ADHD: How to accommodate employees & clients in the nail space

According to the NHS, ADHD affects 3 to 4% of adults and is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders in the UK. There are multiple variants of the condition, so diagnosing ADHD is difficult and can take years of assessments.

For people with ADHD, everyday tasks can often be challenging and overwhelming. Scratch talks to a tech and client about how it affects them in the nail space, and how employers and salons can be more inclusive to those with ADHD…

What are the symptoms?

The NHS states that the symptoms of ADHD can be categorised into two types: inattentiveness (difficulty concentrating and focusing) and hyperactivity/impulsiveness.

In adults, the NHS reports that the common symptoms associated with ADHD are:

• Carelessness and lack of attention to detail.
• Continually starting new tasks before finishing old ones.
• Poor organisational skills.
• Inability to focus or prioritise.
• Continually losing or misplacing things.
• Forgetfulness.
• Restlessness and edginess.
• Difficulty keeping quiet, and speaking out of turn.
• Blurting out responses and often interrupting others.
• Mood swings, irritability and a quick temper.
• Inability to deal with stress.
• Extreme impatience.
• Taking risks in activities, often with little or no regard for personal safety or the safety of others.

Tech talk: Chantelle Parsons, Christchurch, New Zealand

“I was a quirky, creative child at school: a maximalist and collector of ornaments, craft supplies, clothes and anything else that provided dopamine. When a friend was diagnosed with ADHD, she sat me down one night and suggested that I too may have the condition.

“I was very confused, but when she read out the description, I booked an appointment with a doctor and was properly diagnosed – at the age of 30. The medication prescribed immediately helped with my work life, easing issues such as lack of motivation, anxiety, afternoon sleepiness, overthinking and being distracted.

“Before the medication, I would sit with clients and battle to start a conversation in quiet moments. I had so many thoughts circling, but then my mind would wander off into the jobs that I need to get done or the social media post I needed to create.

“On reflection of my previous jobs, I believe that knowing I had ADHD could have helped me, as could my employer being able to understand the condition and how to get the best from me.

“If employers take the time to understand ADHD, it will benefit them in the long run. People with ADHD are creative, they think outside of the box, and they hyperfocus and concentrate on something rewarding for hours on end.

“Many people with ADHD may perceive something said as a rejection of their character and take it very personally. If you have something to discuss with an employee with ADHD, it is best to have a private meeting and give compliments, as well as discuss areas for progress.

“There are some mundane tasks that need to be done in nail salons, but an unmedicated ADHD worker won’t want to do them. An employer would be wise to add a healthy amount of pressure, or consider a reward system. ADHD sufferers may sometimes appear lazy, but it isn’t the case, and that’s when feelings of anxiousness and rejection may appear.”

Client chat: Megan Allaway, Tunbridge Wells, UK

Megan Allaway was diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 21. She decided to get assessed after recognising similar signs in people she followed on TikTok who had ADHD. She finds nail salon visits challenging.

“I can sit still, but my mind is hyperactive,” she says. “My ADHD makes my head buzz and when I was diagnosed, it was described to me as the secretary that organises my brain being absent. The secretary’s role in a neurotypical brain is to organise and prioritise, so that the non-important information is saved for later and the brain can focus on one thing. I don’t have the secretary that a neurotypical brain has, so all thoughts are running through my mind at the same time.

“ADHD causes me to be distracted and not complete tasks, such as choosing a design for my nails. I also find making decisions and overthinking challenging, and have time blindness, meaning that I can lose track of time and find arriving at a particular time for a nail appointment stressful.

“When attending nail salons, I struggle to choose a design or colour and have sensory overload. I don’t like making phone calls, so prefer to book online. To prevent feelings of overwhelm, I need to know in advance exactly what I want in terms of shape, colour and design. I worry about questions that might catch me off-guard.

“What is a simple three-step task for a neurotypical person: leaving the house, travelling to the salon and getting nails done, becomes a more difficult multi-step task, requiring hours of preparation and thinking.

“It would be beneficial if nail techs were aware of how people can struggle with sensory issues. Personally, I often have sensory overload from bright and flashing lights. Others with ADHD can be overwhelmed by other sensory challenges, such as noise and the smell of the products. I am unable to touch certain materials, and it is difficult for me to say to others when I am in discomfort and to explain what is causing it. I would likely sit and struggle through an appointment, and just not go back to the salon again.”