HOW HELPFUL IS AN ADHD DIAGNOSIS AS A YOUNG ADULT?

By Faigy Liebermann, AACC, PCAC, ACC

These skills don’t come easily to people with ADHD. Lagging executive function skills such as organizational problems, impulsivity, and time management issues DO YOU THINK YOU MIGHT HAVE ATTENTION-DEFICIT/HYPERACare the hallmarks of this diagnosis. Students with ADHD can’t fall back on these skills since TIVITY DISORDER (ADHD)? IF SO, HERE’S WHY YOU SHOULD SERI- they are the skills they are weakest in. They OUSLY CONSIDER GETTING AN OFFICIAL ADHD DIAGNOSIS. need specialist tools to develop these skills. ADHD treatment is pills and skills. You need both to live your successful life. A diagnosis opens the doors for treatment. Getting an ADHD diagnosis gives you access to and funding for specialist help in the above areas, so you can connect with coaches who can teach you these vital skills. It can also enable you and your family to accept yourself for who you are. Your ADHD does not define who you are; it is simply another feature of your unique personality. A diagnosis turns your “whys” into “whats.”

ADHD affects every single area of life. Read that sentence again.

Let’s first focus on the top four qualities every successful student needs to possess to succeed at college: 1. Sticking with things even when the going gets tough (perseverance) 2. Time management and organizational skills 3. Striking the right balance between fun and work 4. The ability to delay gratification and focus on the big picture

Here is the good news: I have seen in my over 15 years of experience working with students and teens with ADHD that they are often very gifted.

Here is the bad news: They often need help in certain areas due to their brain wiring, which is different to those who are neurotypical. If you have ADHD, your talents are not contained within the vessel of healthy executive function skills (life skills), and your gifts will likely go to waste if not cultivated in a way that works for you…

Getting yourself diagnosed stops the guilt. Getting yourself diagnosed stops the shame and self-blame. You are not lazy. You are not stupid. You just have ADHD, and parts of your brain work differently. Your ADHD is separate to who you are.

If you are a student in college or university and haven’t got a proper diagnosis, NOW is the time to get it. Many colleges and universities offer help and additional funding for those with extra needs and diagnosed learning challenges. Use the resources you have available to help you.

It’s crucial to get the help now in the form of learning specific study skills.

Go and find a specially trained and qualified ADHD coach who will guide you with executive function, organizational, and time management skills unique to your brain. It will make a world of difference to your studying lifestyle. I’ve seen too many college students who haven’t had the help they needed become dropouts and go south very quickly. Although learning these skills will do a world of difference, they very often need to be accompanied by pills. Medication compensates for the biological problems at the root of your ADHD. It may take you some time to find the right medication and correct dose but keep on trying until you do. Each case, of course, must be judged on its own merits, and everyone reacts differently to medication. You may need to try out several different types and brands until you find one that works for you.

There are still far too many people in the UK and the USA who are falling through the cracks and not accessing diagnosis and treatment. Many of my clients have children with ADHD. They are often hesitant to give meds to their child or teen. My experience has shown that medication can be massively powerful in helping students focus and get through school.

Consider the following question carefully: You have only one life to live. Why should you live a more difficult life just because you have ADHD?

There are tools out there to help you with your unique challenges. Educate yourself about the many myths and overcome the stigma. If you are a student, you owe it to yourself, your family, and anyone who makes your acquaintance to be the best version of yourself.

If you are a parent of a child whom you suspect has ADHD, you owe it to your child and your future grandchildren to get them diagnosed and pursue the help they need to succeed in life.

I am Faigy Liebermann, AACC, PCAC, ACC, a pioneer, trailblazer, and a visionary disrupter. I bravely challenge current misconceptions around ADHD and ADHD management. I am an ADHD coach and a professional trainer. Through my daily struggles and training, I have created rock-solid tools, guiding my clients to live successful lives. As a mother to five children and having struggled with ADHD myself, I have a unique understanding of the challenges and strengths of ADHD. I am proof to women worldwide they can live a successful life with ADHD. In the last five years, I have done more to educate and raise ADHD awareness in the UK than any other coach. I have authored three books about ADHD, one of which is a book series for ADHD women titled Banish Your Overwhelm. There are currently two more books in the pipeline. I founded my coaching practice, Focus with Faigy, in 2015. As the first ADHD coach to achieve PAAC certification on the PCAC level in the UK, I am setting the gold standard in ADHD coaching in the UK. I am a staunch advocate for ADHD women in the UK and worldwide, providing my clients with rock solid, proven ADHD skills to unlock their potential. Websites: https://focuswithfaigy.com/, https://www.organisepro.com/