Words by Smiley Team
A man from Malton in North Yorkshire is planning a countrywide motivational tour to raise awareness of ADHD.
October is ADHD Awareness Month, and Ryan Swain’s ‘ADHD & Me’ tour is aimed at young people, to try and dispel the stigma and misinformation surrounding the condition that affects people’s behaviour. He is appealing to schools, universities, arts centres and youth clubs, both locally and nationally.
It’s all voluntary and intended to shine a positive light on the condition, using real-life hacks and coping mechanisms that he himself has experienced.
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Ryan works full time in the social sector, and is determined to help people fully inhabit themselves, overcome their fears and reach their personal goals – whatever they may be.
“The tour tells my life story of living with ADHD," he tells Smiley News. "I’ve always been a huge advocate of trying to help and raise awareness of mental health disorders. Sadly, in the UK, the resources, helplines and charities available, are currently very sparse. There’s not a lot of help out there, especially for young people. I want to help as many people as I can. It’s all about camaraderie. I want to educate and inspire.”
Ryan's shows on the tour are one hour long, and intended to be very interactive. “I want people to ask questions and maybe share their own experiences, or symptoms," he says. "I really want to lift young people’s spirits – there is so much uncertainty at the moment, but anything can be achieved if you really want to do it. I’m there to raise awareness in an educational way, about how to manage ADHD on a day-to-day basis.”
From a young age, he has been misunderstood and believes ADHD to be both a blessing and a curse.
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“Quite often people think I must take drugs to be so energetic and happy," continues Ryan. "That’s a popular misconception. Another is that only kids get ADHD - that’s so wrong, adult ADHD is on a much bigger scale, and more difficult to deal with. It doesn’t always mean you’ll be hyperactive all the time - it’s more about your attention span.”
So far, the response to his talks has been “staggering” and “overwhelming”.
He’s even been asked to travel overseas, and intends to set up a virtual course to help people outside of the UK. You can find out more about ADHD & Me here.
