 Every mind is unique, and the challenges that ADHD presents are different for every adult. Virtually all adults with an ADHD diagnosis will benefit from some form of therapy, and medication often helps, too.
In the long term, however, it’s also important to develop strategies that will help you as pressures or deadlines approach—and when you become frantic or overwhelmed. While different strategies will work for different people, here are a few of the most important tips that have helped me and my clients manage adult ADHD. 1. Have a place for everything Staying organized is much more difficult for those living with adult ADHD. Medication may help a bit, but staying mindful of your difficulties with organization is just as important. Keep in mind that simply making an effort to be more organized is often not enough. Instead, take the time to designate a place for all of the things you need and use, so that you always have a spot for them. You can then discard the items you don’t really need. 2. Develop time management strategies Managing time is one of the hardest parts of living with adult ADHD: not only is it difficult to stay focused on a task, but it’s also harder to estimate how long something may take. Many adults living with ADHD benefit from adding a little extra time (usually 15 or 30 minutes) when scheduling a task. The pomodoro technique, in which you use a timer to work in set increments and take regular breaks, is a great way to stay motivated and complete tasks. Wearing a watch may also help—you can keep your eye on the time and use it to set pomodoro timers. 3. Stay away from your distractions ADHD makes it harder to avoid distractions, but you can help yourself out by working apart from them as much as possible. Try not to work on tasks near a TV or smartphone, and see if you can turn off your Internet connection or block certain websites before you begin working. If you’re in a noisy environment, headphones can also be a huge help. Eisenhower’s urgent/important principle may also help you to avoid distractions and use your time more efficiently. Essentially, the principle asks you to group your activities into four categories: important and urgent, important but not urgent, urgent but not important, and finally, not important and not urgent. From there, you can make more effective choices about how you spend your time. 4. Educate yourself and others You’re already learning about your own symptoms, and the more you know, the easier it becomes to tackle your ADHD and the challenges it presents. It will also help to educate others, including friends, co-workers, and romantic partners. They’ll understand why you may sometimes act impulsively or need to get up and move, for example, and should give you more room to do so. Your adult ADHD diagnosis means that day-to- day tasks that seem simple to others can be daunting, but there’s no reason to despair. With knowledge and counseling, your symptoms are manageable. To learn more about strategies for tackling the symptoms of adult ADHD, contact me at Cloud Counseling today.
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 Each one of us is a unique individual, so when it comes to ADHD, no single diagnosis or treatment fits everyone. In fact, there are different flavors of ADHD—subtle differences that distinguish cases into subtypes. Wondering about what type of ADHD you have? Here’s some guidance..1. Inattentive Type If you have most of the symptoms listed below and very few of the symptoms of hyperactive-impulsive ADHD (see the list following this one), you likely have the inattentive type.
2. Hyperactive-Impulsive Type If you have most of the symptoms in the list below and very few of the symptoms of inattentive type above, you likely have hyperactive-impulsive ADHD.
3. Combined Type If you have a good number of symptoms in both lists, you might have the combined type of ADHD. In fact, this is the most common subtype. Managing Your TypeIn managing your ADHD, a combination of medication and behavioral therapy will likely provide the best results. Depending on your symptoms and any other medical conditions you may have, your psychiatrist might prescribe stimulants, non-stimulants, or antidepressants.
Therapy can help you identify what you would like to change and create strategies for modifying and achieving your goals. At Cloud Counseling, I find that Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) can help people with any of the three types of ADHD. Nothing's off limits!  Not too long ago, I wrote on post on talking to your doctor about medication for your adult ADHD. While I was hoping to guide you through what can be an intimidating conversation, now I’d like to provide you with more in-depth detail about what options for traditional medication you have.
This guide also might prove useful in a conversation with your doctor—but remember, regardless of how medications are described and prescribed, you should pay close attention to how they make you feel. Everyone’s psychology and biochemistry is different: it’s all about finding what works for you. Stimulants Stimulant medications are the most common treatments for moderate to severe ADHD. There are two types of stimulant medications, methylphenidates and amphetamines. All of the brand name stimulant medications you’ve heard of fall into one of these two categories. For example, the popular drug Concerta falls into the first category, while another well-known drug, Adderall, falls into the second. These drugs work by boosting and balancing levels of brain chemicals called neurotransmitters. Other stimulant medications include:
Most of these drugs are available in immediate and extended release, as well as countless different dosage levels. Working in close conjunction with your doctor when beginning any of these treatments is key, as it may take several tries to find the drug or dosage that’s both effective in treating your symptoms and keeping you feeling like yourself. Non-Stimulants Relevant non-stimulant medications include both ADHD-specific drugs and other drugs that have been shown to have positive effects on the symptoms of ADHD. Atomoxetine or Strattera appears to boost the amount of norepinephrine, an important brain chemical. Others have been helped by blood pressure medications and antidepressants. Ultimately, it boils down to you, your neurological makeup, and how the medication makes you feel. Some of the other drugs in this category include:
There are countless other treatments for adult ADHD before medication, but many people get enormous benefits on one or another of these drugs. Usually, drugs work best when given in tandem with counseling, medication, regular exercise, and a good diet. Doing your best to maintain a healthy lifestyle when you’re taking this medication will the best indictor of whether or not the medication is having the intended effects. As always, keep a close eye out for unpleasant side effects. You should never ever have to cope with feeling uncomfortable, ill, or anything that interferes with sleep or diet. Be open and communicative with your doctor and your partner—and don’t be discouraged if your first choice doesn’t do what you’d hoped. There are fantastic treatments out there that have worked for many adults with ADHD. If you keep an open mind and stay mindful of your own feelings, there’s a good chance you can find one that helps you accept and manage your symptoms. To learn more, reach out, and get started, contact me here  At Cloud Counseling, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a core component of my approach to treating adult ADHD. Through years of experience, I’ve found DBT to be one of the most effective options available for alleviating the challenges and symptoms typically associated with ADHD—not just problems with attentiveness and planning, but with emotional responses, too.
However, DBT is often not well understood—it’s only been around for a few decades, and its principles can be confusing to those who haven’t experienced it first hand. With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at this form of therapy, with an emphasis on its relationship to mindfulness and its effectiveness at treating adult ADHD. History and Uses Originally developed in the 1970s by Marsha Linehan to treat borderline personality disorder (BPD) and expanded in the decades since, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is actually a type of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). CBT is a form of psychotherapy that’s frequently applied to patients with anxiety and depression, and involves adjusting problematic patterns of thought and behavior. DBT is dialectical because it incorporates two approaches to therapy that are, in a certain sense, opposed to one another: the ideas of acceptance and of change. Change is an important part of DBT—like other forms of cognitive behavioral therapy, DBT emphasizes recognizing harmful patterns of thinking and behavior and finding ways to adjust them. But DBT is unique in its approach to acceptance—influenced by Zen Buddhist ideas concerning mindfulness and acceptance of one’s feelings and emotions, DBT often involves trying not to change the way we feel, choosing instead to accept our emotional experiences. Relationship with Buddhism and Mindfulness For centuries, Zen Buddhists have practiced meditation with the goal of achieving greater mindfulness, or awareness of one’s experience of the present moment. For many patients with mental health problems, including adult ADHD, the natural reaction to unpleasant thoughts and feelings may be to push them from one’s consciousness. But DBT, with its emphasis on mindfulness and acceptance, often employs an opposite approach: DBT therapists actually encourage their patients to accept and be aware of these thoughts and feelings, learning over time to resist the urge to change them. Over time, the patient recognizes patterns and triggers that relate to their own feelings, and may find the feelings become less intense as a result. Treatment for Adult ADHD Cloud Counseling approaches the treatment of adult ADHD through DBT and mindfulness-based techniques, informed by Lidia Zylowski’s The Mindfulness Prescription for Adult ADHD, along with other texts and studies. It may seem counterintuitive to treat attention problems with a type of therapy that requires awareness and concentration, but I’ve found mindfulness to be especially effective at improving the symptoms and behaviors associated with ADHD, including memory, motivation, and distractibility. By incorporating mindfulness into therapy, I believe that patients with adult ADHD—and other problems stemming from ADHD—are much more likely to be successful in the long term.  For many adults, an ADHD diagnosis isn’t just unexpected—it’s something they simply never thought possible. That can lead many adults with ADHD to bristle at the suggestion that the disorder may be causing many of their difficulties and struggles in life. However, that attitude in and of itself can be a barrier to effective treatment.
That’s partly because there’s still a stigma attached to this common, normal disorder—and because there are many misconceptions that come with an ADHD diagnosis. One of the most prevalent is that ADHD is a child’s disease, and that it always disappears as you age. Fortunately, by arming yourself with more accurate information, it’s much easier to make smart decisions about your adult ADHD diagnosis—including finding ways to manage your behavior and allow you to lead a happier and more fulfilling life. Isn’t ADHD for Kids? Unfortunately, this is still a common question that often follows an adult ADHD diagnosis. The answer is no—ADHD affects both children and adults. In fact, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) affects around 5% of children according to research—and about half of those children will have symptoms that carry over into their adult years. While ADHD symptoms will often diminish with age, they’re equally likely to stick around in some form. In addition, if it’s hard to believe that you’ve developed ADHD suddenly as an adult, the answer may be that you’ve had it since childhood, but were never properly diagnosed. Differences Between Adult ADHD and ADHD in Children In any case, it’s essential to understand that there are certain key differences in the way ADHD presents itself in children versus adults. For example, the hyperactivity commonly seem in children may not be as conspicuously present in adults with ADHD—hyperactivity in adults often manifests as an inner restlessness, rather than outward activity. You’ll probably have fewer obvious symptoms as you age, though in some cases they may simply reveal themselves in different ways. In addition, adult ADHD can sometimes be confused with—or complicated by—the existence of other mood disorders, such as clinical depression or anxiety. A proper treatment by a trained professional can you help to distinguish between these different disorders and treat them accordingly. Healthy management and therapy, like the kind provided by Cloud Counseling, can make a huge difference. An open, accepting attitude, along with a willingness to commit to getting better, are important first steps. Contact Cloud Counseling to learn more and get started.  You’ve worked hard to get where you are. Your symptoms are under control, you’re keeping a regular schedule, the work/life balance feels just right, and anxiety is at a manageable level.
So what could be harder than getting to this point? Staying there! For many people (myself included), it’s when we’re feeling best about our adult ADHD that we begin to slack on the things that got us to that good point in the first place. That’s why it’s so important to stay vigilant, especially when you’re feeling great! Enduring habits come from consistently practicing during good times and bad—not just when you feel you need it. Here are some positive practices and strategies to keep up with what’s working for you when you’re feeling good. Don’t Get Discouraged Missing one day, two days, or even a week of meditation or whatever ritual keeps your symptoms under control isn’t a death sentence for your routine. Don’t get discouraged because you missed a day. It’s not the short term but the long-term goal of keeping at it that will help you maintain a lifestyle you enjoy. Find Your Own Way to Self-Motivate Motivation is the hardest part of staying on top of good habits that keep our symptoms in check. But as adults who are in control of our ADHD symptoms, we are perfectly poised to come up with creative ways to keep ourselves motivated. Foster that energy to create a system for yourself, whether your solution ends up being something visual, a helpful technology, or support from an accountability partner. Whatever it is, it should be work for you and your style. Don’t always assume that what’s effective for others will work for you, and don’t think just because the classic methods don’t work that you’re incapable of maintaining good habits. You’re more than capable! Acknowledge Your Victories The best way to keep up with the good habits is by acknowledging that they’re working. Send yourself positive messages, make notes, and acknowledge that it is your hard work that has gotten you to this point. This will also help you reassess what has been a positive force in combatting your symptoms—and what hasn’t. A few occasions of speaking to yourself negatively can undermine so much hard work, so be careful what you say. Remind yourself that the life you have with or without control of your symptoms is one worth working for—and you’re not alone. This post is for people who have found some great habits that work for them, whether that be meditation, medication, therapy, or all of the above. In some ways, keeping habits is harder than forming them in the first place. But a burst of inspiration is a lot less powerful than a long-term plan that you stick to. The feeling of success you’ll have when you keep up with the good habits that counteract your symptoms will be well worth the struggle. Feel free to contact me to learn more about Cloud Counseling.  Alcohol is commonly used to curb our inhibitions and feel more sociable. This isn’t in itself a bad thing. A glass of wine (or your drink of choice!) at home in the evening or while socializing is a wonderful treat. For adults with ADHD, drinking is often used to calm the noisy mind. The temptation to consume more than is healthy is higher for those of us coping with difficult symptoms such as nervousness and social discomfort.
As a depressant, alcohol has the comforting effect of calming the hard parts of life with adult ADHD. Unfortunately, the flipside of an adult with ADHD consuming alcohol is a tendency to lean on drinking a bit too much. According to the American Journal of Psychiatry, adults with ADHD have shown co-occurring alcohol abuse disorders at rates ranging from 17% to 45%. There are several contributing factors to this statistic, and it is by no means intended to scare you. But let’s take a step back. I’m not here to judge you for turning to the occasional or daily drink to take a break from the discomfort of ADHD. In my own life, I’ve certainly used alcohol for unhealthy reasons at times—and only slowly became aware of how much it affects me after seeing how it hurt my father. Instead of judging, I want to increase awareness of why alcohol can be so helpful and what other strategies might have the same calming effects. Alcohol & Awareness Adult ADHD can manifest itself differently in different people. If in your case this involves social anxiety, alcohol can be helpful. Maybe you feel uncomfortable at parties or are eager to leave before your partner is ready. The first step to any positive treatment is awareness without judgment. If you find yourself unhappy at a party or in some other social setting, that’s okay! Meditating and reflecting on these feelings has a profoundly positive impact. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with removing yourself if you’re not prepared to face the social setting, but if alcohol is the only thing that makes the situation tolerable, make sure you’re asking yourself why! Alternatives to Alcohol With a new awareness about what is so difficult about socializing, you may be able to find strategies to replace what alcohol is doing with a more positive form of treatment. This can be different for everyone, and asking for advice is a great stepping-stone. If you are, check in with your support system before you have to enter a scenario you find difficult without the calming effects of alcohol. Take a non-judgmental look at how you expect to feel when you arrive at the party and think about how you’re going to shift your approach. Maybe this looks like meditation before you leave or attempting to limit your intake, but whatever you decide, enter it with a deepened understanding of how your ADHD is making you feel. With a more positive attitude and some new strategies like awareness, meditation, or even medication we can all cope with adult ADHD symptoms and decrease the symptoms that make it difficult to attend social gatherings without what can sometimes be crippling fear and anxiety that often have us turning to alcohol a little too often. If you’re struggling, don’t forget to check back in regularly with the Adult ADHD blog for more strategies. We’re in this together!  Adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is more common than many older Americans realize, and the effects can be debilitating. For many patients, symptoms of ADHD weigh on them tremendously for years before they finally decide to seek out treatment.
But what is it that makes it so difficult for sufferers of adult ADHD in particular to find relief and workable solutions to their unique challenges? This is partly due to the paradoxical nature of ADHD—for example, a person with ADHD may be able to focus intently on certain activities, and yet may be unable to complete everyday tasks. As it turns out, ADHD itself keeps many from finding proper treatment in the form of therapy, medication, or a combination of both. The Disorder As An Obstacle to Treatment Adult ADHD is somewhat unique in that its symptoms often prevent its sufferers from getting the help they need. In a sense, the disorder itself creates obstacles that the patient must overcome before they’ll decide to look for treatment in the first place. This can happen in a few distinct ways. To begin with, those living with adult ADHD often find it especially difficult to plan, prioritize, and schedule their day-to- day lives and activities. They may find it more difficult than other people to follow through with their plans. For many people—not just those with symptoms of adult ADHD—the most difficult part of treatment is taking the first step or making it to the first appointment. For those who struggle to plan and be proactive, this obstacle is even more pronounced. ADHD may cause other problems when it comes to treatment, too. For example, some adults living with ADHD may develop negative attitudes toward themselves as a result of their struggles, which may keep them from seeking treatment. Others may be more inclined toward impulsive behaviors, which can include substance abuse and avoidance of treatment. Other Obstacles Although the symptoms of adult ADHD may present obstacles for adults seeking treatment, they often represent only one piece of a complex puzzle. For one thing, it’s important to understand that many people are skeptical about ADHD treatments. They may not believe that they’re truly suffering from the disorder, or they may believe that the available treatments will not be effective for them (or might even cause more harm than good). They might see ADHD as a problem that children have, but not adults. Societal attitudes can play a role in determining whether adults will seek treatment for ADHD, including how seriously their peers or doctors take their concerns. Therapy and Effective Solutions The good news is that many options are available for getting around these obstacles. Generally speaking, the best way for adults with ADHD to overcome their concerns or stumbling blocks is to enter treatment. That may sound like an unsolvable puzzle—how can you treat the disorder if it keeps the patient from seeking treatment? One option is to make treatment more accessible. This is what we do at Cloud Counseling. By making therapy more flexible, easier to access, more comfortable, and less expensive, we remove many of the barriers that keep patients away from treatments. And once a patient begins therapy, those barriers often start to look smaller and smaller by the day.  You not only hear your joints crack more often these days, but you’ve been overlooking emails, forgetting about business meetings, or just having trouble managing your day-to- day responsibilities.
Well, you’re not alone—and your difficulties may not be age-related. Increasingly, doctors are diagnosing adults and seniors with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. The Apple Doesn’t Fall Far from the Tree National Public Radio aired a story about a woman who, in her late 50s, started worrying that something was wrong with her thinking. She couldn’t focus. When her doctors ruled out a stroke or dementia, she visited a psychiatrist who clarified that she had ADHD. She then realized that her mother, too, had often seemed “scattered.” ADHD is, in fact, largely inherited. Research shows that if a parent has ADHD, there’s a 50% chance that the child will, too. A diagnosis of ADHD is actually good news! It can be liberating for older adults who were never diagnosed because they grew up in an age when ADHD was not yet widely recognized. Many older adults find comfort and relief in knowing that their struggles result from a treatable disorder, not a character weakness. And you’re in luck—ADHD treatments can significantly improve your focus. Make Sure Your Therapy Is Therapeutic If you’re an older adult looking to treat your ADHD, you may benefit from a therapist who helps you appreciate your strengths and accept your shortcomings. At Cloud Counseling, we combine acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) with mindfulness strategies to help clients see new possibilities and harness their strengths. For example, if you’re a creative person who has trouble finding motivation, a compassionate therapist can help you draw on your creativity as a springboard to action. There are a number of paths to achieving greater concentration and calm. The best starting point is knowing where you are now—wherever you find yourself on your journey. Cloud Counseling can provide you with knowledge and support to help you find the path that’s right for you—and take those first steps toward increased focus and peace.  Adults with attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) often struggle with a number of symptoms that can make everyday tasks feel impossible. These can take a serious toll on our quality of life, and often spin out into related problems like depression and substance abuse.
There are many different ways to treat the symptoms of adult ADHD. For a psychotherapist, the first steps involve discussing how ADHD is interfering with clients’ work, family, and social lives. The Cloud Counseling approach is dialectical and mindfulness based. This encourages those struggling with adult ADHD to observe their behaviors in a judgment-free manner and make creative changes in how they approach difficulties. It can include everything from regular counseling to meditation. Often, careful and consistent mindfulness practice coupled with lifestyle changes may be enough to stymy the negative influence of ADHD in your daily life. But for some, the addition of properly monitored and dosed medication is a necessary step. And there is absolutely no shame in that! It’s okay to feel uncomfortable when approaching your doctor about medication. You may feel there are negative implications associated with asking for this kind of help. While that’s understandable, I’d ask you to reconsider. I want to share some strategies to help you approach the conversation about medication with your psychologist that will put you at ease and ensure you’re getting the treatment you need. Let’s get right into it! Be Prepared Do your research, but don’t overdo it. The pharmaceutical industry has had its fair share of bad press over the years, some of it associated with medications used for the treatment of ADHD. You should be informed about your choices so you can ask the right questions. For instance, there are generally two types of medication: amphetamine-based and methylphenidate-based, which affect people differently. Be Clear If it is your first time seeing this particular doctor about your adult ADHD, make sure to describe your symptoms and the course of action you have taken with the utmost clarity and honesty. Explain what you’ve tried in order to curb your symptoms, what works, and what doesn’t so he or she can get a full picture of how adult ADHD affects you. Be Honest Let your doctor know why you’re there. If it makes you feel better, get a referral from your psychotherapist for a doctor they trust. Ask your referral source what to expect—how does the psychiatrist operate? Will you run through a questionnaire, or an extended talking session? This can go a long way to make you feel at ease when inquiring about these additional treatment options. Be Curious You’re there for you, so you should ask as many questions as you need to feel comfortable. As desired, ask your doctor to explain the full gamut of medications, potential side effects, when to take it, what you can expect to feel like, or anything else that may be of concern. If you’re at the right doctor, he or she will be looking out for your health and wellness. If for some reason they’re uncomfortable or unwilling to write you a prescription, it’s okay to ask why. And if you feel the doctor you have chosen to monitor your medical treatment of ADHD is not right for you, don’t hesitate to make a change. Talk to your counselor until you find the combination of treatments that helps you get your life back. While ADHD is a vexing disorder, many adults manage their symptoms and live productive lives. It’s just a matter of finding out what works for you. |
Out of Sight,
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