Living with ADHD
ADHD: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder - according to some figures, it strikes as much as 10% of the population. People with ADHD typically have difficulty focusing, keeping organized, managing time, completing tasks, and feeling understood. On the flip side, however, people with ADHD also tend to be highly creative, sensitive, intuitive, and intelligent. So how does a person "suffering" from ADHD foster more of the positive traits of their condition and minimize the impact the negative traits have on their lives? How does a person with ADHD live a full, productive, and satisfying life?
1. Create Structure - In advance of performing any task, take a few moments to plan out the precise steps you'll need to take in order to effectively carry out the task from start to finish. With this by your side, you can then take each step one at a time instead of risking becoming overwhelmed or intimidated by the largeness of the overall task as a whole.
2. Write Things Down - Hang a calendar on your wall or keep a date book handy, and use it to mark down your deadlines, appointments, social events, and any other time-sensitive activity. Whenever you think about it, jot down important reminders to yourself on sticky notes and place them where you know you'll see them.
3. Find a Place for Everything and Put Everything in Its Place - Pick a single spot in your home (and office, if applicable) for significant items you use regularly - like your wallet, keys, bills, etc. - and get in the habit of always returning those items to that same spot so you'll always know where they are when you need them.
4. Educate Yourself - Many people end their investigation into ADHD with their diagnosis, carrying around the label without any further study into what it means or what they can do accordingly to better their lives. Let your inquiry into your ADHD begin with your diagnosis and persist throughout your entire life, finding out all the information on ADD and ADHD that you can - ADHD symptoms, ADHD treatment, medications for ADHD, and general ADHD help - and apply that knowledge to the way you live your life. "Knowledge is power", the saying goes, and it applies no less powerfully when it comes to living with ADHD.
5. Solicit Support - Whatever you do, don't be ashamed of your diagnosis. Lots of people have ADHD, and discovering that you're one of them can shed lots of light on years of confusion and frustration. The people around you who know you well may be as relieved as you to know that there is an actual medical reason for certain behaviors of yours that they've surely noticed over time. And those people who care about you will be thrilled to provide you with the compassionate support you need in taking whatever measures are necessary to finally claim some control over your life. Tell them about your diagnosis. Include them in your process. Allow them the possibility of giving you their love and support.
Lastly, a bonus tip: Practice good nutrition and fitness. Many studies have shown that eating right and exercising has a significant positive impact on a person's ability to perform at their best, and it works just as well for people living with ADHD too.