Safety
Important Safety Information
Last updated: 25 May 2026
Important safety information
Last updated: 25 May 2026
The short version
ADHD Reflect is not a crisis service, a therapist, a doctor or a diagnostic tool. It is written for the medium-bad days, not the worst ones. If you or someone in your family is in danger, please contact a real human service in your country. Some are listed below.
If someone may be unsafe right now
If you are worried you may hurt yourself, your child or someone else, please step away from the screen if it is safe to do so and contact emergency services or a crisis line in your country.
Australia
- Emergency: 000
- Lifeline (24/7 crisis support): 13 11 14
- Kids Helpline (5 to 25 year-olds, 24/7): 1800 55 1800
- 13YARN (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander crisis support, 24/7): 13 92 76
- 1800RESPECT (family and sexual violence, 24/7): 1800 737 732
- Parentline Queensland: 1300 30 1300
- Suicide Call Back Service (24/7): 1300 659 467
United States
- Emergency: 911
- 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (24/7): call or text 988
- Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline (24/7): 1-800-422-4453
United Kingdom
- Emergency: 999
- Samaritans (24/7): 116 123
- NSPCC adult helpline: 0808 800 5000
- Shout (text service): text SHOUT to 85258
Canada
- Emergency: 911
- 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline (24/7): call or text 988
- Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868
New Zealand
- Emergency: 111
- 1737 (need to talk, 24/7): call or text 1737
- Lifeline Aotearoa: 0800 543 354
Ireland
- Emergency: 112 or 999
- Samaritans Ireland (24/7): 116 123
- Pieta House: 1800 247 247
If your country is not listed, please search for “crisis support [your country]” before you do anything else.
What ADHD Reflect is, in plain terms
ADHD Reflect is a website with written content by a person and matched to your situation by a smart search tool.
The content is designed to:
- help you understand what is happening in a parenting moment;
- reduce shame and self-blame;
- offer one small thing you can try next.
The content is not designed to:
- diagnose ADHD, anxiety, depression, autism or anything else;
- replace therapy, coaching, psychiatry, GP visits or any other clinical care;
- give specific advice for your specific child or family;
- provide crisis support;
- tell you what to do about medication.
If you are in a moment where the right next step is a clinician, a hospital, a crisis line or a trusted person, please go there. ADHD Reflect will still be here later.
When to talk to a professional
You do not need a crisis to talk to a professional. Some signs it might be worth reaching out:
- the same hard moments are repeating, and they are getting harder, not easier;
- you are scared of how you sound when you lose it;
- your child is showing signs of distress that go beyond their normal range;
- your relationship with your partner is getting worse and you are not sure how to talk about it;
- you cannot remember the last time you slept properly;
- you are using something (alcohol, food, scrolling, isolation) to get through the day in a way that worries you;
- the inside of your head feels louder than usual.
A GP, a psychologist or a counsellor can help you sort out which kind of support fits. They can also help with referral, diagnosis and Medicare or insurance pathways.
In Australia, a good first step is your GP, who can prepare a Mental Health Treatment Plan that gives you Medicare-subsidised psychology sessions. Pathways in other countries vary. Our country support pages have more details.
A note on medication and diagnosis
ADHD Reflect does not give advice about:
- whether you should be assessed for ADHD;
- whether your child should be assessed for ADHD;
- whether to start, stop, increase or decrease any medication;
- what kind of medication might help;
- alternatives to medication.
These are decisions for you and a qualified clinician, with information that is specific to your situation. Anything you read on the site is general, and may not be right for you.
If you have questions about ADHD diagnosis or medication, please speak to your GP, paediatrician, psychiatrist or psychologist.
A note on the in-the-moment assistant
The assistant on this site is a matcher, not a counsellor. It looks at what you type and shows you the closest card or guide we have written. The card or guide does not know your child, your partner, your history or what is true for you tonight.
If a card or guide feels off for your situation, please trust your sense of that. You know more than the site does.
If you find yourself relying on ADHD Reflect to get through every difficult moment, that is a sign you may need extra human support. Please consider reaching out to a clinician, a coach, a friend, your GP or a parenting helpline.
If you are worried about a child
If you are worried that a child (yours or someone else’s) is being harmed or is at risk, please contact your local child protection service. ADHD Reflect cannot intervene and is not equipped to.
Australia
Each state and territory has its own child protection service. A list is available at aifs.gov.au/resources/resource-sheets/reporting-child-abuse-and-neglect.
Other countries
Search for “child protection [your country]” or call the relevant national helpline above.
A final, plain note
We have written ADHD Reflect because we know what it feels like to be in those moments. We know how alone they can feel and how easy it is to spiral after one. The cards and guides on the site are meant to take a little of that weight, and to point you back to the next small thing you can do.
They are not a replacement for real support, real rest or real connection. If you need any of those, please make space for them.