About the time I got diagnosed with ADHD, Thom Hartmann produced the first edition of ADHD: Hunters in a Farmer’s World. I wanted to know the facts about ADHD; the research, and Thom’s book was based on a theory with only his understanding of ADHD to back up what he said.

Recently a woman with ADHD requested support from members of an online group. She wrote, “I am so tired of trying so hard. In spite of trying, my partner still feels I am not trying hard enough. He doesn’t recognize how difficult it is for me. I really feel like I can’t continue, that I can’t go on any longer. I can’t go on living like this. Of course, I wouldn’t do anything, but have any of you felt this way?

Complied from entries at r/adhd by Cynthia Hammer, MSW

My significant other told me not to take meds and discouraged me from pursuing treatment of any kind.

 I don't understand how people rationalize telling others what they should be doing about their mental health.

 After I told my friend I have ADHD, she told me "It is all in your head. Everyone has problems, but they don't use meds as an excuse to escape from them.” 

Strategies for Dealing with Boredom

The best strategy is to run away from boredom as often as the situation allows. Being bored makes us feel sluggish, dull, not alive so we need to avoid it whenever possible.  Here are some ideas on how to beat the boredom blues:

For patients diagnosed with ADHD, stigma leads to decreased self-esteem, less acceptance by peers, social isolation, and lower self-perceptions of confidence. When treatments are stigmatized, patients and parents are less likely to seek appropriate treatment.

Lately, I have been hearing about “adult onset ADHD,” but I don’t believe it exists. The people I talk with who were diagnosed when adults, tell me they had ADHD as children, but no one noticed or recognized it.

Living with ADHD is hard. Being told you don’t have ADHD (even when a physician has diagnosed you) is beyond hard. But being told simplistic ways you could stop having ADHD, is the most maddening of all. It insults and diminishes our challenges in one fell swoop.

Last week I returned from a camping trip. I lay in bed the following morning and thought, "I must unpack my suitcase." And then I reflected on past trips when I never thought, "I must unpack my suitcase." My earlier ADHD self was to let the suitcase remain, opened on the floor, unpacked for weeks.  Almost daily I rummaged through the suitcase for a needed item but still didn’t unpack it. 

Ever since my diagnosis in 1992 with Inattentive ADHD, I have focused on improving myself and helping others with this disorder. That was the lens I used—what’s wrong and how can I help?

It has happened so many times. Someone tells me he just can't get organized. He's not disciplined enough. She's too deeply buried in paper. He's not a very focused person. She is being pulled in too many directions. I can't. I can't. I can't.

There I was—on a seven-day cruise from Vancouver, BC to Seward, Alaska. We had a spacious, as far as that goes, cabin. The Holland American ship was beautiful. The food was outstanding. There was a fully equipped exercise room with classes you could attend. There were movies shown daily in a full–size theatre or you could borrow DVDs from their well-stocked library to watch in your room.

It’s human nature, I suppose, to focus more intently on our mistakes than we do on our successes. Little good ever comes of this, but it’s a psychological habit that’s hard to break. Last week, I realized how far I have come at my neighborhood book club meeting, of all places.

How do you prevent overload in your life? Can you see it coming? Do you know how many tasks you can juggle without coming apart at the seams?

Do you plan your time, and have a realistic idea of how long-planned tasks will take? Have you learned to be assertive in saying, "I'd love to, but I need to check my calendar first." What steps have you taken to prevent ADHD overload?

In November, after being incredibly busy with activities for the Inattentive ADHD Coalition, I felt down--not quite depressed, but I had the blues. I was at loose ends and thought, "Is this all life has to offer?" Initially, I thought I was just tired and needed some downtime, some time to recover. But slowly I realized I was feeling down because I wasn't engaged in an interesting, mind-stimulating activity.

[When parents are concerned about their child taking medicine for their ADHD], I counter their concerns by worrying about the potential “side effects” of not taking the medication: namely, their children struggling to stay focused and getting frustrated when they couldn’t. After envisioning that scenario, the decision became far less difficult.

We are still relying on research done years ago on white, hyperactive boys. There are few studies and fewer insights on girls and women. Likewise, children with inattentive ADHD (formerly called ADD) continue to fly under the radar. Why?

Invisible disabilities, or hidden disabilities, is an umbrella term to describe a whole spectrum of disabilities or challenges that are primarily neurological in nature. Individuals with invisible disabilities do not show any physical signs,

Is it really possible for someone with ADHD to “get stuff done” when one of our biggest challenges is procrastination? I have known about my inattentive ADHD for 30 years and think I know “best practices” for becoming all you can be as someone with ADHD, so I am surprised when I come across new, effective information.  Here’s a nutshell explanation of what I learned yesterday.

For some adults with ADHD, the disorder may not be perceived as wholly negative…

The Opposite of Happiness is Not Sadness. It’s Boredom

Strategy one is to run away from boredom as often as the situation allows. Being bored makes us feel sluggish, dull, not alive so we need to avoid it whenever possible. Here are some ideas on how to beat the boredom blues: