You have an adult ADHD diagnosis. Now what?

ADHD treatment in the UK has issues. Long waits for assessments are followed by lack of resources once diagnosed. A recent study claimed that UK adult ADHD services are “in crisis.”

Once diagnosed, you will likely be offered medication. This is hugely beneficial for many people with ADHD. In fact, because medication usually works so well, other aspects of treatment can be neglected. Patients left to their own devices apart from occasional check-ins.

So we have to learn to manage things ourselves. Here are a few things that help me manage my ADHD.

Managing common ADHD issues

Work/Life balance

With adult ADHD, you can struggle with work/life balance. Feeling like you have too many things on your plate, struggle to relax in your downtime or always have work on your mind.

To attempt to combat this, keep a consistent schedule and build a routine around work. Avoid overtime where possible. If overtime is unavoidable then manage this by setting boundaries. Communicate these or set them for yourself and stick to them.

Limit what you take on. Due to “time blindness”, adults with ADHD can take on more than we can realistically accomplish. Over-promising, under-delivering, causing overwork and frustration.

Focusing amid distractions

Focusing can be difficult in a shared workspace. So how do you remove distractions and improve focus?

ADHD is a disability, so your workplace is legally required to make reasonable adjustments. This can be allowing you to wear headphones which can aid in improving focus and reducing distractions, or moving your desk to a less distracting location.

My smartphone is my “distraction engine.” To focus on work I’ll turn it off, or leave it in a different room and retreat somewhere quiet to work.

So keep a clear workspace that you can use only for work. I have a desk in our spare room just for work. Sitting down in my dedicated workspace, without other distractions, kicks me into work mode.

Hyperfocus on specific tasks

Most people with ADHD experience bouts of “hyperfocus”. This is an intense fixation on one thing, when ADHDers find themselves “in the zone” and lose track of time.

This is handy when you’ve got a deadline, but not so great when you forget to take breaks, or to eat meals.

It can help to:

• Set a timer so you know how long you’ve been caught up in your hyperfocus
• Leave yourself reminders about other tasks you have to do
• Take care of time-sensitive tasks first, before those you might hyperfocus on

Feeling overwhelmed

If you have ADHD even small tasks can be overwhelming. It helps to break down large tasks into smaller tasks which aren’t as intimidating.

When I first became a stay-at-home dad, I found the prospect of cleaning the whole house overwhelming.

My wife and I broke the cleaning down into smaller tasks, and made a laminated to-do list. It’s on our kitchen wall. I look at it, work out what I have time to do that day, and tick things off one at a time. This helps by breaking down the intimidating task into smaller jobs I’m confident I can accomplish, and by being flexible. I can pick and choose what I’m able to do each day.

Next steps

• Educate yourself. Everyone’s ADHD is different, you need to find the strategies that work for you. Dr Ed Hallowell has some suggested reading.
• Build a support network. This can be friends and relatives who take the time to learn about your condition. Be sure to communicate your needs when you are struggling in order for them to understand and learn further about your condition. Or you may find support groups local to you.
• Access to Work. If your ADHD is causing you issues at work, or you are self-employed, the government’s Access to Work scheme can help.
• Therapy. Many diagnosed with ADHD in adulthood find therapy or ADHD coaching beneficial. ADHD specific CBT can be available on the NHS, or there are private options.