ADHD and Exam Season: Why It’s Not About Laziness or “Not Trying Hard Enough”
Unlock the potential of your ADHD brain with strategies designed to enhance focus and reduce stress during exam season.
On the run-up to exam season, everything changes.
The air feels heavier. Everyone’s knuckling down. Revision timetables, coloured pens, highlighters, flashcards.
There’s pressure from teachers. From school. Sometimes from parents.
And most of all, from yourself.
You’re probably hearing it everywhere:
➔ “This is your future.”
➔ “You’ve got to push yourself.”
➔ “If you don’t do well now, you’ll regret it later.”
But what if you’re someone who’s already pushing themselves too hard behind the scenes?
What if you’re quietly drowning?
What if no one can see it, because you’re masking, smiling, pretending it’s fine?
Additionally, ADHD brains often seek
If you’re living with ADHD (diagnosed or undiagnosed), exam season can feel like a full-body shutdown. You’re not lazy. You’re not stupid. You’re not broken.
You’re operating with a brain that’s wired for something else entirely.
Becky’s Story – What Exams Were Really Like for Me
Guidance for Parents and Carers
I didn’t know I had ADHD when I was in school.
I just thought I was thick.
I talked too much. Got distracted easily. I was always in trouble for disrupting the class.
And when it came to exam season, it didn’t matter how hard I tried; nothing stuck. I’d look forward to revision. I’d buy coloured pens. I’d want to do well.
But no matter how many hours I spent with my head in a book, the information would float away like mist.
It was like my brain had a “Do Not Retain” setting.
My mum, who was a single parent at the time, paid for an English tutor and did everything she could to help. My coursework was great. I was getting As and Bs, but when did the exam come?
I don’t think I even got a D.
When my GCSE results came in, I had just two passes. I felt crushed, embarrassed, and like all my effort had been for nothing.
And yet, here I am.
A qualified therapist. A business owner. Supporting people through their battles with ADHD, eating disorders, and the stories we carry about not being good enough.
Those grades didn’t define me.
And they won’t define you either.
ADHD Brains and Exam Pressure – The Science Bit
Let’s talk neuroscience for a second.
People with ADHD often struggle with executive function, the brain’s control panel for organising, planning, memory, and focus.
Under stress (like exams), the brain produces more cortisol, making it even harder to focus, stay calm, or recall information.
So, when you freeze up?
When does your mind go blank?
When you know you revised but can’t find the words?
It’s not because you didn’t try hard enough.
It’s your nervous system going into survival mode.
ADHD brains also crave dopamine, the feel-good chemical. So if you’re revising a boring topic, your brain won’t engage. You might hyperfocus on something you love… and completely zone out of what you’re “supposed” to study.
This isn’t failure. It’s neurology.
Study Tips That Actually Work for ADHD Brains
Here are some tools and tips that can help support your brain, body, and sense of self-worth during exam season:
1. Work in short bursts.
➔ 40–50 minutes max, then take a 10–15 minute break. Your brain isn’t made to revise for hours.
Use a visual timer or apps like Forest or Focus To-Do to keep track.
2. Use visuals.
Stick It notes, diagrams, coloured pens, whatever helps your brain see information differently. Use pictures, metaphors or acronyms to lock info in.
3. Move your body.
ADHD brains need movement. Walking while revising, using a mini trampoline, or pacing while reading notes out loud can all help.
4. Eat consistently.
Fuel your brain. Protein + complex carbs (like eggs, toast, or hummus and crackers) are key. Skipping meals won’t help; it mimics stress and can block memory consolidation.
5. Sleep is a study.
If you revise for 6 hours but sleep 4 hours, your brain hasn’t processed it. Memory needs sleep to “store” information. Aim for 8–9 hours, and avoid screens before bed.
6. Talk it out.
Explaining what you’ve learned to a friend or family member boosts recall. ADHD brains often remember better out loud.
A Message for Parents (And Carers)
You can’t revise for them, but you can help reduce the pressure.
Instead of saying:
-
“You must come downstairs and eat now.”
Try:
-
“I’ve made you something nice, come down when you’re ready, no pressure.”
Options help engage the thinking brain. Commands activate the defensive brain.
Create space. Not stress.
Your support isn’t about pushing harder. It’s about softening the edges so they don’t break under the pressure.
Additionally, ADHD brains often seek
If you’re living with ADHD (diagnosed or undiagnosed), exam season can feel like a full-body shutdown. You’re not lazy. You’re not stupid. You’re not broken.
You’re operating with a brain that’s wired for something else entirely.
Becky Stone
I’m Becky Stone, a qualified eating disorder therapist Online based in Canterbury, Kent. I work with teens and adults, offering a calm, non-judgmental space to explore what recovery and growth mean, on your terms. As someone with ADHD and dyslexia myself, I deeply understand what it feels like to be misunderstood, dismissed, or told you’re not trying hard enough. My practice is rooted in compassion, neuroscience, and building trust in yourself. Whether you’re navigating exam stress, self-worth, or food struggles, I’m here to help you feel safe, seen, and supported.
You Are Not Your Grades
Whether you’re the ADHD student who can’t sit still long enough to start…
Or the one who hyperfocuses and forgets to eat…
I want you to know this:
Your GCSES and A levels are a stepping stone.
They are not your worth.
What you care about… what lights you up… what makes you laugh, move, cry, create, build, question, explore, that’s where your future lives.
So revise, yes. Try your best.
But also rest. Nourish. Breathe. Play.
Your brain is doing its best.
And you are more than enough.
