ADHD is extremely stressful, not only for the person with the condition but also partners and family members. Many people effected by ADHD often report feelings of anxiety, depression and extreme frustration on a regular basis. In this blog I’ve put together some of the things that I have found that help with my ADHD, and I hope others may find useful as a way of coping with their difficulties.

Over the years I’ve resorted to many methods to try and reduce the stress I have experienced due to my ADHD. Before I was diagnosed my approach to stress was simple as soon as I had money, I would just black myself out with a concoction of drugs and alcohol and I can assure any readers that approach is ill-advised and makes any difficulties much worse. However since I was diagnosed there have been many other stress reduction tools that I found to be of great benefit for me.

Participating in hobbies and social activities is extremely important for my ADHD. I love Drama, not the Jeremy Kyle type drama, but doing plays, pantomimes and musicals. Not only is it one of the things that that I enjoy but it gets me out and about meeting new people and allows me to participate in my community in a positive way. I feel it’s very important for me to be a part of rather than apart from.

I also like having a laugh and not taking myself too seriously. Growing up one of my defences was playing the class clown and I suppose it as became part of who I am. Accepting this side of my personality rather than supressing it is a much easier approach to life for me. Although the disorganised mind, forgetfulness and impulsive behaviours can still be stressful I don’t go hard on myself as I once did. Being part of a support group has greatly helped with this. When I hear other people going through the same difficulties due to ADHD it’s much easier to identify which of my own problems are due to the condition and which of the difficulties can or cannot be changed.

I would also encourage the practice of yoga, mindfulness meditation or even just doing a bit of training in the gym as an effective way to reduce symptoms and even help bring clarity to a mind that is often extremely cluttered. I find meditation to be a great preventative measure for stress and found it beneficial in developing better self-awareness as well as greatly reduce some of the more chaotic symptoms of ADHD giving me increased ability to prioritise what needs to be done more easily.

Many Adults with ADHD have extreme difficulties prioritizing tasks so I’d suggest taking 10 minutes before you go to bed and writing a list of things you need to do. Then rewrite the list in order of what is the most urgent. I would also recommend colour coding the tasks and setting deadlines and reminders on your phone to help maintain structure through-out the day. This may sound ridiculous to some but when I am busy I even have to set reminders to eat otherwise I would completely forget.

I would also recommend not taking on too much. I have often found myself saying yes to things that I realistically haven’t time to do, causing me to stretch myself too thin, make mistakes and let people down. I have blogged before about sticking to one goal at a time and for me without that simple approach I would get nothing done. Prioritising the ONE goal is the key.

Lastly I would encourage finding some regular peer support and a safe place to talk about your thoughts feelings and any stress that you are experiencing. There are also ADHD support groups becoming more prevalent and are a great place to access information and support to help you understand and deal with the stress due to the condition. The groups can help you understand the condition, change unhealthy habits, challenge negative beliefs about yourself, help develop and improve social skills as well as repair and bring better understanding to relationships.

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Niall now offers One to One support for people affected by ADHD support through Skype. If you wish to avail of this support service please contact Adult ADHD NI by Email – Niaadhd@gmail.com