“10 Things I Wish Someone Had Told Me About ADHD”

After receiving an ADHD diagnosis, you may have more questions than answers: What exactly does this mean? How can I have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder when I’m not hyperactive? Does my ADHD diagnosis cancel out my existing depression diagnosis, or could I have both conditions? Do I have to tell my employer? And why has it taken doctors so long to recognize my ADHD?

If you experience a range of dizzying, exhausting emotions, know that you are not alone. 10 Things I Wish Someone Had Told Me About ADHD is here to help answer those questions and more.

ADDitude surveyed its community to identify the gaps between what doctors told their newly diagnosed patients with ADHD — and what they didn’t, but their patients wished they had. Here, we highlight the top 10.

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10-PART GUIDE TO UNDERSTANDING ADULT ADHD

In its 160+ pages, 10 Things I Wish Someone Had Told Me About ADHD details expert advice and resources spanning the following topics:

• CHAPTER 1: ADHD IN ADULTS IS POORLY STUDIED AND UNDERSTOOD

  • DSM-5 symptom criteria are based on studies of young boys, which impedes the accurate diagnosis of ADHD in adults.
  • ADHD symptom severity and presentation fluctuate over the lifespan, which could influence diagnosis and treatment.
  • The first-ever U.S. guidelines for assessing and treating adult ADHD are expected in 2025.

• CHAPTER 2: ADHD DIAGNOSTIC CRITERIA EXCLUDE SOME OF ITS MOST IMPAIRING SYMPTOMS

  • Emotional dysregulation, including anger and irritability, is common but noticeably missing from the diagnostic criteria for ADHD, leading to mood disorder misdiagnoses.
  • While rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD) is not a formal diagnosis, it is a common and disruptive phenomenon among people with ADHD.
  • Adults with inattentive ADHD may experience more mental fatigue and forgetfulness, and lower sustained energy throughout a task than do adults without ADHD.

• CHAPTER 3: ADHD IS DIFFERENT AND SEVERE IN WOMEN

  • Lingering stereotypes, referral bias, internalized symptoms, gender role expectations, comorbidities, and hormonal fluctuations all complicate the ADHD presentation in women.
  • Women’s propensity to mask and overcompensate for their ADHD symptoms often results in an atypical presentation of ADHD unfamiliar to many clinicians.
  • During perimenopause and menopause, many women experience cognitive changes that mimic and may be confused with ADHD.

• CHAPTER 4: NOT TREATING ADHD POSES REAL DANGERS

  • Using stimulants for ADHD does not cause addiction to stimulants or other substances. In fact, the opposite is true.
  • Without treatment, adults with ADHD face a higher risk of serious traffic accidents, hospitalizations, substance abuse addiction, and early death.
  • Use of ADHD medication — stimulants, in particular — may improve driving safety and mitigate risk for drivers with ADHD.

• CHAPTER 5: ADHD MEDICATION RARELY WORKS WELL ON THE FIRST TRY

  • Decades of research confirm that the benefits of both stimulant and non-stimulant medications for ADHD far outweigh the risks.
  • Many adults taking ADHD medications for the first time find their prescriptions don’t work initially the way they expected. Trial and error is required to find the right medication at the right dosage.
  • There is no universal “optimal dosage” of any ADHD medication; the best dose is highly personal and based on the rate at which the body absorbs the medication.

• CHAPTER 6: RESEARCH SUPPORTS A FEW COMPLEMENTARY ADHD APPROACHES

  • Physical activity promotes brain growth, improves brain efficiency, and strengthens learning abilities.
  • Poor eating habits do not cause ADHD. However, consuming unprocessed foods, proteins, vegetables, and fruits can help your brain perform better.
  • Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can help adults with ADHD correct irrational thought processes, adopt coping strategies, and manage negative emotions.

• CHAPTER 7: ADHD RARELY EXISTS IN ISOLATION

  • As many as 80% of adults with ADHD have at least one related condition.
  • Treating ADHD may resolve and improve co-existing conditions, or it may exacerbate them. Most comorbidities require separate treatment.
  • Women with ADHD suffer from serious comorbid conditions with more frequency and severity than do their neurotypical peers or men with ADHD.

• CHAPTER 8: ADHD AND EXECUTIVE FUNCTION ARE INEXTRICABLY LINKED

  • The self-regulation problems inherent in ADHD stem from deficits in executive function, or the mental skills that allow us to initiate and carry out actions toward a future goal.
  • ADHD minds struggle to “see” time and “feel” the future. Viewing ADHD as a time-perception disorder will change how you understand and manage it.
  • The biggest trap many adults with ADHD fall into is believing that they can “train away” deficits.

• CHAPTER 9: PEOPLE WITH ADHD HAVE LEGAL RIGHTS AND PROTECTIONS AT WORK

  • If ADHD symptoms make it hard for you to work, you may be legally disabled and entitled to protections and reasonable workplace accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
  • Individuals with disabilities are protected under federal and state laws from being fired because of their disability or because they were denied reasonable accommodations and could not do their job properly.
  • Employees are not required to disclose their ADHD to their employers unless they request work accommodations.

• CHAPTER 10: ADHD SUPPORT IS CRITICAL

  • Receiving a diagnosis of ADHD can change your life for the better. It can also trigger strong, polar emotions.
  • For people with ADHD, shame arises from the repeated failure to meet expectations from parents, teachers, friends, bosses, and the world.
  • One of the most exhilarating, and perhaps scariest, parts of treating ADHD is reorganizing your life around your strengths, rather than your weaknesses.

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10 Things I Wish Someone Had Told Me About ADHD: A Guide to Emotional Dysregulation, Executive Dysfunction, Overlapping Conditions, and Treatment Options for Adults Newly Diagnosed with ADHD

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