A new app aims to provide a lifeline for the 2.5 million people with ADHD in the UK.
Gear ADHD combines access to specialists with in-app treatment tools. The system is the idea of Dom Longford, who founded Cog ADHD after struggling with the disease himself.
Longford's breakthrough came when a doctor recommended a new approach. The concept, developed by scientists at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, divides the treatment into five modules.
Each module covers skills that address a common ADHD disorder, from managing distractions to dealing with procrastination.
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Studies show that this approach can dramatically reduce ADHD symptoms. Longford has experienced the improvements personally.
“Suddenly everything made sense,” he said. “I wasn't lazy, clumsy or a failure; I just couldn't regulate my attention like 95 percent of the population. I stopped hating myself.”
The effect is convincing Longford to integrate the framework into Cog.
He describes the finished app as a “comprehensive toolkit” for treating the disease. In addition to the portal to certified doctors, the system offers symptom analyses, self-help strategies and educational resources.
The NHS and ADHD
The app comes in the midst of a Escalating crisis for ADHD services. Demand The demand for treatment now far exceeds the supply. Waiting times for diagnosis can eight years.
In April, a think tank described the service model as “outdated.” The Nuffield Trust said the NHS was facing an “avalanche of hardship”.
With the public health system overwhelmed, people often look to technology for assistance.
Longford highlights several examples: Text-to-speech software, noise-cancelling headphones, productivity apps and of course Cog ADHD. However, he admits that technology alone will not solve the problems.
Longford argues that structural changes are necessary. He is calling on the new British government to reform the care model.
“This means not only putting more resources into the situation, but also being more innovative in supporting people with ADHD,” he said.
Longford emphasizes the economic incentive. According to the World Health Organization, people with untreated ADHD can “lose” 22 days of productivity per year. Workers with this condition are 30% more likely to have chronic employment problems.
Better support could benefit everyone. With a bigger budget and more services, the NHS could deliver this. But its resources are limited.
Longford believes educational support can help. He suggests mandatory ADHD training for teachers, additional resources in schools and additional support for students with the disorder.
But education can also take place outside the classroom. Technology can play a big role in this area.
“We are particularly interested in providing information and tools to help people make lifestyle changes to minimize ADHD symptoms,” he said.
“If the public knows what causes ADHD, they can bring about effective change.”
Cog ADHD is available for iOS and Android. The Cog Clinic offers free 20-minute consultations with specialists. Users can then choose to pay for ad hoc sessions (£50-£190) or subscribe to the Cog Clinic at a discounted rate.
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