Behavioral Strategies for ADHD
If you have been diagnosed with ADHD, these resources, including books and websites, may be helpful for you.
Recommendation 1:
Exercise!
Exercise has been proven to help reduce ADHD symptoms. It increases your brain's dopamine (reward neurochemical) and norepinephrine (stick-to-itiveness neurochemical). In addition to keeping these brain chemicals rolling, exercise has other excellent side effects—it can boost your self-esteem and give you a feeling of accomplishment!
The Reddit website and app include a subreddit called r/ADHD. There you’ll find advice that has helped people with ADHD. Of course, beware, it is the internet—so some of the advice may not be relevant or be off-base.
Recommendation 2:
Books
Driven to Distraction and Delivered from Distraction, by Ed Hallowell, M.D., and John Ratey, M.D.
These books offer a good overview of ADHD in adults and children and some positive vignettes featuring highly successful people with ADHD. Both authors have podcasts.
The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right, by Atul Gawande.
This book emphasizes the importance of creating checklists and how doing so has improved outcomes in industries ranging from hospitals to airlines.
Faster Than Normal: Turbocharge Your Focus, Productivity, and Success with the Secrets of the ADHA Brain, by Peter Sankman
This book teaches you how to turbocharge your focus, productivity, and success by using the ADHD brain as a secret weapon. It offers rules, best practices, and simple but powerful ways to harness your creative energy, direct your hyperfocus, and streamline your daily routine to eliminate distractions.
Go Wild and Spark, by John J. Ratey, M.D.
These books discuss the positive effects of exercise on the brain. Remember, there is no central “exercise lobby” like there is a pharmaceutical lobby. Unfortunately, exercise is not discussed often enough as a method for reducing anxiety and depression. Also note: Exercise has been proven to help increase attention span!
Atomic Habits: And Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad One, by James Clear
This book offers a framework for improving your life and meeting your goals by forming habits, including practical strategies to form good habits and break bad ones. This author also offers a podcast and a blog.
The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science, by Norman Doidge, M.D.
This book about Neuroplasticity helps you better understand the brain’s role in changing dysfunctional habits and creating new and better habits.
Recommendation 3:
The Pomodoro Technique
Procrastination is a common overlap with anxiety disorders and ADHD—procrastination is a personal satan for someone with ADHD. We’ve seen careers, marriages, finances, and college experiences ruined because of procrastination. Do your absolute best to avoid it! The Pomodoro Technique can help you improve your time management skills and stop putting things off. If you commit to starting what you’re avoiding, you’re already on your way!
The Pomodoro Technique offers techniques to help you complete tasks that the typical ADHD person has been putting off. Click here for more information.
Recommendation 4:
Gamification
How about turning those dreaded tasks like laundry and homework into QUESTS!
This can be done through a process known as Gamification. Gamification is a productivity strategy used to make annoying chores more fun or at the very least engaging.
Here are some websites with more information: