{"id":110568,"date":"2023-08-15T12:22:46","date_gmt":"2023-08-15T16:22:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=110568"},"modified":"2025-09-15T11:16:37","modified_gmt":"2025-09-15T15:16:37","slug":"how-to-live-with-adhd","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-live-with-adhd\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Live With ADHD: 4 Strategies to Manage Symptoms"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Are you having trouble managing ADHD<\/a> symptoms? What are some strategies to help you live with ADHD?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a brain condition that affects how you focus and control impulsive behavior. While ADHD can\u2019t be cured, there are ways to help alleviate the symptoms so you can live an efficient and organized life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keep reading to learn how to live with ADHD.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Editor\u2019s note: This article is part of Shortform’s guide on ADHD<\/a>.\u00a0If you like what you read here, there\u2019s plenty more to check out in the guide!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Is ADHD?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

ADHD is a neurobiological condition that impairs working memory<\/a> and executive function, among other things. Working memory is the capacity to hold information in our brains for immediate use in the short term, such as remembering what you need to retrieve when you walk into another room. Executive functioning refers to a set of skills related to planning ahead and making decisions. Everyone struggles with working memory and executive function from time to time, but, for people with ADHD, these deficits occur at a severity and frequency that substantially interferes with their daily lives. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Order From Chaos<\/em><\/a> by Jaclyn Paul, ADHD can cause you to be constantly distracted by both your own thoughts and your environment. It can also cause you to make impulsive decisions, struggle to stop a task once you\u2019ve begun it, and have difficulty conforming to common organizational methods. These and other traits can make you disorganized, and being disorganized can then make your symptoms worse, creating a negative cycle. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s more, ADHD can have negative impacts on your personal, professional, and social life. People often view ADHDers as lazy and irresponsible, but their behavior is the result of actual differences in their brains, not the result of a character flaw. These differences make certain aspects of life that are easy for most people nearly impossible for ADHDers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As you work to get more organized, it\u2019s important to avoid judging yourself for the things you struggle with any more than you would with a physical ailment. Just like you wouldn\u2019t judge a person with epilepsy for taking medication or needing to avoid flashing lights, you shouldn\u2019t judge yourself or other ADHDers for the way their atypical brains affect them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Live With ADHD<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Now that you know how ADHD affects people, it\u2019s time to figure out how to manage it. Let\u2019s look at four strategies for how to live with ADHD and not let the symptoms control you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Find Out How ADHD Affects You<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

According to Paul, every person with ADHD is different, and their ADHD affects them differently. You have to form an understanding of how your ADHD affects you personally in order to devise the best system to manage it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Understand Your Purpose<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

An essential part of Paul\u2019s recommendations for living with ADHD is to identify the reason you want to get organized and keep that front of mind as you begin implementing her tips. Staying motivated<\/a> is particularly difficult for people living with ADHD, so you\u2019ll need to have a purpose<\/a> for organizing that you can come back to any time it starts to feel too difficult. This purpose should be unique to you and related to the values that are important to you. It also can\u2019t stem from the belief that you should<\/em> be able to do something. That comes from a place of judgment and external pressure, and your purpose<\/a> needs to provide you with internal motivation<\/a>. Your purpose should help you nurture your genuine self so you can live the life you want to live.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Understand Your Limitations<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Another part of getting to know yourself is understanding your capabilities and limitations. Living with ADHD becomes much easier when you only have to organize a manageable number of items. This means you need to be able to say no to people<\/a> and commitments, let go of things in your life that don\u2019t serve your purpose, and use only as much physical space and belongings as you can reasonably manage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Paul explains that ADHD brains have less dopamine\u2014the neurotransmitter that drives the body\u2019s reward system\u2014available to them. This means ADHDers seek stimulation and novelty, which can lead them to take on more obligations and commitments than they can handle. While it may be frustrating to accept, sometimes you need to demand less of yourself so you can consistently meet expectations. You may simply have a lower threshold for what you can reasonably take on than someone without ADHD. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Understand Your Scheduling Needs<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Finally, identify your ideal daily schedule<\/a> based on your energy and focus levels, writes Paul. Do you function best when you go to bed early and get up early, or are you more productive when you stay up later and sleep in? What types of work are easiest for you to complete at various times of the day? You may want to reserve your physical organization tasks for the time of day when you have the most energy and do the ones that require little thought for the time of day when you may have less mental energy<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Nurture Your Psychological and Physical Health<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Since ADHD results from the underdevelopment of your brain and psyche in early childhood, Scattered Minds<\/em><\/a> by Gabor Mat\u00e9 theorizes that you can heal your ADHD when you\u2019re older by leveraging brain plasticity\u2014your brain\u2019s ongoing reactivity to environmental stimuli\u2014to your advantage. According to Mat\u00e9, there are two essential components to learning how to live with ADHD: pursuing psychological growth and physical self-nurturing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pursuing Psychological Growth<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Accept yourself, including your difficult emotions<\/a> and any behaviors you engage in but don\u2019t necessarily approve of.<\/strong> Many people with ADHD struggle with self-esteem because they feel their condition holds them back from achieving their goals and getting others\u2019 approval. You may even feel like there\u2019s something innately wrong with you, which Mat\u00e9 attributes to the shame you felt every time the bond between you and your parents was ruptured. To gain self-acceptance, remind yourself that you\u2019re doing your best and that healing is a journey\u2014it\u2019s okay if you\u2019re not where you\u2019d like to be yet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Attend therapy.<\/strong> Mat\u00e9 explains that people have a deep-seated psychological need <\/em>for validation from others<\/a>, especially when they\u2019re in pain. He says that a family therapist can provide you with that validation, help you understand your emotional pain<\/a>, and support you in learning new psychological skills that can help you thrive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Practice mindfulness.<\/strong> According to Mat\u00e9, mindfulness improves your neurological capacity to focus; in addition, it may have other psychological benefits, like spiritual fulfillment, that help you heal the emotional pain that underlies your ADHD. He specifically recommends mindfulness meditation<\/a> but notes that mindfulness can be incorporated into a vast array of activities, like spending time in nature<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prioritize restorative recreation.<\/strong> Many people with ADHD overwork themselves as an outlet for their hyperactivity, but Mat\u00e9 says that, in the long run, this only increases your stress. Instead, you should give yourself time to play, explore, and rest. For example, you might take up a creative hobby like crochet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Physical Self-Nurturing<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

If you struggle with addiction to any substance or behavior (as many people with ADHD do), seek treatment.<\/strong> According to Mat\u00e9, to effectively treat addiction, you have to understand and deal with the root of the problem\u2014the emotional pain you\u2019re trying to cover up by engaging in your addictive behavior.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keep a neat home.<\/strong> An untidy environment can add to your emotional stress. If you struggle with this, Mat\u00e9 recommends setting a timer for a short period of time and cleaning until it goes off. Over time, you\u2019ll make steady progress toward maintaining your environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Get Enough Sleep<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

According to clinical expert Dave Anderson<\/a>, children who live with ADHD struggle to sleep well. In turn, insufficient sleep can aggravate ADHD symptoms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why We Sleep<\/em><\/a> by Matthew Walker suggests the following actions for getting enough sleep:<\/p>\n\n\n\n