Over a decade ago I was sitting with friends, both were therapist. I was telling them about an important job I had just lost (as in being fired). At one point they both looked at each other and then one said, “Have you ever considered that you might be ADD”? I said, “absolutely not, I have a close friend who is ADD and I am not like her” (ADD and ADHD are the same thing).
Being a curious person and having respect for my friends, I decided to explore this unlikely possibility. It took a while but one year later, I had been positively diagnosed by a qualified physician as being ADHD. I was still in denial so he suggested that I try Adderall (a standard treatment for ADHD). “If it agitates you, you are not; if it calms you, you are”. I agreed to do that and for the next four hours I had never been so clam or focused in my life.
So, how do we know if we have an ADHD brain? And if we do have an ADHD brain, how do we come to accept and manage it? Most people with the symptoms of ADHD have them because of the brain they were born with. It affects about 4-5% of American youth and although hyperactivity ceases for most adult, many of the symptoms persist all through adulthood. I don’t believe in labeling people as ADHD, I prefer to say, they have an ADHD brain. The simple reason is that its not a cognitive disorder, it’s a performance disorder. It should not be associated with who we are, it should be associated with how we are.
Are you challenged with any of the following: getting places on time, loosing your keys, having a disorganized desk, unable to find things you need, having trouble solving certain kinds of problems because you loose track of where you are in the process, having lost important relationships or employment?
If your response is yes, you might want to think about the impact this is having on your life. There are many ways to treat these behaviors, including psychotherapy, medication, meditation, physical activity, and life coaching. It has been shown that adults who do not seek help in some form for their ADHD symptoms, put themselves at higher risk of lowered self esteem, failed relationships, academic and employment frustrations, and even threats to their own physical health. For those who do find treatment, the expectation for improvement is the highest of any behavioral disorder.
As an ADHD coach I work with people who are diagnosed to round out their treatment plan for ADHD. The outcome of ADHD coaching is often greater achievement of their goals and identification of the barriers that can hold them back along their way. For those who are still searching for understanding of what is holding them back, I provide the opportunity to explore themselves so that they can become more self-aware and discover what is missing from their current understanding of ADHD and themselves.
Since that conversation about “I am not ADD…”, with the help of professionals, my friends and a lot of self-work, I have made significant progress on my journey. I have learned that ADHD can be managed and there is no limit to the personal potential I can seek in this world. I am confident that by meeting you where you are on your journey, we can walk together toward the fulfillment of your own goals and higher function in daily living.
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