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Step Three: Change Your Behavior
Studies show that attention deficit disorder in adults is treated successfully with a combination of medication and behavior therapy. Medication can help with focus, but it's up to you to take advantage of this newfound clarity of mind to develop strategies that will help your life flow more smoothly.
The coping systems that may have gotten you this far—relying on last-minute bursts of energy and adrenaline or putting in twice as much work behind that scenes to complete projects—are hard to sustain when family and work responsibilities begin to mount up.
"External" organization systems—checklists, planners, PDAs, beeping watches or alarms—become a way of life for many with ADHD. Many newly diagnosed adults work with experienced psychologists, psychiatrists, and ADHD coaches to learn other ADD-friendly behavioral, time management, and organizational strategies.
TIP: Cognitive behavioral therapy trains you to change habits, behaviors, and thought-processes, and studies have proven it to be more effective for adults with ADHD than traditional psychotherapy.
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