ADHD with Angie

Holiday time is busy & overwhelming for all families. In neurodiverse households, the lack of routine along with the excitement of the season - leads to extra challenges (for the whole family) this time of year.

Understood.org shares "5 tips for picking gifts for your child" -
https://www.understood.org/en/articles/5-strategies-for-choosing-gifts-for-your-child-with-learning-and-thinking-differences

What can you shift to create holiday traditions that work for YOUR family this year? Share your ideas or takeaways from the article in the comments!

"Injustice doesn't live in their world". ALL. OF. THIS.

*tfilter

The latest issue of arrived in my mailbox yesterday with some AMAZING news!

The article - "First-Ever Adult ADHD Guidelines for Adults on the Horizon" - discusses how more help & support are in the works. ADHD diagnosis and treatment guidelines for adults in the U.S. will be published in 2024, says APSARD President, Ann Childress.

What an exciting step in the right direction!

Integrity is everything.

Being a child or adult with ADHD and being viewed as "The ADHD One" can come with a range of emotions. Our ADHD experiences vary from person to person, but these are some common feelings we struggle with.

Which resonate with you?

Remember - having ADHD doesn't define you. Yes, there are challenges and frustrations. There are also strengths and unique qualities that make YOU who you are.
The key to healing is to seek support. As an ADHD Life Coach, I partner with you to build your self-awareness, recognize your strengths, identify barriers to moving forward & so much more.
We can do ADHD together
Link in bio to schedule your consultation.

Oh man - who feels seen with this post?! I sure do!
Verbal instructions - yes, and - could you also write it down, give me a hard copy or email that to me?

Brené Brown. Integrity. It's a choice. When we live with integrity, we not only build trust with others, we build trust with ourselves.

NOvember. Great reminder shared by .and.cptsd 💝
Raise your hand or comment below if you needed this reminder just as much as I did today 🙋🏼‍♀️

Dr. Russell Barkley, one of the leading ADHD experts, wrote an amazingly informative article for about how the DSM-5 criteria is flawed.
We need to see the full picture of ADHD. It is more than a list of 6 checked boxes; it impairs emotions and affects the whole lives of millions of people.

Read about a better way to diagnose here: https://www.additudemag.com/dsm-5-adhd-diagnosis-criteria-problems/

ADHD Awareness is highlighted in October - but awareness is needed EVERY day.
Awareness leads to opportunities for positive change.
And since awareness alone is not enough, we need to see changes in action.

This post I'm sharing from is an awesome example of the struggle ADHDers experience in order to find adequate care, support & treatment. It's frustrating & completely unnecessary.

Traumatic stress and ADHD are connected — each worsening the symptoms of the other.

In my experience, growing up in a dysfunctional narcissistic family dynamic - my untreated ADHD made me an easy target for my father to assign me the as the Scapegoat - which is where the trauma began.
And - my ADHD saved me from that toxic family system. Although the trauma I endured made my ADHD symptoms worse at times, my ADHD brain refused to give in to feeling guilt or shame. I knew I was good inside & always thought "they just don't understand me, and if they did, they wouldn't treat me so horribly."

Your ADHD is not your fault.
Your childhood trauma is not your fault.
Healing begins when your self-awareness grows.
I've been there and my healing continues. We can heal together.

ADHD is rarely existing by itself. Many of us present with symptoms of 2 or more conditions. And in many cases, these problems are “secondary” to ADHD - which means they are triggered by the frustration of coping with symptoms of ADHD.
These comorbid conditions exist in parallel & need their own treatment.

For example, when my ADHD symptoms aren't managed properly (i.e. lack of sleep, medication shortage, stress), my OCD is off the charts debilitating.

Get a full & proper diagnosis of all conditions to get your best treatment plan in place.

Did you know that adults with ADHD are nearly 3x more likely to develop dementia in old age than adults without ADHD?

Interestingly, those who WERE diagnosed & WERE treating with stimulant medications had NO INCREASED RISK of dementia!

A recent study released in this article describes the ADHD-dementia link: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/adults-adhd-higher-risk-developing-143550185.html?guccounter=1

ADHD diagnosis & treatment shouldn't be ignored or dismissed - at ANY AGE. Awareness can change your life.

Behavior is communication.

Remember: Your child isn't giving YOU a hard time.
Your child is having a hard time.

Parents - it's time to dig a little deeper & listen to what their behavior is communicating to you.

You can find ADHD Parent Coaching with me

Who else needed this today? 🙋🏼‍♀️

📷

ADHD Myths vs Reality: Round 4!

Dr. Thomas Brown, Ph.D (leading ADHD expert) - did a study of 157 adults - all of them fully met diagnostic criteria for ADHD, and all had significant impairment in working memory and processing speed - but they each had intelligence quotients (IQs) of 120 or above, or would fall into the TOP 9% of the population.

Minimizing ADHD struggles & symptoms is harmful.
Judging & shaming people for seeking the support they need to function is toxic.

Have you wondered how ADHD Life Coaching can help you?

All Coaches help people get closer to their goals, find clarity, and develop deeper awareness to help them move forward.

Certified ADHD Life Coaches - like me - have expertise in ADHD. I have 41 years of experience with my own ADHD, have children with ADHD and have a strong desire to help others struggling with ADHD. I'm prepared for the unique challenges that ADHD presents and have an authentic appreciation and empathy for your experience.

Want to know how Life Coaching can help you? Feel free to message me with any questions. Link in my bio.

Are you in your 40's & wondering if peri-menopause symptoms could be the link to why you can no longer manage your ADHD symptoms?

Here's the article & survey by that I mentioned yesterday in my Ages & Stages post. https://www.additudemag.com/menopause-symptoms-adhd-survey/
The survey took over 1500 women (with diagnosed and undiagnosed ADHD) & found that 94% felt their ADHD symptoms grew more severe during perimenopause and menopause.

For more than half of the women, ADHD symptoms grew so severe during their 40s and 50s - that they called menopause the period in which “ADHD had the greatest overall impact on their lives.”

How does this show up for you? Diagnosis, medication and ADHD Life Coaching can help!

If you went undiagnosed as a child, but notice many struggles in young adulthood - what signs of ADHD align with you?

New study discovers: Taking 'smart' drugs decreases productivity in people without ADHD.
"For people who do not have ADD, Adderall has the opposite effect, disrupting brain chemistry with excess dopamine."
Resources here:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/darreonnadavis/2023/06/14/taking-smart-drugs-like-adderall-without-adhd-actually-decreases-productivityheres-how/?sh=6fbe285c740e
https://www.pillarsrecovery.com/rehab-blog/what-does-adderall-do-if-you-dont-have-add/ #:~:text=If%20you%20don%27t%20have%20ADD%20and%20try%20Adderall%2C%20you,of%20dopamine%20in%20your%20brain.

Parenting an ADHD child is exhausting. Our kids with ADHD need more of our time and attention. We are constantly redirecting and reminding. We are always "on".
This hypervigilance not only has a physical toll on your body, but you're emotionally maxed out too. Add in the constant judgement from others - and you feel like you're drowning.
Double Whammy: being a Mom with ADHD - parenting kids with ADHD.
We love these kids with everything we have and adore them for who they are - and.. it is still hard. More awareness, support, and respect would go a long way.

ADHD Myths vs Reality: Round 3 has me fired up!

Minimizing ADHD struggles & symptoms is harmful.
Judging & shaming people for seeking the support they need to function is toxic.

Learn the truth about ADHD symptoms, treatments, and PLEASE stop the ignorant & dismissive comments. And stop projecting your inner shame onto those of us with ADHD.

How much sleep do we need as ADHDers?
These are my sleep time recommendations pulled from multiple ADHD studies from the US, Europe and Australia.

Sleep matters for the neurodiverse brain more than other people because the ADHD and/or Autistic brain is working really hard at navigating the world during the day. Each night they get less than optimal sleep, they struggle more the following day. And so on.

Poor sleep in children also negatively impacts their parents and siblings. Family members are likely to be sleep deprived themselves if kept up late or woken by their child during the night. Who can relate?