October is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Awareness Month

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD, is a mental health condition that affects children and adults alike.  The condition can have enormous impacts not just on school and work life, but day-to-day quality of life and relationships.  ADHD, much like anxiety and depression, is experienced differently case by case. Some struggle with inattention and difficulty concentrating, others with hyperactive, fidgety behavior, and difficulty staying still. More than 6 million children and approximately 10 million adults are reported to be affected by this condition.

CHADD offers an informative introduction to the condition if you are curious to learn more. We encourage those not previously diagnosed to seek an official clinical diagnosis through your doctor’s office or a licensed mental health professional. 

This month we wanted to highlight some helpful links and resources for adults and children that can help with day-to-day life with ADHD, particularly in light of ongoing isolation and the challenges of remote learning due to COVID-19:

• CHADD has its own page for ADHD awareness month, which will be updated regularly over the month with tools, links to support, videos, and more. It also highlights the condition in the context of COVID-19.
• ADHDawarenessmonth.org also celebrates ADHD awareness month with tips, art, stories, activities, and more.  
• The Child Mind Institute offers an informative article on strategies for helping engage children with ADHD in their schoolwork, focusing on alternating activities, use of positive attention, and structuring.   
• This article from Healthychildren.org discusses empathetic strategies to approach children who struggle with ADHD in the time of COVID-19 and remote learning.   
• ADDitude has an article geared towards adults that discusses how the pandemic can trigger trauma responses in the ADHD mind, and strategies for coping with those responses.   
• This page from reviewed.com highlights 10 apps for computers and phones that can help block distracting applications, such as social media access or games, in order to help focus concentration.  Useful for parents and adults alike!               

As always, reach out to us at the Employee Assistance Program for more information and resources as needed.   Have a safe October.