9 Tips For Students Coping With ADHD
Many people with ADHD do not understand the nature of their disability or how to cope with it. This post is to help those who either suspect that they have ADHD or have had ADHD testing and been diagnosed but do not know what to do next. Some clients that I see come for an updated evaluation having been diagnosed early in their life. Often teens and young adults had not been a part of the feedback with their examiner nor had they viewed their original evaluation report, so they do not recognize how ADHD may be currently impacting their ability to function at their best.
What is ADHD?
ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder, meaning beginning in childhood, that can affect all areas of executive functioning. That is, a person with ADHD can have difficulty with attention and concentration, impulse control, planning, organization, time management and the ability to regulate emotions. It is not surprising that ADHD can significantly impair functioning across multiple settings including at work, school and at home and can be incredibly disruptive to an individual’s relationships.
What is ADHD Testing and how does it work?
ADHD testing, or evaluation, is a process of gathering and examining data to potentially obtain an ADHD diagnosis. These evaluations differ depending on the type of professional performing them. Also, depending on the age of the individual and the severity of symptoms, the process can include a clinical interview, self-, teacher- and parent-questionnaires, cognitive and achievement testing, a computerized continuous performance test, a personality assessment and classroom observation. For an older teen or young adult, the most essential piece of evidence supporting a diagnosis of ADHD, apart from a report of current symptoms and impairment, is existence of several symptoms and impairment in childhood, or what some might refer to as a developmental history of symptoms.
Tips for Managing ADHD after an ADHD Diagnosis
While many people rely on stimulant medication to treat their ADHD symptoms, there are many other cognitive behavioral strategies that are helpful in managing the inattention and distractibility associated with ADHD. I’ve included some of these tips below:
- Break up projects. Break large projects into smaller tasks to make them more manageable and avoid procrastinating and becoming overwhelmed.
- Take five.Take frequent 5-10 minute breaks every 50 minutes to stretch, breathe or walk outside. Do not expect to sit for extended periods of time doing an unpleasant task.
- Mind the clock.Individuals with ADHD are notoriously late. Keep a clock visible so that you can monitor time as it passes. If you are giving yourself a certain amount of time to complete a task, or to take a break, set an alarm so that you know when time is up.
- Write yourself encouraging notes.When studying for long periods of time, write yourself visible reminders like “Stay on task, bring your mind back gently if you space out, and ask for help if you need it.” and keep them out and visible.
- Give social media a rest.If using a computer to study, minimize distractions, which might include closing all social media sites. If using social media as a reward, set a timer for 5-10 minutes and then close the social media app when you are finished.
- Reward Yourself.Establish and implement a reward system for doing unpleasant tasks that will help motivate you. Make sure that your rewards are consistent and in proportion to each objective achieved.
- Schedule your time.Create a schedule of all your activities for a given time period including classes, meetings, important assignments and exams. It benefits individuals to keep two calendars: one at home that is visible and one that is mobile. It could be that you use software that is synced on your mobile device and home computer. From there, you can schedule study time and other activities that are not urgent, but important.
- Plan ahead for problem situations. For example, if you know that you have to study for an exam, but during the weekend there will be several social activities that you want to attend, set up a reward for yourself for studying, which could include attending a social event or two.
- Seek professional help.I hope that these recommendations are helpful. If you are having difficulty implementing these recommendations, and are feeling discouraged, a final recommendation that I have is to seek help from a therapist. We can all benefit from extra support when we need it.
If you are in the Nashville area and you would like to schedule an appointment, please do not hesitate to contact us at (615) 582-2882 or email me at clientcare@nashvillepsych.com.
Thank you for reading!
Take good care,
Dan
