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Artificial Intelligence (AI) has proven to be a metamorphic and indispensable force in educational and professional sectors.

Owing to the large selection of contrivances and applications it provides, the performances of students and working professionals who rely on it have notably improved and stabilised over time.

Numerous students and working professionals with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, commonly abbreviated as ADHD, face a distinctive assemblage of challenges that impact their academic performances, work productivity and general welfare. 

Interpreting and understanding these struggles becomes crucial for the creation of adequately supportive environments. Environments that accommodate and encourage such individuals to excel in their respective fields. 

Challenges faced by people with ADHD

Difficulty sustaining attention

One of the defining features of ADHD includes difficulty related to sustaining attention. This can pose a challenge/drawback in academic and professional circles where focus and attention are of utmost importance.

Owing to this, tasks such as following lectures, reading theoretically heavy material or completing projects can prove to be difficult for individuals with ADHD. 

Procrastination and the perfection-paralysis cycle

Issues with maintaining focus can lead to difficulties with initiating tasks. People with ADHD struggle with perfectionism, and their fear of imperfection can be crippling. Leading to them experiencing an inability to begin working on a task. This inevitably results in what is often misunderstood as procrastination in academic and professional circles. 

Time management

Furthermore, individuals with ADHD understand and process time differently. Their time management skills are often unconventional, creating issues when it comes to adhering to schedules and allotting sufficient time to important tasks.

Working memory deficits

Working memory is of paramount importance when it comes to retaining and manipulating information wisely. Students and employees with ADHD often find themselves struggling with recalling directives, performing multi-faceted tasks, and retaining characteristic details provided in lectures.

Hyperactivity

Inattention usually coexists with hyperactivity in ADHD. This can manifest in individuals experiencing various forms of physical discomfort such as constant fidgeting and restlessness.

Such symptoms are deemed disruptive in most classroom or work settings, increasing the social stigma associated with the disorder. Further exacerbating the pressure to abide by societal norms. An issue that multiple individuals with ADHD experience by virtue of the disorder.

Test anxiety

ADHD causes heightened anxiety during examinations, owing to concerns related to time management and focus. Balancing multiple tasks and subjects then, can prove to be daunting.

Anxiety when coupled with attempts to multitask leads to a decrease in productivity and an increase in errors.

Consistency 

Individuals with ADHD experience alternate ebbs and flows in their performances and levels of productivity. This is due to variations in their ability to sustain attention and retain information on a daily basis. 

Thus, consistency can prove to be a difficult goal for them to attain.

The effect of overstimulation and distracting environments

External stimuli can make it harder to sustain attention, increasing difficulty in maintaining concentration in noisy or busy environments.

Working under such conditions is inevitable in both educational and professional spheres. Providing a much larger and more complex challenge to individuals with the disorder. 

Despite these difficulties, it’s crucial to remember the distinctive strengths that individuals with ADHD possess. They are known to be markedly more creative with higher energy levels and emotional intelligence.

With appropriate amounts of support, effective coping strategies and accommodation, such individuals can leverage their strengths to succeed in educational as well as professional sectors. 

How can Artificial Intelligence (AI) help people with ADHD

Customised learning and attention management

AI-based educational platforms provide personalised learning materials, that cater to subjective pace and attention span. It serves to help individuals with ADHD retain attention better, by using modes of presentation that suit their learning styles.

Attention tracking and providing feedback

AI-powered bio-feedback devices can observe and monitor attention levels during the completion of various activities. They provide real-time feedback on attention patterns. Helping individuals recognise when their focus wanes. Allowing them to train themselves to self-regulate and take steps that help re-engage.

Furthermore, AI can be used to analyse facial expressions, intonation, and physiological impulses, to detect symptoms of stress or frustration. Applications can be customised to suggest relaxation techniques or intervals whenever required.

Time management

AI can help organise and create schedules, provide constant reminders and prioritise daily tasks. This can further be used to teach students and working professionals efficient time management.

Games that aid with cognitive training 

AI-powered cognitive training games target specific cognitive skills, including attention, working memory, and impulse control. Playing these games regularly can improve these skills over a period of time.

Distraction minimisation 

AI tools create simulations of distraction-free environments while blocking notifications from apps and websites, helping with improving focus.

Furthermore, sensory-friendly environments can be created by monitoring the lights, sounds, and other sensory inputs present in an environment, preventing overstimulation.

Speech-to-text and AI dictation tools

Dictation tools can be used by individuals with ADHD to capture their thoughts, ideas, and notes, serving to significantly reduce the cognitive burden associated with the task of writing.

Mindfulness and meditative relaxation techniques

Certain AI-based applications provide guided meditations, mindfulness exercises and relaxation techniques which markedly reduce stress and anxiety. These act as effective coping methods for managing ADHD and related disorders.

Enabling better parent-teacher collaboration 

AI-powered communication tools facilitate meaningful collaboration between parents, teachers, and therapists. It can create an efficiently functioning support system, essential for many individuals with the disorder.

AI can be used to analyse subjective strengths and preferences. Thus generating customised strategies which help individuals manage ADHD symptoms better.

It can also be used to support students and working professionals. Creating a holistic approach using professional, medical and behavioural interventions, aids in the implementation of self-regulation strategies.