Got ADHD? The Answer May Not Be What You Think. | Leveraging Adversity
ADHD is commonly understood as difficulty sustaining attention, disregarding irrelevant stimuli, and organizing information toward goal directed behavior, and in many cases, reduced motivation, and somewhat unsurprisingly, it’s rates have experienced a dramatic upward trajectory in the last decade. But while we may point to our Smartphones, ipads, and our addiction to them (which although not recognized by the DSM 5, for many falls under the long recognized construct of technology addiction), some researchers argue that the problem of ADHD may just have more to do not with our addictions themselves but the way they hijack our dopamine reward system. See more about this here. The results showed something interesting: it wasn’t just that ADHD patients had lower levels of dopamine receptors and transporters, it was that they showed up in the accumbens and midbrain – two key regions of the brain directly involved in processing motivation and reward. Abnormal responses to reward. References:
11 Superpowers of Kids with ADHD
So, you’ve been told that you’re easily distracted, impulsive, restless, and even hyperactive? You might have been told you have ADHD, which stands for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. You are not alone. 1. More and more, the world around us is realizing that old ways of thinking might need to be updated. 2. The National Institute of Mental Health says that hyperactivity is a major part of ADHD. 3. Your brain is wired a little differently than most, and creative, innovative thinking comes naturally to you. 4. You might feel like your mind sometimes works like a pinball—bouncing around from point to point. 5. Sometimes it feels like your ADHD just won’t let you focus on something. 6. Not only does your mind’s ability to quickly shift from thing to thing give you terrific flexibility and ability to “go with the flow,” and “turn on a dime,” but your talent for quickly shifting gears helps you stay resilient in life. 7. 8. “Boring” is not a word that is usually applied to you. 9.
4 Strategies for Staying Motivated With ADHD
Because of how science works, researchers usually name disorders before they understand them. So we’re stuck with terms like “ADHD” even though the heart of what ADHD is goes far beyond inattention and hyperactivity. One aspect of ADHD that doesn’t always get as much credit as it deserves is motivation. Researchers are increasingly recognizing problems with motivation as a fundamental part of what ADHD is, and they’ve linked these issues to concrete brain differences having to do with dopamine. Rewards! For people with ADHD, the motivation side of ADHD can affect our lives in a lot of different ways – not following through on things, procrastinating, not prioritizing well, simply not doing things we should be doing and so on. Part of the reason we have these problems is that we’re not great at delaying gratification. The motivation problems that come with ADHD can be frustrating to deal with, and they have real effects on our lives. 1. 2. 3. 4.
Finding Focus: How to Take Control of ADHD with Evernote
October is ADHD (Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) Awareness Month. We asked Nikki Kinzer and Pete Wright, hosts of Take Control: The ADHD Podcast, for their thoughts on how Evernote can help children and adults with ADHD keep their jobs, studies, and lives in order. As a certified ADHD coach, Nikki Kinzer knows how deeply Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder can impact people’s lives. ADHD is often associated with children, but only about 40 percent of children with ADHD will ever outgrow it. The remaining 60 percent will carry ADHD with them into adulthood. Approximately 8 million adults in the United States, or 4 percent of the adult population, is estimated to be struggling with this challenging condition, although most cases are undiagnosed. The stakes are high. The ADHD Brain in College But the news isn’t all bad. Nikki Kinzer “If someone calls me, they usually feel overwhelmed, or there’s something that’s challenging them with their ADHD,” Kinzer explains. Pete Wright
Mindful Parenting for ADHD: An Interview with Dr. Mark Bertin
One things we know about parenting is that while it can be incredibly rewarding at times, at other times it can be extremely challenging. Then you throw in a little attention deficit and hyperactivity with the kids or parents and life gets interesting. Mark Bertin, MD is a board certified developmental pediatrician and respected mindfulness teacher whose latest book is Mindful Parenting for ADHD: A Guide to Cultivating Calm, Reducing Stress, and Helping Children Thrive . Elisha: What are the unique challenges of parenting a child who has ADHD? Mark: Being a parent is, of course, frequently stressful and full of uncertainty. The challenge around ADHD becomes this: ADHD creates stress by making daily life harder. For any family, a significant step around ADHD is getting a handle on stress. That’s where mindfulness comes in. Elisha: How do we change ingrained parenting styles that aren’t working? Our habits become ingrained. When we’re more aware, paying more attention, we notice habits.
ADHD & Adults: 5 More Things that Make You Feel Overwhelmed and Tips to Help
When you have ADHD, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. The symptoms make it harder to navigate all areas of your life. Recently, in this piece, we shared four things that cause overwhelm — from the barrage of thoughts and ideas in your brain to the endless piles and clutter that might surround you. Today, we’re sharing five more triggers, along with practical strategies to help you reduce overwhelm, manage ADHD and get things done. Your life lacks structure. Disorganization is a big trigger for overwhelm. Using alarms also can help you get organized. Juli Shulem, PCC, a productivity coach and organizing expert who specializes in ADHD, loves the Reminders app on her iPhone. You can’t articulate your point during conflicts. Many issues between partners can create overwhelm. The partner who doesn’t have ADHD might feel frustrated and take an accusatory tone. Before getting to the point where both of you burst, take a break. Finishing chores feels impossible. Everything seems important.
ADHD & Adults: 4 Things that Cause Overwhelm and What You Can Do
When you have ADHD, many things can cause you to feel overwhelmed. In fact, you might feel like you’re constantly behind and playing catch-up. You might run around all day long and yet not get much done. The symptoms of ADHD affect your ability to be organized and efficient, said Juli Shulem, PCC, a productivity coach and organizing expert who specializes in helping people with ADHD. The good news is that you can do something — a lot of things — to help you navigate and reduce your overwhelm. Below are four specific reasons you might be overwhelmed, along with practical tips to try. You have tons of thoughts. People with ADHD have many thoughts and ideas running through their heads at once, said Nancie Kohlenberger, MA, LMFT, a marriage consultant who works with couples all over the country and co-wrote the book The Couple’s Guide to Thriving with ADHD. If you’re taking medication, Kohlenberger suggested talking to your prescribing physician, because you might need to adjust your dose.
