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Health and Wellness

How I Cope with My ADHD

"I didn't let ADHD prevent me from achieving my goals, and neither should you." - Howie Mandel

Sarah Sullivan

Aug 08, 2019

Fordham University

Sarah Sullivan

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, also known as ADHD, is a neurological disorder involving patterns of inattention, impulsivity and hyperactivity that affects the sufferer's functioning and developing. Diagnosed with the disorder at the age of 10, I have now joined the 4% of American adults who have been diagnosed with ADHD, and in my eight years of enduring and adjusting to the condition, I've learned a couple helpful coping mechanisms to help me deal with the struggles I face on a day-to-day basis. My personal solutions may not necessarily a panacea for everybody with ADHD; in fact, there are three subtypes of ADHD and the disorder presents differently in males and females, creating a wide range of symptoms and treatments. However, what I've discovered through my experiences has been incredibly helpful, and I hope that these coping mechanisms can be helpful to someone else, too.

Color is your friend

As someone who forgets things everywhere (just this morning I almost forgot my water bottle at the gym), bright colors help catch my eye and keep track of where items are. It's a lot harder to lose your phone in your bag when it's littered with colorful stickers or lose a giant, blue wallet. All of my reminders are written down in neon purple ink, which brings me to my next tip...

Write. Everything. Down.

Seriously. Remembering tasks, projects and appointments becomes easier when reminders are written down. Experts even say that writing things down makes recalling information easier. Sticky notes, agendas, planners and even just loose-leaf paper are all great tools to use for jotting down quick notes throughout the day. I personally use a legal pad that I carry around with me and create to-do lists on.

Compartmentalize

It's almost impossible to forget your phone, wallet or keys if they're all attached to one another! Investing in a cellphone wallet or a wristlet that you can both keep your phone in and connect your keys will help combat the supposed inevitability of accidentally leaving your valuables behind. Along the same lines of this advice, leaving your keys with groceries, gifts or other items you need to take with you before leaving is helpful as well. In fact, my grandfather leaves his keys in the fridge next to his half and half or leftovers from lunch so he'll remember to bring them back to his house at the end of the day.

Break it up

With limited focus at my disposal, it's very difficult to sit down and work for six straight hours. In fact, sometimes it's even a struggle just to get myself to focus at all. However, with the Pomodoro technique, completing mountains of work has become significantly easier. The Pomodoro technique works like this: focus for 25 minutes and take a five minute break. The 25 minute period of intense focus makes me put in substantial work and get stuff done, but by the time I'm feeling burnt out and distracted, it's time for a little break. This method, though normally used for studying, can be used for any task, such as filling out paperwork, writing essays or cleaning. Speaking of cleaning...

Learn to enjoy cleaning

Cleaning can, in fact, be made into an enjoyable activity. I used to be terribly messy and would let my disasters pile up, but from just adding in some music or a podcast, cleaning has become incredibly cathartic for me and I find myself doing a general pick up of my room at least once a week. Having a secondary item to focus on while cleaning rather than just the monotony of vacuuming or dusting makes the experience much more pleasant.

Make some space

Having space is something that is generally important for everyone, but especially for people with ADHD. Alone time has become vital to my life; it allows me to fully process the overwhelming world around me and feel a sense best described as closure. Despite the fact that many of us with ADHD feel the need to be constantly doing something, creating a safe space to sit and relax and do absolutely nothing is fantastic for our mental health and wellbeing. Studies show that downtime allows for the mind to be at peace, access emotions, break down our buildup of stress and ultimately, provide us with some much needed focus.

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How I Cope with My ADHD

"I didn't let ADHD prevent me from achieving my goals, and neither should you." - Howie Mandel

Color is your friend

Write. Everything. Down.

Compartmentalize

Break it up

Learn to enjoy cleaning

Make some space

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The Best Lines from the Fab Four

And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make

The sun is up, the sky is blue, it's beautiful and so are you

Love is old, love is new, love is all, love is you

There's nowhere you can be that isn't where you're meant to be

Life is very short, and there's no time for fussing and fighting, my friend

He say, "I know you, you know me", One thing I can tell you is you got to be free

Oh please, say to me, You'll let me be your man. And please say to me, You'll let me hold your hand

It was twenty years ago today, Sgt. Pepper taught the band to play. They've been going in and out of style, but they're guaranteed to raise a smile

Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see

Can you hear me? When it rains and shine, it's just a state of mind

Little darling, it's been long cold lonely winter. Little darling, it feels like years since it' s been here. Here comes the sun, Here comes the sun, and I say it's alright

We danced through the night and we held each other tight, and before too long I fell in love with her. Now, I'll never dance with another when I saw her standing there

I love you, I love you, I love you, that's all I want to say

You say you want a revolution. Well you know, we all want to change the world

All the lonely people, where do they all come from. All the lonely people, where do they all belong

Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends

Hey Jude, don't make it bad. Take a sad song and make it better

Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away. Now it looks as though they're here to stay. Oh, I believe in yesterday

And when the brokenhearted people, living in the world agree, there will be an answer, let it be.

And anytime you feel the pain, Hey Jude, refrain. Don't carry the world upon your shoulders

I'll give you all I got to give if you say you'll love me too. I may not have a lot to give but what I got I'll give to you. I don't care too much for money. Money can't buy me love

All you need is love, love is all you need

Whisper words of wisdom, let it be

Blackbird singing in the dead of night, Take these broken wings and learn to fly. All your life, You were only waiting for this moment to arise

Though I know I'll never lose affection, for people and things that went before. I know I'll often stop and think about them. In my life, I love you more

Obviously the best superpower.

There have been many lessons learned.

1. The importance of traditions.

2. How to be thankful for family and friends.

3. How to give back.

4. What the word "community" really means.

5. That it isn't about the destination, but the journey.

6. The consequences of making bad choices.

7. To trust people, until you have a reason not to.

8. To be welcoming and accepting of everyone.

9. How to be my own, individual person.

10. How to work for what I want.

11. How to be great at giving directions.

12. How to be humble.

13. To be well-rounded.

14. How to be great at conflict resolution.

15. The beauty of getting outside and exploring.

16. To be prepared for anything.

17. That you don't always have to do it alone.

18. How to be creative.

19. To brush off gossip.

I have never been so thankful to know you.

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

Don't freak out

Email the professor

Attend the first class

Keep attending class

Have a backup plan

Remember that everything works out at the end

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