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Attention Deficit/hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

One of the biggest misconceptions about ADHD is that it is a childhood disorder, a phase that one grows out of as they get older. ADHD can appear for the first time in adulthood, often when faced with life challenges. Those where it first appears in childhood but later seems to go away into adulthood is not indicating a growing out of but rather a learning of how to compensate or blend in.

ADHD varies from each unique individual, with the most universal descriptors and what people think of when they hear ADHD is distractibility, impulsivity and hyperactivity. ADHD can be explored deeper by looking at it as a set of complex contradictory tendencies, some useful and others problematic. For example, lacking focus yet also having the ability to be super focused at times or procrastinating yet can get a week’s worth of work done in a couple of hours. Although its name implies a deficit of attention it can be better described as inconsistent attention, leading

to the contradictions described above. This can also be understood as an interest-based nervous system requiring different circumstances for attention to be activated such as interest, challenge or novelty instead of importance, reward or consequences.

In adults with ADHD hyperarousal can be experienced internally, meaning that emotions positive or negative are felt deeper. Sometimes negative experiences can lead to feelings of shame and self-blame, causing negative thoughts, lower self-esteem and mood. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is used to tackle negative thoughts and emotions, often used in combination with medications. Support for CBT and CBT in combination with medication as the treatment of choice for adults with ADHD is backed by empirical research.

There are a variety of different coping skills that can be used to manage ADHD, including externalization of information (ex. to do lists), creating daily routine/plan, setting up rewards, reframing time and many more. Remember, it may take time to find what works and doesn’t work for you. Also be kind to yourself, you are learning new skills and they take time to master and turn into habits.