Mental Health and Self Care

ADD/ADHD: what I have learned

So, I have struggled with ADD/ADHD for all of my life and I wasn't diagnosed until much later in my life. I was 14 and I remember I wanted to cry when I found out. We realized that there were a lot of earlier signs but we all ignored them. My therapist opened up to my mom how the things I did reminded her of someone with ADD. We went to a specialist and I had to do a lot of games and tests. Not only did I find out I had ADD, I found out I also suffered from PTSD, GAD, and OCD. Let me tell you now that OCD and ADD do not go well together. Point being, I have learned just a few things from having ADD that will not only help people with ADD, but just normal procrastinators. 

1. Write it down! - Keep a notebook on you and write it down. I always have liked writing on paper with a pen or pencil because my brain retained it better. I never understood why I only remembered it when I wrote it down, but it explains why I always throw a notebook and pen in my bag no matter where I go.

2. Don't overload yourself- My therapist used to remind me constantly to create small goals and lists, but my brain wants to create big goals and I always want to have a big list of things to do. However, that overworks the ADD/ADHD brain and you will drain yourself mentally. I have even found it drains me physically because my body becomes very tired from big tasks. If you do have a big task, break it down. It helps a lot better when you have smaller things to do then larger things on a big list and you are more likely to never tackle them.

3. Create a routine- I'm sure it isn't just me, but I love to have a routine. That's why I included it in the beginning of the book. It makes things easier to focus and get things done when you have a routine. I have found a fondness to watching morning routines at night and night routines in the afternoon because then I can see what others do to keep themselves organized. School tips and tricks always are very useful and watching note taking videos are always useful. I love to watch these in the afternoon because my brain is obtaining useful information it can use in my school routine or at home. I also suggest writing down ANY useful tips you find because it does help if you forget it, to come back to it later. Again, find a way to create a routine for these things.

4. Have an organized system- When your a student with ADD/ADHD, you tend to give up middle of the year. Or is it just me? I mean when my grade begins to go down, I start to blame my ADD and begin to think that if I didn't have ADD, I would be more organized and a better student overall. Not true. Students and workers with ADD/ ADHD are just as capable of being a straight A student or a fantastic worker as anyone else. It just goes back to how we organize ourselves which also plays into a routine. The better the routine the more organized you will be. Or at least that is the way I see it. Create a system in your house that works around you and allows you to change it when you need to. I personally love to use a folder and binders where most people pick one or the other. I love filing systems where I can organize older papers and keep them safe for later. I love dividers because they keep my work separated. Whatever you need to do, do it! You know what works for you and all you have to do is find a way to use that knowledge to benefit your school/ working life.

5. NO SUGAR! - This is one I have grown to learn more recently. I was that kid that would eat 10 pieces of candy and be bouncing off the walls for hours. Even with nothing to do, sugar gave me a superpower to find every thing to do. I always felt embarrassed by the fact I would giggle like a toddler and run around like a nut job, but I couldn't stop it or slow down. The harder I tried, the worst it got. Then, the beginning of 2019, I realized what it was. Sugar. Every time I spiraled out of control, it was due to sugar. I started testing it out here and there and I started seeing that my hypothesis was right. Of course, I am sure this is known knowledge to a scientist, but to me, this was a big discovery. It made me feel really smart that I figured myself out on my own. My suggestion is to anyone with ADD/ADHD, don't give up sugar, but limit how much you consume. Less sodas and less candy are very beneficial. Not only to your health, but to your mind as well. If you consume something sugary, exercise after, or as I have found, DRINK WATER WHILE EATING SUGAR! It makes a difference trust me! Or make sure you are in a place where you are freely able to run around and release that energy. So, if you are at the doctors, it might not be the best idea to take the candy they offer sometimes in the dishes. Unless you plan on eating it later. Trust me, I know it is hard to resist eating it, especially since you crave it desperately, but it doesn't help your ADD/ADHD.

6. It's a superpower, not a weakness- People with ADD/ADHD see the world entirely different than that of the human without. But, it isn't a disorder. It is categorized as one, but it won't help to think of it that way. I always think of it as a superpower. Find a positive way to identify with it!