Collaborative Care Journeys
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Your provider has suggested some activities for you as you are learning to manage living with ADHD. Over the next few weeks, you’ll receive activities that are designed to help you develop some strategies to make your path forward more manageable.
Living with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) can be challenging. There are strategies, treatments and tools that can be learned and applied in your daily life to manage symptoms. Beginning with learning about the nature of ADHD can help you manage it. Watch this video to learn more.
ADHD Education
This video will introduce you to several ways that ADHD can impact your life. It also reviews some common signs and symptoms of ADHD. Finally, it talks about what you can do to manage your symptoms and identify and build on your strengths. ADHD doesn’t have to rule your life.
ADHD Treatment
Treatment options for ADHD include medications and therapy which can work together to develop life and coping skills. This video gives an overview of common medication options for ADHD.
ADHD Resources
There are many resources available to learn more about ADHD. Here is a list of websites and books where you can start learning more. Your care manager is available to help with specific questions.
Identifying Strengths
ADHD affects our thoughts and perceptions about the world and ourselves. One way we can feel better over time is to practice focusing on our character strengths. Watch this video and get ready to share your personal strengths with your care manager.
Character Strengths
Our strengths protect us against the negative effects of stress and mental health struggles. Living with ADHD can lead to negative beliefs about the self and personal abilities. Use the following worksheet to identify your strengths. Share these strengths at your next care manager meeting.
Journal Intro
You will be asked to journal your experience at different points in this journey. Journaling is a helpful way to track progress and growth, build self confidence and achieve goals. Your care manager can have access to these journals to discuss treatment, or they can remain private. Take a minute to journal about one of your character strengths.
Strengths Journal
Think about moments in your life when you were most productive. Consider the days when it felt like time slipped away. What were you doing? If you could spend the rest of your life doing what you love every day, what would you choose? What internal and external strengths do you have that help you succeed in these passions? Take a moment to journal some of your passions and strengths.
What is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness has been proven to improve ADHD symptoms. Mindfulness is the practice of noticing what you are thinking and feeling without judgment.
Watch this video to learn more.
Mindfulness Practice
Mindfulness can be done at any time of day. It is simply being present in your body and noticing the feelings and thoughts in the body and mind.
Watch this video to learn more.
Mindfulness Explained
Mindfulness can be practiced in small moments throughout the day. To begin, relax and allow your mind to focus on the physical sensations of your body. Bring your attention to your breathing. Notice noises or thoughts and let them go. Bring your attention to being fully present in your body and this moment. You can practice mindfulness anytime and anywhere; take some time to practice today.
Mindfulness Journal
Try mindfulness at different times of day and multiple locations. What works best for you? How do you feel after? Take some time to journal about your mindfulness journey so far.
Self Compassion
Practicing mindfulness can bring up thoughts about ourselves and the world. Thoughts about ourselves impact how we feel. Seeing our mistakes without judgment helps us to move forward in life with courage and strength. Practicing self-compassion is changing our inner voice to a kinder voice. Take some time to journal some kind thoughts about yourself.
Identifying Feelings
Practicing mindfulness makes us aware of emotions. ADHD symptoms can include emotional dysregulation, so learning skills to recognize and regulate emotions can improve your daily life. Once aware of emotions, we can get better at saying how we feel with practice. Learning how to identify and express our emotions will help us feel better over time. Watch this video to learn more.
Feelings Wheel
Finding the words for how we feel helps us to be more aware and feel better. Print this worksheet or save it on your phone and use it daily to help identify how you are feeling.
Mindfulness Practice
Mindfulness brings self-awareness and change by bringing your character strengths more clearly into view. It serves as a path to see yourself as you really are. Take some time to journal about your ideal self. What’s the first step you can take to get closer to who you want to be?
Review
ADHD symptoms can be reduced by taking small steps toward change and self care. In this journey, you have learned about treatments, medications, focusing on strengths, and practicing meditation. We will continue to learn new skills in the next part of the journey. Watch this video to see a brief summary of what you have learned so far.
What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?
Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) is an effective treatment for ADHD. CBT is the process of changing the way we think which in turn, changes the way we feel. CBT is more than just a change in perspective. With enough practice, CBT can actually change the wiring in our brains and the way that we view certain situations. Watch this video to learn more about CBT.
What are Thoughts?
Because ADHD begins in childhood, negative beliefs and thoughts form early. These beliefs could be around feeling like a failure or being misunderstood at school and home. To change our thinking, we must first understand what thoughts are and how they function. Thoughts come from interpretations of experiences and impact how we feel. We can change the way we feel by changing our thoughts.
Automatic Negative Thoughts
Many people with ADHD struggle with automatic negative thoughts (ANTS). ANTS pop into our heads before we even know we’re having them. It is possible with intention to change our thoughts and in turn change the way we feel. Watch this video to learn how they can strongly effect our moods.
Thought Distortions
Our thoughts can feel very real at times, but believing everything we think can have a negative impact on our mental health. Thought distortions are an example of common thinking patterns we all experience. In general, most people can relate to some type of thought distortion. Look over the handout on thought distortions. Do any of these sound familiar? See the worksheet for more examples.
Mindfulness Review
Mindfulness can improve attention and help regulate emotions for those with ADHD. Mindfulness is being present in the moment and noticing thoughts and feelings without judgment. It is to be done as a practice, not as perfection. Take some time to practice mindfulness today and journal your experience.
Breathing Practice
When learning mindfulness, focusing on breathing is one way to stay in the moment and help your body stay calm. Watch the following video to learn about and practice box breathing.
Emotions Review
When practicing mindfulness, you may notice new feelings. Naming feelings can help you address desires you have for change in your life. Refer to the feelings wheel – place it where you can see it often or save it on your phone – to practice naming emotions. Have you been surprised by any emotions that came up? How do you feel when you name your emotions?
Thoughts Review
When practicing mindfulness, you may notice thoughts in your mind as you attempt to remain present. Just notice them. Thoughts are not facts. Thoughts can be automatic, negative, and distorted. Reflect on the common thinking errors and notice if your thoughts follow these patterns. Journal your experiences.
Coping Skills
You have learned about Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and ways people have found to reduce symptoms of ADHD. You have learned about mindfulness, thoughts and emotions. Next you will learn more skills that will help you feel better as you add them to your daily life.
ADHD and Sleep
An estimated 25 to 50% of people with ADHD experience sleep problems. Doctors are starting realize the importance of treating sleep problems and the impact this can have on both ADHD symptoms and quality of life for ADHD. There are strategies you can use to improve your sleep.
Watch this video to learn more.
Setting Priorities
Getting daily work done can be challenging for people living with ADHD. Watch this video for planning ideas and discuss them with your care manger at your next meeting.
Mindfulness Check-In
You have been learning a lot and practicing new skills! Give yourself a pat on the back and be proud of your accomplishments so far!
Watch this video to complete a quick mindfulness exercise.
Behavioral Activation
Behavioral Activation is a skill used in the treatment of ADHD. It has to do with how behaviors and feelings influence each other, and it is evidence-based (which means it works!). It also aligns with the goals you’ve worked on with your care manager.
Watch this video to learn more.
Behavioral Activation
You have learned how actions impact mood. Let’s practice those skills. Think of a behavior that makes you feel bad about yourself or depressed. This could be avoiding friends or eating junk food. Now think of a behavior that makes you feel better. One you want to increase. This could be a daily walk or eating healthy foods.
Write these in your journal.
Getting Started
The part of the brain responsible for focusing in a person with ADHD is less active when doing tasks they are not interested in. There are tools and actions that can be taken to provide the interest needed to get through the task. Watch this video to learn some suggestions on how to manage tasks and time.
Making a Plan
You have learned several new skills like breathing practice, mindfulness, challenging automatic negative thoughts and creating task lists. Journal about what you have learned so far and how you plan to apply it in your life.
Review
Congratulations on working on your emotional and physical health! You’ve been practicing mindfulness, recognizing and naming emotions, and identifying automatic negative thoughts and thought distortions in your daily life. Watch this video to review what you’ve learned so far.
Behavioral Activation Review
ADHD symptoms can lead us to a feeling of disorganization and overwhelm. Behavioral activation is a strategy for staying on task and accomplishing goals which can impact mood and energy so we can start feeling better. This worksheet presents ideas on how to practice this new skill.
Behavioral Activation Worksheet
Behavioral Activation
You have been learning about behavioral activation, opposite action, and will soon review goal setting.
Journal about using these skills and what goals you would like to achieve.
Goal Setting
Setting goals is important and gives you direction. Completing your goals makes you feel good about yourself. This video will help you learn about making a SMART goal. You will work on setting a goal with your Care Manager.
At this point you may have noticed some improvement in your wellbeing and reduction in your symptoms. You have started to take some positive actions and have made progress towards your personal goals. This week you will learn about making a routine and how routines help lower daily stress. You will also learn about journaling as another skill that might be helpful in treating ADHD.
Setting a Routine
Making a new activity part of your routine is hard. This handout gives you some helpful tips to encourage you to stick with the new activity.
Movement
Physical exercise is a useful way to treat ADHD. Making physical exercise apart of your routine will keep your body and mind healthy. Look over the handout with your care manager and talk about some ways you could make exercise apart of your routine.
Goal Setting
Many people live with ADHD and have strengths and struggles. One of the best strategies to manage the struggles is to set goals and create a plan. Many people live with ADHD and have strengths and struggles. One of the best strategies to manage the struggles is to set goals and create a plan.
Social Support
Making changes to improve mental health is hard work. It takes time and it also takes support. There are support groups for people living with ADHD in person and online. Ask your care manager if you are interested in getting connected. Who are some supports for you? Family? Friends? Coworkers? Jot down some ideas in your journal.
Self Compassion
Change isn’t a linear process. Sometimes it looks more like a circle. Some days you might feel great. Others not so much. If you need to circle back to a higher level of support that’s okay. How will you know if you need to do that? What are some warning signs?
Benefits of Journaling
There are many benefits of journaling. You have been asked to journal as a part of your treatment and may have found this helpful to you. Consistent journaling can improve positive self-talk, help control symptoms, and improve overall mood. It can also promote personal growth. Watch this video to learn more.
Skills Check-in
How have you done with the skills you have learned in this journey? Have you been able to put any of these skills into practice?
Congratulations on completing the ADHD Journey! Watch the following video for a summary of what you have learned.
Further Reading
If you are interested in reading more about ADHD, here are some recommendations.
We understand that there is a lot going on in your life. You have learned a lot in this journey, and it can be hard to remember everything!
Take a look at this summary sheet we’ve created for you.