How to live with ADHD

For those living with ADHD, try to find a system to keep track of appointments and reminders. Don’t rely on your brain to remember. Schedule a time to do tasks, rather than saying “I will do it later,” advises Rebecca MacDonald of Adaptive Mindset. Photo by Rawpixel /Getty Images/iStockphotoArticle contentAttention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), is something we hear a lot about, but don’t necessarily understand, nor use the terminology properly.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.Subscribe now to access this story and more:Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsSUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES.Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsRegister to unlock more articles.Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.Access additional stories every monthShare your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting communityGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorArticle contentAccording to Rebecca MacDonald, a registered counselling therapist, and owner of Adaptive Mindset: ADHD Counselling Services in Kentville, N.S., ADHD can present in different ways. This includes losing track of steps in tasks, forgetting instructions quickly, interrupting others, acting before thinking, struggling with transitions, trouble with task initiation, challenges with time management/awareness, and difficulty with emotional regulation.Article contentArticle contentArticle content“Individuals with ADHD know what they need to do but struggle to be consistent in bridging their intentions and their actions, as that mental process requires executive function,” explains MacDonald.Article contentArticle contentExecutive functionArticle contentExecutive function, MacDonald says, is a set of cognitive processes that are associated with the prefrontal cortex, which are impaired in people who have ADHD. The core components of executive function are working memory (holding and using information in your mind), cognitive flexibility (adapting when situations change), and inhibitory control (resisting impulses or staying focused).Article contentArticle content Rebecca MacDonald offers therapeutic counselling for adult individuals with ADHD, as well as other mental health struggles through her practice Adaptive Mindset in Kentville, N.S. ContributedArticle contentAn individual with ADHD has impairments in these cognitive functions, which are all used regularly every day, explains MacDonald. These impairments result in everyday tasks requiring intentional or extra focus and effort.Article contentFor example, because of the executive function impairments, adults with ADHD can struggle with meal planning, co-ordinating schedules, prioritizing work, navigating social relationships, remembering to respond to messages, returning phone calls, grocery shopping, budgeting, balancing work and home responsibilities, forgetting tasks, emotional regulation, task initiation, losing track of conversations, time blindness, negative thought spirals, zoning out, losing items, and fidgeting, lists MacDonald.Article contentArticle contentArticle contentGender differencesArticle contentAdditionally, ADHD can manifest differently for each gender, because every brain is different, she explains. Statistically more men have hyperactive ADHD, and more women have inattentive ADHD. Some people have combined type ADHD, which is a blend of both the hyperactive and inattentive.Article contentThe historic picture of ADHD is based on the young male presentation of hyperactive ADHD (bouncing off walls), which is the experience for some males and females, says MacDonald.Article contentRates of inattentive ADHD, however, are lower in males, as it is more silent and can be seen as daydreaming, zoned out, internalized stress, exhaustion from “masking” to match social peers, or forgetfulness, explains MacDonald.Article contentThis picture of a young boy bouncing off walls does not fit the experience for many women, as they are more likely to develop coping strategies to mask and internalize their symptoms and perform according to society’s expectations of them, she notes. Some prominent symptoms for women and girls are in the social or relational sphere with difficulty in relationships and making friends.