Succeeding with ADHD

Succeeding with ADHD @GainesK
Succeeding with ADHD
How to use the ADHD brain to your advantage.

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What if
your brain is
faster than
normal?

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During this test you’ll need to keep your own score by
giving yourself one point for each yes.
Sound like too much work? Give yourself a point!
Unofficial ADHD Test

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• This is not intended for diagnosis
• The presenter is not a physician
• References in slide notes
Disclaimer

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If you missed what I just said and plan on using this
test for diagnosis anyway, give yourself a point.

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• Associated with impaired occupational, family, and
relational functioning as well as poor driving skills
• Linked to lower dopamine transporter density (DTD)
• Estimated prevalence of ~11% in children
• Estimated prevalence of ~2-4.4% in adults
• Screening questionnaire available at ADD.org
What is ADHD?

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If you’re thinking I took too long defining ADHD, give
yourself a point.

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Common Presentations:
• Inattentive (previously called ADD)
ADHD Presentations

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Signs:
• Careless Mistakes
• Difficulty Focusing
ADHD Presentations - Inattention

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Give yourself a point for each time you lose track of
what I’m saying.

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• Hyperactive/Impulsive
ADHD Presentations

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Signs:
• Fidgeting
• Restlessness
• Interrupting
ADHD Presentations – Hyperactivity/Impulsivity

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If you pace during phone calls, give yourself a point.

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• Hyperactive/Impulsive
• Combined
ADHD Presentations

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Bonus points if you’re doing something else instead of
paying attention to this presentation.

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• Often linked with genetic variation of the 7-repeat
allele of the DRD4 gene which varies by geography
• May confer evolutionary advantages
Disorder or Neurodiversity?
“Atypical (neurodivergent) neurological development
is a normal human difference that is to be recognized
and respected as any other human variation.”
-Thomas Armstrong, PhD

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Poor Control/Application != Broken

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• John F. Kennedy
• Albert Einstein
• Bill Gates
• Sir Richard Branson
• Paul Orfalea
• Cameron Herold
• Seth Godin
• John Lee Dumas
• David Neeleman
• Michael Jordan
• Michael Phelps
• Justin Timberlake
• James Carville
Successful Individuals with ADHD*
* Not all officially diagnosed

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1. Self Analysis
Steps to Harness Your Brain

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If you think you’re good at self-analysis, give yourself
one point since many people with ADHD are not good
at self-assessment.

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• Handling Crisis Well
• Creativity
• Strong Intuition
• Quick Study
• Less Risk Averse
Beneficial Traits

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ADHD Tendencies
• Extreme focus in some activities
• Easily distracted during other activities
• Prefers working late at night
• Craves stimulation and often restless
• Drive for perfection in most or all endeavors
• Goes overboard on some projects and avoids others
• Routinely avoids commitments or takes on too much

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If you read the list of ADHD tendencies and thought,
“this is just normal,” give yourself three points!

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Tendency – Hyperfocus / Microfocus

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Manifestation
• Moments of deep and intense concentration
• Difficulty regulating one’s attention span

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If you drive like a maniac to get to a job you hate, give
yourself a point.

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Tendency – Stimulation Craving

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Manifestation
• Stimulation craving results in destructive behavior
• Restlessness leads to distraction and inattentiveness

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If you’ve ever considered committing a crime rather
than waiting in line, give yourself a point.

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Tendency – Out of Sight, Out of Mind…and In Sight Too

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Manifestation
• Living in the moment with little focus on the past or future
• Going months without thinking about close friends
• Forgetting to respond to messages despite wanting to
continue the conversation
• Leaving things out so you’ll see them when they are needed

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Tendency – All or Nothing

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Manifestation
• Tend to seek perfection and invest 110% in projects
• Avoid endeavors requiring limited investment

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If you’re known for being a perfectionist in some
things while not minding sloppiness in other areas,
give yourself a point.

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Tendency – Perfectionist Procrastination

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Manifestation
• Compulsive need perfection in most efforts
• Avoids activities where perfection is unattainable

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Give yourself one point for every hobby you’ve picked
up or business you’ve started in the last year to a
maximum of 30 points.

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Give yourself a point for every report card that said:
• below their potential
• can be disruptive
• can’t keep hands to themselves
• very smart, but needs to try harder

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1. Self Analysis
2. Develop Strategies

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Manifestation
• Moments of deep and intense concentration
• Difficulty regulating one’s attention span
Techniques
• Select time and environment to harness focus
• Identify strategies to transition from hyperfocus

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Manifestation
• Stimulation craving results in destructive behavior
• Restlessness leads to distraction and inattentiveness
Techniques
• Select time and environment to limit distractions
• Substitute positive sources of stimulation
• Tie distraction limitations to objective completion

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Can you…like if you want to talk about an exciting idea
that…and you go like three minutes but you’re…and
you never, because you just…you can’t finish
one…because it’s so…and someone that has AD…they
can follow, right? …and they get that’s what you’re
talk…but you never actually finish one single…because
you’re…

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Manifestation
• Living in the moment with little focus on the past or future
• Going weeks or months without thinking about close friends
• Forgetting to respond to messages despite wanting to
continue the conversation
• Leaving things out so you’ll see them when they are needed
Techniques
• Select time and environment to harness focus
• Identify strategies to transition from hyperfocus

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Manifestation
• Tend to seek perfection and invest 110% in projects
• Avoid endeavors requiring limited investment
Techniques
• Micro-moment approach for dreaded tasks
• Use time limits instead of task limits

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Manifestation
• Compulsive need perfection in most efforts
• Avoids activities where perfection is unattainable
Techniques
• Identify impact to determine appropriate effort
• Focus on general analysis with limit on level of detail

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1. Self Analysis
3. Design Structure

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• Adopt a positive mentality
• Eliminate decisions by making them in advance
• Utilize tools to enforce your strategies
Structure Techniques

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If your microwave oven often contains forgotten
coffee, snacks, or meals you were reheating, give
yourself two points!

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Address inattention and impulsivity using:
• List Making
• Scheduling
• Emailing
• Project Planning
• Break Taking
• Outsourcing
Organizational Coping Mechanisms (Skills)
“If I compare my daily output
with that of a normal person,
then I achieve about 150% just
because of what I can compress
into a day…and it’s clearly
because I am totally structured.”

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Do you accomplish dozens of things on your to-do list
every day, but fail to get the things done that matter?

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Does your to-do list include eat breakfast, get dressed,
brush teeth…because you may forget, but mostly
because you love checking things off?

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Do you then avoid brushing your teeth because it’s
boring and takes two whole minutes?

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• Adopt a positive mentality
• Eliminate decisions by making them in advance
• Utilize tools to enforce your strategies
• Modify your habits to encourage positive change
Structure Techniques

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• Habits are made up of a cue, routine, and reward
• Cues fall into five categories
–Location
–Time
–Emotional state
–Other people
–The immediately preceding action
• Anticipation of rewards develop into a craving
How Habits Work

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Do you notice little things that other people miss?

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When you feel the urge for your habit, ask yourself:
• What time is it?
• Where are you?
• Who else is around?
• What did you just do?
• What emotion are you feeling?
Hacking Your Habits – The Cue

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What craving do you think your habit is satisfying?
• Try substituting another reward.
• Try substituting the opposite reward.
• Keep experimenting until you find a substitute.
Hacking Your Habits – The Reward

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Insert a new routine between the cue and reward.
• Write a plan for what you will do when the cue
occurs.
• For example: “When [cue] I will [routine] because it
provides me with [reward].”
• Try it for a week and re-evaluate.
Hacking Your Habits – The Routine

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If you’re starting to fade, give yourself a point…and a
protein bar! We can be enthusiastic, but have trouble
sustaining interest. Protein helps!

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1. Self Analysis
3. Design Structure
4. Incorporate Support

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• Set reasonable goals and avoid perfectionism
• Replace critical self-talk with positive encouragement
• Incorporate rewards for correct behavior
Self Support

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Are you interested, but kind of yawning? Give yourself
a point!

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Falling asleep? Give yourself two points!

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• Seek allies with similar traits
• Inform and involve family, colleagues, and friends
• Explore trading tasks
• Consider professional assistance
External Support

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Sound asleep already? Have someone else give you
three points!

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If you’re still watching but also put on a cat video, give
yourself a point…and maybe buy a cat!

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1. Self Analysis
3. Design Structure
5. Periodically Re-evaluate

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If you were like this your whole life, give yourself three
points!

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If were not like this your whole life, get yourself
checked out for depression, anxiety, thyroid problems,
or ask someone who knew you as a child.
Remember that poor self assessment and memory
problems are common traits.

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Q & A
Review
1. Self Analysis
3. Design Structure
5. Periodically Re-evaluate
References
• Faster Than Normal by Peter Shankman
• The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg
Slides at Kergosien.net

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Succeeding with ADHD

Succeeding with ADHD

Gaines Kergosien

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