ADHD Kelowna and Lifestyle Management

You or someone you know and love receives an ADHD diagnosis, now what? How do you move forward? How do you handle the new diagnosis and the strong emotions that come with it?  

In an article written by Keath Low on A Very Well Mind, he states that there are three strong emotions that are commonly felt when someone has first been diagnosed with ADHD. They include: relief, anger and  sadness. Keath Low goes on to further explain that those who feel relief feel like they finally have a label to describe what is happening to them as well as it can be validating to the person to know that their symptoms come for a diagnosable condition, not their bad traits or qualities. Those who feel anger could be feeling this as they feel frustrated and don’t want to have ADHD. Additionally, those who feel sadness may be grieving their future life or feel grief in regards to their life in the past with all their struggles. 

When these big emotions come about there are a couple tactics that you can employ to help yourself feel better. These include: reassure yourself that your feelings are valid and normal, talk to trusted individuals such as friends or family, find an ADHD support group in your area as well as consider working with a counsellor who specializes in ADHD.  

Managing your symptoms can seem daunting at first but working with a medical professional team can create the best outcome for you. The management of symptoms should still continue after the treatment is “working” due to the fact that as you age your ADHD can change as you grow. 

Lifestyle management strategies can be a key tool to ensure that you are living your best life. Most of those with ADHD find that adding structure to your life and being organized can be very beneficial. In addition, eating nutritiously dense food, prioritizing and getting a good night's sleep, exercising on a regular basis, employing mindfulness practices and implementing time management skills can assist you in functioning at an optimal level.  

These lifestyle management strategies can look like meal prepping and planning ahead for grocery shops to ensure that you or your loved one with ADHD is getting the nutrients they need. Sleep is a major factor. Practicing good sleep hygiene such as decreasing screen time a couple hours before bed, reading and winding down at night can all assist with those with ADHD to go to bed. Incorporating exercise into a daily or regular routine can have many benefits, especially if it is outside. A couple of easy ways to incorporate more exercise is taking the stairs, parking farther away from the store and incorporating a couple of stretches to the morning or evening routine. Mindfulness tactics can include meditation in the morning or before you go to bed, breathing techniques and creating a gratitude list. Incorporating time management skills can include jotting down appointments in a planner, creating reminders on your phone  and utilizing a calendar.

Check out one of our other  posts for more information about ADHD lifestyle management strategies and/or reach out to Safe and Sound Therapeutics to book in your first appointment with a counsellor who specializes in ADHD.