Sara felt defeated. She’d been in therapy for a few years. While she found a lot of it to be helpful, something was missing. She felt lost when it came to her adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). After a recent diagnosis, she felt that she was even more worried about making mistakes. And no matter what, she found herself in endless cycles of people pleasing and overextending. Not only does she feel stuck, she feels misunderstood…by many people in her life. Like the boss that doesn’t seem to have ever heard the term work-life balance or the partner frustrated that she can’t seem to slow down.
Sara’s problem is all too common. It’s not surprising that Sara has struggled to find a therapist who really understood how to help her with adult ADHD. Unfortunately, many adults struggle for years without finding effective help. This is because the mental health field hasn’t yet caught up with the pace of ADHD research on neurodiversity. There is what they call a “gap” in services. And in this case, it’s more like a Grand Canyon.
Here are some specific ways specialized ADHD therapy is different than the other stuff:
“One Size Fits All” Approaches vs. Individualized Treatment Planning
While ADHD therapy still uses evidence-based therapies, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), ADHD therapy should be adapted to the unique ways ADHD impacts your life. Many therapies don’t go far enough to incorporate unique ADHD symptoms. For example, time blindness, procrastination, and forgetfulness don’t fall into a single worksheet. In fact, many clients feel like traditional therapy has at times made them feel like a square peg in a round hole. And that only worsens ADHD symptoms, as it lowers confidence and hope.
ADHD Validation vs. ADHD Denial
Did you know that there are studies showing that about half of adults with a newly confirmed ADHD diagnosis recently saw a provider who overlooked or dismissed it?
In fact, many folks see providers and interact with others that dismiss their ADHD or minimize the impact it has on their lives. They’ll hear things like “ADHD testing isn’t worth it at this point in life” or “let’s focus on your depression or anxiety.” On the other hand, an ADHD expert knows the power of acknowledging your ADHD. Even more, since ADHD impacts all other co-occurring conditions, ADHD treatment is usually the key to improving mental health more broadly.
Strengths vs. Symptoms
ADHD symptoms are real. It’s overwhelming to be scattered and stressed. And many folks with ADHD feel they are not where they want to be in life. At the same time, the neurodiversity movement indicates that there are simply those whose minds work differently. And that can be a set of strengths once better understood and utilized. This is why a big part of ADHD treatment is a mindset shift toward ADHD and uncovering your own ADHD strengths. So effective ADHD treatment should feel empowering. Neurodiversity is an asset that can be channeled into a superpower.
Getting Started
Once Sara recognized the problem, she was able to fix it. Working on ADHD with someone who has only a superficial understanding of ADHD can be incredibly frustrating. Finding the right ADHD specialist for her took some time, but was the key to better understanding her ADHD brain. She learned about executive functioning, a set of brain-based processes, such as focus, self-regulation, time awareness, and planning ability, that are impacted by ADHD. She also learned to untangle the emotional weight of ADHD and regulate her mind. And ultimately, she learned to understand her own unique executive-functioning profile and how to get things done in her own way, turning ADHD into an asset.
BEGIN ADULT ADHD TESTING AND ADHD TREATMENT IN COLUMBUS, OHIO
You don’t have to live your life feeling overwhelmed and scattered. Our counseling practice in Columbus, Ohio has caring therapists who specialize in ADHD Treatment. To start your counseling journey, follow these simple steps:
- Fill out the contact form to reach out and schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation.
- Meet with one of our caring therapists.
- Stop feeling scattered. Start getting things done.
Other ADHD Services Offered at Focused Mind ADHD Counseling
Adult ADHD treatment is not the only service we offer at our Columbus, OH-based counseling practice. At Focused Mind ADHD Counseling, we offer a variety of mental health services including ADHD testing. We know that as an adult with ADHD, you may also benefit from anxiety treatment for ADHD, counseling for men with ADHD, or depression counseling for ADHD. You can also view our blog for more resources and helpful info!
