Researchers are discovering that agency, or having a greater sense of control over your own life, is an important component of achieving success and happiness in life. William Stixrud and Ned Johnson explore the powerful implications of using an approach that gives children more agency in their new book, The Self-Driven Child: The Science and Sense of Giving Your Kids More Control Over Their Lives.
Parents with ADHD that has not been diagnosed are often overwhelmed by the demands of parenting and struggling to meet their children’s needs. Lacking organizational skills, they may find keeping up with their kids’ schedules and managing their behavior very stressful. With the right treatment, parents who have ADHD themselves can be the best caregivers for their children with ADHD.
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.
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.
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.
Impulsive behavior can be a symptom of ADHD, and that includes impulse buying. This problem can be especially acute during the holidays when there are so many more temptations beckoning from stores and online shopping venues. If you have ADHD, there are a number of things you can do to help curb your impulse buying.
The holidays should be a time to celebrate with friends and family, but all too often they can be a time of stress and unhappiness. For those with ADHD, the holidays can be both stimulating and overwhelming. There is shopping to do, parties and events to attend, and cards to write. Taking time to solve your holiday planning problems before they crop up will help you (and your loved ones) enjoy the season and start the new year energized, refreshed, and happy.
