Upload
hewitt
View
23
Download
0
Tags:
Embed Size (px)
DESCRIPTION
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. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Citation preview
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
Apply the “4 S’s” to Daily Life
Home life
School
Work
Social interactions
ADD-friendly Home Life
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 withUnderstanding
Patience
Humor
Appreciation
An ADD-friendly Family Creates an ADD-friendly Living Environment
Casual, sturdy furnishings Organized, uncluttered “Launching pad” “Landing pad” Adequate storageWork together to maintain orderGet help to maintain order
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
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
An ADD-friendly Family Teaches Patience and Perseverance
Anger control
Relaxation techniques
Reasonable goals
Nobody’s perfect
Sincere apologies
No holding onto anger
An ADD-friendly FamilyLearns to Laugh over ADD Dilemmas
Parents share own struggles
Telling humorous stories about oneself helps children learn self-acceptance
An ADD-friendly FamilyUses ADD-friendly Communications
Central message center
You haven’t “told me” if you haven’t written it down
Sticky notes
ADD-friendly Memory and Planning Systems
Big visual reminders
Put it where you CAN’T miss it
Daily planning session
Day planners
Skoach
An ADD-friendly FamilyFocuses on the important things
Loving
Encouraging
Cooperative
Doesn’t always focus on errors
Enjoys spending time together
Reduce ADHD symptoms through ADD-friendly Daily Habits
Sleep
Nutrition Exercise
Exposure to nature/sunlight
Daily planning
Sleep Habits
Adequate sleep is critical to a well-functioning brainDelayed sleep phase syndromeDeveloping good sleep habitsSleep deprivation creates a double-dose of ADHD – impacts the pre-frontal lobes just as ADHD does
Nutrition
Maintain steady blood sugar levels through protein
Importance of B vitamins and Fish Oil
Good nutrition requires planning
Exercise and the Brain
Aerobic exercise increases dopamine levelsAerobic exercise increases neurogenesis and increased dendritic connections Spark – by John Ratey, MD
ADD-friendly living focuses on stress reduction
Stress increases ADHD symptoms
Do a stress assessment
Look actively for ways to reduce stress
When ADD is not well-managed, stress increases
FatigueDisorganizationPoor time managementUnhealthy daily habitsEmotional over-reactivityConflicts in relationships
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
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
ADD-friendly Organizing Strategies
To get it done, make it fun!To get organized, get energizedDivide the dreadful into micro-moments
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.
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
More ADD Clutter Factors
Too much addition, not enough subtraction
Poor ability to estimate
Poor memory leads to duplicates
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.
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
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.
ADD-friendly Habit Development
“If it weren’t for bad habits, I wouldn’t have any habits at all!”
ADD-friendly Habit Development
1. Tie new habit to an existing one
2. Make it easy
3. Make it hard to ignore
4. Put reminders everywhere
5. Visualize yourself doing the new habit
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!
ADD-friendly “Dig-outs”
Make it fun music, companionship, encouragement
Give away immediately
“Age” your discards
Dig-outs should be incremental
Define small areaTie the bow Get appropriate storage containersUse label makerDon’t keep working until overwhelm takes over
Too many interests, too little time
“Too much at once”
“Rotating” activities
Use or lose
ADD-friendly Physical Environments increase productivity
Color
Lighting
Convenience
Adequate storage
ADD-friendly School Environment
Problem-solves with student to reduce ADD challenges
Is calm, focused, supportive environment
Provides multiple reminders
ADD-friendly Teacher is:
Excited about the subject
Organized
Flexible
Encouraging
Problem-solves with student
Understands ADD and works with it
An ADD-friendly Career
Focuses on areas of interest and strength
Minimizes tasks in areas of weakness
Good match with temperament
An ADD-friendly Work Environment
Supervisor is supportiveAdmin support is adequatePaperwork is minimizedEmployer is reasonable structured and organized
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
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 stepLike a personal assistant – Skoach automatically creates your schedule according to your deadlines and prioritiesLike a mom - Skoach provides reminders thorughout the day because it goes with you everywhere (online and mobile)
www.skoach.com
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