> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://thepulse.org/en/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # 20 Tips for Dealing with ADHD in Your Youth Ministry - URL: https://thepulse.org/en/adhd-in-youth-ministry-20-tips/ - Published: 2012-12-11T22:22:18.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-21T08:51:13.000Z - Description: ADHD means you should know about the topic, so you can better understand your teens’ life stories, find easier ways to reach them and shape their lives. - Author: Andy Fronius - Tags: Articles, #target-leaders, #topic-mental-health, #age-children, #age-teens, #target-educators, #target-parents There are lots of misunderstandings about ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder; when there’s no hyperactivity, people often call it ADD) and what it actually is. There are many “schools of thought” that either see ADHD as nonexistent or see ADHD at the root of every mental illness. Either way, ADHD is being recognized and treated more and more often and more and more professionally, because doctors and educators are paying closer attention and are better informed. ADHD, with or without hyperactivity, shows up in about 1 or 2 out of every 10 kids in your youth group. According to the WHO, about 8 to 12% of the world’s population have ADHD, no matter where they come from, what status they were born into or what gender they are. If we can believe American studies, the share of people with ADHD in churches is 3 times higher than in the general population, probably because of the convincing way of life, clear rules and committed community! Famous people like Whoopi Goldberg, Albert Einstein and the singer of the band Casting Crowns, Mark Hall, have ADHD. ADHD doesn’t necessarily mean that a person is hyperactive or that they’re always fidgeting through your youth group session without focus. But ADHD means you should know about the topic, so you can better understand your teens’ life stories, find easier ways to reach them and shape their lives. ## What is ADHD, anyway? The problem for a person with ADHD lies in their genes, or in complications that occur during pregnancy. To use an image, ADHD is like a car that has a gas pedal and a brake, except the regulator, the driver, has no balance and can’t judge the speed properly. So teens with ADHD race past friendships and productive work at full throttle, or they brake so hard that nothing gets done at all. The medications (Ritalin, Concerta, Strattera…) work exactly on this balancing force. Studies show that people with ADHD self-medicate when there’s no professional treatment or therapy. Untreated kids with ADHD are 80% more likely to turn to stimulants like alcohol or drugs. ## What does ADHD do to the people who have it? The problem for kids with ADHD is that everything runs in extremes. Either they’re extremely focused (hyperfocused), so that they’ll get through an entire Harry Potter book in 2 evenings, for example. Or everything goes completely off track, so that they go through everything everyday life throws at them as if in a trance (hypoactive). ADHD is a perception disorder that usually shifts how people see themselves or how they see others, and makes it look different from how it really is. People with ADHD tend to have fits of rage and an exaggerated sense of justice. Everything that happens is extreme: thinking, living, acting, dealing with others, talking, relationships, everything. They always react to every impulse and answer every comment. That can turn your youth room into a giant impulse cannon, where even the ticking of the clock and “every comment” get an over-the-top reaction. ## Symptoms - Saying every thought that shoots through their head - Short attention spans - Physical restlessness (tipping back in their chair, wiggling or fiddling) - Physical inattentiveness (running into things, knocking things over …) - Careless mistakes - No sense for the right amount of force and impulses - Being impulsive and explosive; craving affection and having no sense of boundaries; sensitive and withdrawn - Jumping between topics in conversations without focus ## Tips for dealing with kids with ADHD - Always offer a good balance between Bible study and sports - In worship, make sure you start “loud” and end “quiet” - Try not to give long-term projects to teens with ADHD (leading a group, keeping the birthday list, managing the donation box) - Leave only spontaneous, group-dynamic activities to kids with ADHD (planning games, outings or special events) - Remember, it’s about the stimulus and the thrill; after that, you’ve got their attention! - Never talk with kids with ADHD when other stimuli are competing for their attention (phone off, TV off, no music, eye contact) - Expect more mistakes in group tasks, and give kids with ADHD special tasks. - Spread your kids with ADHD out well across group tasks - Talk about ADHD (there are plenty of wild characters in the Bible) - Be specific, be brief, forgive a lot! - Kids with ADHD are always the first when it comes to signing up for tasks, but the last to get the job done. - Two things at once: in pastoral conversations, let them take notes, or go for a walk while you talk with kids with ADHD. - Use several stimuli: talking and visualizing, walking and talking, touching their shoulder or arm while you talk when you have important points - When a teen explodes, have them run a lap around the church building first, and only then sort things out or talk! - When you hand over a job, always offer help as well: work out checklists or a step-by-step plan, send reminders by text - Allow doodling or chewing gum - Show goodwill in spite of problems - Create security through recognition and praise - ALWAYS announce consequences in advance!! - Better a few broad rules than lots of rules and confusion ## One more thing! As a youth leader, you don’t carry any responsibility for therapy or psychological care. ADHD is an issue in the family context, and usually one of the parents has it too. Think carefully about whether to talk with the parents about it and what you want to tell them. Watch closely, and use the same tips in your conversation with the parents to win them over to getting a diagnosis. Bring along the contact details of support groups or doctors right away, or a book about ADHD. ## ADHD from a personal point of view! Well, God must have had something in mind with this particular wiring. Just because somebody has come up with a name for my strengths and weaknesses, I still believe that everyone has a right to live out their strengths and to have others make up for their weaknesses, without feeling bad about it. People who have ADHD and take medication will be coming to our churches even more often, and God is waiting for these people. I assume that many energetic, young-at-heart youth leaders have the same problems as the teenagers who come to their groups. But we have the same God, who offers one and the same way of life, built on forgiveness, commitment and trust. And that way of life is attractive to the healthy and the sick, with or without ADHD. God bless your ministry! Markus Emmerich Book tip for youth leaders with ADHD: [*Driven to Distraction*](https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/209384/driven-to-distraction-revised-by-edward-m-hallowell-md-and-john-j-ratey-md/9780307743152/?ref=thepulse.org) by Edward M. Hallowell *English version: October 2026* ![](https://thepulse.org/en/content/images/2026/09/Signup-1.jpg) ## Stay on the pulse. Pulse in English has just begun: ready-made material for youth leaders, parents and educators, free. We let you know when something new is out. Count me in Almost done: check your inbox and confirm the link. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.