Hyperfocus in College Students with ADHD
What is the experience of hyperfocus among college students with ADHD, and how is it different from the experience of flow? Hyperfocus is an experience that involves intense concentration on a task of interest, leading to less attention to activities outside of the task at hand. Such experiences have been described as similar to experiences…
Read MoreManage the Story in Your Mind
Five Ways to Double-Check Thoughts or Feelings Before Jumping to Conclusions “They’re only coming over because they feel like they have to. They don’t really want to be my friend.”“She doesn’t really care about what I’m saying. She’s just being nice.” “I know they’re talking about me. I can’t trust them.” “He didn’t take my…
Read MoreThe Walking Classroom
“A bout of exercise is like taking a little bit of Prozac and a little bit of Ritalin.” —John Ratey, MD Experts say that regular exercise can significantly improve the lives of individuals affected by ADHD, including school-age children. As a result, many schools across the United States are incorporating exercise into a typical school…
Read MoreADHD and the Increasing Suicide Rate Among Black Youth
Napoleon Higgins, MD, interviewed by Melvin Bogard, MA Historically, suicide rates have been higher among whites than any other racial group. Recent studies confirm this but show the growing rate among Black youth, which now surpasses that of their white counterparts. Despite making up approximately 13% of the population, Black youth make up 37% of…
Read MoreLiving Black with Undiagnosed and Untreated ADHD
Brandi Walker, PhD, interviewed by Melvin Bogard, MA The Black community continues to have difficulty discussing and acknowledging ADHD and other mental health issues. On the flip side, it’s being reported that Black children are being overdiagnosed and underdiagnosed with ADHD, due to implicit racial bias and cultural incompetence among professionals. So, how do we…
Read MoreHow to Make Being Social Less Boring
Why is it so hard for people with ADHD to socialize? Do you find that getting together with friends and family is rewarding, yet you put it at the end of your to-do pile? Do you gladly accept invitations, yet rarely organize social situations? Do you regret losing relationships by not reaching out, not replying,…
Read MoreUnderstanding Emotional Development
Strategies Parents Can Use from Toddlerhood through Adolescence Emotions PROVIDE CHILDREN WITH INVALUABLE INFORMATION about themselves, their environment, and their relationship with others in their environment. Developing the ability to identify, understand, and integrate emotional information are critical aspects of emotion development, which when achieved are associated with positive social, academic, and mental health outcomes for…
Read MoreInsights on ADHD and Executive Functioning (A Thinking Impairment)
Engineering INVOLVES USING OUR SCIENTIFIC UNDERSTANDING of the natural world to invent, design, and build things to solve problems and achieve specific goals. To engineer anything, we must have a model that has repeatable patterns explained by the model and a means to make observations. A plan is a detailed proposal for doing or achieving a…
Read MorePrinciples for Parenting a Girl with ADHD
Parenting matters. This might appear to contradict what we know about the causes of ADHD in girls (and boys). Please let me clarify. No, how you parent your daughter doesn’t cause the disorder. But parenting does contribute greatly to outcomes for girls with ADHD. Despite the biological realities underlying ADHD, parenting practices are essential to…
Read MoreADHD and the College Transition: Rethinking a Gap Year
Over the last decade, more than half (an average 66%) of high school graduates went directly to college in America, but those numbers are now changing. The rising costs of college and questionable job market, worry about college preparedness, and pandemic have made millions of students question whether college is the correct path. In fact,…
Read MoreFinding Your Holiday Spirit Through Self-Care
The holiday season is filled to the brim with activities and time together. There’s lots of excitement, not to mention lots of organizing and things to do. Your planning often is about taking care of others and insuring everyone’s happiness. This year we need to practice packing some extra self-care. Check out these ideas to…
Read MoreIs Adult ADHD Related to Sleep Challenges?
Are adults with ADHD more likely to have difficulties with sleep, and in what ways? This research brief examines two studies that investigated the associations between sleep disturbances and adult ADHD. The first study found that sleep problems were more severe and greater in frequency among adults with ADHD compared to adults without ADHD who…
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