Navigating ADHD: Insights and Strategies for Everyday Life

Today we're diving into the world of ADHD—Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. As someone who went untreated with ADHD for decades and has a teenage son diagnosed in the fourth grade, I know firsthand the challenges and misconceptions about this condition. From coping mechanisms and practical tips to common questions and debunking myths, we'll cover it all. Plus, I'll share my personal experiences and lessons learned. Whether you're navigating ADHD yourself, supporting a loved one, or just curious, this episode is packed with insights to help you thrive. So let's get started!

00:00 ADHD, coping skills, common questions, symptoms explained.

03:43 Managing emotions and daily activities with ADHD.

07:42 Doodling can help focus with ADHD. Therapy can provide support and management.

11:51 ADHD treatment involves therapy, medication, and support.

14:13 Active on Instagram, message me about ADHD.

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Transcript

0:00

I was untreated with my ADHD for decades, and I have a child who is now 17 and was diagnosed in the fourth grade with ADHD. And it is so unfortunate that I really wish I would've known what I know now, because I think a lot of things would have been different. And I think he would have felt more supported in a lot of ways. And I felt, I feel like I would have been more confident as a parent, too. Hey, welcome back to leaning in. Perfect. Um, I just got back, not that long ago from back-to-back vacations, which was incredible. I had such an amazing time and I feel so out of sorts, like getting back into routine. it's like you need a vacation from the vacation vacation. I don't know, but it's been such a transition but I can't complain because I had such an amazing time and such a great experience. Uh, I went to Europe with my older son. So if you've never experienced that, I mean, we went to Switzerland, Italy, Monaco, France, and Spain, all incredible, beautiful, beautiful countries. So if you've never been, I highly recommend. And then I went to Myrtle beach for my son's baseball tournament and it was so hot down there. It's like I'm a Northern girl. So it was definitely an experience. Um, but it was a great time. I was a little bit sick when I was down there too. So that was. A little bit rough, but anyways, I'm totally rambling on, and this is not even the point of this episode. But I'm also late to this episode. I've been releasing these on Wednesdays and it is now sat. No, wait, what is it? It's Friday and I'm gonna release it tomorrow. So it'll be Saturday when this releases. But I guess this is just all a part of my ADHD too, which leads me into the topic today. So. I just wanted to hop on and kind of talk a little bit about ADHD, some coping skills for ADHD, and then answer some common questions that I get about ADHD too. So. We'll start by just kind of breaking down what ADHD is. It's a neural developmental condition that impacts how the brain processes information and regulates our attention or focus and activity levels. So it can manifest in a lot of different ways, but. Some common symptoms that you might see, um, are inattentiveness. So it's being easily distracted difficulty focusing on tasks for getting things often. Um, there's hyperactivity for some people. So it's restlessness fidgety and trouble sitting still for long periods of time. Um, impulsivity. So acting without thinking, blurting out things, difficulty waiting for your turn. So this inattentiveness and the hyperactivity piece. You don't have to have both of these. Some people only experienced the inattentiveness, uh, symptoms. Some people have a combination, so they can have both inattentiveness and hyperactivity. Working with your provider, your therapist, or psychiatrist, whoever, you know, specializes in diagnosing and treating ADHD can walk you through that. So you can have a better idea of what specifically you're struggling with. Um, That's kind of the breakdown of what ADHD is in simple terms. There's, it's a lot more complicated than that. And other people have more symptoms, but we won't get too far into that. So. ADHD is not a character flaw. I want to be very specific about that. It's a real condition that, I'm sorry, I'm just, I'm still getting over this sickness. So if I sound a little weird, I apologize, but. It it's this real condition that can bring on its own set of challenges. So juggling daily activities, staying organized, managing emotions can feel like this uphill battle. I know that's something I've talked about in previous episodes with regulating your emotions. It's something before I was treated with my ADHD that I struggled with greatly like to try to regulate emotions, little things could kind of set you off. And then it's like, there's a roller coaster. Um, it's been much better since I've been treated with ADHD and. Helping other people along the way, because that could be some real suffering that's happening. So I find that very important when I'm working with my patients and I take it very serious for myself too, to just be very mindful of that and find ways to manage, uh, regulating your emotions. There are ways that we can cope. Like I'm kind of talking about, some practical strategies that we can talk about that can help you navigate living with ADHD, because it's something where. ADHD is something that isn't, it's not a cure. It's a lifelong condition that, that people are living with, it's something that you're wanting to find ways to cope with living with ADHD. So structure can be your very best friend. I thrive off of structure. So creating routines and schedules. You can use visual aids like planners or color coding systems. Um, I, I like to color code a lot of things. That's very helpful for me. Uh, sometimes it can kind of seem like this OCD kind of thing where, I have my, in my closet that the clothes are color coordinated, things like that, but I just, I love to see it. Um, so that can be something that's very helpful. Checklist also that can be a lifesaver for a lot of people. So breaking down larger projects than the smaller ones. I know we've talked about some of that in previous episodes, too. So breaking tasks down can be more manageable in those types of steps and setting realistic deadlines and rewarding yourself for the progress that you've made and celebrating small wins. I'm a big advocate for celebrating even the smallest wins. Uh, physical activity is a great way to burn off some excess energy and just improve your focus. So finding activity that you enjoy, it could be dancing. I love dancing. Running, um, lifting, gardening, yoga, all of those things. It'd be really helpful. As long as you know, you're safe to be able to engage in physical activity. minimizing distractions. So when working on, important tasks, being able to be in a quiet space and some people. Some people do really well when you eliminate the distractions. But some people also like to, even if you remove yourself and you're in a quiet space, it might be helpful to have some type of music playing in the background. I know I can't be in a. Like just a straight, quiet place. Like I need something going on in the background. But maybe you're someone who doesn't. So you could use. Noise canceling headphones to eliminate some distractions that are going on around you too. Let's see if you have like roommates or family members, just make sure that you're explaining what your needs are to see if that can help you create. A focused environment during like designated work hours or study hours, or just, if you need quiet time or downtime, just let them know kind of what's going on and what your needs are. I definitely make sure that I let them know, like when I'm doing this podcast, I make sure I'm like, Hey, I'm, I'm recording an episode. So they know to kind of just give me the space and the quiet time just to eliminate some distractions. Cause I know. If you have a family kids, it, it can be very distracting for sure. And then some people with ADHD, they thrive with fidget toys to help them focus their energy. So you can experiment and try to find different things that work for you. So fidget spinners, squishy stress balls, or even doodling on a notepad can be helpful. That's something that I always have done even growing up, you know, in school and. And it just is something that's really helpful. I know a lot of people when they see people who are like doodling, they think that they might not be paying attention, but if you have ADHD, that's actually a great way to hone in and focus on either a teacher or. You know, if you're in a work meeting or something, it actually you're really paying attention. So. Letting people know around you that that's something that's really helpful to allow you to focus and pay attention more, to can be helpful so that they understand you as well. And then talking with, a therapist or, a psychiatrist to discuss how you can feel supported. In your ADHD and being able to manage your skills. And then your therapist or psychiatrist, you know, if you're having other symptoms that are related to anxiety, depression, they can help. Uh, manage that and talk you through some really helpful tips and tricks and skills and all that stuff. So I did want to talk about some questions that I'm commonly asked about ADHD. So the first one is isn't ADHD, just overactive kids. So that is a common misconception. Hyper activity can be a symptom of ADHD. But it doesn't affect everyone with the condition like we were talking about earlier. So inattentive ADHD, for instance, presents more with difficulty focusing and staying organized. And then ADHD does persist and can persist into adulthood for many people. And then this ends up manifesting and challenges with work and your relationships and daily routines. So that's that. And then another question that I get is can you outgrow ADHD? So ADHD is a lifelong condition. It doesn't mean that you can't thrive with it. So that's kind of why we're talking about all these coping skills and just having a better understanding of what ADHD is and how we can manage it. Um, so with the right tools and support people with ADHD can achieve all of their goals and live a very fulfilling life. And I'm proof of that. My patients are proof of that, so absolutely. Um, Well, let's see what else. So another common question is isn't ADHD just caused by too much sugar or screen time. So this is a complex issue, dieting and screen time can certainly impact, focus and behavior in everyone. So there aren't. The sole cause of ADHD, ADHD is rooted in this neurological differences in the brain. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle with balanced meals, regular exercise and good sleep hygiene can definitely improve focus and just your overall wellbeing for people with ADHD and really anyone. So the next question is, what about medications for ADHD? Is it right for everyone? Medication is a common and it's an effective option for ADHD, but it's not a one size fits all solution. So a doctor, a psychiatrist, your primary care doctor, A nurse practitioner or physician assistant, and those people can assess. Uh, people's needs and be able to determine if a medication is the right approach for you. There are different types of ADHD, medications, and being able to find the right one can take some trial and error. It took me almost two years to find the right medication for me, because I do take a medication for that. And there were just some side effects that I was experiencing on different medications. So patients is very important. And being open and honest, and just having discussions with your provider to help walk you through, what's kind of going on and what, what is going to be the best fit. So just being able to weigh the benefits and the potential side effects with your healthcare provider is so important. And just remember that medication is often used alongside therapy and in lifestyle changes for. A more comprehensive like treatment plan. So it's not just take a medication and everything's all good. It's you really have to put in the work with therapy. Possibly if that's a right fit for you. I don't personally, you know, see someone for ADHD therapy, but I do a lot of self-education. It's what I do for a living as well. So that everyone's different, you know, but if you're someone who needs more support and you just want to learn more working with a professional, it can be really helpful to. And then the last question that I have, um, that we're going to go over is how can I help my child who has ADHD? If you have a child who's diagnosed with ADHD, there are a lot of different ways that you can support them. Open communication is really key. So talk to your kid about their diagnosis and just work together to develop coping mechanisms. And if you have ADHD or you think as the parent, you have ADHD, making sure that your role modeling like good care. So you're seeking help and treatment for that as well. And managing your ADHD symptoms and learning as much about it as you can so that you can help support your child also. Um, because the more, you know, the more, you know, it's going to be better. I, you know, I was untreated with my ADHD for decades, and I have a child who is now 17 and was diagnosed in the fourth grade with ADHD. And it is so unfortunate that I really wish I would've known what I know now, because I think a lot of things would have been different. And I think he would have felt more supported in a lot of ways. And I felt, I feel like I would have been more confident as a parent, too. If I knew more about ADHD. So I, my biggest advice and recommendation for that is just. Learn as much as you can about it and get the support that you need so that you can help support your child. And there are support groups for parents out there too, for kids who have ADHD. So it's looking into those things that can be really helpful. Um, But so, yeah, that's, that's all I have for this week. Um, I would love to stay connected with you guys. I'm on social media on Instagram is where I do a lot of my posting about ADHD. So I'm connected with me there. I'll put that in my show notes. If you have any questions, I'm very active on Instagram. So just message me with any questions that you have that could be related to ADHD. And we can chat there and catch up. Um, but I will see you guys on the next episode, so next week, and I will try to be. On my game, so I will be posted on Wednesday. Okay. Hopefully my ADHD doesn't get the best of me and I'll be posting, but I have been very good since November posting once a week on this platform. And I am going to celebrate that cause that's our. That's very incredible for me. And I'm very happy about that. So celebrate your wins too, and I hope you have a great day and I will see you next week. Thank you so much for joining me on this episode of landing imperfect. I truly appreciate you being a part of this community and sharing this journey with me. If you do want to connect further, then don't hesitate to follow me on Instagram at Jen dot Lander. I would love to hear your thoughts, any questions or any stories that you want to share. So, DME there, I also have a website. It's a landing and perfect website where I share a blog post about my podcast, and then you can join my email list. I have a PDF that provides anxiety and stress management tools that you can. And use as well when you join my email list. So check it out. My website will be linked in my show notes. So don't hesitate to reach