By Jeff Copper, MBA, PCC, PCAC, CPCC, ACG – December 9, 2024
How can you successfully navigate a ship if you don’t know its current position, the course it’s set on, or the obstacles in its path? Similarly, understanding the stress and anxiety that come with ADHD is the first step toward managing ADHD effectively. Today, we are looking into this crucial aspect of our ADHD lives, because, first of all, it’s essential to understand what we’re dealing with.
Let’s start by distinguishing between these three concepts. Stress is like the weight on your shoulders when you’re dealing with challenging situations. Anxiety, on the other hand, is that persistent feeling of unease or worry that often lurks in the background. Then, you have the daily hassles… those smaller, but sometimes impactful, irritations we encounter every day. Knowing these differences helps us tailor our responses appropriately. With ADHD, that’s often a very challenging task.
We also need to differentiate between anticipation and actual events. How you prepare for and react to a situation can vary greatly depending on whether you’re anticipating it or if it’s happening right now. Recognizing this distinction can significantly affect how you manage stress and anxiety. Stress can manifest differently depending on factors like the physical, biological, cognitive, or emotional aspects of your life. Understanding these perspectives can provide valuable insights into your personal experience with stress and anxiety.
To explore techniques to gain control and find peace amidst stress and anxiety, I interviewed Dr. Blythe Corbett from Vanderbilt University to share her expertise on the subject. Dr. Corbett articulated that stress and anxiety are typically used to describe everyday annoyances. It refers to actual physiological or biological responses or reactions. And there are tools available to manage these responses that can be your lifeline when you’re feeling overwhelmed.
Whether you have ADHD or not, if you’re dealing with stress or anxiety, please listen to the podcast on Attention Talk Radio: “ADHD: Stress and Anxiety in a Context We Can All Understand,” at http://tobtr.com/5198211. Hear some valuable insights and practical tips on managing stress, anxiety, and daily hassles to navigate these challenges effectively.