How Do You Pay the “ADHD Tax?”

As parents, we often underestimate how much influence we have over our children. And whether we want to acknowledge it or not- the words we say to our children will one day be their inner voice.If you accept this fact, you can use it to your child’s advantage. How? Well, you can either choose to say words that will belittle them, scare them and make them feel perpetually small- or you can use phrases that empower them to live the best life possible.

Not available November 15? Don’t worry. Register now and we’ll send you the replay link to watch at your convenience.Peak productivity doesn’t just happen.

Nearly half of teens today say they use the Internet “almost constantly” and visit popular social media platforms several times a day.1 While most teens say the time they spend on social media is “about right,” 36% say they spend “too much” time on TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, and the like.1At the same time, there is growing concern over the negative effects of social media and excessive Internet use on teen mental health, including its links to anxiety, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and other conditions. (To be clear, research has found both positive and negative associations between social media, Internet use, and wellbeing.3)Social media addiction and Internet addiction are not official diagnoses, but researchers are learning more about the intersection of media use and wellbeing, including what may constitute problematic use and behaviors.If you are concerned about your child or teen’s Internet use, answer the questions below and share the results with a licensed mental health professional.This self-test was adapted from The Problematic and Risky Internet Use Scale (PRIUSS). It is designed to screen for the possibility of problematic internet use, and it is intended for personal use only.

Navigating life as a Black, neurodivergent woman is complicated. Growing up, these parts of my identity presented a trifecta of unique challenges, some of which follow me to this day.

October 20, 2022Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) — both omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids — may improve attention performance and impulsivity in healthy adolescents, according to a recent study published in European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. 1DHA consumption was associated with selective and sustained attention and executive conflict response.Researchers examined the associations between DHA, ALA, and attention function in 332 healthy Spanish adolescents aged 11 to 16 with equal gender distribution. Using the Attention Network Test (ANT), the study found that dietary DHA played a positive role in attention performance.

“The first step toward change is awareness. The second step is acceptance.” ~Nathaniel Branden

“It’s easy to judge. It’s more difficult to understand. Understanding requires compassion, patience, and a willingness to believe that good hearts sometimes choose poor methods. Through judging, we separate. Through understanding, we grow.” ~Doe Zantamata

“All the horizontal surfaces are covered,” says Dr. Randy O. Frost, Ph.D., the Harold Edward and Elsa Siipola Israel Professor Emeritus of Psychology at Smith College.

ADHD, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, indicates a pattern of inattention, hyperactivity, or impulsivity. When the situation interferes with functioning or development, they may receive this diagnosis from a professional.While researchers aren’t entirely sure what causes attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, they believe genes and environmental factors play a role. There’s also the possibility that brain injuries and nutritional intake contribute to the symptoms.

Everyone has a favorite food. It’s that food that makes your eyes light up and you could talk about for hours. However, if you have attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), it may go a little bit deeper than that.

Are you wasting time on social media? Do you lose hours upon hours of your time aimlessly doom scrolling and rotating through social media apps? Does the Internet regularly suck you in to a timeless abyss?You are not alone. Social media is designed to addict, entertain, provide immediate feedback, and deliver dopamine hits in response to every tap and click.The online world’s addictive nature is also why so many people, especially those who struggle with mental health issues, purposely or accidentally get lost in it to avoid uncomfortable feelings like loneliness, anxiety, and boredom.

The list of comorbid conditions that co-exist with ADHD ranges from learning differences and mood disorders to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and other mental health conditions too numerous to list.Comorbid symptoms vary widely in severity, frequency, and impairment. They may form a symbiotic relationship with adult ADHD symptoms, fight in a never-ending battle for attention with ADHD, or lay dormant until a trigger awakens them.We asked ADDitude readers how their symptoms of ADHD and comorbid conditions manifest and shift daily and if their ADHD or comorbid conditions impacted their lives more. Read their responses and share your experience with overlapping diagnoses in the Comments section below.“I have ADHD, anxiety, depression, and PTSD.

September 22, 2022Treatment that combines dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) with transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) may deliver the greatest improvement in cognitive and emotional symptoms of ADHD in adults, according to a new study published in the Journal of Attention Disorders. Researchers investigated the effects of tDCS and DBT alone and together, and found that the combined multimodal treatment worked best at managing ADHD symptoms.1“Optimization of the clinical effects of DBT combined with tDCS represents a potential avenue to focus on brain plasticity and enhance the therapeutic effects,” researchers said.tDCS is a non-invasive brain modulation method where weak electrical currents pass through two electrodes placed over the scalp.2 DBT is a cognitive behavioral therapy that was initially used to treat chronic suicidal behaviors and borderline personality disorder (BPD).3Study participants included 80 adults with ADHD (63 females, 17 males) aged 18-45.

I don’t know about anyone else, but I tend to be a “just in case” packer. I don’t know what the “just in case” is, but I know it’s for something, and that causes me to pack for quite literally everything. I’m not talking about traveling, I’m talking about my everyday purse. The purse I take to Target, Publix, the park, you name it. The good news is that I’m almost always prepared for every potential situation, but the bad news is that there are a bunch of random things in my purse that weigh me down.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3920395/https://babyology.com.au/toddler/learning-and-development/think-your-child-might-be-gifted-here-are-the-signs-to-look-out-for/

Q: “What is the best way to get my son to sit down and knock out his homework assignments so we can all move on with the night? Where should he do it? When is a good time? It’s a struggle.” — NellHi Nell:There is no one-size-fits-all homework solution. Students’ individual preferences and work styles vary. Instead of randomly deciding when and where your son should do homework, work with him to maximize his efforts.

Household chores are both mundane and onerous for ADHD brains. Low executive function, boredom, and lack of novelty complicate tasks that, to others, seem trivial, leading to shame and feelings of failure in people with ADHD.Often, however, simple changes make all the difference: Many people with ADHD have found that tailoring tasks to their symptoms (and strengths) makes it easier to complete them faster and with less stress.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is highly treatable, yet systemic barriers — from cost and lack of pediatric services to fragmented care systems — often hinder identification of ADHD in children and/or prevent them from receiving optimal care.

Success in the classroom is a two-way street. To learn, students must show up prepared and excited for class. But teachers have to prepare as well. Understanding a student’s unique challenges will help teacher and student become a winning team.

In an early scene in the documentary, The Disruptors, a mother fruitlessly tries to coax her third-grade son out from under his bed to get ready for school. Later, she admits, “I constantly feel like I’m barely holding my life together.”The scene is raw, heart-wrenching, and relatable to parents of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) — including Emmy-nominated executive producer Nancy Armstrong, who drew inspiration for the film from raising her children with ADHD.The Disruptors follows five households affected by ADHD, throwing into plain view the daily realities of parenting neurodivergent children.

For adolescents, the journey away from family bonds and into society at large is rife with uncertainty. To establish identity and acceptance, teens ask questions like “Who am I?” “Where do I belong?” and “What do I believe?” Well-meaning parents are often met with resistance as they walk a fine line between hovering and helping during this developmental stage.This journey is particularly precarious for teens with ADHD, who begin adolescence with a legacy of feeling different and misunderstood. Weak executive functioning skills create challenges at school and at home, and perfectionist tendencies may both motivate and exhaust them.

Children with ADHD cannot “grow out of it.” The condition is not a “phase.” It is not caused by bad parenting or eating too many sugary cereals and processed foods. Yet such misconceptions prevail and cloud the truth: ADHD is nuanced, complex — and often misunderstood.Our back-to-school contest asked ADDitude readers what they wished their communities — at school, at work, with family and friends, and beyond — understood about people with ADHD. Answers ranged from wanting to dispel misconceptions and recognizing the trial-and-error of finding the right medication to simply asking for the acceptance and freedom to be who they are.