Transitioning to Adulthood TIPS FOR LIVING WITH ATTENTION-DEFICIT/HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER

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Bennett Jordan
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1 Transitioning to Adulthood TIPS FOR LIVING WITH ATTENTION-DEFICIT/HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER

2 ADHD & Adulthood When you leave high school, you may decide to start college or enter the workforce. No matter what path you choose, you will eventually begin to live more independently and assume adult responsibilities like keeping a schedule and making decisions about managing your Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). This guide was developed to help young adults with ADHD prepare for the transition to adulthood. Be sure to talk with a health care professional if you have any questions about ADHD. For more information visit 2 3

Managing ADHD After High School You will face new opportunities and choices after high school. You might also leave behind support and structure that helped you manage your ADHD in the past.

3 Managing ADHD After High School You will face new opportunities and choices after high school. You might also leave behind support and structure that helped you manage your ADHD in the past. One important way to prepare for this transition is to evaluate your ADHD management plan. Here are things to consider: Talk with your doctor about your ADHD treatment plan. During this time of change, it is especially important to periodically meet with your doctor to assess your total treatment plan. Your doctor is the best resource for advising you about your ADHD management plan. Consider transitioning your medical care. If you are starting college, consider whether you will ask your doctor to keep you on as a patient while you are in school or use college health services (sometimes with your doctor s assistance). Or you may decide to transfer completely to an adult-treating doctor. Ask your doctor about behavior therapy, coaching, and other support. Behavior therapy, or behavior modification, is often part of an ADHD management plan. Behavior therapy can help to increase positive behaviors and decrease the frequency of negative behaviors, thoughts, and feelings that can sometimes occur with ADHD. Psychologists, therapists, and coaches can help you set goals and develop behaviors that may assist you. If behavior therapy is not yet part of your treatment plan, ask your doctor if it is right for you. Ask your doctor if now is the right time to evaluate your ADHD medication. If your doctor prescribed ADHD medication as part of your treatment plan, he or she may periodically evaluate: If the medication is working If the dose is right for you If you are experiencing any side effects If the medication is still needed Height, weight, blood pressure, pulse, and other health measures If you have stopped or are considering stopping your medication, be sure to discuss this with your doctor. You should not stop your medication or change the dose unless your doctor tells you to. Your doctor is your best resource for advising you, evaluating your ADHD symptoms, and addressing any concerns you may have. 4 5

4 Transitioning to Adult Life ADHD symptoms may cause challenges at work, at school, or in social settings. No matter what path you take after high school, consider these strategies for making the transition to adult life. l. Work ADHD can impact people at work, where many of the structures and support you may have had at school don t exist. Here are suggestions for transitioning to the workforce and meeting expectations while you re there: Finding a job Consider your interests and what you value most (such as helping others, getting recognition, making a lot of money, meeting interesting people). Know your strengths and weaknesses or take a test to assess them. Use career counseling and resources through your school. Practice organizational skills during your job search use a calendar to record appointments and a simple system to store contact information. When applying for a job, ask potential employers about the interview process. Organizing and planning Keep checklists for complex tasks. Use a tape recorder or take notes at meetings. Use memory triggers such as a bulletin board or a reminder list. Use a calendar or planner for keeping track of tasks and events. Write notes on sticky pads and put them where you can easily see them. Time management Break down large projects into more manageable smaller portions, with due dates for each part. Reward yourself for achieving deadline goals. Set alarms as reminders on your smart phone, watch, or digital calendar. Set your digital calendar to sound an alert 5 minutes before every meeting. To avoid overscheduling, overestimate how long each task or meeting will take. Limiting distractions Do one task at a time. Do not start a new task until the current one is completed. Use earphones, soothing music, or other sounds to drown out distracting noises. Work in an uncluttered space where distractions are few, such as a conference room. Send phone calls directly to voice mail, and respond to them at the same time every day. Write ideas in a notebook to avoid interruption of the task you are currently doing. Keep a list of ideas that you get during meetings so that you can talk about them more effectively. For information about talking to your employer about your ADHD, visit 6 7

II. Social Activities ADHD can sometimes make social situations challenging. You may sometimes blurt out things without thinking first, or have trouble keeping up and focusing on conversations.

Practice active listening. Pay very close attention to what others are saying before you join the conversation. Role-play.

5 II. Social Activities ADHD can sometimes make social situations challenging. You may sometimes blurt out things without thinking first, or have trouble keeping up and focusing on conversations. These tips may help you in social settings: Wait before speaking. Before speaking or acting, pause for 10 seconds to make sure that what you want to say or do is a good idea. Practice active listening. Pay very close attention to what others are saying before you join the conversation. Role-play. Ask your friends, therapist, ADHD coach, or teachers to help you practice conversational skills, including how to ask questions correctly. Repeat to remember. Try repeating important information that someone shares with you to make sure that you heard it correctly. Practice one skill at a time. Working on one social skill at a time can allow you to master each one before moving on to the next. 8 9

Choosing a college entrance test: SAT or ACT Two of the most widely known college entrance exams in the US are the SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) and the ACT (American College Testing).

6 Transitioning to Higher Education l. College Testing If you plan to attend college, here are some suggestions for preparing for entrance testing, searching for and applying to schools, and transitioning to life at your new school. Choosing a college entrance test: SAT or ACT Two of the most widely known college entrance exams in the US are the SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) and the ACT (American College Testing). Before choosing an exam, you may want to: Confirm whether the colleges you are applying to require one test over another. Compare the tests and consider which testing model would emphasize your strengths. Ask advice from your guidance counselor, teachers, and/or ADHD coach. Preparing for the SAT or ACT Consider accommodations. Will you need them? See examples to the right and learn more at or Prepare for accommodations. If you need college testing accommodations, confirm ahead of time that your Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or 504 plan and your ADHD evaluation meet the SAT s or ACT s requirements for documentation. Check guidelines for accommodation requests at or Take the PSAT or PLAN, the pretests for the SAT and ACT, and use the results to help decide how to best prepare for the SAT or ACT. Study regularly, perhaps with a formal prep class, practice tests, a tutor, or an online program. It might help to have a study schedule or a plan for studying different sections. College Testing Accommodations * Examples of accommodations that may be available: Testing over multiple days Additional or longer break times Small group setting or private room Use of a computer for the essay portion * This is not a complete list

7 II. College Search Finding a school that s right for you Take time to consider yourself, your ADHD, and your priorities before you look at colleges. Use this information to guide your search: You What are your interests? Which high school classes were you most interested in? What are your strengths? What are you really good at? What major might you want to pursue in college? What might you really want to do after college? Your ADHD What are your academic and social challenges? How much assistance or support did you use in high school? How much support do you wish you had? What type of support might you want in college? What strategies or structures help you manage your ADHD? Your priorities Consider your top priorities in a school, such as: Program of study Learning support Affordability Location and size Extracurricular activities Student body Housing Applying to schools Simplify the application process with these strategies: Use a master calendar. Deadlines vary among schools. Mark all application deadlines on a master calendar or app. Create application checklists. Even colleges with online applications will require some materials by mail. Make a checklist, attach it to each school s application, and check off items as they are completed. Make an assembly line. Complete the same step for each application one after the other. For example, you can probably reuse parts of the same essay for some applications. Some Resources for Students With ADHD Guides for students with ADHD The K&W Guide to College Programs & Services for Students with Learning Disabilities or AD/HD Peterson s Colleges With Programs for Students With Learning Disabilities or Attention Deficit Disorders Colleges for students with learning disabilities, ADHD, or other learning differences Beacon College, Leesburg, FL Landmark College, Putney, VT ADHD scholarships Moulton-Farnsworth Scholarship Novotni Scholarship Michael Yasick ADHD Scholarship by Shire 12 13

8 lll. Starting College Higher education can bring you more freedom, less structure, and significant time demands. Here are some suggestions for making the transition: Setting up support Many colleges provide learning support, but offerings can vary widely. Check to see if the college provides at least the same level of support as you received in high school. Here are examples of services and accommodations that may be available: early registration, extended time for testing, note takers, time management assistance, subject matter tutoring, use of audio recorders. Learn more about the college s learning support offerings by contacting the Office of Student Disability Services. It may also be referred to as Student Support Services, Services to Students with Disabilities, Disability Services Office, or Resources for Disabled Students. Scheduling courses Consider working with an advisor to help in choosing classes and developing a schedule. For instance, if you are less alert in the morning, you may want to avoid classes that meet early in the day. Connecting with professors Introducing yourself and going to office hours with professors can show that you have an interest in the class and in doing well. You may also ask professors to review assignments before turning them in, and request suggestions on how to improve grades or earn extra credit. Knowing your learning style Observe and understand how you learn best and work with it. If you learn best by listening to spoken instructions, you may want to use a recorder to capture class lectures and take reading notes, or join a study group to quiz each other aloud. If you are a visual learner, you may find the use of diagrams and colored highlighters can help to call out and remember key facts. Using time management tools and strategies Weekly and daily planners can help with keeping track of short- and long-term schedules. Consider copying deadlines and test dates into a calendar or planner soon after receiving the syllabus. Large assignments may be more easily completed when broken down into smaller parts with separate deadlines. The Michael Yasick ADHD Scholarship by Shire The Michael Yasick ADHD Scholarship by Shire supports people with ADHD who are pursuing higher education. The Scholarship is open to legal residents of the United States who are accepted to or attending an accredited college, university, vocational school, or technical school located in the United States as an undergraduate student; and diagnosed with ADHD and under the care of a licensed health care professional for ADHD. Each recipient is awarded $2,000 and one year of prepaid ADHD coaching services. Learn more and apply at

Health Care Coverage To help ensure a smooth transition, consider how you will be insured as a young adult: Your current coverage Familiarize yourself with the coverage plan from your current

9 Health Care Coverage To help ensure a smooth transition, consider how you will be insured as a young adult: Your current coverage Familiarize yourself with the coverage plan from your current insurance provider or new employer. It is important to be aware of the health care coverage for your age group. Young adult coverage through the Affordable Care Act The Affordable Care Act was signed into law in One part of the law that may be of interest to you is the young adult coverage. Most health plans that cover children must make coverage available to young adults up to age 26. For more information, visit Benefits through Supplemental Security Income and/or Medicaid Look into Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and/or Medicaid benefits for people with ADHD and check out other state health insurance programs. For more information, see Resources on page Community health clinics Check into community health clinics that charge patients based on their income

Resources Attention Deficit Disorder Association (ADDA) PO Box 7557 Wilmington, DE 19803-9997 1-800-939-1019 www.add.org National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) 3803 N.

10 Resources Attention Deficit Disorder Association (ADDA) PO Box 7557 Wilmington, DE National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) 3803 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 100 Arlington, VA Main: Member services: NAMI (6264) Helpline: NAMI (6264) Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD) 8181 Professional Place, Suite 150 Landover, MD or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) This Web site defines eligibility requirements for people with ADHD to receive SSI benefits. ADHD Scholarship Aid College scholarships are available for students with ADHD. National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth (NCWD) Source for information about employment for youth with disabilities. ADHD Coaches Organization (ACO) 701 Hunting Place Baltimore, MD Affordable Care Act This Web site, managed by the US Department of Health and Human Services, lets individuals learn about and buy health insurance coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace

11 Where can I get more information about ADHD? For more information, visit Keep this guide to help with transitioning to adulthood with ADHD. This resource is sponsored by Shire Pharmaceuticals Shire US Inc Shire US Inc., Wayne, PA S /14

Accessibility and Disability Service. A Guide to Services for Students with

Accessibility and Disability Service 4281 Chapel Lane ~ 0106 Shoemaker 301.314.7682 Fax: 301.405.0813 adsfrontdesk@umd.edu www.counseling.umd.edu/ads A Guide to Services for Students with Attention-Deficit