(Newswire.net — March 9, 2023) — ADHD stands for attention deficit, hyperactivity disorder. For most people, it is usually diagnosed in children, but sometimes it could go undiagnosed and a person does not realize they have this condition until they are an adult.
A person with ADHD may have trouble paying attention, controlling impulsive behavior (may act without thinking about what the results may be), or be overly active.
ADHD people may find it difficult to focus and prioritize, leading to missed deadlines and forgotten meetings or social plans. The inability to control impulses can range from impatience while waiting in line or while driving in traffic to mood swings and outbursts of anger. Adult ADHD symptoms may include impulsiveness.
This can lead to unstable relationships, poor work or school performance, low self-esteem, and other problems.
Treatments for ADHD can include medications, psychological counseling, and treatment for any mental health conditions that occur along with ADHD.
If you know somebody who has ADHD (or you yourself have ADHD) sometimes you may want to go online to websites like Juicy Stakes to “checkout” or “calm down”. Just do it responsibly: do social gambling (where you pay a fixed amount every month and you are essentially gambling with “monopoly money”); use a prepaid debit card that has a fixed amount, so you cannot go over that amount; or put on a timer, and when the timer goes off, you log off.
What causes ADHD and what are the risk factors?
There are three main factors that can contribute to ADHD: genetics (no control over that one); environment (eg. lead exposure as a child); problems during development (problems with the central nervous system).
Risk factors include: blood relatives who have ADHD; mother smoked, used drugs, or drank alcohol during pregnancy; environmental toxins (eg. lead paint or pipes); born prematurely.
Complications that can arise from ADHD: are a poor school or work performance; unemployment; financial problems; trouble with the law; alcohol or substance abuse; frequent car accidents; unstable relationships; poor physical or mental health; poor self-image; suicide attempts.
Non-Medical Products that can help
I am not a doctor, so obviously listen to your doctor and other medical professionals that are trying to help you.
The following are non-medical items that may help you. Buying each item and trying it out may get expensive, but there may be stores or organizations in your community where you can try out items before purchasing.
One example of a website that specializes in products for ADHD adults and children is Sensory Direct.
Weighted Blankets
Weighted blankets work in the same way that a tight swaddle works.
Weighted Products
When you can bring your blanket to work or school, there are other options: lap pads; shoulder wraps; furry friends lap pad (lap pad, but looks like a stuffed animal); jackets; hoodies; vests; hand and wrist weights and covers; weighted cap.
Sensory clothing
These are not weighted clothing (although that is one type of sensory clothing).
- Weighted jackets and hoodies
- Weighted compression vests
- Sensory hug shirts
- Compression vests
- Eye mask
- PajamasSum
Chairs and sensory seating
Sometimes the shape of the chair can help. For example, it wobbles. ADHD kids like movement. Others vibrate, so you get tactile feedback with the chair. Wedge cushions; Disco Sit Cushions; and other balancing items for either your chair or on the floor.
These are just some examples of products that can help people with ADHD.
Other non-ADHD-specific products
When you are thinking about your workspace and how to make it functional, think about different things.
Do you like a clear open desk? If so, then you are going to need a place to get easy access to your pens, pencils, and other small items, as well as a place to put your books.
Do you work best by making a list and checking things off? Then definitely put up a whiteboard or maybe even get a digital writing pad, so you can take quick notes and erase them when you are done. Although I will admit, from a writing perspective, I love using the digital writing pad over using a phone to store notes or a whiteboard. But the main problem with the digital writing pad is that erasing is an all-or-nothing thing. You cannot erase just one line or a small section of the board.
Although, technology in this area is changing and there are versions that can erase. So check the description before you buy.
Check your chair. Even if everybody else in the office likes using a chair with armrests, if you do not, ask about either getting a different style chair or just removing the armrests. In most chairs with armrests, the armrests can be removed without affecting the rest of the chair’s functionality. But with some designs, the armrests keep the back of the chair in place.
Another option is a stool. Maybe you do not even want an armrest or a backrest.
A kneeling chair is another option. Some come with wheels and others can rock. Some kneeling chairs even come with a backrest and/or handles.
What about your desk? Some desks are just a table. Others come with drawers that are physically attached to the desk. Others come with drawers that are separate items, so you can change if the drawers are on one side or the other.
Have you ever thought about standing up while using your desk? You can get standing desks, sitting desks, and even desks that can adjust from standing to sitting. With a height-adjustable desk, the adjuster can either be a manual adjustment or an electric adjustment.
There are even portable stands that you can place on top of a regular desk to convert any regular desk into a standing desk.
Other self-management tools
Use the following items to help manage yourself.
- Cell phone alarms
- GPS tracker to place on items you tend to misplace (eg. keys)
- Speech to text
- Virtual Assistant
- Location-based reminders (uses your phone’s GPS to activate a reminder. For example, it can remind you to check in with a colleague when you reach the office.)
- Hooks for keys, purses, and backpacks
- Whiteboard
- Corkboard
- Wall calendar
- Basket for incoming mail
- Phone charging station (charge in the same place every time)
- Basket for monthly papers to file
- Paper journal (trying different ones: dotted, lined, and blank)
- Paper planner (never got into electronic journals)
- Colored pens
Time management
Breaking tasks into small chunks. I am definitely a person who likes the feeling of checking off something on a list.
Plan your day in intervals that you can manage. If you know that you can only work for 20 minutes before needing a break, then set your schedule for 20-minute intervals.
Prioritize tasks (eg. priority 1, 2, 3, etc.) This will help prevent you from doing your easier tasks (aka, low-priority tasks) first and never getting to your high-priority (not as many fun tasks). Go down the list, and soon you will get through everything.
And when you are all done with your checklist, reward yourself with a visit to the Juicy Stakes website for some relaxing fun.