How I Cope with ADD and ADHD - 502

Communicating Needs

Chalene Johnson shares her journey of living with ADD, emphasizing the importance of communicating needs kindly and effectively. She highlights the necessity of setting boundaries without appearing indifferent, explaining that clear communication helps prevent misunderstandings and frustrations. Chalene advises that expressing one's mental state with candor and kindness is crucial to avoid being perceived as passive-aggressive or uncaring 1.

If you don't set up those boundaries and if you aren't clearly communicating the state that your mind is in in that moment, and also doing that with candor and kindness, like, you can't be short tempered with people because they're able to multitask.

--- Chalene Johnson

Her personal experiences before and after diagnosis reveal the challenges and coping mechanisms she developed over 45 years 2.

   

Understanding ADD

Chalene reflects on the complexities of ADD and the importance of understanding its various forms. She stresses that there are seven different types of ADD, with only two benefiting from medication, while others may worsen with it 3. This insight underscores the need for personalized treatment and the potential pitfalls of over-prescribing medication.

There are seven different types of attention deficit disorder that really many experts believe. There's only two types of attention deficit disorder which benefit from medication.

--- Chalene Johnson

Chalene advocates for consulting specialists who focus on brain health to ensure effective management of ADD symptoms 2.