Coping with ADHD

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OPEN FOREST

What is it?

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental (brain-based) disorder. It is characterized by an on-going pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity. This is present across multiple settings, such as work and home. Many of the symptoms can look like extreme forms of normal behavior, and lead to significant challenges in daily life.

Although ADHD begins in childhood, it carries through to adulthood approximately 50% to 60% of the time. You may primarily experience symptoms related to inattentiveness, or primarily to hyperactivity/impulsivity. You may also experience symptoms from both categories (inattentiveness and hyperactivity/impulsivity).

Who should attend this self help module?

This self help module helps adults with ADHD to acquire the knowledge and skills to deal better with their symptoms.

The module has also shown to be very helpful for partners and parents to support those diagnosed with ADHD.

How to get started?

This course comprises of two separate programs that you will complete at the same time.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) program

The first program is a traditional Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) program, which will help you to identify and change thoughts, feelings, beliefs, attitudes and behaviours that are unhealthy or problematic.

Negative thoughts and feelings alone do not cause ADHD-related difficulties. However if you have grown up having ADHD it’s likely that you have a history of struggling with certain tasks. This can lead to avoidance and a pessimistic outlook, for example, thinking, “I can’t do this, so I won’t even try”. This creates a ‘double whammy’ and makes it even harder to succeed, due to both the ADHD-related deficits and low motivation.

Each CBT session in the traditional CBT programme includes an exercise, and will take approximately one hour to complete. The sessions are as follows:

  • Session 1 – Formulating Long-Term Goals
  • Session 2 – Identifying and Exploring Unhealthy or Problematic Behaviours
  • Session 3 – Identifying and Exploring Unhealthy or Problematic Thoughts,
  • Feelings and Emotions
  • Session 4 – Identifying and Exploring Automatic Negative Thoughts (ANTs)
  • Session 5 – Challenge automatic negative thoughts (ANTS)
  • Session 6 – Activity Plan
  • Session 7 – Reinforcement of Better Attitudes
  • Session 8 – Evaluating Goals and Wrap Up

Skill Development track

The second program is the Skill Development track that is incorporated as an exercise in every main session. Many adults with ADHD do not struggle because of a lack of knowledge about what they should be doing. They struggle with actually doing it. This programme focuses on practical strategies for coping with ADHD. It addresses the most common difficulties faced by adults with ADHD. Therefore, you may find that not all strategies are as relevant to you. You may also choose to tweak them over time in order to fit your personal preferences.

Each Skill Development track includes practical strategies for implementation that week. The exercises are:

  • Session 1 – Getting to Bed, Getting Up and Getting to Work on Time
  • Session 2 – Mastering Time
  • Session 3 – Using a Planner
  • Session 4 – Getting Organised
  • Session 5 – Maintaining an Organisational System
  • Session 6 – Reflective Activity Planner
  • Session 7 – Activation and Motivation
  • Session 8 – Looking to the Future

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How can I enroll?

Access to our self help modules is subscription based. You can choose between 1, 3 and 6 month subscriptions. Most people choose a three month subscription, as the ADHD module takes about 8 weeks to complete. This gives you some time to space out the modules – something we really encourage, as the more time you take to practice in “real life” the skills you acquire in these modules, the better!

Just go to: https://openforest.net/courses/adhd/ for more information on how to enroll.

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https://openforest.net/courses/adhd/