About the time I got diagnosed with ADHD, Thom Hartmann produced the first edition of ADHD: Hunters in a Farmer’s World. I wanted to know the facts about ADHD; the research, and Thom’s book was based on a theory with only his understanding of ADHD to back up what he said.

Complied from entries at r/adhd by Cynthia Hammer, MSW

My significant other told me not to take meds and discouraged me from pursuing treatment of any kind.

 I don't understand how people rationalize telling others what they should be doing about their mental health.

 After I told my friend I have ADHD, she told me "It is all in your head. Everyone has problems, but they don't use meds as an excuse to escape from them.” 

Living with ADHD is hard. Being told you don’t have ADHD (even when a physician has diagnosed you) is beyond hard. But being told simplistic ways you could stop having ADHD, is the most maddening of all. It insults and diminishes our challenges in one fell swoop.

Last week I returned from a camping trip. I lay in bed the following morning and thought, "I must unpack my suitcase." And then I reflected on past trips when I never thought, "I must unpack my suitcase." My earlier ADHD self was to let the suitcase remain, opened on the floor, unpacked for weeks.  Almost daily I rummaged through the suitcase for a needed item but still didn’t unpack it. 

Ever since my diagnosis in 1992 with Inattentive ADHD, I have focused on improving myself and helping others with this disorder. That was the lens I used—what’s wrong and how can I help?

It has happened so many times. Someone tells me he just can't get organized. He's not disciplined enough. She's too deeply buried in paper. He's not a very focused person. She is being pulled in too many directions. I can't. I can't. I can't.

There I was—on a seven-day cruise from Vancouver, BC to Seward, Alaska. We had a spacious, as far as that goes, cabin. The Holland American ship was beautiful. The food was outstanding. There was a fully equipped exercise room with classes you could attend. There were movies shown daily in a full–size theatre or you could borrow DVDs from their well-stocked library to watch in your room.

How do you prevent overload in your life? Can you see it coming? Do you know how many tasks you can juggle without coming apart at the seams?

Do you plan your time, and have a realistic idea of how long-planned tasks will take? Have you learned to be assertive in saying, "I'd love to, but I need to check my calendar first." What steps have you taken to prevent ADHD overload?

—Learn about ADHD—what it is and what it isn't—resources include books, ADHD magazines, reputable internet sites, conferences, and support groups.

—Have people in your immediate circle learn about ADHD along with you.

In November, after being incredibly busy with activities for the Inattentive ADHD Coalition, I felt down--not quite depressed, but I had the blues. I was at loose ends and thought, "Is this all life has to offer?" Initially, I thought I was just tired and needed some downtime, some time to recover. But slowly I realized I was feeling down because I wasn't engaged in an interesting, mind-stimulating activity.

We are still relying on research done years ago on white, hyperactive boys. There are few studies and fewer insights on girls and women. Likewise, children with inattentive ADHD (formerly called ADD) continue to fly under the radar. Why?

Is it really possible for someone with ADHD to “get stuff done” when one of our biggest challenges is procrastination? I have known about my inattentive ADHD for 30 years and think I know “best practices” for becoming all you can be as someone with ADHD, so I am surprised when I come across new, effective information.  Here’s a nutshell explanation of what I learned yesterday.

It’s human nature, I suppose, to focus more intently on our mistakes than we do on our successes. Little good ever comes of this, but it’s a psychological habit that’s hard to break. Last week, I realized how far I have come at my neighborhood book club meeting, of all places.

Invisible disabilities, or hidden disabilities, is an umbrella term to describe a whole spectrum of disabilities or challenges that are primarily neurological in nature. Individuals with invisible disabilities do not show any physical signs,

The Opposite of Happiness is Not Sadness. It’s Boredom

Strategy one is to run away from boredom as often as the situation allows. Being bored makes us feel sluggish, dull, not alive so we need to avoid it whenever possible. Here are some ideas on how to beat the boredom blues:

Years ago, Lynn Weiss, Ph.D. and author of numerous ADHD books said people with ADHD can do anything, they just have to figure out what works for them. After years of struggling to manage a household, I finally figured out ways that work for me.

Adults with ADHD don’t typically try to understand why things went wrong. We move on to the next shiny thing. ADHD medication slows down our racing thoughts, so we can ask, perhaps for the first time, “Is this the best thing to do?” or “Is this the right thing to say?”

I recently discovered free music videos that provide “Deep Focus … for ADHD Relief and Concentration.”  The RedGreen Productions company posts videos that vary in length from 2-12 hours!

The ADDitude Symptom Checker will guide you through a series of questions based on your primary concerns, and then compare your responses to symptoms of more than a dozen common psychological and learning conditions.

We’ve known, for over 30 years, that adults have ADHD.  Why are there still clinicians who are unable or unwilling to diagnose or treat adult ADHD?   Why, when I visit online ADHD groups, do complaints about uninformed clinicians dominant the discussions?