By Jeff Copper, MBA, PCC, PCAC, CPCC, ACG – March 6, 2023
Research shows that it is not uncommon for those who have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder to also have bipolar disorder. But how do you treat both conditions together? The symptoms of each condition are quite similar to the other and may overlap. Sometimes ADHD is mistaken for bipolar disorder, and bipolar disorder for ADHD. This makes a diagnosis even more difficult for the clinician.
Continue reading “ADHD and Bipolar Disorder: Treatment When You Have Both”
Many with ADHD are stuck applying the obvious solution as if they are the same as everyone else. The bottom line is this: Those who are diagnosed with ADHD have brains that are just wired differently.
Little is known about the impact of ADHD on sex and intimacy. We do know that, when one person in a couple has ADHD, it affects all aspects of the relationship, how they relate to each other, one’s reaction to the other’s behavior, and much more. It can become a ping-pong reaction. It turns from being an individual issue into a couple’s issue because, when one person in the couple has ADHD, they are going to struggle more in daily life, and it can affect their sex life, as well. Having a good sexual relationship is important in helping those couples do better not only romantically, but also so that their married life gets better overall. 
Do you control what you pay attention to? Think about it! On the one hand, we have politicians, marketers, and corporate America all fighting to gain control of what we pay attention to for their own self-serving benefit. On the other hand, we have our pets, friends, parents, kids, and significant others all desperately vying for us to pay attention to them. Let’s face it, paying attention is hard work! It takes effort… and lots of it. 
Athletes who have ADHD often suffer from psychological issues such as depression or anxiety and other emotional challenges that stem from ADHD. These athletes may experience less than ideal performance on the playing field. As an ADHD and attention coach, this topic is significant as I coach sports players who suffer from symptoms of ADHD in their performance, both on the field and off.
Evidence suggests that, with a proper diagnosis and treatment, those with ADHD can live a very fulfilling life. But many people reject or delay seeking a diagnosis out of fear or even disinterest. Also, the love/hate label of ADHD may prevent some from getting a comprehensive evaluation. However, that attitude makes it difficult to treat something if you don’t know what to treat. 
During the COVID pandemic, many people had no recourse but to work from home. Unfortunately, they struggled with getting things done and their productivity declined, perhaps for one simple reason. There’s no one around to take off some of the stress on your working memory. The home environment is much different from the workplace where others are around and are readily available for interaction. So, working at home means you often don’t have an accountability partner. 
We are living in a DIY world. It’s convenient for society if we all conform and do it “their way.” More and more, systems are being created to supposedly make things easier through automation and other technologies, but the user experience is usually not considered. Makers of these systems don’t give enough consideration to what the customer experience is like, and as a result, we end up feeling like we must case manage our day-to-day lives. 
Knowing what works for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is just as important as knowing what does not work. Some of the tactics you use might not be helping. In fact, they might even exacerbate your symptoms. For example, pressure to perform based on other people’s ideas of how you should perform almost always leads to failure because it doesn’t work and it’s detrimental. For those with ADHD, doing things that do not fit their natural way of doing things can often paralyze them at most and at least inhibit their performance.