Sometimes it is easy to overlook the possibility that you may have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder yourself if you are the parent of an ADHD child. After all, ADHD is a relatively new condition that was still in its infancy when most parent were just getting started on the road of life. Furthermore, young girls were almost never diagnosed with the condition as rece ntly as 10 years ago, so if you are the mom of an ADHD child the chances of getting help for ADHD symptoms, such as inattention/distractibility, impulsivity, and/or hyperactivity/restlessness, were virtually zero when you were a child.
Recent studies have revealed a shocking revelation for most ADHD parents, and that is if you or your spouse has adult ADHD, one or more of your children will have it. If that is not enough shock therapy to wake up the dead let me provide you with a few more interesting facts. According to the National Institute of Health, mental health concerns in parents can dramatically impede an ADHD child’s treatment and recovery because much of the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder revolves around parental support. Additionally, parents of an ADHD child/children are three times more likely to separate or divorce making successful treatment even more difficult to achieve.
While there may be extra challenges for ADHD families this by no means they can’t achieve mastery over attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Let’s explore a four ideas which might prove helpful:
*Learn to laugh at the situation: In a ADHD household there might be a lot more humor than one might first perceive, especially if you know what to look for. When things go wrong, as they often do, try to find the lighter side of things. This will help to relieve building anxiety in both parents and children, promote patience, and encourage flexibility when a difficult situation arises.
*Make it a family affair: Everyone in the family should know about ADHD and the challenges presented by this common mental health disorder. When all family members are one the same page it creates a better overall environment for successful ADHD management.
*Accept the fact your family is different: While not from another plant, to a non ADHD family it might seem like you are. The best advice here is to be realistic instead of trying to fit into perceived societal norms. Embrace the many challenges that come with ADHD and find creative, inventive ways to help family members shine.
*Seek out professional help if needed: Sometimes the hole is just too deep with too many family members trying to climb up the ladder at the same time. In these instances counseling, therapy, coaching, or couples counseling can provide an extra ladder, or two, for climbing to safety. It is important to point out that when professional help is needed studies show that the success rates are higher when more than one approach is used.
What else? For those struggling with ADHD finding an effective treatment option is an important step. The most common form of treatment currently are prescription stimulants such as Ritalin, Adderall and Vyvanse. While effective, all stimulant medications come with a number of serious label warnings. The risk of side effects, or perhaps lack of success with stimulants, has prompted many to investigate other options. A couple examples of this are behavior modification therapy and/or a natural ADHD remedy. Natural remedies for ADHD are a side effect free way to address such problematic symptoms as inattention, distractibility, impulsivity, erratic behavior and hyperactivity and can be used both as a standalone treatment or as a compliment to other nonprescription alternatives.