Month: January 2022

Recognizing Inattentive ADHD: The 5 Most Overlooked Signs and Helpful Tips for Living with Them

distracted school girl looking at pencilInattentive ADHD is one of three types of ADHD (hyperactive-impulsive and combination are the other two types). It is often characterized by difficulties in keeping focused, staying organized and following directions or conversations. These experiences may lead to a sustained pattern of losing things, careless mistakes, and mental fatigue. Unfortunately, these issues are often misunderstood as defiance, lack of comprehension, lower intelligence or laziness. But instead, inattentive ADHD interferes with daily functioning and contributes to increased levels of frustration and lower self-esteem. Therefore, it’s important to be able to recognize signs of inattentive ADHD in a person of any age–kids and teens, for integrated support at an early age, but also adults who remain undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. So let’s dive into understanding the inattentive ADHD diagnosis and experience, with a focus on five easy-to-miss signs and recommended tips to help you live easier with them.

Inattentive ADHD: Understanding the diagnosis

According to the DSM-5, a diagnosis of inattentive ADHD requires 6 or more symptoms of inattention in children up to age 16, and 5 or more symptoms for ages 17 or older. Symptoms such as difficulty listening, staying focused, or remembering things among others must present for 6 months or longer and differ from expected behaviors for peers of the same age. Common symptoms also include dreaminess, forgetfulness and difficulty paying attention to details. These issues must be chronic or long-lasting and not due to a situational influence or “one-off” experiences. Stress, sleep issues, anxiety and depression or other physical illness can all negatively affect attention and need to be ruled out with a professional evaluation before receiving an inattentive ADHD diagnosis.

Inattentive ADHD vs. non-ADHD inattention

seated girl with teacher smiling togetherMany people experience varying amounts of inattention in the course of their lives, but for folks with ADHD, inattention is more severe, lasts longer and negatively impacts their ability to perform well at work or school. It also interferes with how well they function socially, due to missing facial cues or parts of conversations. Because symptoms may change over time, and because there’s a wide range between mild/occasional inattention and a diagnosable issue, some signs of inattentive ADHD are easy to miss. The following are the 5 most overlooked signs of inattentive ADHD, as well as some strategies for managing them.

1. Difficulty completing tasks

Finishing projects, chores or homework often reflects a lack of focus or interest but has nothing at all to do with intelligence, laziness or disobedience. Instead, sticking with a task until it’s completed reflects a true difficulty with attending to the work at hand, quickly reaching brain fatigue. and struggling with goal-oriented persistence. Low motivation for uninteresting tasks creates further obstacles and adds another layer of complication for getting things done.  

TIPS:

These strategies help both children and adults who struggle with sustained focus and perseverance:

  • Try chunking tasks by breaking them down into small pieces. If it’s still difficult to begin or pursue, then the task needs to be even smaller.
  • Establish specific timed work periods with built-in timed breaks based on how long your child (or you) can concentrate before becoming distracted.
  • Identify a preferred order of doing tasks. Is it starting with something easy to get going, then doing the hard thing and finishing with medium one? What tasks or subjects are easy, medium or hard?

2. Forgetfulness

Working memory challenges often result in missed appointments or meetings, turning in work or forgetting to do a chore or run an errands. They also make follow-through more difficult resulting in issues with showing up for school, personal or professional responsibilities. Ashamed and embarrassed, people who wrestle with forgetfulness may be labeled as ‘stupid,’ ‘uncaring’ or ‘irresponsible’ when they struggle with biologically-based problems with recall.

TIPS:

woman at desk with phone, notebook and computer Instead of judging your memory challenges, accept them and engage supports:

  • Use technology tools like alarms, notifications, texting, as well as post-its and to-do lists as reminders.
  • Consider putting a laminated note in a backpack to remind your child or teen of what needs to be there.
  • Use cues such as family calendars or daily responsibility lists/charts to guide kids and trigger their memory for what to do next. This also helps with improving organization and planning. 

3. Spaciness/distractedness

With an inattentive ADHD brain, you are easily pulled to think about something other than the task at hand. This is a common occurrence. Perhaps you get distracted by a “new shiny object,” the snow drifting outside of your window, or squeaking noise of the heater in your office. Your child may drift off into thoughts about lunch or playing a video game during their math exam. This tendency for distractedness makes it tougher to stay on point and complete the activities of daily living, homework or job responsibilities. Plus, many people with inattentive ADHD may process information more slowly than they actually comprehend it, making them feel perpetually behind and overwhelmed. It takes longer to sort through and digest information.

TIPS:

Slow things down and allow extra time for completing tasks:

  • Improve accountability by using lists and reminders. Set alerts or banners to flash across your phone, iPad or computer to help you stay on task (or find an app to do this for you).
  • Practice mindfulness with family (or individual) meditation or yoga to increase awareness about where attention is and where it is not.
  • Create a coping strategy for the return from a mental drift to avoid panic and shame.

4. Trouble listening and/or following directions

two men sitting at a table, talking and pointing at a tabletFollowing instructions or tracking conversations can be tough for many kids and adults with inattentive ADHD. Whether there’s an auditory processing issue, a working memory challenge or information overload, when someone is talking (visual, sensory and sound), it may seem like someone isn’t listening, doesn’t respond appropriately or can’t stay present. They may drift off and then ask “what?” or say ”yes” when no one asked a question. Paying attention in a class or meeting and being expected to take notes simultaneously may seem impossible with words and sentences omitted and replaced by doodles. These are not willful, oppositional behaviors, but rather signs that someone cannot effectively process or retain information.

TIPS:

  • Use “The Rule of 3” when giving instructions to make sure you’ve been heard and understood. Repetition helps information move down the memory line and become imbedded.
  • Set up mandated academic and ADA work supports, such as a note-taker, pre-recorded lectures or written copies of presentations and lessons. This makes listening about hearing what is said instead of adding another task such as writing to it.
  • In a social situation, ask a buddy who understands ADHD and the tendency to drift to help with focus and fill in the gaps about something you missed. 

5. Disorganization

If you lose your keys or misplace a report or homework assignment, you are not alone. Difficulty keeping track of stuff is a frequent indicator of inattentive ADHD. When someone struggles with disorganization, they often feel overwhelmed, embarrassed and confused. Figuring out where to begin the process of categorizing, cleaning and tidying up can seem insurmountable, akin to climbing Mt. Everest.

TIPS:

  • family calendar on wall with remindersFollow my father’s golden rule: Everything has a place. This used to drive me crazy as a kid but now I see the wisdom of his ways. Make a place for things and create organizational systems that you or your child can actually follow. Keep these simple, straightforward and logical to the ADHD brain. It may not make sense to anyone else, and that’s fine!
  • Create regular routines with specific steps for cleaning a bedroom or tidying up the living room, write them down and post them on the refrigerator. Don’t rely on recall/memory to kick in and direct the show.
  • Use incentives to provide motivation if necessary. Consider setting aside a particular time of day or day of the week just for organization, such as an evening clean sweep after dinner or a Saturday morning bedroom clean-up.

Read more blog posts:

Watch on Dr. Saline’s YouTube Channel:

 

MSN – 10 Ways Neurodiverse Folks Can Have Deep, Thoughtful & Easy Conversations With Anyone

“Do you want to learn how to talk to anyone and have better conversations? Do you ever wish that you could pause time, take back something you said, and start over? Would you like to be someone who has quick, interesting comebacks in conversations, instead of thinking of something good to say 10 minutes later. Typical elements of conversation and communication can be tricky for people with ADHD or other neurodivergent individuals. They may interrupt or speak too quickly, space out unintentionally and miss key elements of a conversation, have difficulty processing information, or feel insecure about what they have to say.”

Read the article on MSN! Read the article featured on YourTango. Read the original blog post here.

YourTango – 10 Ways Neurodiverse Folks Can Have Deep, Thoughtful & Easy Conversations With Anyone

“Do you want to learn how to talk to anyone and have better conversations? Do you ever wish that you could pause time, take back something you said, and start over? Would you like to be someone who has quick, interesting comebacks in conversations, instead of thinking of something good to say 10 minutes later Typical elements of conversation and communication can be tricky for people with ADHD or other neurodivergent individuals. They may interrupt or speak too quickly, space out unintentionally and miss key elements of a conversation, have difficulty processing information, or feel insecure about what they have to say.”

Read the article featured on YourTango! Read the original blog post here.

New Year, New Habits, Same ADHD: How to plan for and maintain new habits together, as a family

family of three giving each other a high five on the couchHappy New Year! As we welcome 2022, it’s natural for most people to consider what worked last year and what you’d like to do differently in the months to come. You might be considering how can you reduce work or family stress and improve the ease in daily living. However, many of us have realized that New Year’s Resolutions often fail–because people aim for too much change, set unrealistic expectations about happiness, and/or struggle with how to follow through on their goals. For folks living with ADHD, it’s especially tough to break down goals into achievable chunks and identify necessary steps for meeting them. Fortunately, working together as a family can make a big impact for everyone. Here’s how you can help your family work together to identify, create and maintain meaningful new habits in the year–with collaboration, accountability and encouragement.

New Year, New Habits – But Why?

Small chalkboard that says "don't make resolutions, create habits," next to an apple and dumbbell weight.A New Year’s Resolution isn’t about altering a person’s character; it’s about taking action in a measured way to promote more ease and satisfaction in daily living. Take the time to emphasize this with your family, and focus on changing behaviors rather than criticizing personal flaws. You are working together and modeling that everyone has aspects of their life that can benefit from some tinkering.

ADHD and New Year’s Resolutions

When you add in typical ADHD challenges with time management, organization and planning, well-intentioned hopes for 2022 may dissolve quickly and fade away. New Year’s Resolutions can become another way that people with ADHD feel they ‘don’t measure up.’ This year, do something different: Pick just ONE habit to focus on, and practice self-compassion as you work on it. Allow yourself and your children to stumble and regroup along the way. This is where the strengths that come with being there for each other as a family can really shine through.

Choosing Your Goal: One New Habit

1. Choose a practical time frame

You don’t have to set your goal for the entire year: that may be too long. What about a goal for three months, with a specific date to assess progress? Or would weekly goals foster a better sense of progress?

2. Tap into a ‘growth mindset’

Then, look at your mentality. The process of change relies on having a growth mindset. A growth mindset establishes that being human means living and learning: you will make mistakes, and, instead of berating yourself or your kids for their fumbles, you pause, regroup and tweak what you are doing. It’s this capacity to pivot that encourages us to keep going and keep growing. Habits take time and practice, especially if we are trying to undo something that’s familiar–even if it’s not working.

3. Choose ONE habit to focus on

young girl writing on a family paper calendar Now, look around your life–your house, your job, your relationships, your routines–and select the ONE thing that really triggers you. Ultimately, family goals work best when they are collaborative. Try to choose a goal that matters to your kids or your partner, and make sure it includes something that matters to you for the best result. Choose something about your life that you’d like to see run more smoothly (e.g. family meals or bedtime rituals), result in less conflict (e.g. homework or chores) or help you be your better self (e.g. positive attitude, punctuality or patience). Write this habit down.

4. Collaborate with your family

Next, in a calm moment (maybe after dinner or on a Sunday morning), ask your kids and/or your partner to do the same. Write all of these down, add your own to the list, and then explore any overlap. Perhaps you share a family goal of smoother starts to the day, you want to have more patience, and your teen son wants less nagging. See how various goals could fit together.

5. Fine tune your goals: Be specific

As you examine your joint list, rule out items that seem like fantasy or appear too vague. Make things as specific as possible. For example, being more organized is a great goal, but it isn’t precise enough to lead you or your child to do anything differently. Whereas being more organized with your homework, about your bills, or with your clothes are all more exact and will likely result in more success.

Creating a Game Plan

Having a goal for less yelling is great, but that alone is not linked to action, and is therefore harder to do. What you need to do is identify the situations where yelling occurs, and then break down the contributing factors. Family sitting on the couch, having a meeting and creating plans, with safety gear set on the tableFor instance: If there’s a lot of arguing about ending a video game when screen time is finished, then the issue is stopping something fun and how to shift to something else. – What can you do to give more effective warnings or reminders about the upcoming transition? – What would a logical consequence be for having a meltdown? – How can your child cope with their frustration in a different way? When you identify steps to support these goals, you create concrete actions towards accomplishing them.

Making New Habits Stick: Follow Through & Maintenance

Accountability Teen talking and smiling with two elders, and holding their hands together Create a plan of accountability based on pre-planned, reoccurring family meetings to evaluate progress and make any needed changes. Put these on your calendar in your phone, and on the family schedule too. Steadiness The key to being successful with your ONE new year’s resolution is steadiness. Of course, persistence can be tough for folks with ADHD, so do the best you can. Avoid expectations of perfection, and lean into being ‘good enough’ instead. Rather, practice mindful self-compassion towards yourself, your children or your partner in the midst of ‘efforting’ to change. Encouragement Words of encouragement offer crucial support and stave off defeatist, negative self-talk. Use technology for helpful reminders and prepare to repeat cues for your kids. Don’t give up when it becomes hard or you forget to do it. Instead, recalibrate and start again.

Here’s to a healthier and happier new year for all!

The year 2022 written in fruits, in front of a green background, and text that says "good health and good life."

Read more blog posts:

Watch on Dr. Saline’s YouTube Channel:

Deeper Dive: Resources in Dr. Saline’s Store: https://drsharonsaline.com/product/motivation/ https://drsharonsaline.com/product/home-seminar/