There are many more cases popping up – according to social media and the news – of ADHD these days. There isn’t an increase in ADHD, there’s just an increase in diagnosis because we now understand more about it than we did 30 years ago. If you grew up in the 90s and you’ve recently been diagnosed with ADHD as an adult, there is a chance that you’ve gone through your whole life without any support so far.
If this is the case, then you’ve unknowingly lived with a difficult condition and you now have a chance to get some support. Getting some help to live with ADHD may mean investing in ADHD coaching or getting some help from your GP. It can feel very difficult to be given that diagnosis and know that you were without help for so long, and there may be an element of anger and upset as you come to terms with that. Once you have, and you’ve sought some counseling to help, here are some of the things that you could do to live with ADHD going forward.
- Start exploring new hobbies. Did you know that people with ADHD often experience low levels of dopamine? Dopamine is a happy hormone that boosts positive emotions and makes you feel good and if you lack it, you won’t be able to feel the same level of joy. Seeking out new hobbies can give you that happiness hit and engage you in things that are mentally stimulating.
- Have some self-compassion. You’ve potentially gone years being made to feel crazy about how you feel and it’s about time that you gave yourself a little grace. If you’re struggling with negative self-talk, you’re going to be completely hard on yourself and it’s time to let that go. You need to be kinder to yourself and accept your diagnosis with confidence. Learning to love yourself is so important so allow yourself to make mistakes and be more human.
- Put a sleep timetable in place. Getting enough sleep is a must for adults with ADHD. It’ll help you to feel more positive throughout the day and as a lack of sleep can increase the risk of clumsiness, you need to rest! You want to wake up and take on the day with ease and the best way to do that is to maintain a better sleep routine for your health. You should feel good about yourself, and there’s plenty of research to show that adequate sleep improves your quality of life.
- Use timers. People with ADHD often get distracted very quickly and find it hard to stay on task. Using timers can help. You can set a timer to help you to feel more in control and when you do that, you can take on your life with a little more ease. You can do this with any task, including your job, and the ‘threat’ of a deadline can often help you to stay on task with what you’re doing.
