ADHD is Awesome: A Guide to (Mostly) Thriving with ADHD

ADHD is Awesome: A Guide to (Mostly) Thriving with ADHD

Penn Holderness, Kim Holderness

4.25(6923 readers)
Hi, friend! Welcome to the ADHD club.

You're here because, like me, you've been diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder—which, by the way, just might be the worst name for a condition ever—and you're trying to figure out how to make your life a little more manageable. Or because, like my wife, Kim, you love, teach, or work with someone who has ADHD, and you're trying to figure out how to best support them.

The world isn't built for ADHDers, and navigating it can wear us down. But we'll let you in on a little secret: having ADHD doesn't have to be a burden. It can actually be a superpower that propels you to creative heights and allows you to achieve more than you ever thought possible.

We want to give you a new perspective on ADHD, whether it's your own brain or a friend or family member's that you're trying to understand. We hope you come away with strategies you can employ to make things a little easier. (We also hope you laugh out loud, at least once or twice.)

Most of all, we want you to silence that voice that whispers that you're broken or a mess or a failure. None of that is true. You have ADHD—and that makes you awesome.

—Penn Holderness

Publisher

Harper Horizon

Publication Date

4/30/2024

ISBN

9781400338610

Pages

292

Categories

Life & LeisureEducationProfessional Skills

Questions & Answers

The book "ADHD Is Awesome" redefines the ADHD narrative by emphasizing empowerment and understanding over stigma. It challenges the negative stereotypes of ADHD, portraying it not as a "disorder" but as a unique way of thinking with strengths and challenges. The authors, Penn and Kim Holderness, share their personal experiences with ADHD, highlighting both its difficulties and the creative, energetic, and empathetic qualities it brings. By focusing on the positive aspects of ADHD, the book encourages readers to embrace their diagnosis and harness their unique strengths. It also provides practical strategies for managing ADHD symptoms and improving daily life, fostering a sense of self-acceptance and hope. This shift in perspective helps to dismantle stigma and promotes a more compassionate understanding of ADHD.

The authors of "ADHD Is Awesome" highlight several key insights into the ADHD brain and its functioning:

  1. Executive Function Challenges: The frontal lobe, responsible for executive functions like prioritizing, planning, and impulse control, is often underdeveloped in individuals with ADHD. This leads to difficulties in regulating behavior, attention, and emotions.

  2. Dopamine and Stimulation: ADHD brains have a higher need for dopamine, the "feel-good hormone," leading to a constant search for new experiences and challenges. This can manifest as impulsive actions, restlessness, and difficulty focusing.

  3. Time Perception: ADHD brains often struggle with time perception, leading to difficulties with planning and meeting deadlines. The focus is often on immediate rewards and consequences, rather than long-term goals.

  4. Emotional Intensity: Individuals with ADHD often experience intense emotions, which can change rapidly. This can make managing emotions and reactions challenging.

Understanding these insights helps readers recognize patterns in their own experiences or those of loved ones with ADHD. It emphasizes that ADHD is a neurodiversity, not a deficit, and encourages embracing the unique strengths and challenges that come with it. By understanding the brain's workings, readers can develop strategies to manage symptoms and leverage their unique abilities.

The book advocates for self-compassion and radical acceptance as crucial for managing ADHD by emphasizing the importance of understanding and embracing one's unique brain. It argues that ADHD is a neurodivergence, not a personal flaw, and encourages readers to view their ADHD as a part of their identity with both strengths and challenges.

To foster self-compassion and radical acceptance, the book offers practical strategies:

  1. Tweak self-talk: Replace negative thoughts with affirmations that acknowledge ADHD as a part of who you are but not the entirety of your identity.
  2. Accept your differences: Embrace the uniqueness of your brain and understand that your strengths and challenges are valid and valuable.
  3. Compare leads to despair: Focus on your own strengths and abilities rather than comparing yourself to others.
  4. Design your own life: Acknowledge that you may need to create a life that accommodates your ADHD brain, rather than trying to fit into traditional molds.
  5. Seek support: Build a network of understanding people who can provide support and guidance.
  6. Practice mindfulness and meditation: These practices can help manage stress and improve emotional regulation.
  7. Use ADHD hacks: Implement strategies and tools that help manage symptoms and improve productivity.

By adopting these attitudes and strategies, the book suggests that individuals with ADHD can learn to thrive and harness their unique strengths.

The book identifies several "upsides" of having ADHD, emphasizing its potential for creativity, energy, and adaptability. The authors encourage readers to leverage these strengths by:

  1. Embracing Your Identity: They advocate for accepting and owning the ADHD diagnosis, moving from denial to appreciation of the unique brain structure.
  2. Building on Strengths: They highlight ADHD's strengths like curiosity, risk-taking, and adaptability, suggesting that these traits can be advantageous in various careers and life situations.
  3. Creating a Supportive Environment: They recommend finding a job or environment that aligns with your ADHD brain's natural flow, allowing for creativity and innovation.
  4. Personal Development: They suggest focusing on self-compassion, radical acceptance, and personal growth to harness ADHD's potential.
  5. Professional Success: They advise choosing treatments and strategies that work best for you, emphasizing the importance of medication, therapy, and lifestyle adjustments.

By embracing these strategies, the authors believe individuals with ADHD can thrive both personally and professionally.

The book "ADHD Is Awesome" offers actionable advice for thriving with ADHD by focusing on practical strategies and techniques. It suggests managing daily routines through checklists and visual reminders to reinforce neural pathways. To control the environment, it advises minimizing distractions and creating a structured space. For productivity, the book emphasizes the importance of exercise, nutrition, and medication to regulate the brain. It also encourages using rewards to motivate and meditation to manage stress. Additionally, the book advocates for self-compassion and understanding, helping individuals with ADHD to embrace their unique strengths and manage challenges effectively.

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