Key Takeaways
- If you’re living with ADHD, certain coping tools can help you thrive at home, work, and school.
- Practicing mindfulness, increasing self-awareness, building community, stimming, and optimizing your environment are just a few techniques that can help you manage ADHD symptoms.
- Sometimes, people with ADHD need professional help in addition to individual coping strategies. This might include therapy, self-care, skills training, lifestyle changes, and/or medication.
Like other forms of neurodiversity, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can come with superpowers. It can inspire creative solutions and help you see the world through a unique lens. But, in addition to these positive attributes, the differences brought about by ADHD can also create some challenges.
Struggles with executive functioning can make it difficult to thrive in a world largely designed for neurotypical people. But fortunately, ADHD coping mechanisms can help you manage your symptoms and capitalize on your strengths. While some people may benefit from professional support, having some self-help skills in your tool kit can help you thrive with ADHD.
Five ways to cope with your ADHD symptoms
As you review the evidence-based ADHD coping strategies listed below, keep in mind that ADHD affects different people in different ways. Some of these approaches may not be a fit for you, and that’s OK. What’s most important is creating a set of coping skills that works for you.
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1. Practice mindfulness
Mindfulness is a practice that involves slowing down to notice what’s happening in your mind, body, and environment without judging what comes up. It typically includes activities like journaling, body scans, breathing exercises, or gentle movement.
But it’s also something you can do on your own whenever you have a few quiet moments to yourself. Research shows that mindfulness can help improve executive function, emotional regulation, academic performance, cognition, and quality of life for people living with ADHD.
2. Find your community
People with ADHD often experience loneliness and low self-esteem. This can be due to a variety of factors, like struggling to “fit in” in the neurotypical world or facing the effects of stigma. One way to combat these challenges is to surround yourself with supportive neurodivergent people.
For example, joining an ADHD support group (either in person or online) can help you feel more connected and less alone. Surrounding yourself with people who have traveled a similar path can help you see your experiences in a new light and cultivate self-compassion.
3. Increase self-awareness
People with ADHD often have shared symptoms, like inattentiveness, procrastination, disorganization, or hyperactivity. But that doesn’t mean that having ADHD is a universal experience.
Gaining insight about your unique triggers, how you respond to stress, and the coping mechanisms that work for you can help you address your symptoms before they escalate. This can be especially helpful in preventing and managing the emotional and cognitive overwhelm that often accompanies ADHD.
4. Check your environment
If it’s difficult for you to stay organized and pay attention during tasks, consider how your environment might be affecting your focus and productivity. While most physical spaces aren’t designed with neurodivergent people in mind, you may be able to take some steps to reduce distractions.
For example, you can create a calmer environment by having softer lighting, setting a comfortable room temperature, reducing visual clutter, or using noise-cancelling headphones. It can also help to mute phone or computer notifications, close unused browser tabs, or use focus apps during work or study time.
5. Try stimming
Self-stimulatory behavior, or stimming, is a coping strategy often used by people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and/or ADHD. These repetitive motions or vocalizations can help with focus, emotional regulation, learning, self-soothing, and energy release. And sometimes, they can just be for fun.
Some examples of safe stimming include toe tapping, making repeated sounds, rocking back and forth, rearranging objects, running hands over surfaces, or using a fidget device.
What to do when self-help isn’t enough
If you’ve tried to manage your ADHD through self-help but your symptoms aren’t improving, it might be time to seek additional support. While ADHD is often thought of as a childhood condition, it can affect people of all ages. In fact, many adults with ADHD aren’t diagnosed until later in life.
The first step in accessing ADHD support is to receive an evaluation from a medical provider or mental health professional. This might include completing some questionnaires, talking about your health history, and sharing how your symptoms have affected your life. Your provider can use a combination of your feedback, their observations, supporting documentation (like medical or mental health records), and a formal assessment to determine if you’re living with ADHD.
Once your provider makes an ADHD diagnosis, you’ll work together to create a treatment plan to help you meet your goals. While ADHD treatment will be based on your unique strengths and challenges, it may involve a combination of therapy, skills training, lifestyle changes, and/or medication.
I’ve noticed that coping strategies that match a person’s unique strengths and daily routines tend to work best. When tools feel natural and fit into someone’s lifestyle — like using visual reminders for a visual thinker or movement breaks for someone who needs physical activity — they’re easier to stick with and more effective over time.
Find care with Rula
Living with ADHD can sometimes feel like a balancing act. On the one hand, it can increase your energy and creativity and make you a more compassionate person. But it can also involve some challenges. People with ADHD often struggle with focus, emotional regulation, and other executive functions.
Fortunately, there are coping strategies that can help. Practicing mindfulness, increasing self-awareness, and building community are just a few things that can help you thrive as a person with ADHD. And if you need additional support, talking to a therapist can help.
At Rula, we’re committed to delivering a comprehensive behavioral health experience that helps people feel seen and understood so they can get back to feeling their best.
Rula makes it easier to find a licensed therapist or psychiatric provider who accepts your insurance so you don’t have to choose between affordable care and excellent care. With a diverse network of more than 15,000 providers, 24/7 crisis support, and appointments available as soon as tomorrow, we’re here to help you make progress — wherever you are on your mental health journey.
About the author
Liz Talago
Liz Talago, M.ed. is a mental health professional turned content writer and strategist based in the Detroit metro area. As an independent consultant for mental health organizations, Liz creates meaningful connections between brands and their audiences through strategic storytelling. Liz is known for championing diverse perspectives within the mental health industry and translating bold ideas into inspiring, affirming digital experiences.
In her free time, you can find her hiking with her two German Shepherds, puttering around her dahlia garden, or spending time with her family.
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