So excited to have Amanda here from Let's Talk ADHD. It's a charity, a social enterprise in Hong Kong. And she's here with and we've got Mel, who's the CEO of ADHD Australia. This is a wonderful tripartite connection of the of three ADHD charities truly showing our global the global conference doing things globally. Welcome both of you.

Hi. Thank you for having me today. I'm Amanda from Hong Kong. Let's start ADHD.

Thank you for having me. So I'm Mel from Australia.

Great. And obviously, Australia, so this is prerecord is play but it's gonna be playing out at the the start of the conference in UK time. So Australia will be taking over in Australian time. So the two chief organizers are ADHD UK and ADHD Australia. And then we're so excited to have contributing charities like Let's Talk ADHD in Hong Kong, and truly wanting to know what it's like to have ADHD in Hong Kong and everything like that. Right, Amanda, you're the founder. Wonderfully, you've got some slides to show us about what you're doing. So I'm gonna hand over to you and, yeah, to your slides.

Oh, thank you so much. So it's my turn. Hi, everyone. I'm so happy that I can join this Global ADHD Conference. Conference, and I prepared some information about ADHD in Hong Kong. I think in Asia, we have a different perspective about ADHD and we just like a beginner about ADHD. So I would like to share with you. So first of all, I would like to introduce myself and the Lester ADHD to all of you. First of all, would like to let you know apart from I'm the founder of Lester ADHD, I'm the I think the first Chinese certified ADHD life coach in Hong Kong because in Hong Kong is a very, new topic talking about ADHD, life coach. And I would like to bring this idea to Hong Kong to help more people become.

ADHD, a life coach, and help more ADHD people have a better life. And the most important thing is that I'm also an ADHDer. I diagnosed my ADHD over 30 years old, and I have some very popular symptoms just like daydreaming, talk excessive, hyperactive, blah blah blah blah. So after I tried many different treatments, I found medications and I tried the CBT and the exercise and my daily diet changed and I found that I can manage my ADHD. So that's why I would like to use my strength. I love to speak. So that's why I set up Let's Talk ADHD and share my experience about how to treat myself. And during my treatment, about over ten years about how to treat my ADHD. We would like to let you know temporarily.

We are the only social enterprise in Hong Kong focusing and add ADHD education, supporting, and to the patients. And we also have a charity body also would like to do more. We are not we do not talking about that we just focus forever, not care for the children. However, you note for all the parents who join to learn ADHD. And in Hong Kong, maybe still too many people think that ADHD is still a kid's problem. So that's why we would like to emphasize that adult also have ADHD. And our our wishing is talking about that we ambitions a world where every adult ADHDer to live and work successfully in Hong Kong. I would like to left some time to our host to ask me question because I I I knew that I have time limitations. So I I knew that some.

Question that you would like to ask me. So, yeah, I try my best to hurry up.

You're fantastic. Thank you. Really, yeah, really excited. It's amazing the similarities across the pieces. It shows a big part of why this sort of collaboration is, us talking is so important. We have a lot of the same fights. We have a lot of the same issues. You you were talking about lack of adults getting diagnosed, lack of women and girls getting diagnosed. Like, you know, these are issues across across the piece and the the stigmas that you were talking about. And I know Mel's got a question. So I give the first question over to Mel.

So first of all, just to say, wow. Absolutely fantastic. Some truly amazing work that you're doing. And, here in Australia, we've we've learned some fantastic, similarities, but also some some differences as well. I think the the thinking around social enterprise model for adults in particular, but individuals with ADHD with an adult focus is quite a point of difference and and very, very innovative. So definitely got me thinking about what we can do here in Australia. I'm keen to hear from you. 4,000 members. That is very, very, very impacting positively on many, many people. So what are the key benefits for an adult in getting an ADHD diagnosis? So clearly, there's some barriers and some people might be scared. What are the benefits?

So first of all, I'm proud of it. I think the benefits, first of all, you you totally understand yourself. I just said that we just found our user menu. I always use a sample. Do you know we have different kind of mobile phone system? Some is for iPhone system, some for Android system in the past. Just think I am the Android system and I feel not good and instead I'm so so so bad or stupid. But now when I know that oh I'm iPhone system, I'm still good and I know that how to use myself ADHD brain much more better. So first of all, my emotion and mental health is much better. And the second one is when I know that I have ADHD, I can let my.

Husband and my teammate know that I have that kind of problem. And after that, our cooperation with them much better. So I think it's a very important first of all, you have to face your ADHD. And if you do that, yourself and your family members or team members will have a better life.

And and you seem such a happy lady.

Yeah. Which is lovely to see. The positivity of ADHD is fantastic coming from you. I I I would like to then how you know that I diagnosed depression before. Okay? So when I have ADHD and I don't know I have ADHD, I have depression. And some of the professionals that that's when you kill ADHD, you didn't have a depression from in my case. That is very important. I kill my ADHD and my emotion is much better. But at the same time, you have to treat yourself much better and manage it. For example, do some exercise, and your diets have to more nutritionist to to let your brain much more healthy, just like that.

Thank you. Thank you. Yep. I like, I was struck by some of a lot of what you've talked about. I was really interested in about in the like, the difference of being in Hong Kong in China and having ADHD. Because one of the I think one of the underplayed aspects of ADHD is around the impulsivity, in particularly around speaking, so butting in with a with a point. And in China and in Hong Kong, how you present yourself, like, has, to my understanding, much less leeway. Right? Like, you have a much more I I feel like if you jumped in and busted in over your boss, that would be a pretty significant thing. Like so is that, like, is that, like, is that, like, an issue? What is the what what are.

What is it like basically having ADHD in in China and Hong Kong? What where are the big areas of challenge?

Okay. I I think I can tell a different point of perspective. For example, for kids in in school. I think in Australia and UK, I think the the kids can run around in the classroom and you have a big playground. So they can free themselves, but however in Hong Kong and China, they have to sit still in the classroom. So for ADHD kids, it's very hard for them. And sometimes they they feel very struggled and very low self self esteem because many teachers and people said that, oh, you're wrong. You're annoyed. You're not good. So this is one thing is quite different. So sometimes people.

You know, for The UK, many many Hong Kong people move to The UK. And so we think that, okay, if your your kids have ADHD, maybe you you go to the other country, have the education, maybe can help part of the ADHD symptoms. So this is the first part. And the second part, you're talking about adults. And I can tell you, I'm very special case that I didn't be a employee in my whole life. I I start my business and do some freelance in my whole life. One thing one job so close to employees, I am insurance agents before, but, you know, insurance agent is quite flexible. We are the partner of the com company. It's not an employee. So that's why we didn't have I didn't have that kind of problem. So I'm a very correct.

Decision because if I'm an employee, I think I I have a big trouble for the some administration and why I found out I have ADHD, especially for the in I'm in the insurance company because I have to make sure that all the application form correct and all the day or deadline have to correct. So it is a huge problem for my ADHD symptoms. So that's why I found out that I have ADHD. And some people in Hong Kong, when they're about, they are being a employer employee, they also have that kind of problem. And especially for the employer, they didn't have that kind of concept. Especially, they didn't realize that ADHD is disabled in Hong Kong. Even we under the protection of the of disabled or discriminant.

Ordinance protection. However, they didn't know that. So some of them, they don't know their benefits, and they don't know how to communicate with their boss, and they don't know how to communicate to themselves or some colleagues. They don't know how to work with ADHD. In the past, some a boss to tell me that, okay, I love this employee. However, I don't know how to work with them. So that's why we do some education in the workplace to help them to how to work with ADHD employees because they have a very good performance and very good talent, especially after the COVID nineteen. So I think the thing I hope that I can answer your question. So okay. I I I That's great. And I think thank you.

And then, Mel, do you have a follow on question?

I do. Yes. So in Australia, there's quite a lot of support for individuals from a legal perspective for individuals with a disability and those individuals that also ADHD. And I'm just a little bit interested around how does the the legal system to support equality and to support safety for individuals in the workplace work in Hong Kong? What does that look like? I think.

ADHD is a very, very, very new topic to govern. Because in Hong Kong, most of the people are much more focused on the visible disabled, just like some people using wheelchair or bride or a deaf, just like that. So for the new diversity, not only ADHD, for the autistic, it's a very new topic. So we you you you can you can you can say that in a school, autistic student is much more care than ADHD student. However, from a statistic in Hong Kong, ADHD student just over the amount of autistic student. However, even in the school, after the school surface is not enough, So for the workplace, it's told to me I I can't say the zero. However, as I said before, they don't know they have a legal profession because in Hong Kong, we have the disabled.

Discrimination ordinance but not talking about other people. Only for me. I didn't know that before. I why I know why I knew that when I work with some project in the government. So I first said, oh, why hell or under this disabled ADHD is under disabled. So that's why I I knew that. So for the public, they did not realize that. So in what place, I can tell you the complaint, a case in Hong Kong CEO, an equal opportunity commission community. They didn't have they they have zero zero complaint case. They just only have the complaint case in the school. So I think Hong Kong is a new this is a new topic. So that's why we have to we to do more efficacy to let the government to know that.

Adults will have ADHD in a workplace. It's something like that. I I I think in The UK and Australia, maybe the same. Many companies said that, oh, we welcome to hire more disabled. Right? But for ADHD, it's a interesting topic that you already have many ADHD employees, but didn't they didn't rise out or they didn't touch you. But if they don't know how to manage their ADHD symptoms, they they can't have a good productivities or maybe it ruins the company. So I think the point of view, we have to educate to the other people educate to the to the Hong Kong society. And the the bad news is talking about that based on that kind of lack of knowledge. So we didn't have official funding to support our work. I we do it by ourselves.

To support our ideas or advocacy, but we hope that in the future, we have more statistic, more cooperation with the country just like UK and Australia to let the Hong Kong government to know that, okay. It is really a issue. Especially, we found a report from Deloitte that is from Australia. It's talking about the social productivity course. So I think that is the the situation in Hong Kong.

Thank you. Like, so what do you talked about there being no complaints on on ADHD, And, obviously, that that means people aren't feeling comfortable coming forward because it okay. So what would happen if I'm I'm an employee in Hong Kong. I'm having challenges as a result of my ADHD. I go to my boss, say, like, look. Declare I've got a diagnosis of ADHD, but I'm I'm struggling. What's likely to happen next?

So I I think it's so similar in Australia because I found some ADHD workplace guideline in Australia. First of all, depends on what kind of company. If they are the very big international company due to their policy, they will not fire them immediately. But it depends on their performance. However, in Chinese company, I heard some members. They said that they work in a company over one years and accidentally her boss knew that she has ADHD and fired her afterward. So they don't know if that's better. Boss found out accidentally.

And then very shortly after, the person was was fired, and it was a direct result of that knowledge. Direct results. But.

In Hong Kong, as I said, the law protection is not very clear. Many people don't know they have that kind of protections, and they have that kind of rights. Or even they don't know ADHD is is under disabled discrimination ordinance. So that's why they do not voice out. And I think the support or, as I said before, the the employer, they don't know what it is. They just think that, okay, you may be so naughty or you you always daydreaming. It is this is a excuse. You it is not a problem. This is a excuse. Very especially in Hong Kong because the people don't know some disease that's in your brain. They just only considers the disease that they can see that. So I think I don't know. Is that the same in The UK and Australia?

That's in Hong Kong. So many people don't like to share they have ADHD. Why I would like to share? Because I didn't have a boss. Mhmm. Mhmm.

But and but one of the reasons, like, you don't have a boss, right, is because you've you felt you wouldn't work in a in a company.

Is that correct? I I will fire my boss. I I I knew that. Yeah.

That that's just obviously pretty it's actually and if I went, like, and say, If I went and took a case to try to take a case for discrimination, would you like, if I was if I was similar to that person, I my boss had found out I got fired, do you think I'd do you think it would work? Like, what do you think would happen?

Yes. Actually, if someone that's they found that discrimination, actually, they can do some action. Because as I said before, it is really under Hong Kong discriminants disabled discriminant ordinance. So Gotcha. Some some people some members ask for our help before. We can refer some lawyer, and we can refer them to to the equal opportunity community to help them to do the complaint. But it is a very long investigations. It's a very long, long, long run. So some people maybe didn't have that kind of energy to do that. So in our community job. Right? You have no job, no money. No job, no money. So, actually, we didn't success in the last four year.

But, actually, they have their rights. In the last two years, we have some speaker. They had a lawyer. They talked about the the the law that is protect the employee. At the same time, the foreign employer, they also have to know that. But I I don't know if that's the the right is that the true that just now, no members to to raise out any complaint or to to do some legal actions to their employer.

And do you have so in both Australia and UK and many other parts of the world, as someone with a registered disability, you get a right to the sort of in The UK, called I'm not sure about the Australian terminology. They're they're called a reasonable accommodation. Do you have the like, is that the same right there?

I think accommodation, we also suggest to some workplace when we do some training. We would like to tell the employer that you do a little bit accommodation. First of all, don't put the employee sit so close to the door. It's a very easy accommodation. Right? But this is not a must. Do you know it's depends on the the the employer's willingness because it's not same as for example, for the wheelchair persons in Hong Kong, actually, we have some clear rules that they have to do something, to do some some role, how to say that, slide role to help them to go to the building just like that. However, for neurodiversity person, no one know that what kind of accommodation that they have to do because it's so complicated.

And it is quite hard for them to understand that. First of all, I always tell to the employers or teammates that around ADHD, they have to have a very small break around thirty minutes to have a drink or put a toilet. But some people think that, okay, maybe they're lazy. They don't like to do the job. So it is not a very clear explanations to some people. They don't know they really don't understand ADHD symptoms. So it is now still in Hong Kong. It's not a very popular idea for employers to do the accommodation.

And and I think what you've you've said is that the reasonable accommodations, so employees don't have the same level of rights for that and where rights are in case it's there's a sort of regulatory position of this is what needs to be done with and which doesn't exist for ADHD.

Oh, yeah.

And so any any adjustments require the kind the the kindness of essentially of the employee, doesn't it? Yes. It's the kind of yes.

It just depends on their love. Okay?

Yeah. Which and it's tough to get love when you're struggling. Right? When when you're perhaps performing great in the in the job.

Yes. I I think the first thing is that they lack of yep. They lack of education. The the the very bottom forever. They don't know what it is.

We do have to wrap up with, like, wildly overrun time, which is What's because, like, what you're talking about is just extraordinarily interesting and important. I I have a traditional, like, last question I'd like to ask. So with Mel's permission, I'm gonna ask it. Think.

No. It's great.

Thank you. In life so far, what aspect of ADHD has made you happiest, and what aspect of your ADHD has made you saddest? And if we could do saddest first, then happiest, so we end on a high note.

So I think for I I would like to clarify to your question, Desert. You said you said that I feel happy when I diagnosed with ADHD?

Well, no. It's like what now you know about your ADHD, the traits it gives you, the the impact it has on you, what aspect of ADHD or its consequences have made you happiest? And what aspects of your ADHD and the traits and its consequences made you saddest?

I think in this status of my life, all the thing I I I turn to happy because actually my hyper can help me be workaholic. And in my in my job now, I'm doing that start ADHD. I motivate other people to face their ADHD. I I have much more dopamine. You know? And I knew that how to get much more dopamine, which is age actually ADHD lack of. You know? So think when I when I knew I have ADHD, my life is totally changed to a much more positive contributions, and I can have much more friends just like the both of you. So in this moment, I think that I just only have the positive side and all of the my my symptoms, I will I I knew that how to manage this. As I said, I I have a many system alarm. I do much more preparations, pepper preparation.

So I think after I start up Lateral ADHD, it's not it's not just only the contribution to the community, especially to the Hong Kong community. It's the contribution to myself because I learned much more skills and knowledge to help me have a better life. So that's why I think ADHD can be my strength and a superpower much more than my weakness or make me unhappy because I forgot the the unhappy time because I have a depression before and I really realized that. What kind of thing what what kind of the thing that make me sad or what kind of thing that's I would like of a dominant.

So when I realized just realized that I lack of thought dominant, I'm gonna do exercise or meet some good friends or listen to some good music. Maybe I I already have a good system system to support myself based on I really understand my user manual, my ADHD user manual. So is that I can answer your question?

I think that's a wonderful answer. No. Thank you. Well, it's been wonderful. Thank you so much. Thank you so much. It's been great having this sort of tripartite of ADHD Australia, UK, and you in Hong Kong. Just absolutely wonderful. Thank you so much for being here. Thank you for being part of the conference. You've got your own conference coming up. Yay. Will you quickly tell people the dates and and how they could join?

No. Very easy. Our ADHD awareness with Hong Kong is talking about in October '28. You go to lifestyle ADHD website, you can join us for a fee. And the most important is not only for the live events, we will replay in our website one month. So one registrations, you can join all of our online webinar.

That's it. Fantastic. Yeah. And we are thrilled with our speakers, but you have a very special speaker. Do you wanna tell people about about them?

Yeah. Because we have a Daniel Kwai as I shared a PowerPoint to you, all of you before, because he had a a very famous and he got a Oscar in this year's and Everything Everywhere, all of us, this movie, you have to see it because it can show our ADHD brain. And he said that Mhmm. Yeah. When he write this movie, he diagnosed that he had ADHD. So he shared his experience and how ADHD helped him to produce that awesome movie. At the same time, he will tell us how he deal with his ADHD. So it's very important for all of you to join us to hear his sharing.

I no. I didn't I didn't know that he was, like, as in the path of writing it that he was diagnosed with ADHD. Like, I I've watched the movie. I can tell you, like, it is very ADHD. Like, it like, it jumps around in an incredibly wonderful, exciting way it. Into new concepts, new things. Like, it's everything everywhere all at once frankly describes my to do list. Like, and Yeah. My my plan for the day basically starts with that. Everything all yeah. All at once. And so Yes. Yes. Yeah. That's wonderful. Thank you again so much for being here. Absolutely wonderful. Great to have all three of us here and really look forward to that conference. Look forward to the work we're gonna do together in the future and the collaborations.

And to us all continuing the fight. So thank you. Thank you. Bye.

Thank you so much. Thank you. Bye.