Fighting for ADHD awareness in Hong Kong is an uphill battle for social enterprise founder
Amanda Fok is the founder of Let’s Talk ADHD and ADHD Awareness Week, at which adults can get free ADHD assessments on October 25 and 26
After Amanda Fok Choi-ling was told, at the age of 35, she had ADHD, the first doctor she saw about her condition was a child psychiatrist.
A professional emcee, Fok founded Let’s Talk ADHD, a social enterprise that raises awareness of the disorder and starts conversations to spread the word that it affects children and adults alike. She launched Hong Kong’s first ADHD Awareness Week in 2020.
ADHD, or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, is a neurodevelopmental disorder that results from an imbalance of neurotransmitters, or brain chemicals, like dopamine.
This can affect executive functions, a set of mental skills that enable a person to plan, follow and achieve a task to completion. Someone with ADHD may find it hard to focus, follow directions and manage emotions.
Other symptoms include persistent inattention, hyperactivity that manifests as restlessness or fidgeting, and impulsivity. It is not a behavioural flaw but a chronic condition.
