ADHD in daily life
ADHD and relationships
ADHD affects not only your own life, but also the lives of the people around you. It helps if you both understand what ADHD is.
What you may notice
- Forgetfulness that the other person takes as a lack of interest.
- Intense or changeable emotions.
- Arguments caused by impulsive reactions.
- One partner who keeps organising and reminding.
A familiar pattern
In relationships affected by ADHD, one partner often takes on more and more of the organising and reminding, while the other withdraws. It can then quickly feel like parent and child instead of two partners. Understanding what ADHD is helps to break that pattern.
What helps
Talk about it
Keep talking to each other, including about irritations, and look for a solution together rather than someone to blame.Make it visible
A planning board or shared calendar with the week's arrangements prevents many misunderstandings.Let go of fixed expectations
Work together as a team and see what works for you, not how things ‘should’ be.Find peers
Talking to people in the same situation can be supportive, for example at an ADHD café run by Impuls & Woortblind, a Dutch patient association.Tell the people around you
Tell friends and family about your ADHD too.
Welcome to join
Your partner or family members are welcome at psychoeducation. That way you learn together what ADHD is and how to deal with it.
More about psychoeducationWho can help
- Psychoeducation, together with your partner.
- Peer support, for example through Impuls & Woortblind.
- Relationship therapy.
Sources
- Hersenstichting (Dutch Brain Foundation) – ADHD (in Dutch) (opens in a new window)
- ADHD Netwerk – Working on intimacy in relationships with a partner who has ADHD (in Dutch) (opens in a new window)
- NHS – ADHD in adults (opens in a new window)
Checked in October 2026.
ADHD in daily life
Read more
- ADHD and work or studyWhat you may notice of ADHD at work and during your studies, what helps, whether you should tell your employer and who can help you.
- ADHD and nutritionWhat is and is not proven about ADHD and nutrition: sugar, diets, and eating and drinking when you take ADHD medication.
- ADHD and sleepWhy many people with ADHD sleep badly, the role of the body clock and medication, and what you can do yourself for a better night.
Curious about the treatment?
If you are diagnosed with ADHD, your treatment starts straight away, without a new waiting time.