ADHD - Holidays and Special Occasions May Present Special Challenges for those with ADHD
ADHD - Holidays and Special Occasions May Present Special Challenges for those with ADHD
Over at the Smiths household holiday gatherings are never short on drama, with over done, slightly burned turkeys, hams, and pies always seeming to be part of the celebration. Mr. and Mrs. Smith are both interesting and creative people who have their own unique sense of humor, and are pretty well liked despite their tendency to interrupt others while they are talking. And of course who could forget their 6 year old ADHD riddled son who have the never ending supply of energy who runs around like a headless turkey who has been overdosed with growth hormones.
The story above may seem at little bit crazy for those who haven't yet had the time to investigate the phenomenon which is sweeping across our nation known as attention deficit disorder. But for those who know it well, Mr. and Mrs. Smith and their hyperactive-impulsive son Johnny, just may be closer to the norm when it comes to ADHD than the exception.
Looking into the fishbowl of symptoms that make up ADHD
ADHD is a biological condition of the brain involving two primary chemical messengers; norepinephrine and dopamine. It also seems to have a genetic component, with about half of all ADHD children having at least one parent with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. So it tends to run in families.
What this means is when a family with an ADHD child invites you over for a holiday gathering be sure to take a bottle of water or soda, a sack lunch, a set of earplugs, and maybe a few ibuprofen for when their hyperactivity must be released through a less than riveting conversation filled with a zillion different thoughts, interruptions, and topics.
The three primary symptoms of ADHD are inattention/distractibility, impulsivity, and hyperactivity or restlessness, with inattention leading the pack in culprits when it comes to misplacing recipes, burning the turkey, or failing to set the oven timer.
Additionally, those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are very often disorganized, so don't be surprised if the pumpkin pie or green bean casserole might be missing one or more important ingredients.
There are quite a few secondary symptoms of ADHD worth noting. Let me whet your appetite with a few of these for reference sake. Examples would be sleep problems, hopelessness, low self esteem, frustration, loss of motivation, boredom, worry, anxiety, and possibly depression over time.
So what this means is if the turkey is dry due to being left in the oven too long and you realize that the pumpkin pie is short the nutmeg and sugar it might just be best to smile, thank the Smiths for having you over, and silently ease out the door before seconds are served.
Looking for answers
If you happen to be someone with ADHD reading this article, and may be searching for some solutions to prevent a potential holiday disaster, you are in luck because there are a number of steps you can take to make this holiday, or special occasion, go off without a hitch. Let me give you five ideas worth considering.
*Make a list: Lists are perhaps the simplest and best way to avoid a mishap.
*Use a calendar to make sure dates and times don't get confused and place it in clear sight.
*Enlist the help of a friend or family member (hopefully one without ADHD) to help you get organized prior to the big day. Additionally if your ADHD riddled son, daughter, or husband are the only ones available remember beggars can't be choosy and making it a family affair could end up being extremely helpful.
*Planning ahead can help. Planning in advance can really make a big difference especially if you were to wake up on the anticipated day with a particular large imbalance between dopamine and norepinephrine and can't remember where you put your helpful ADHD homeopathic remedy.
*Sticking with it. Sticking with it may be difficult, especially is things start to unravel. Don't let your impulsivity and distractibility make you throw in the kitchen towel just because things may have started to spiral out of control. If you feel overwhelmed don't be afraid to ask for help, remember your guests came because they love and respect you.
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