According to the Mayo Clinic, it was once believed that attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) only occurred in childhood. While anyone who suffers from this disorder must have experienced symptoms in childhood, it can continue to affect people into adulthood. ADHD is characterized by impulsivity, hyperactivity and inattention, and these symptoms make it difficult to succeed at work and to maintain healthy relationships with friends and family members.
Consider Treatment Options
If you suffer from ADHD and it severely limits your work performance and relationships, consider medication and psychotherapy, which are the two main treatment options for this disorder. The most common type of medication used to treat ADHD is stimulants such as Ritalin and Adderall. Each person reacts to psychotropic medications differently, so you might have to try a few different medications and dosages before finding the most effective with the least amount of side effects. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is commonly used in treating ADHD. A cognitive-behavioral therapist would help you understand how your thoughts affect your emotions and behaviors and give you behavioral techniques to implement daily.
Practice Healthy Habits
When you don't take care of yourself physically, it will take an emotional toll. According to Helpguide.org, impulsivity and disorganization can lead to poor eating habits, erratic sleep and lack of exercise. If you suffer from ADHD, it's critical that you make your health a priority by scheduling regular exercise, eating healthfully at most meals and sleeping eight hours each night.
If you often get distracted at night and don't realize how late it is getting until you look at the clock at 2 a.m., set an alarm to go off 20 minutes before you need to go to bed to get enough sleep. Use those 20 minutes to unwind and develop a bedtime routine, such as having a cup of decaffeinated tea, reading a book and washing your face.
To ensure that you eat healthfully, make a weekly trip to the grocery store on the same day each week and make a list before you go. Plan out healthy breakfasts, lunches and dinners and skip the junk food aisles. You won't feed your impulse to gorge on unhealthy foods if you don't have them in the house.
Get Organized
Suffering from ADHD leads to major disorganization, which means that you'll have to spend more time on getting and staying organized than someone who doesn't have this disorder. Set aside 15 to 30 minutes each day to focus on organization. Set small, specific goals for each day. For instance, you might organize your medicine cabinet one day and organize and pay your bills the next day.
Before you leave a room or your office, spend 10 minutes picking it up. Put things that you used back, discard any papers or trash and organize the area. Spend a few minutes each evening walking through your home picking up trash and loose papers.
Helpguide.org suggests using lists to stay organized. In the morning, make a list of things you want to accomplish and check them off as you finish them.
