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Creating an ADD-friendly Lifestyle

Creating an ADD-friendly Lifestyle. Kathleen G. Nadeau, Ph.D. Director Chesapeake ADHD Center Silver Spring, MD. The “Four S’s” of ADD-friendly Living. Structure (routines, habits, accountability) Support (from others) Strategies to reduce symptoms Simplification.

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Creating an ADD-friendly Lifestyle

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  1. Creating an ADD-friendly Lifestyle Kathleen G. Nadeau, Ph.D. Director Chesapeake ADHD Center Silver Spring, MD

  2. The “Four S’s” of ADD-friendly Living • Structure (routines, habits, accountability) • Support (from others) • Strategies to reduce symptoms • Simplification

  3. Apply the “4 S’s” to Daily Life • Home life • School • Work • Social interactions

  4. ADD-friendly Home Life

  5. An ADD-friendly Family • Provides a model for ADD-friendly Living • Parents with ADD become role models for their children with ADD • ADD is treated with • Understanding • Patience • Humor • Appreciation

  6. An ADD-friendly Family Creates an ADD-friendly Living Environment • Casual, sturdy furnishings • Organized, uncluttered • “Launching pad” • “Landing pad” • Adequate storage • Work together to maintain order • Get help to maintain order

  7. An ADD-friendly Family Focuses on Solutions, not Problems • Model problem-solving • Minimize criticism • Alternate solution • Perfection not goal • Catch ‘em being good • New habits take time

  8. An ADD-friendly FamilyRecognizes and Celebrates Strengths • Areas of interest • Areas of strength • Focus on “green zone” of strengths and interests • Minimize “red zone” activities – areas of frustration and difficulty

  9. An ADD-friendly Family Teaches Patience and Perseverance • Anger control • Relaxation techniques • Reasonable goals • Nobody’s perfect • Sincere apologies • No holding onto anger

  10. An ADD-friendly FamilyLearns to Laugh over ADD Dilemmas • Parents share own struggles • Telling humorous stories about oneself helps children learn self-acceptance

  11. An ADD-friendly FamilyUses ADD-friendly Communications • Central message center • You haven’t “told me” if you haven’t written it down • Email • Sticky notes

  12. ADD-friendly Memory and Planning Systems • Big visual reminders • Put it where you CAN’T miss it • Daily planning session • Day planners • Skoach

  13. An ADD-friendly FamilyFocuses on the important things • Loving • Encouraging • Cooperative • Doesn’t always focus on errors • Enjoys spending time together

  14. Reduce ADHD symptoms through ADD-friendly Daily Habits • Sleep • Nutrition Exercise • Exposure to nature/sunlight • Daily planning

  15. Sleep Habits • Adequate sleep is critical to a well-functioning brain • Delayed sleep phase syndrome • Developing good sleep habits • Sleep deprivation creates a double-dose of ADHD – impacts the pre-frontal lobes just as ADHD does

  16. Nutrition • Maintain steady blood sugar levels through protein • Importance of B vitamins and Fish Oil • Good nutrition requires planning

  17. Exercise and the Brain • Aerobic exercise increases dopamine levels • Aerobic exercise increases neurogenesis and increased dendritic connections • Spark – by John Ratey, MD

  18. ADD-friendly living focuses on stress reduction • Stress increases ADHD symptoms • Do a stress assessment • Look actively for ways to reduce stress

  19. When ADD is not well-managed, stress increases • Fatigue • Disorganization • Poor time management • Unhealthy daily habits • Emotional over-reactivity • Conflicts in relationships

  20. The importance of order “I need order on the outside because I feel so much disorder inside my brain!” External structure helps the individual to feel calmer and more focused

  21. Develop Systems that Work WITH You • “Put the sidewalks where people walk instead of trying to get people to walk on the sidewalks” • Build in self-reminders • Develop systems to support habit development

  22. ADD-friendly Organizing Strategies • To get it done, make it fun! • To get organized, get energized • Divide the dreadful into micro-moments

  23. ADD-friendly Organizing Strategies • Think like a restaurant server • Sprint to the finish line • EAST is least successful • Choose just one, then get it done.

  24. ADD Clutter Factors • If I don’t see it, I won’t remember it • Decisions are hard, so it’s easier to keep everything • Not knowing where to start

  25. More ADD Clutter Factors • Too much addition, not enough subtraction • Poor ability to estimate • Poor memory leads to duplicates

  26. Launching Pads Helps you get organized for departure. A specific, adequate, convenient area near departure door where coats, backpacks, briefcases, umbrellas, and any other items needed before departure can be collected.

  27. Launch Pad Checklist • Purse/wallet • Briefcase/backpack • Gloves, jacket, hat, umbrella • Musical instrument or other specialized items • Athletic gear • Items to return to store • Stamped envelopes to place in mailbox

  28. Landing Pad Separate from launch pad. Specific place for anything coming IN to the house - mail, newspapers, purchases Purse, keys, wallet, umbrella, coat, etc. return to the launching pad.

  29. ADD-friendly Habit Development “If it weren’t for bad habits, I wouldn’t have any habits at all!”

  30. ADD-friendly Habit Development • Tie new habit to an existing one • Make it easy • Make it hard to ignore • Put reminders everywhere • Visualize yourself doing the new habit

  31. Habit Development, cont’d. 6. Practice “instant corrections” 7. Get back on the horse and ride 8. Problem-solve if it’s not working 9. Practice for 30 consecutive days 10. Keep a record 11. Reward yourself!

  32. ADD-friendly “Dig-outs” • Make it fun music, companionship, encouragement • Give away immediately • “Age” your discards

  33. Dig-outs should be incremental • Define small area • Tie the bow • Get appropriate storage containers • Use label maker • Don’t keep working until overwhelm takes over

  34. Too many interests, too little time • “Too much at once” • “Rotating” activities • Use or lose

  35. ADD-friendly Physical Environments increase productivity • Color • Lighting • Convenience • Adequate storage

  36. ADD-friendly School Environment • Problem-solves with student to reduce ADD challenges • Is calm, focused, supportive environment • Provides multiple reminders

  37. ADD-friendly Teacher is: • Excited about the subject • Organized • Flexible • Encouraging • Problem-solves with student • Understands ADD and works with it

  38. An ADD-friendly Career • Focuses on areas of interest and strength • Minimizes tasks in areas of weakness • Good match with temperament

  39. An ADD-friendly Work Environment • Supervisor is supportive • Admin support is adequate • Paperwork is minimized • Employer is reasonable structured and organized

  40. ADD-friendly Social Environment • People that • Understand ADD • Support your strategies for change • Appreciate the best in you • Help you problem-solve • Help you laugh at your foibles • Don’t add to the chaos

  41. Skoach – ADD-friendly Time and Task Management • Like a coach – Skoach helps you break down daunting tasks into do-able bits and then plan each step • Like a personal assistant – Skoach automatically creates your schedule according to your deadlines and priorities • Like a mom - Skoach provides reminders thorughout the day because it goes with you everywhere (online and mobile) www.skoach.com

  42. ADD-friendly Ways to Organize Your Life Many of the ideas in this presentation come from ADD-friendly Ways to Organize Your Life coauthored with Judith Kolberg, Professional Organizer

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