Do you always feel anxious and like your emotions are erratic and all over the place?
Do you have trouble controlling impulses, lose concentration or forget simple things?
When someone is, anxious, unmotivated or distracted, we look to label them as ‘lazy’ or ‘disinterested’. But quite often that is not the case.
There are at least 1 million people in Australia who meet the criteria for ADHD, but staggeringly only 20% receive treatment. People just don’t know they have it.
When living with ADHD, a forgotten grocery item is not just the milk, lost keys are never a joke, and a misplaced phone is never just a moment of inconvenience. These daily lapses can be common, and laughable for some. But for someone with ADHD, they are like someone tapping a pen on a desk constantly. Irritating, feeling like it’s tapping away at your mind everyday – until you crack. Just like that, lost keys make you late for work, a lost phone turns into an explosion in front of your kids, a momentary lapse during a conversation strains relationships. You feel disappointed, shameful, anxious and can lose hope.
ADHD is a disruption of the part of the brain that controls impulses, concentration, memory and organisational skills. Contrary to what many believe, it has nothing to do with IQ. It can thus effect virtually every aspect of your academic, occupational, emotional and social functioning. An adult with ADHD will experience difficulty regulating their emotions, which can include a significant deficit in motivation. This makes it extremely difficult to initiate or sustain activities that don’t give immediate reinforcement. Without recognising a reward, the body is unmotivated to act in any direction.
ADHD heightens with age.
ADHD craves drama as stimulation, being oppositional or blurting out unfiltered statements. This can potentially sabotage personal relationships. You may find yourself experiencing issues with your mood, feeling down or feeling anxious. OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder) may also be present to compensate for the internal chaos.
You may have had some of these symptoms treated individually in the past, however they aren’t fully managed because the actual underlying cause has not been identified. ADHD can be managed effectively with the right treatment, however there is a staggering lack of awareness of the difficulties and triggers in Australia. There is a real focus on identifying ADHD in children, however there are so many adults who have never been diagnosed or assisted through their day to day life.
If this sounds like you or someone you know, complete our checklist HERE to determine your next step.
Individuals who finally gain an understanding and affirmation of their very real but unexplainable challenges, can breathe a sigh of relief as they begin to de-personalise some of the unfortunate labels they may have inherited over the years – lazy, disinterested, negative, don’t care attitude.
Can you imagine yourself finally understanding yourself and your behaviours, and then learning the tools how to manage this daily? How relieved would you feel?
Behavioural therapy involves identifying the particularly problematic areas and teaching you to work “smarter” in your planning and execution of tasks. We want you to reach your goals! You will also walk away with the ability to regulate your emotions, giving you more confidence and an improved self-esteem. If you have a family, managing your ADHD is important so you can teach your children important skills including; diary-keeping; setting routines; keeping things in the same place; time management; and anger control.
Would you like to meet with our expert ADHD Psychologist and set up your future, the way you’ve always wanted it to be?
Written by Dr Debbie Collaros – Senior Psychologist – www.creatingchange.net.au
