Top Emotion Regulation Difficulties for Youth with ADHD

Q: “How can I get my teen to buy into the importance of using an academic planner or at least writing things down? She thinks it is a waste of time and won’t listen to me when I suggest it.” — ProPlannerMomHi ProPlannerMom:One of the most frequent questions I hear from parents is how to get their students to use a daily planner. And as an academic/life coach who works daily with students with ADHD and executive functioning challenges (as well as the creator of an academic planner that teaches time management), my answer may surprise you.Using an academic planner is a terrific strategy for knowing what we need to do and when we have the time to do it.

About 30 million people in the U.S. will develop an eating disorder during their lifetime.1 The most common eating disorders – anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN), and binge-eating disorder (BED) – are characterized by unhealthy behaviors and thoughts around food, eating, and body image.Eating disorders often occur alongside other conditions.

January 10, 2023Psychiatrist, ADHD expert, and ADDitude contributor Joseph Biederman, M.D., passed away late last week, just days before he was scheduled to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Professional Society of ADHD and Related Disorders (APSARD), which he co-founded, honoring his decades of groundbreaking ADHD research and advocacy.Biederman, age 75, served as Chief of the Clinical and Research Programs in Pediatric Psychopharmacology and Adult ADHD at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), Director of the Alan and Lorraine Bressler Clinical and Research Program for Autism Spectrum Disorders at MGH, and Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.Considered the father of pediatric psychopharmacology, Biederman dedicated his career to examining the causes, diagnosis, and ADHD treatment across the lifespan.“He was truly a giant in our field with a brilliant mind and compelling personality,” wrote APSARD president Ann Childress, M.D., on the organization’s website. “As one of the most highly cited child and adolescent psychiatrists in the world, he changed the course of pediatric psychopharmacology.

Routines unravel with great frequency and frustration thanks to a very Catch-22 truth about ADHD: Daily habits make ADHD easier to manage; at the same time, ADHD symptoms and executive function challenges make it inordinately difficult to establish and consistently follow routines. Not to mention the common ADHD pitfalls of perfectionism and all-or-nothing thinking that derail great intentions every day.The bottom line: Routines are supposed to simplify your life, not complicate it.

When emotions are high, things can get ugly fast, especially when you are dealing with a tiny person who has HUGE emotions. During these moments, you may struggle to understand how to help your child move through their emotions and reach a sense of calm, but thankfully, we have some helpful tips that will help you tackle tough emotions like a boss.It’s important to remember that some adults even have problems dealing with big emotions, so we must understand that little one who hasn’t fully emotionally developed should be expected to have a difficult time doing so.

Marisa Padilla is one of the coaches that we found this month and we did a little interview with her. She impressed us with her Meet Life Coach Marisa Padilla: Name: Marisa Padilla Pillar: Who is this coach for: How they can help: First of all, how are you and your family doing in these […]

December 22, 2022Older adults with a genetic risk for ADHD may be more susceptible to cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s Disease (AD).1 These results, published recently in Molecular Psychiatry, shed light on ADHD-related vulnerability to cognitive impairments as people age.The ADHD polygenic risk score (ADHD-PRS) “represents the combined genetic liability for the disorder” and “is highly associated with ADHD diagnosis and related traits in independent clinical and population samples.” Researchers found that a higher ADHD-PRS was associated with greater decline of cognitive performance and memory impairment over time, and persistent executive function deficits compared to participant baselines. Study participants included adults aged 55 to 90 without a clinical diagnosis for ADHD or cognitive impairments.The Preclinical Alzheimer’s Cognitive Composite (PACC) detects early signs of decline in cognitive function and was adapted to the current study.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends treating ADHD in children and adolescents with FDA-approved medications, plus parent training in behavior modification and behavioral classroom interventions. Likewise, research confirms that “stimulant medications are most effective, and combined medication and psychosocial treatment is the most beneficial treatment option for most adult patients with ADHD.” Still, many individuals seek to augment their ADHD treatment plans with natural therapies ranging from nutrition and vitamins and herbs and fish oil.“Parents and adults see me either because the ADHD medication isn’t doing the job, or they want more improvement and can’t increase the dosage without increasing side effects,” says Richard Brown, M.D., associate clinical professor of psychiatry at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, and co-author of the recent book How to Use Herbs, Nutrients, and Yoga in Mental Health Care.Here are 10 of the most popular natural ADHD remedies — including foods, ADHD supplements, and herbs — and research findings for each suggesting whether adding them to your treatment plan might unlock better focus, attention, and motivation.Keep in mind that all ADHD treatment decisions should be made in consultation and coordination with a licensed medical provider.Poor nutrition can cause a child or adult with ADHD to become distracted, impulsive, and restless.

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Caterina Perry is one of the coaches that we found this month and we did a little interview with her. She impressed us with her professionalism and dedication. She is committed to equipping leaders with practical tools, strategies and skills to handle current and future workplace challenges with resilience. Today leaders are being challenged like […]

Updated 3/7/2022There are many different types of therapy that might be right for you. To make the choice manageable, we broke them down into the factors that make a “type” of psychotherapy (you can use the handy links below to jump around the guide):Whether you are an aspiring therapist planning your career path or a potential client looking for the type of therapy that best fits your preferences, considering all of these factors is crucial. “Type of therapy” typically refers to a therapeutic approach, but this factor is not more important than others.

“There’s no such thing as a ‘bad kid’—just angry, hurt, tired, scared, confused, impulsive ones expressing their feelings and needs the only way they know how. We owe it to every single one of them to always remember that.” ~Dr. Jessica Stephens 

December 16, 2022The risk of developing depression is three to six times higher in girls and young women with ADHD who take oral hormonal contraceptives (HCs) than it is among their neurotypical peers on similar birth control, according to a population-based cohort study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. 1Women with ADHD were three times more likely to develop depression than women without ADHD, regardless of HC use, according to the research.

People with inattentive ADHD often go undiagnosed, as they don’t exhibit the symptoms of impulsivity and hyperactivity so frequently associated with the condition. But when untreated, the symptoms of inattentive ADHD — distractibility, trouble following directions and difficulty completing tasks, among other things — can lead to mental fatigue and other negative consequences. The first step in treating these symptoms is recognizing them.

Not available January 19? Don’t worry. Register now and we’ll send you the replay link to watch at your convenience.The benefits of ADHD medication are well-documented: Children with ADHD are more likely to improve their focus and academic performance when receiving proper ADHD treatment.

As parents, we are tasked with a pretty important job, part of which is to help provide emotional support to our children. Our daughters, most especially, need our help more than ever, and making sure to give the right support can make all the difference in the world.A major portion of this task is providing the support that they need. Sometimes, the support that they need, may not be the support that we think they need.

“ADHD emotions are not only unstable and mercurial; they overlap, butt heads, and fight for our attention. The fight to rein in our emotions is emotionally and physically exhausting; it also chips away at our self-worth and overall well-being.” —Kate MoryoussefThe flood of emotions associated with ADHD often comes on fast and furious, submerging everyone in its path.

Omu Obilor is one of the coaches that we found this month and we did a little interview with her. She impressed us with her experience. She joined the John Maxwell team in 2011 and became a founding member. She became a certified Emotional Intelligence Coach by Dr. Amen, Certified Brain Health Coach, Nueroencoding and […]

The symptoms of Primarily Inattentive ADHD — distractibility, failure to complete work, forgetfulness, and disorganization — are often overlooked because they don’t typically cause the same behavioral and learning challenges that symptoms of hyperactivity and impulsivity do. These symptoms may be easier to overlook, but they can lead to significant functional impairment as well as distress in school, the workplace, and social interactions.In this webinar, Mary V.

ADHD medications do not place patients of any age, including middle-aged and older adults, at greater risk for cardiovascular disease, according to a new meta-analysis of 19 observational studies that included 3.9 million participants. William Dodson, M.D., heralded the groundbreaking finding as a “turning point,” particularly for older adults who have been unable to treat their ADHD with medication due to fears of cardiovascular side effects.People with dyslexia have strengths in experimentation, innovation, and searching for the unknown, all of which play a crucial role in how humans adapt and survive, according to a new study.

“Given what we know about challenges associated with ADHD, and the impact of estrogen loss on executive functioning in non-ADHD women, we can safely assume that women with ADHD are more vulnerable to challenges during menopause.” — Jeanette Wasserstein, Ph.D.Menopause and ADHD – both associated with impaired cognitive functioning and emotional dysregulation – share a unique and complicated relationship. In this article, Dr.