How To Cope With Attention Deficit Disorder

Hang in there! Just like anything else in life, there are ups and downs when dealing with ADD. What will drive you to successful living is dedication, persistence and a little elbow grease, during those down or tough times. Here are a few ADD tips.

First and foremost, is to focus daily on your overall health, both in mind and body. Eat right, exercise a minimum of 30 minutes a day, get enough rest, avoid unhealthy places, substances, people…in short take good care of yourself. Be your best friend and your body (and mind) will thank you during those difficult days.

Next, always continue your education, either formally or informally. No need to enroll in a university. Continue to read nonfiction about your work, health and personal interests, participate in organizational events in your industry, attend a class or workshop series once a year. Keep up! Use your brain and put it to work for you and believe it or not, some ideas just might surface on tough days to get you through the challenging times; you might remember others who survived and overcame their own challenges and put some of their tips to work, for instance.

Don't fail to plan. Plan to succeed. Learn about goal setting and achieving by studying from books like, "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" by Stephen R. Covey. And put his steps to work in your own life.

Surround yourself with a positive environment as much as possible. For example, don't worry so much if some people don't seem to want to accept or deal with your ADD. Those people are probably self-absorbed in their own issues for one reason or other, and don't accept other people's disorders or issues, either. Actually, you never know - -they could be working on accepting and dealing with some very serious issues themselves, and are afraid to share discuss them with anyone. Either way, tough. It's their loss, not yours. Hope for the best for them, but move on and focus on being around positive people who pretty much follow that "Do unto others…" theme. You can't avoid ALL negativity, but you can choose to focus on more positive aspects of life. Reach out with your five senses for ideas to make your day better: shed the black business wardrobe and liven up your color scheme; turn on some lively, happy music and sing along; get out and learn to dance again; try some different foods from different

countries to spice up your life; and plug in a seasonal air freshener for a change of scent. Be creative and jot down ideas for experimenting with new, positive environmental ideas each month. Dig in and enjoy life. And remember: when the going gets tough, …the tough don't run!

AVAILABLE EDUCATIONAL OR WORKPLACE ASSISTANCE

ADHD is recognized as a disability. Reasonable and appropriate accommodations can at times be made in the classroom for children with ADHD, and in the workplace for adults with ADHD, because of federal legislation; the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans With Disabilities Act, and the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act. These accommodations can greatly impact the quality of life, directly resulting in improved work efficiency and productivity. Learn as much as you can about opportunities that may be available to you and take action. Don't be afraid to follow up, either, and get information you can understand - i.e. that's not in government-speak.

Coping Tips

Here are some tips to enjoy. Print them out and share with your family, neighbors, friends, church members, relatives and others who have ADD or would benefit by learning more about the disorder.

Daily Living ADD TIPS

1. Often the most obvious is overlooked. If you or someone you know suspects ADD / ADHD, seek help. Ignorance is NOT always bliss!

2. Seek treatment solutions that work best for YOU. And support those others choose for themselves.

3. Continue your education about ADD / ADHD. Research continues daily. Keep up with the latest research, books, treatments; check out new workshops in your area, delve into new online resources, etc. Information can mean healing power.

4. Think: long-term and don't be afraid of change. Since there is no cure for ADD, always be open and willing to try to modifying behaviors and managing other symptoms with revised aids. For example, get on a mailing list for Franklin Covey planning products. If your budget, circumstances and time allow, experiment with computerized organizational and planning tools, sync them with print versions. Remember Aesop's, "Slow and steady wins the race."

5. Network. Subscribe to healthcare association publications. Attend meetings and other events in your area. Meet people, compare coping strategies, learn about new products and services out there to help, make new friends, have fun. Don't let ADD keep you down and out. Get involved and be supportive of others, too.

6. Identify any money-handling areas and get help. Ask your banker to help teach you how to balance your checkbook, reduce your credit card debt, create a monthly budget and save a little. Times change, expenses change, how to handle money changes. So what you may have learned in your early years, may be different today. Savings accounts sure earn a lot less interest, for example. So there may be alternative methods offering better benefits for you. Multiple credit cards can mess you up, so only use one. And online bill paying may help you set up automated, regular payments so that your bills get paid on time every month from now on. So do a little research online and at your local banks to see what you can find; what helpful tips, products and services are available.

7. Keep a To-Do or Wish List going just for FUN things! If you just focus on work priorities, you may eventually get caught up in life's daily grind and get depressed (feeling like you're getting nowhere). So start a list and jot down things you'd like to do, rewards you'd like to strive for, people you'd like to have fun with, places you'd like to go, etc. And make them happen! Work one into your schedule every week, for example. By planning, you WILL work these goodies in and find more enjoyment in life. Another rewarding aspect of this is that during difficult days, you'll have good things to look forward to and can maybe even jumpstart a good mood by selecting one that fits into your plans and budget that day, like a bike ride to the park with a friend.

8. Develop your sense of humor. Learn to laugh at your own self, your own mistakes, and lighten up. Add some humor into your day, a half-hour sitcom, a humorous radio show during your commute, the Sunday and daily comics. Remember that old saying, "Laughter is the best medicine?" Time to laugh! Prescribe some for yourself.

This article is part of Health and Fitness Solutions section on Attention Deficit Disorder Symptoms and Relief.