ADHD and Me :: Navigating Adulthood with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

I have ADHD. There. Phew. I said it.
 
Oh, ladies, I’ve heard it all. I’m often told that I wear people out. Or that I remind them of that Molly Shannon character from 20 years ago. Or that I’m flaky, inappropriate, and a hot mess. 
 
And I get it.
 
I lose my keys/phone/paperwork on a daily basis. I lost my fancy Erin Condren planner on day 13 of this new year. I often can’t stay on a topic. I get overwhelmed in large crowds or loud places. This anxiety has lead to some unfortunate social tics, like an odd use of curtsies in social situations. I forget about important items. For example, I forgot this article was due. Oops. Clearly, these symptoms don’t just impact me while I’m studying for grad school.
 
And I didn’t grow out of it. 
 
I’ve lived with comments about my ADHD for as long as I can remember. Yes, I’m sure I can be exhausting. But I will not apologize.
 
You see, my ADHD often makes me the liveliest person in the room. I don’t know a stranger. I’m quirky and passionate. I’m an extremely hard worker, and will do whatever it takes for something I care about…my heart leads me. I can meet you and know your full life story in 5 minutes or less – and I want to believe that my energy is often contagious.
 

I’m more than my ADHD diagnosis. 

 
Here’s the thing: I am an adult. I can take what you have to say about me because I have a strong sense of self. But I cannot stand by as other adults bemoan a child’s “annoying” behaviors due to their ADHD. Their wish that kids like me not be included in school, in sports, in social activities is unjust. They say that if these kids had better parents, they would not act so inappropriate. They wonder if the ADHD child will ever be “normal.” 
 
But this IS our normal.
 
(Side note, who gets to even decide what is normal? What if my neuro-developmental profile is more advanced? Ha!)
 
We know that ADHD is associated with structural, functional, and neurotransmitter alterations in the brain. (If you’re interested, I’ve included a long list of some good academic journal citations below). Those with ADHD have decreased blood flow (hence decreased activity) in the area of the prefrontal cortex (PFC). The PFC is responsible for planning, organizing, paying attention, remembering, and emotional reactions. Oh, and the key neurotransmitters for ADHD are dopamine and noradrenaline. In the ADHD brain, there is dysregulation of the dopamine system. Needless to say, ADHD is confusing for all parties involved.
 
Because of the impact in the PFC, ADHD impacts our executive functioning skills. Executive function is assessed in the following seven areas:
 
1. Self-Directed Attention
2. Self-Restraint
3. Non-Working Verbal Memory
4. Verbal Working Memory
5. Emotional Self-Regulation
6. Self-Motivation
7. Planning and Problem Solving
 
Good news: you can build your executive functioning skills (or develop workarounds like I do). Routines, supports, visuals, organizational systems, timers, self-care, self-compassion, and humor go a long way in supporting and boosting your executive functioning skills. 
 
So stay strong. Whether you might be impacted, or know someone else who is, please be kind. For we are all fighting a hard battle. And we might not know what is going on behind the scenes in others’ lives.

Does this sound like you or your child? Seek help!
Ask your pediatrician or doctor for a referral for/or an evaluation/assessment.


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References

 
Cortese S, Kelly C, Chabernaud C, et al. Toward systems neuroscience of ADHD: a meta-analysis of 55 fMRI studies. Am J Psychiatry 2012; 169: 1038-1055.
 
Cubillo A, Halari R, Giampietro V, et al. Fronto-striatal underactivation during interference inhibition and attention allocation in grown-up children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and persistent symptoms. Psychiatry Res 2011; 193: 17-27.
 
Ellison-Wright I, Ellison-Wright Z, Bullmore E. Structural brain change in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder identified by meta-analysis. BMC Psychiatry 2008; 8: 51.
 
Karch S, Voelker JM, Thalmeier T, et al. Deficits during Voluntary Selection in Adult Patients with ADHD: New Insights from Single-Trial Coupling of Simultaneous EEG/fMRI. Front Psychiatry 2014; 5: 41.
 
Morein-Zamir S, Dodds C, van Hartevelt TJ, et al. Hypoactivation in right inferior frontal cortex is specifically associated with motor response inhibition in adult ADHD. Hum Brain Mapp 2014; 35: 5141-5152.
 
Proal E, Reiss PT, Klein RG, et al. Brain gray matter deficits at 33-year follow-up in adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder established in childhood. Arch Gen Psychiatry 2011; 68: 1122-1134.
 
Shaw P, Eckstrand K, Sharp W, et al. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder is characterized by a delay in cortical maturation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2007; 104: 19649-19654.
 
Shaw P, Lerch J, Greenstein D, et al. Longitudinal mapping of cortical thickness and clinical outcome in children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Arch Gen Psychiatry 2006; 63: 540-549.
 
Valera EM, Faraone SV, Murray KE, et al. Meta-analysis of structural imaging findings in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Biol Psychiatry 2007; 61: 1361-1369.
 
Volkow ND, Wang GJ, Kollins SH, et al. Evaluating dopamine reward pathway in ADHD: clinical implications. JAMA 2009; 302: 1084-1091.
Jessica
Jessica is delighted to be home in Wichita after over 10 years away in England, France, Jersey and Lawrence. She now lives in College Hill with her husband, 2 boys, goldendoodle and rescue cat. Jessica’s thrilled to be a part of WMB as she believes in the power of a supportive community to share in life's fun. She must admit that she’s shocked (daily) by the challenges and thrills of motherhood, despite her “preparation” with a master’s degree in developmental psych. Most importantly, Jessica loves wine, family, coffee, friends, tequila, laughing, pretending to exercise and pinterest-ing (not necessarily in that order). She’s a proud professional volunteer and board member; Jessica strives to make the world a better, happier, lighter and funnier place. Jessica started Lives of Courage to inspire and empower others to live their lives with strength and courage everyday. Visit JessicaStong.com to join us in choosing courage.