Newsletter #2: ADHD accident-proneness and a celebrity ADHD diagnosis

Happy February! This is the second issue of ADaptHD’s newsletter, where we highlight 1 scientific study, 1 news article and 1 coping tip each month. If you’re a new subscriber welcome, and if you aren’t a subscriber but want to receive future issues of this newsletter, don’t forget to subscribe!

 

Study of the Month: Accident Proneness and ADHD

If you think that having symptoms of inattention, impulsivity and hyperactivity might put you at higher risk for physical injuries, you’d be right. A study published this month by researchers in Turkey looked for symptoms of ADHD in a sample of 222 children admitted to the emergency room for accidental injury. The startling finding it turned up was that four out of every five children had signs of possible ADHD!

This is the latest in a series of studies suggesting that both children and adults with ADHD are more accident-prone. The dramatic findings highlight yet another reason that diagnosing and managing ADHD is important: physical safety.

 

Article of the Month: Ant McPartlin of Britain’s Got Talent on His ADHD Diagnosis

In 2018, Ant McPartlin was convicted of drunk driving, took a leave from his work, and was subsequently diagnosed with ADHD. McPartlin experienced a pattern that’s familiar to many ADHDers: hit rock bottom, seek mental health treatment, and finally get a long overdue diagnosis.

Unlike most ADHDers, though, McPartlin is a celebrity, so his story was written up in the papers. An article in BBC News chronicles McPartlin’s diagnosis. In it, McPartlin says: “I was so thoroughly examined and diagnosed, I found stuff out about me that I hadn’t addressed in years.”

McPartlin also describes how a style of thinking where he can “jump from one thing to another” has helped him professionally, but hurt him personally. The article is a good reminder that not even fame can prevent the destructive effects of undiagnosed ADHD, but also that a diagnosis offers a turning point and hope.

 

Coping Tip of the Month: Create a Work Environment That Encourages You to Move

For people with ADHD, fidgeting isn’t just an annoying thing we do. It’s a coping mechanism that helps us focus by providing stimulation for our brain. For example, studies have found that children with ADHD perform better on cognitive tasks when they fidget but children without ADHD do not.

Rather than fighting your fidgetiness, try embracing physical movement as something that can help you focus on work. Design a work environment that encourages you to fidget.

Get a standing desk or even a walking desk. Buy a spinny chair or a yoga ball to sit on. And keep accessories like fidget toys or gum to chew on hand. Most importantly, don’t give yourself a hard time for moving around: as ADHDers, we often do our best work when fidgeting!

Image: Flickr/Jim

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