Posts

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    Conversations & ADHD Part 1: Do They Feel Like Battlefields?

    ByMarla Cummins ADHD Communication, Blog

    Can you think of a recent time when you were uncomfortable initiating a conversation or bringing up a subject because you thought there might be some sort disagreement? How did you feel and what did you do? For most people the answer is, “Well, sure, they are not my favorite kind of conversations, and sometimes I try to avoid them. But they are just part of life…” But for adults with ADHD the answer may be more along the lines of: “I try to avoid those at all costs because I just don’t handle conversations where there are a lot of disagreements very well. Sometimes I just don’t know what to say because the conversation seems like a game of ping-pong. And the ball just…

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    Adult ADHD and Money – Personal Finance Part 4

    ByMarla Cummins ADHD Tools & Strategies, Blog

      In the previous posts in this series covering “Adult ADHD and Money – Personal Finance” I explored the topics of emotions, values and structures to manage your money. This last topic, spending, will likely garner the most interest because it is such a pervasive and insidious problem for many adults with ADHD. If you don’t have challenges with your spending, no need to read further. But, if you do, read on to explore some of the reasons your spending challenges may be related to your ADHD and the possible workarounds for those challenges. Get Organized “Out of sight out of mind” may be a familiar refrain for you, and may apply to your spending, as well as other aspects of your life. If you…

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    Adult ADHD and Money – Personal Finance Part 3

    ByMarla Cummins ADHD Tools & Strategies, Blog

    Being able to follow through on your values as they relate to money, the topic of my last post, can be a challenge if you are an Adult with ADHD. So, it is particularly important that you have the right structures in place. Because structures are the bridge between your intentions and the finish line, and will make follow through on your financial goals easier. But I know that, even though ADHD may be the common denominator for those who are reading this article, the financial challenges are varied. Consequently, some of the challenges and suggested solutions apply to you and others don’t. My hope is that this article will serve as a starting point for you to dig deeper into those areas that are…

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    Adult ADHD and Money – Personal Finance Part 2

    ByMarla Cummins ADHD Tools & Strategies, Blog

      Emotions and money was the subject of the last post. A suggestion. Read that one, Adult ADHD and Money – Personal Finance Part 1, if you have not already. Then, if managing your money with greater ease is one of your goals, the next step is getting clarity around your values as they relate to money. But maybe you are thinking, “I don’t need to read about emotions and values. What I need is “real help” getting a handle on my spending, budgeting, investing, saving and paying bills on time, etc. Real life money stuff… I get it. You want to cut to the chase… If you don’t already have a good enough handle on these money matters, you want to deal with them…

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    Adult ADHD and Money – Personal Finance Part 1

    ByMarla Cummins ADHD Tools & Strategies, Blog

      For most people money or finances, along with relationships and career, is one of those hot-button topics. What comes to mind when you think about money? Stop reading for a moment, and take 30 seconds to write down all the words that come to mind. Any surprises? If you are interested in getting a handle on your finances, you may assume your challenges with finances are due to the same executive function challenges that impact other aspects of your life. And, in part, this is true, for sure. In fact, if you Google “ADHD and money,” you’ll find lots of articles on budgeting, planning, controlling spending – money management. This makes sense because these are the topics many adults with ADHD, and perhaps you,…

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    Change Your Brain and Manage Your Anger

    ByMarla Cummins ADHD Emotional Regulation, Blog

    A couple of weeks ago I was driving through the Boston area during rush hour. I normally try to avoid driving in rush hour. But my parents were visiting, and we were going to my sister’s for dinner. We experienced what you would imagine happens during rush hour in any large urban area. Traffic moving at a snail’s pace… So, arriving at my sister’s 1½ hours after leaving home was not a surprise. And, when stuck in traffic I try to hold the perspective that it is what it is. And it is also a good time to listen to NPR. If my daughter is up for it, we might even have a conversation sparked by one of the shows. I’d say that is a…

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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…

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    The Impact of Emotions In Managing Your ADHD

    ByMarla Cummins ADHD Emotional Regulation, Blog

      Compassion. Anger. Exhuberance. Frustration. Passion. Impulsiveness. Zealousness. These emotions are just a few we associate with people with ADHD. And you may often read how modulating emotions and managing frustrations can be a challenge for adults with ADHD. True. Yet, beyond this, the other issues related to emotions and ADHD are often not adequately addressed in treatment. This is a mistake. Because, as Dr. Thomas Brown highlights in his most recent book, Smart but Stuck – Emotions in Teens and Adults with ADHD, your emotions greatly impact your ability to carry out your various executive functions in both positive and negative ways. Let’s take a look… Executive Functions To start, below is an overview of Dr. Brown’s Model of Executive Functions Impaired in ADHD….

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    Want To Become The Best Version of Yourself, Too?

    ByMarla Cummins ADHD Tools & Strategies, Blog

      What do you think of when trying to manage your ADHD? When starting down the path of managing their ADHD many adults, at least in the beginning, may assume they are broken. If this is the case for you, you may focus your time and energy on trying to fix yourself. Because that is what you do when something is broken. You fix it, right? But what if you decided you were not broken? What if instead you were able to adopt the perspective that you just operated differently? What if you decided to rely more on your strengths? Your approach to managing your ADHD could look quite different. Talents That Come Naturally To You The key to managing your ADHD is to  identify,…

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    6 Mistakes To Avoid When Managing Your ADHD

    ByMarla Cummins ADHD Emotional Regulation, Blog

      When trying to create change there are common mistakes that people make. So, of course, as an adult with ADHD, you probably are making some of these same mistakes while you are trying to manage your ADHD. If you are making these missteps now, don’t worry. Because, as you become aware of them, you can learn how to sidestep them. And then the journey of learning to manage your ADHD will be far less frustrating, easier, and, yes, even enjoyable. #1 Thinking Your Challenges Are Like Everyone Else’s You may start your journey of managing your ADHD, as many do, by focusing on your challenges, telling yourself… But have you taken the time to learn how your brain works? That is, how are your…