New Year, Same ADHD and SAD
As each year draws to a close, pressure builds to become a ‘new you’ on New Years Day. The truth is, though we all evolve over time, life changes tend to be gradual. Not only will we still have the same ADHD in 2026 - and the many challenges the condition can bring - but also; we’re not broken versions of ourselves needing to be fixed! We’re the same people, and we’re facing the coldest and darkest months of year.
Our aim for January’s ADHD Peer Support Groups is to remove the pressure to become a ‘new person’ and to find ways to best support ourselves through these winter months, and we hope you’ll come along to your local group.
But first, let’s look back on the final chapter and Glimmers of 2025…
Hi I’m Laura, the founder of ADHDAF+ Charity, and I was diagnosed with severe combined type ADHD almost four years ago, aged 38.
This photo was taken at the launch party of the book: Unstoppable by Design from the ADHD 360 team in late November.
Alongside our eight ADHD Peer Support Groups in Scotland and England… the last few weeks of the year have been busy and brilliant…
The book is a collection of ‘real life stories of ADHD, grit and success’. All of us here at ADHDAF+ are extremely grateful that 35% of all revenue from sales of the book are being donated to our charity!
We receieved another incredible piece of news to end the year of our launch on…
Feeling our local aims align with theirs; The National Trust in England has offered us use of their premises. We are in the process of planning some amazing events in some very special setting for 2026!
We are so excited and grateful, and will share more information as soon as possible.
We celebrated all of this wonderful news at my Christmas party above; which raised over £600 for ADHDAF+ Peer support groups to connect and empower ADHD adults of marginalised genders. The speech was released as a bonus Christmas Day episode of ADHD AF Podcast - the work of which both inspired the creation of and informs the work of ADHDAF+ Charity. What a way to end our first year!
At the start of December I also gave an ADHD Xmas SOS Bingo Seminar at the ADHD Liberty Christmas party ahead of our support groups exploring the same topic in Scotland and England…
First up was our last Edinburgh ADHD support group until we find a new volunteer facilitator.
We will miss Nicole, but we’re so grateful for all of her amazing work this year!
If you’re an Edinburgh based ADHD adult of marginalised gender, perhaps you would you like to be our new facilitator?
If so, you can APPLY HERE
You can also sign up for email reminders to be the first to know once the Edinburgh group starts up again HERE
Whilst discussing the extra challenges faced by many ADHDers during the festive period, attendees leaned on and learnt from each other in very festive settings in both Ayr, and Birmingham (pictured above) on the same night.
You’re invited to join:
- Beth in Ayr at 6.30 pm on Tuesday 6th January at 48 Newmarket Street. Get Ayr ADHD Group email reminders HERE
- Yas & Lizee in Birmingham at 7pm on Tuesday 6th January at Stryx JQ, 90 Vyse St. Get Birmingham ADHD Group email reminders HERE
A lovely last London ADHD Peer Support Group of the year!
Ruth invites you to join her group at 6:30pm on Thursday 8th January at Almorah Road Community Centre, 58 Almorah Rd, N1 3EU.
You can sign up for email reminders for our ADHD London Group HERE
December brought another brilliant and busy Bristol group!
Kate invites you to join her at 7pm on Thursday 8th Jan The Loft (3rd Floor) Tobacco Factory, BS3 1TF.
You can sign up for email reminders for our ADHD Bristol Group HERE
Oxford’s December Group was co-facilitated by Claire and Kirsty…
Who invites you to join them at 7pm on Wednesday 14th Jan at Jubilee Room, Headington Quarry Village Hall, OX3 8NX
You can sign up for email reminders for our ADHD Oxford Group HERE
Meanwhile in Manchester, Gill and some of her group - including co-facilitator Toni took a post session stroll around the Christmas market next door to the venue. All the festive feels!
Gill invites like-minded locals to join her for January’s group at 7pm on Wednesday 14th January at Friends’ Meeting House, 6 Mount St, M2 5NS. You can sign up for email reminders for our Manchester ADHD Support Group HERE
New Year, NEW GROUP
Introducing: ADHDAF+ Runcorn!
Our new volunteer facilitator Gemma, invites you to her first monthly ADHD Runcorn Peer Support at 6:30pm on Wednesday 7th January at Castlefields Community Centre, Village Square, WA7 2ST
You can sign up for email reminders for Gemma’s Runcorn ADHD Group HERE
But though January brings this new group and 2026 will see many more (including our first group in Wales!) we are not subscribing to any of that ‘new year, new me’ nonsense! Instead we are helping ADHD adults cope with those pressures and best support themselves through the darkest months of the year with our
January ADHD Adult Support Groups…
FREE ENTRY and NO diagnosis needed!
You can sign up for email reminders for any of our free ADHD Peer Support Groups to connect and empower like-minded locals HERE
If we’ve not started a group in your local area yet, and you’re an ADHD adult of marginalised gender in Scotland, England or Wales;
you can apply to volunteer to start your own HERE
Though each month’s adults only groups focus on a different topic; all follow the same format for each session and run for two hours.
All of our venues are fully accessible, and although attendees are encouraged to share their experiences if they would like to - there’s no pressure!
Similarly, there’s no pressure to be on time or stay for the duration.
All are welcome to sit comfortably, take some time out or move around during - so long as they do not disrupt the session for other attendees.
Fidgets, and similar are provided, but feel free to bring something to do, if that would make you more comfortable: we’ve had group attendees bring along crocheting for example.
Can any adult attend ADHDAF+ Groups?
ADHD & SAD: Seasonal Affective Disorder
‘Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a form of depression that tends to occur during the darker months of the year, and frequently co-occurs with ADHD.
Experts estimate it occurs in about thirty percent of adults who have ADHD, and women tend to have a higher risk of co-occurring SAD and ADHD than men.’ - Chadd.org
Symptoms of SAD and ADHD can overlap, such as: low energy, concentration struggles and difficulty sleeping. The latter further exacerbating symptoms of both conditions.
Many ADHDers struggle with emotional dysregulation, and paired with the low mood that SAD can bring; the winter can be an extremely challenging time for people with ADHD.
As explored in December’s groups, Christmas can cause many of us to start the year feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, disappointed, experiencing financial problems and even burnout.
The very last thing any of us in a tender state need; especially at the darkest time of the year - is unrealistic expectations and pressure to suddenly become a new person overnight, who no longer faces the individual challenges we each do!
That’s why we have ‘New Year, Same ADHD & SAD’ as January’s topic.
Our New Years wish for all ADHD adults is that of self awareness and self compassion.
Struggling with routine, finances, self care, relationships, etc, are not perosnal failings, they’re symptomatic of the condition.
We cannot wish our ADHD away. But we can acknowledge and accept the challenges it brings to us each individually.
This self inventory and acceptance enables us to find systems to best support ourselves; greatly improving our quality of life.
We wish you a gentle start to 2026 and that you meet any struggles with self kindness.
All of that said; None of this is shared to discourage anyone who does find a new planner and goal setting helpful!
ADHD presents differently in each individual, and as individuals, we have different motivators / strategies that will work for us.
If you do want a positive goal to work towards and look forward to; perhaps consider taking part in The Big ADHD Fundraiser 2026.
In its fourth year of Summer cycling; Darren, Claire and the team are fundraising for ADHDAF+ and ADHDadultUK
You can find out more and register interest HERE
And whilst on the topic, we just want to say an enormous THANK YOU again. The Big ADHD Fundraiser was a massive highlight of 2025! And as it is such a reflective time of year; I’ll end this blog like we end our ADHD Support Groups… remembering the Glimmers…
On 20th February we launched with an episode of ADHDAF Podcast entitled: ADHDAF+ Charity Begins, in which our Board of Trustees were introduced and our first Peer Support Group announced - which took place on 5th March.
Also in March, we were delighted to sponsor Premiership Women’s Rugby Player Delaney Burns. This legendary lady proudly wore our charity’s logo on her boots whilst speaking out about having ADHD for the first time; using her platform to raise ADHD awareness.
Enormous thanks again to Jacob Kelly @adhdfatheruk for giving us the opportunity to support and celebrate this inspirational woman.
Image taken from incredible video footage by @therealrhodri
And alongside the funds raised for our support groups by Blackpool Style Assembly; we are so grateful that I’ve been given the opportunity to spread the word about our charity and raise ADHD awareness with ADHD Bingo Seminar’s and ADHDAF Emporium pop ups at so many different events and festivals this summer!
Including; Camp VC (pictured above) Lu in Lu Land’s Self Love Unleashed Tour & Camp, Flackstock Festival , Sistaland Festival and Paul Whitehouse & Dr Mine Conkbayir’s I’m ADHD No You’re Not Tour.
We’re also very grateful to have been able to signpost to our ADHD support groups in mainstream media; including BBC News and The Independent.
All of the above paired with your donations and all of the very hard work behind the scenes from our team, including: The Board, Tech Support Ruth, Group Coordinator Kate and all of our amazing Group Facilitators have taken us from the grass roots to a growing charity in such a short space of time.
We’re so proud and grateful to have hosted in-person Peer Support Groups in nine cities in as many months! Connecting and empowering 240 ADHD adults of marginalised genders in their local community! What a way to end our first year!
However this time of year finds you, please know that YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
If you are in need of help, please REACH OUT. There’'s a list of resources for support HERE.
If you would like to make a donation to ADHDAF+ Charity you can do so HERE and we would be extremely grateful. You can also Volunteer to help us in 2026 HERE
ENORMOUS THANKS
for all of your support this equally challenging and triumphant 2025! We hope you can attend one of January’s ADHD Peer Support Groups.
Wishing you all the best for 2026…New Year, Same us! YOU MATTER.
Please be kind to yourself and lean into community,
ADHD IS REAL.
Laura
