For most of my life, I didn’t know I had ADHD. I just knew that school felt harder for me than it did for others. I could focus intensely on things that fascinated me but struggled to pay attention to anything that didn’t. Staying organized wasn’t my strong suit—I’d forget assignments, miss deadlines, and sometimes…

In the United States, we’re at a pivotal moment for ADHD advocacy. Over the last several years, significant strides have been made—such as the work by the American Professional Society of ADHD and Related Disorders (APSARD) and CHADD to develop and educate clinicians about the first adult ADHD treatment and diagnostic guidelines. Yet at the…

Executive functions are essential self-regulating skills everyone uses daily for almost everything, including organizing, prioritizing, and thinking before speaking. These skills are developed and refined during childhood. Girls with ADHD often miss out on developing these skills, however, and have executive function impairments or executive dysfunction. Your daughter may have difficulty finishing tasks on time.…

Self-esteem involves one’s evaluation of oneself, which can be positive or negative. Low self-esteem involves low levels of self-respect, low self-acceptance, and a negative sense of self-worth. This research update considers two studies that reviewed the existing literature regarding self-esteem in individuals with ADHD. The first study reviewed recent studies that examined self-esteem in adults…

For many adults with ADHD, finding someone we click with, someone who understands us, and someone who makes us feel seen and heard is akin to falling in love. Our brains crave a blend of dopamine, oxytocin, and serotonin that is released by a positive connection with another person. This itch, or rush, triggers our…

For people with ADHD whose executive function challenges lead to frequent bouts of discouragement, disappointment, and demoralization, The Anti-Planner: How to Get Stuff Done When You Don’t Feel Like It may help them to see their challenges in a new way. Dani Donovan knows from personal experience the emotional impact that difficulties with time management,…

As a child, I remember my mother reading for hours on end in her room while I, an only child, ran from thing to thing, constantly looking for people to play with and something to do. I couldn’t sit still to learn to read until I was in second grade, and even then reading was…

Folks with ADHD tend to feel their emotions more strongly. This also means that you then tend to wear those emotions on your sleeve and to be more influenced to act on your emotions. This can make you a lot of fun to be around: “Let’s go to the beach today!” But when those stronger…

Eight-year-old Joey gets in trouble daily at school for restless behavior that involves fidgety movements with hands and feet. His father sits in the office boardroom during an hour-long meeting where he rocks in his chair and doodles while taking notes. Both have been diagnosed with ADHD. These behaviors are presumed to disrupt their concentration…

Since the publication of our article on cognitive disengagement syndrome in the April 2023 edition of Attention, there have been growing numbers of caregivers, clinicians, and educators looking for ways to help children and teens displaying CDS symptoms. CDS is the term used to describe a set of symptoms including excessive internal distractibility (mind wandering,…

After they are admitted to and enroll at a college, students with disabilities, including ADHD, can request accommodations at the school by registering with the disability services office. As part of this process, they’ll likely have to submit documentation of their disability (meaning paperwork showing that they have ADHD). Note that students don’t have to…

Having one or more children who regularly struggle with big emotions can inspire a parent to search for oil rig work in the North Atlantic. Moreover, this is a super-common problem and is vexing to respond to and solve. So, if you find yourself having big emotions about big emotions, join the club! “Big emotions”…