If you have been diagnosed with ADHD, it can feel overwhelming to try and understand the diagnosis and figure out how to manage the symptoms. Many people are under the impression that the best and only treatment for ADHD is stimulant medication (like Adderall). However, there are many lifestyle and behavioral changes that can be made to help you cope with ADHD.

ADHD symptoms differ from person to person, and what works for one individual may not work for you. Here are some helpful guidelines and ideas to try out as you learn how to best manage ADHD and cope with your individual symptoms.

ADHD is a condition that affects the brain and is characterized by certain patterns of functioning within particular structures in the brain. With the help of extensive research, neuropsychologists have developed a series of tests that assess the functioning of each part of your brain, so we can determine exactly where something is going wrong. These neuropsychological assessment measures involve many questions and tasks that help your psychologist understand your brain's patterns. So, if you have been wondering: “What exactly is the definition of a psychological assessment and what does it entail?” I’m going to break that down for you here.

When most people think of ADHD, they think of hyperactive children who have difficulty focusing on school work. While most diagnoses of ADHD are made in childhood, and the presence of symptoms during development is part of the diagnostic criteria, many people don't receive a diagnosis or treatment until they reach adulthood.

The symptoms of ADHD can place roadblocks between you and your goals and make simple everyday tasks like cooking dinner, paying bills, and keeping up with friends feel like hurdles. If you are having trouble completing tasks at work, getting distracted in conversations, unable to keep up with daily demands, or behaving impulsively, these are signs that you might have ADHD. The good news is, though, that there are strategies you can learn to help you manage your ADHD. But the first step in helping you to lead a more centered and focused life is confirming a diagnosis of ADHD through psychological testing.