ADHD is not a condition that needs to be “cured.”
The challenges people experience due to their neurotype result from living in a neurotypical-focused society.
ThoughADHD treatment is often associated with prescription drugs, that’s not the only treatment available.
Verywell / Brianna Gilmartin
Many times ADHD does not need to be treated at all if the right accommodations are in place.
De-centering neurotypical norms will significantly relieve the distress ofneurodivergent folks, including ADHDers.
At a Glance
ADHD has both challenges, but it also comes with strengths.
Get our printable guide for your next doctor’s appointment to help you ask the right questions.
Understanding your needs can help you connect with the right support and resources.
An ADHD specialist can help create a plan that is customized to fit your needs and your lifestyle.
Studies have found that the most effective way to treatADHD is with a combination of medicationand behavioral interventions.
Medication
Medication is the most common treatment for ADHD.
With this information, your doctor canadjust the prescriptionuntil the right therapeutic dose is found.
The two main groups of medication for treating ADHD are stimulants and non-stimulants.
Stimulants
It might sound counterintuitive to prescribe someone who is hyperactive a stimulant.
However, stimulants reduce hyperactivity and impulsivity and increase attention.
Sometimes your doctor might prescribe both a stimulant and non-stimulant.
Many ADHDers struggle with too much structure, while others really benefit from it.
Such support can include:
Social Support
Making connections with other neurodivergent people is also important.
Developing a sense of community can help people with ADHD feel accepted and accommodated rather than having to mask.
Maskingrefers to camouflaging ADHD traits and characteristics to fit in with a neurotypical society and avoid social stigma.
While masking may help disguise some traits, it also creates other problems.
It can delay diagnosis, meaning people don’t get the support and accommodations they need to succeed.
It also creates inward stress, anxiety, and depression.
Connecting with other ADHDers can help people feel more comfortable being their authentic selves.
It helps to develop self-acceptance and accommodations for your ADHD traits.
Importantly, it can also help with the shame and neurodivergent trauma that affects many people with ADHD.
There are many different types of therapy that are helpful for ADHDers, depending on what the goals are.
It can also be helpful for people who are living with co-existing conditions, likedepressionandanxiety.
Most importantly, it can help with developing self-compassion and self-acceptance of your neurodivergence.
Finding healthcare professionals that have lived experience with neurodivergence, specifically ADHD, can be especially validating.
They are knowledgeable about figuring out the best plan after discovering your ADHD.
Get our printable guide for your next doctor’s appointment to help you ask the right questions.
ADHD coachescan provide accountability as you are creating this structure.
Just as with therapy and education, it is critical for ADHD coaches to have lived experience.
The coach might also act as a “body double.”
A body double is a person who keeps you company while you perform a difficult task.
They mightprocrastinatestarting or get side-tracked and leave a project half completed.
A body double sits in the same room with you while you carry out these tasks.
Their physical presence helps you to keep focused on the task and reduces any anxiety you might be feeling.
There are also many online support groups, often run by ADHD coaches who have ADHD themselves.
Online options are often more accessible than in-person workshops for a variety of reasons.
However, accommodations are there to support you.
Accommodations create the most helpful environment so you could do your best work.
Speak to the teacher at school or the student disability center for more information on making these arrangements.
Examples of workplace accommodations include wearing noise-canceling headphones or working flexible hours.
Speak to your boss or human resources about workplace accommodations that may help you.
The core challenges of ADHD vary from one individual to the next.
Luckily, there is more information about ADHD available than ever before.
The most useful information comes from adults with lived experience of ADHD.
you could learn from websites, books, and podcasts.
Consider attending classes held locally, or national conferences like theCHADD annual conference.
And always remember to keep an open dialogue with doctors.
you could also follow social media creators with ADHD who make content about their experiences with ADHD.
Some examples areNeurodivergent Rebel,Lived Experience Educator, andHow to ADHD.
Wolraich ML, Chan E, Froehlich T, et al.ADHD diagnosis and treatment guidelines: a historical perspective.Pediatrics.
2019;144(4).
doi:10.1542/peds.2019-1682
Advokat C, Scheithauer M.Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) stimulant medications as cognitive enhancers.Front Neurosci.
Hutchinson G, ed.PLoS ONE.
2021;16(12):e0261247.
