Share Your Story — Anytime
We’re building a collective picture of how ADHD-related harm shows up in real life — in schools, workplaces, families, healthcare, and silence. You can also read some of the stories already shared here.
If you’ve lived it, you’re welcome to add your voice here at any time. You can share your story or thoughts with your name, under initials, or completely anonymously.
Your words will join others in showing why ADHD reform matters, and help build visibility with the public and Parliament. Some people share now. Others wait until the time feels right. Either is fine — this space will stay open for as long as it’s needed.
What Can You Write About?
Your story can be short or long. You might want to share:
- Feeling dismissed, misjudged, or misdiagnosed
- Delays in accessing assessment or support
- Challenges navigating school, work, health, or justice systems
- Burnout, masking, shame, or being labelled wrongly
- Parenting a neurodivergent child while unpacking your own ADHD
- What helped — or what was missing
This isn’t about proving anything. It’s about naming what’s been lived and lost.
What Will Happen to My Story?
These stories are being collected as part of the ADHD Inquiry NZ campaign — a community-led effort calling for a formal public inquiry into ADHD-related harm in Aotearoa.
The petition asks Parliament to run that official inquiry. While we don’t control that process, we’re creating space to be heard now independently, for those who want it. Whether or not an inquiry goes ahead, this space ensures your story can be shared and valued. You can also read some of the stories already shared here.
If you choose to share your story publicly, it may be:
- Published on this website (anonymously or with your name, depending on what you’ve selected)
- May be included (with permission) in awareness materials or campaign summaries
- Referenced (with permission) in any supporting documents submitted to Parliament, if such submissions are allowed
Once the petition closes, the Select Committee may or may not accept additional documents. If it does, we’ll try to include selected stories with permission. Either way, sharing them here does not depend on that process.
If a public inquiry is launched in future, people will be able to submit their own stories directly to Parliament.
Prefer to Use Social Media?
Comment, message, or add your voice.
Find or tag us at @adhdinquirynz
Submit Your Story or Thoughts
🌏 Global Support Is Welcome
Did you know that anyone in the world can sign a petition to the New Zealand Parliament?
Once the petition is live, international friends, whānau, and allies will be able to stand with us. You don’t need to live in New Zealand.