When an ADHD Diagnosis is a Great Thing
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When an ADHD Diagnosis is a Great Thing

ByMarla Cummins ADHD Symptoms & Diagnosis, Blog

  “After living with ADD for many years I started believing that I was lazy, stupid, and crazy.” Before being diagnosed with ADHD you may have believed, like my former client quoted above, that there was something wrong with you and maybe even that there was nothing you could do about it. While it will likely take you time to adjust to your ADHD diagnosis, as you go through the stages of coping , it can be the beginning of a journey that can turn your life around. And you can start to create a life you enjoy and where you are able to thrive. Oh, That’s Why! Many, if not most of the people I work with individually and in groups already have an…

ADHD Is Not A Real Diagnosis?
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ADHD Is Not A Real Diagnosis?

ByMarla Cummins ADHD Symptoms & Diagnosis, Blog

My daughter had been through 6 hours of neurological testing over two days by a highly regarded neuropsychologist in the Boston area. When I read Lessons from Atticus: is “ADHD” a problem of not listening? written by a pediatrician, I was reminded of a remark my daughter’s former pediatrician made when I shared with him the report from the neuropsychologist indicating that she had ADHD. His response was, “She is too cute to have ADHD.” What I heard was, “ADHD is not real.” It has been almost 8 year since that appointment. Fast forward to recent years. As of late ADHD seems to have become a lightning rod for attacks from experts and non-experts alike. It is always distressing to me when I read opinions…

Is This Normal or Do I Have Undiagnosed ADHD?
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Is This Normal or Do I Have Undiagnosed ADHD?

ByMarla Cummins ADHD Symptoms & Diagnosis, Blog

  Below is an excerpt from a letter that I recently received (and was given permission to post) along with my response. I decided to include it here, as it is such a common question and might be of interest to you, too.   Hi Marla, I’ve really been identifying with everything you and your testimonials have been saying on your website, but I’ve never been diagnosed myself. For years as a university student I have constantly struggled with mastering my procrastination on assignments and study, and I’ve realised recently it seems to stem from this impulsivity, this tendency to immediately act on every thought I have. All the issues you are talking about that adults with ADHD have to deal with, I feel that…

Understanding Your ADHD Brain
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Understanding Your ADHD Brain

ByMarla Cummins ADHD Symptoms & Diagnosis, Blog

  Usually, I write about how ADHD symptoms are expressed and how to manage them. In fact, I bet most of the time this is the information you are looking for as you attempt to answer the question, “How do I deal with my ADHD?!” And I know from talking to a lot of people that having an understanding of the genetics and neurobiology of ADHD is probably not at the top of your list when looking for ways to address the challenges of your ADHD. But I think it should at least be on the list. I hope this brief intro whets your curiosity and prompts you to find out more about the relationship between the brain and ADHD. Causes of ADHD While we…

ADHD and Solving “Insurmountable” Problems
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ADHD and Solving “Insurmountable” Problems

ByMarla Cummins ADHD Symptoms & Diagnosis, ADHD Tools & Strategies, Blog

Can you think of a time when you were worrying about an issue, but not doing anything about it? Just worrying… I mean the kind of worrying that seems to take over your brain; it is like a record that is stuck playing over and over again. Some call it ruminating or perseverating. Maybe you are even doing this right now. If you are an adult with ADHD, you can’t afford to rent out this valuable real estate in your head. You have too much on your plate that you want to accomplish to devote your time and energy to just worrying. If you feel stuck and are tired of thoughts flooding your mind, there really are steps you can take to make a molehill…

Do You Know How You Feel About Having ADHD?
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Do You Know How You Feel About Having ADHD?

ByMarla Cummins ADHD Symptoms & Diagnosis, Blog

You may be familiar with Elisabeth Kübler-Ross’ model of the Five Stages of Grief.  If you are, then you know that the intent of her model is to describe the stages  of feelings you may go through in response to the death of another or to your own terminal illness. Subsequently, using her model as a foundation, others created similar models to describe the cycle of feelings that people go through when faced with an event that they perceive as negative. At some point after being diagnosed with ADHD you may have considered having ADHD as a burden, something negative. That is normal, to be sure. If you are trying to accept your ADHD and work with it, one of the keys is understanding and…

Summary of Causes of ADHD
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Summary of Causes of ADHD

ByMarla Cummins ADHD Symptoms & Diagnosis, Blog

You may have heard in the media that poor diet, food dyes, too much sugar, environmental chemicals, poor schooling, too much TV, poor pre-natal care or poor parenting are causes of ADHD. Whew! It is possible that drug or alcohol use during pregnancy could alter the brain and may be a possible cause of ADHD. As for the other factors, while credible research has not been able to validate any of them as causes of ADHD, they definitely can exacerbate ADHD symptoms. What we do think is that ADHD is a brain based biological disorder, caused by a number of factors that affect how the brain develops and functions. And the one factor that stands out is a neurotransmitter imbalance. Neurotransmitter Imbalance As you know,…

ADHD and Making Mistakes – Now What?!
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ADHD and Making Mistakes – Now What?!

ByMarla Cummins ADHD Symptoms & Diagnosis, ADHD Tools & Strategies, Blog

  You messed up… If you are playing a big game professionally, you will not get it right 100% of the time. When you push your limits you will inevitably hit some speed bumps along the way. This is true for everyone. And, as an Adult with ADHD, you may have particular challenges. But what do you do when you make a mistake? How do you move forward Interpreting Your Mistakes Do you view each mistake as a sign that you are a screw–up? Perhaps, you see each mistake as an affirmation of your inability to perform well in any realm. And, after each misstep, you proclaim some variation of, “I can’t do anything right.” Unfortunately, this is too common a perspective for many adults…

Marla Cummins Social Graphic
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ADD – ADHD: Do You Know This Strategy to Prevent Overwhelm?

ByMarla Cummins ADHD Symptoms & Diagnosis, ADHD Time Management, ADHD Tools & Strategies, Blog

What Do You Want To Say “Yes” To? Being self employed and a single parent of a middle school age daughter, my life is full and can be overwhelming, sometimes. While I am certainly blessed to be a parent and to have my own business, I still find myself occasionally wanting to do more, and feeling like I “can’t.” There are times, lately, when I struggle with the “need” to say no to other opportunities. Then I remind myself that I could say “yes,” instead, if I made different choices. I remind myself that every choice has a cost. Recently, I’ve been feeling isolated in my business. So, I have been thinking of ways to connect with other people professionally. Like many with ADD –…

ADD and Anger: Is It Getting In Your Way?
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ADD and Anger: Is It Getting In Your Way?

ByMarla Cummins ADHD Communication, ADHD Symptoms & Diagnosis, ADHD Tools & Strategies, Blog

One of the hallmark symptoms of ADD is the struggle with managing emotions, such as anger. If you answer yes to the questions below, your anger may be getting in your way. Do you tend to wear your emotions on your sleeve, but would rather not? Do you go from 0-100 mph in a split second and wonder how you got there so fast? Do you become frustrated with others easily, and then regret it later? You are not alone What Is The Problem? Dr. Russell Barkley, a foremost authority on ADD and author of the book Taking Charge of Adult ADHD, notes the following: “It is not that the emotions they experience are inappropriate, but that those with ADHD are more likely to publicly…