Understanding ADHD (1)

There's a common misconception that ADHD is something that only children have and that they can outgrow the symptoms. But the research shows that for many with a childhood diagnosis, symptoms can continue into adulthood. Or even appear in early or later adulthood.  Some research even shows that symptoms ebb and flow over time, with peaks of intense and valleys of remission. And the patterns of those peaks and troughs are different for everyone.

So what does all this tell us? There are many different factors affecting how and when ADHD shows up in someone's life and that is as unique as an individual is because of our:

• Genetics
• Environment - the people around us, the stressors in our lives, the way our hormones are working in our bodies
• Skills and strategies - how effectively someone can learn how to fit in with the world around them

The differences in physiological, social and other environmental factors means that knowing one person with ADHD means you know - well, one person with ADHD! Because they are all very, very different. And ADHD isn't all negative. Maybe part of the problem is that we expect people to conform to society as we know it, without celebrating the huge value that differences bring to our communities. ADHD-ers are incredible people - a cognitively diverse and valuable part of our world.   Maybe they are the entrepreneur down the road. The creative thinker. The problem solver. The empathetic shoulder to cry on. All our brains work differently. Putting a label on those differences isn't helpful for everyone. 

​Is there a cure? Can we grow out of it?  Who knows! But we can learn skills and strategies to better equip us to cope with life, to navigate our day-to-day. We can adapt to the world around us - flawed as it is - and manage the feelings of overwhelm and anxiety that often accompany ADHD. If you are struggling and want to find out a little more about how counselling may help you, just get in touch using our enquiry form, or book an initial 30-minute chat. And if you're the sort of person who likes a book to read about it, try Gabor Mate's 'Scattered Minds' or Alex Partridge's 'Now It All Makes Sense'.