHS Foundation Trust, 2026
- Tier 1 guidelineADHD in adultsNHS, 2025
- Tier 1 guidelineEvaluating Health Information (undated)MedlinePlus, US National Library of Medicine, 2026
General information about ADHD, not a diagnosis or an individual treatment plan. Tailoring changes the order of suggestions; it does not assess you. Medication decisions belong with you and a qualified clinician.