Approximately 10 million people in the United States have Bipolar Disorder. Research studies show that about 70 percent of people with the condition also have ADHD, and that 20 percent of people with ADHD will develop Bipolar Disorder. Early diagnosis and treatment is essential, and recognizing the symptoms of a co-occurring ADHD and Bipolar Disorder is the first step.
One of the keys to managing your ADHD symptoms is to identify your individual trigger points. Once you recognize what triggers your ADHD symptoms, you can make changes to your lifestyle that will help control episodes. For many adults with ADHD, stress is a particularly difficult trigger to deal with. In part this is due to the fact that ADHD itself may cause an ongoing state of stress. Here are some strategies to help you tame stress at home or work.
Dating someone with ADHD is a double-edged sword. It can result in certain challenges and misunderstandings, due to the nature of the condition. However, dating someone with a dynamic personality who thinks and acts differently can be a rewarding experience. Understanding the impact that ADHD has on both you and your partner is critical to improving your relationship.
If you are one of the roughly 10 million U.S. adults with ADHD, it can be a constant challenge to stay focused and on task. You might easily lose track of conversations or forget what you were working on. Or fail to pay attention to important details and make mistakes. But this isn’t an oversight on your part. An inability to focus is a prominent symptom of ADHD. Here are some strategies to help you maintain your attention and focus.
Stimulant diversion is the sharing of one’s ADHD medication with someone else. The practice is on the rise among college students. Government authorities treat medication diversion as a criminal activity. This can lead to serious consequences for students who engage in the practice. We share a true story of what happened to a student who shared their ADHD medication, and provide recommendations on how to avoid having this happen to you or your child.
This is the time when many people make resolutions for the coming year. It can be especially difficult for those with ADHD to formulate resolutions and then follow through on them. The first step is to think through and create the goals you want to achieve in the year ahead. Once you have your goals identified, you need a strategy to make them a reality. Here are some recommendations to help with the process.
The interventions for ADHD that are most often discussed are medication, cognitive behavioral therapy, coaching, support groups, and/or changes in the home, work, or school environments. Other tools can include exercise, meditation, a healthy diet, and good sleep. One intervention that is not typically highlighted is music therapy. Research suggests that music could benefit someone with ADHD, by increasing dopamine levels) and thereby improving attention and executive functioning skills.
Children with ADHD and learning differences often struggle with intense emotions, poor social skills, and low self-esteem. Art therapy uses drawing, painting, and sculpting to improve well-being and confidence in kids. It is based on the premise that self-expression can be used to address emotional problems, develop interpersonal skills, manage behavior, reduce stress, and increase self-awareness.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is not just a problem in children; the symptoms can manifest at any age. If you were diagnosed with childhood ADHD, chances are, you’ve carried at least some of the symptoms into adulthood. But even if you were never diagnosed with ADHD as a child, that doesn’t mean you can’t be affected by it as an adult. You can learn to spot potential symptoms of adult ADHD and determine if you should talk to a healthcare professional about a possible diagnosis.
Many highly successful entrepreneurs such as Sir Richard Branson, Ikea founder Ingvar Kamprad, and JetBlue founder David Neeleman, have been diagnosed with ADHD or other conditions that result in executive function challenges. Some will even tell you that they are successful largely because of the “diagnosis,” not in spite of it. The results of some new research appears to agree with them.
