Will therapy or treatment reduce my struggle with household tasks?Â
Managing household tasks can be a daily struggle for individuals with ADHD. The difficulty in staying organised, prioritising, and following through with tasks can create feelings of frustration and inadequacy. While strategies like checklists or reminders help, therapy or treatment may offer additional support. According to NHS guidance on ADHD, therapy and treatment can improve executive function, emotional regulation, and task management, making household tasks easier to manage over time.
Why ADHD makes household tasks challenging
ADHD affects executive functions such as working memory, time management, and emotional regulation. These challenges can make even basic tasks like cleaning, cooking, or laundry feel overwhelming. According to the ADHD Evidence Project (2025), ADHD often results in difficulties with task initiation, prioritisation, and follow-through. The NICE ADHD guidelines (NG87) suggest that therapy and treatment can help address these issues by teaching coping strategies and improving organisational skills.
How therapy or treatment can reduce the struggle with household tasks
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
CBT helps individuals with ADHD identify negative thought patterns and develop strategies to manage tasks more effectively. It teaches skills like time management, prioritisation, and emotional regulation, which are crucial for household tasks.
Building sustainable habits
Therapy can help you create sustainable habits by focusing on small, manageable steps. ADHD coaching, a type of therapy designed for individuals with ADHD, can guide you in developing realistic and consistent household routines.
Improved emotional regulation
Therapy can help address the emotional dysregulation that often accompanies ADHD. By learning to manage frustration, overwhelm, or feelings of failure, you can approach household tasks with a more positive mindset, making it easier to stay on track.
Medication and treatment
For some individuals with ADHD, medication prescribed by a healthcare professional can improve focus, attention, and task completion. Medication, combined with therapy, can help reduce the symptoms of ADHD that interfere with household tasks.
Long-term support
Ongoing therapy or treatment provides continuous support, helping you stay on track with household tasks even when motivation dips. A therapist or coach can hold you accountable and offer encouragement, making it easier to maintain progress.
The NHS ADHD Taskforce Report (2025) stresses the importance of addressing ADHD symptoms through comprehensive treatment plans, including therapy and medication, to help individuals better manage their daily lives, including household tasks.
Takeaway
Therapy and treatment can help reduce the struggle with household tasks for individuals with ADHD. By improving emotional regulation, teaching organisational skills, and offering long-term support, therapy can provide the tools needed to manage household routines with greater ease and less stress.
