Typically, adults with ADHD are unaware that they have this disorder—they
often just feel that it's impossible to get organized, to stick
to a job, to keep an appointment. The everyday tasks of getting
up, getting dressed and ready for the day's work, getting to work
on time, and being productive on the job can be major challenges
for the ADHD adult.
Adults will seek professional
help for depression or anxiety and will find out that the root
cause of some of their emotional problems is ADHD. They may have
a history of school failures or problems at work. Often they have
been involved in frequent automobile accidents. Individuals with
ADHD may experience distractibility, impulsivity, restlessness.
To help in this struggle, both "psychoeducation" and
individual psychotherapy can be helpful. Treatment can help the
ADHD adult learn how to organize life by using "props"—a
large calendar posted where it will be seen in the morning, date
books, lists, reminder notes, and have a special place for keys,
bills, and the paperwork of everyday life. Tasks can be organized
into sections, so that completion of each part can give a sense
of accomplishment. Above all, ADHD adults should learn as much
as they can about their disorder.
Psychotherapy can be a useful adjunct to medication and education.
First, just remembering to keep an appointment with the therapist
is a step toward keeping to a routine. Therapy can help change
a long-standing poor self-image by examining the experiences that
produced it. The therapist can encourage the ADHD patient to adjust
to changes brought into his life by treatment—the perceived
loss of impulsivity and love of risk-taking, the new sensation
of thinking before acting. As the patient begins to have small
successes in his new ability to bring organization out of the
complexities of his or her life, he or she can begin to appreciate
the characteristics of ADHD that are positive—boundless
energy, warmth, and enthusiasm.
To book your free initial
consultation Click here - Toronto Psychotherapist .
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