By Jane Sandwood
ADHD is increasing in America, with diagnoses rising in number each year, which may be caused by increased stress and pressure on school children to perform. There are plenty of online resources to help with ADHD, but there is more the community could be doing. Public spaces such as parks, town halls and school classrooms can all be redesigned to counter the growing epidemic of stress, especially for those with ADHD.
Those who live with ADHD may struggle to do the things that we all need to do to get by. Whether it's paying attention in school or dealing with household chores, everyday life requires the organizational skills that those with ADHD lack.
This can lead to stress caused by loss of control. While everyone feels hopeless sometimes, ADHD can cause extra stress, for example causing someone to lose important documents or failing to prepare for exams or work.
There are emerging methods of ADHD friendly interior design that are built to encourage relaxation. This includes minimalist designs, which focus on reducing clutter so that a person can more easily concentrate on the task at hand. A workplace with too many things going on can cause distraction. Instead, offices should aim to only contain equipment and documents that are necessary for productivity. Those with ADHD crave activities, so if the only engaging activity is work related, you can ensure they will stay busy.
The same goes for schools, town halls or any other community space. You can also create a sense of tranquility by incorporating nature into your interior design. Try bringing the outside to your home or office by purchasing a houseplant. Nature has incredible stress-relieving properties and just looking at a plant or photograph of the great outdoors can reduce anxiety.
Communal rooms should also be decorated with calming, neutral colors such as blues, greens or browns. These colors are linked to nature and so create a feeling of calm, as opposed to bright colors which inhibit relaxation.
Helping people with ADHD is the responsibility of individuals, government and society as a whole. With the increased stress associated with it, communal spaces should be designed to aid relaxation and a calm mind.