October is a well-known awareness month for many social causes, but did you know it is ADHD Awareness Month? Affecting both children and adults, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most diagnosed mental disorders. There are many warning signs that there might be an issue with ADHD including difficulty paying attention, being overactive to the point of distraction, and acting impulsively. Misconceptions about ADHD stigmatize the disorder and keep children and adults from getting the appropriate help they need to manage their ADHD. How can we reduce misconceptions and avoid stigma? By knowing what ADHD is and what it is not.
ADHD is:
A mental health disorder
Can be genetically inherited
Disruptive to life
Manageable
ADHD is NOT:
Strictly a childhood disorder
Caused by bad parenting
Made up by pharmaceutical companies
Laziness or stupidity
While there is no cure for ADHD, there are treatments available to reduce symptoms and improve functioning. Treatments include medication, education or training, therapy, or a combination of these treatments. Most typically, therapy is combined with medication to help patients and their families cope with the daily challenges that ADHD presents. Children and adults can learn tools to stay organized and on task, how to break down larger tasks into more manageable tasks, and how to create routines to ensure all required tasks are completed successfully.
If therapy sounds like something that could help you or a loved one manage your ADHD, or if you may be wondering if you or your child have the disorder, we can help you sort out your questions and find answers. Our office is prepared to invest in all our patients’ wellness promotion, prevention, treatment, and recovery. Please contact us to determine if our practice will be a good fit for you.