Experts will tell you the diagnosis does matter. It validates struggles, and lets you know what you’re dealing with and how best to approach it. It also, most importantly, opens the door to treatment, which is vital to any improvement.
There are definitely strategies that can help manage the day-to-day and keep your relationship healthy:
In every relationship each party brings strengths and weaknesses, including those without ADHD. Assigning roles based on each party’s strengths will be most successful. For example, I’m the one who handles all the finances and financial decisions and I make the majority of phone calls to take care of things. That’s where my husband struggles most, and where I can do well. My husband handles all home maintenance and repairs, because that’s where he’s very knowledgable. And so forth…
Penny
ADDitude Community Moderator, Author & Mentor on Parenting ADHD, Mom to teen w/ ADHD, LDs, and autism