If you’ve recently been diagnosed with ADHD, there’s hope – with ongoing treatment, many people have been able to manage their symptoms and live a more comfortable life.
Our ADHD specialists can help you identify which treatment options are best suited for you. Until then, they provide tips and advice on how to manage ADHD post-diagnosis, with or without medication. Read below:
Life Post ADHD Diagnosis - Managing Your Symptoms With Medication
One of the most common treatments for ADHD (especially when it comes with focus difficulties, impulse control, or hyperactivity) is medication.
However, finding the right medication and dosage for you is often a process of trial and error. At PrivateADHD.co.uk, your specialist will test out an initial dosage and adjust it accordingly, checking in with you periodically to see how you respond. Some patients will benefit from short-acting medication while others will require long-acting medication – it all depends on your own symptoms and severity.
Should I Choose Therapy Or Medication?
The short answer is: we recommend a joint treatment of both therapy and medication. Therapy can help you develop coping mechanisms, while medication can help regulate some of the symptoms, allowing you to “maximise” what you get out of therapy.
How To Manage ADHD Without Medication
Psychological Therapy
We recommend some degree of psychological therapy, such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), ADHD coaching, or ADHD mentoring, to all newly diagnosed adults.
Patients we’ve diagnosed often report dealing with a whole new range of emotions – thoughts such as “what if I had been diagnosed younger” and “what could have been” become normal, almost like grieving the “better life” they could have had. It’s also often that we see this leading to lots of low self-esteem, frustration, and even anger.
Therapy can provide the safe space you need to explore these emotions. It can help you process your past struggles and understand that these challenges were due to neurological reasons and not personal failures.
On top of that, therapy can also help you develop actual coping strategies tailored to your specific challenges. Whether you struggle with time management, procrastination, impulsivity, or emotional outbursts, a neurodivergence-focused therapist can help you develop healthy habits that work with your brain. If you also struggle with addictions, mood swings, and sleep issues, therapy is the best way to unpack them, understand their causes, and manage them.
Note: When choosing a therapist, it’s important to choose someone with professional experience of ADHD. Interview different specialists and ask questions about their experience with ADHD adults, so you can find someone suited to your individual needs. |
Learn about ADHD
An ADHD diagnosis is not just a medical document – it can mean rewriting your whole life’s story.
Right after a diagnosis, we recommend taking the time to learn more about what ADHD is, from a neurological perspective. This means learning more about executive function, dopamine, and impulse control, all the things that can affect the way your brain works. This way, you can gain a new perspective on past experiences and switch from self-blame to understanding and acceptance of your brain’s unique functioning.
Understanding the ways ADHD manifests for you also allows for implementing tailored, effective strategies in therapy, improving your daily functioning and relationships.
Explore Coping Strategies
From daily to-do lists to using alarms and reminders, there are many things you can do to manage your ADHD symptoms. Here are some common tips ADHD patients have reported as useful in their own day-to-day life:
- Turning off notifications, or checking messages only at set times during the day
- Using noise-cancelling headphones when in busy or loud environments
- Working in quiet spaces
- Listening to music while working (research also shows that music can help the ADHD brain stay on a linear path and not lose focus)
- Adjusting your work schedule – start work earlier in the day or later, depending on your needs
- Keeping a clean desk, free of clutter and distractions
Some strategies will work for you while others won’t. It’s important to experiment and find the ones that improve your daily life, and make a conscious effort to incorporate them into your routines.
Build An Environment Tailored To Your Strengths
Some people have found that, in the right environment (whether that’s for work or other activities), they can thrive even with minimal treatment. For example, working in fast-paced or dynamic environments allows them to stay focused on their tasks. Others find themselves excelling in places where flexibility, quick thinking, and adaptability are essential
This won’t happen overnight, but it is still worth exploring different adjustments to your environment to make work more suited to your needs.
Talk To Loved Ones For Support
In this challenging time, it’s important to allow yourself to rely on others for support as well. Tell those closest to you about your diagnosis and your symptoms, so that they can be supportive and understanding when they manifest.
Be Kind To Yourself
Last but not least, the biggest shift post-diagnosis should come in how you treat yourself.
Instead of blaming yourself for your shortcomings, acknowledge that ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition and that your symptoms, while present, are not a “character flaw” but a result of this condition.
Also, remember that the goal is not to “fix” yourself to fit into a neurotypical world, but to build a life that works with your brain’s unique, creative, and sometimes chaotic style. Progress is rarely linear, so be patient with yourself as you learn to manage your ADHD.
Not diagnosed yet but showing symptoms? With over 100 five-star reviews, thousands of patients helped, and affordable, transparent pricing starting from £595, PrivateADHD.co.uk is trusted nationwide to deliver an accurate, fast, and NHS-approved ADHD assessment process. Take the next step today: Book your private ADHD assessment and gain the clarity, confidence, and personalised support you deserve. |
