Inside Our Minds

Episode
Inside Our ADHD Minds
Broadcast Info
2025 (59 mins)
Description
Following the success of his multi-award-winning series ‘Inside Our Autistic Minds’, naturalist Chris Packham returns to examine other forms of neurodivergence. 1 in 7 people have brains that work differently and more people are being diagnosed with ADHD, dyslexia and autism than ever before. But neurodivergent people are more likely to experience depression, anxiety and even suicidal thoughts. Chris believes this is a hidden crisis and wants to help neurodivergent people explain what’s going on inside their minds. And he’s starting with ADHD. It’s thought that 1 in 20 people has ADHD, but Chris still feels that the condition remains misunderstood. In this episode, Chris meets two people frustrated that that the people in their lives don’t fully understand what having ADHD means to them. Teaming up with top filmmakers, animators and graphic designers, they create evocative short films which explain to family and friends how they’re truly feeling inside - and what’s really going on inside their ADHD minds. Chris starts by meeting Henry - a 23-year-old tour guide with ADHD from London. Joining him on a tour of Soho, Chris learns how the hyperactive and impulsive sides of ADHD help give Henry the exuberance and confidence he needs to be great at his job. But back at Henry’s flat, Chris discovers that the inattentive side of ADHD makes organisation a real challenge and leaves him feeling out of control of his life. Henry feels that he has been hiding quite how chaotic his life has become from his mum and dad. Most days he feels he is fighting just to keep his head above water - because the ADHD part of his brain won’t allow him to focus on the things he needs to. Together with Chris, he starts work on a short film that explain to his parents what’s really going on inside his brain - starring his ADHD alter-ego Tombola Man. Chris then meets Jo, a 51-year-old council worker from Hertfordshire, who was only diagnosed after the menopause exacerbated her ADHD traits and made her life unbearable. Jo’s whole life has been shaped by ADHD, even though she didn’t know it until a few years ago. She’s had 14 different careers, flitting from job to job, as her father said ‘like a butterfly’ and always struggled with organisation, memory and getting things done. Since her diagnosis, Jo has been taking medication which she feels has made her day-to-day life much easier, but she is still trying to resolve the anger and grief she feels for the life she could have had if she’d known about ADHD when she was younger. Jo also feels that she has been hiding these feelings from her wife, Ali, and older daughter Katie. By making a film with Chris she hopes to be able to explain to them how hard it has been, to look back and try to make sense of her life with the new knowledge that she has ADHD. Chris also talks to Dr Tony Lloyd and Prof Amanda Kirby from the ADHD Foundation to get an insight into the neuroscience underpinning ADHD and whether the recent increase in ADHD diagnosis rates tells the full story about this complex subject.
Genre
Research; Health & Social Care

How to cite this record

The Open University, "Inside Our Minds". https://learningonscreen.ac.uk/ou/search/index.php/prog/253249 (Accessed 18 Oct 2025)