Managing LDs & ADHD in Adults
For adults living with diagnosed or suspected Learning Disabilities and/or ADHD, these challenges affect life at school, work, home, or in social settings.
What Can You Do?
- Understand your brain’s differences
- Implement strategies to manage your brain’s differences and capitalize on your strengths
- Find Help when you need it
Until recently, scientists thought that when children reached adulthood most of them would outgrow their ADHD symptoms. Now it is recognized that for a large percentage of people, ADHD will be a lifelong condition – and if left undiagnosed or untreated, ADHD in adults may impact many aspects of their lives. Although challenges exist for people living with ADHD, there is much to be hopeful about.
Although it is not possible to self-diagnose conditions like ADHD, you may be wondering if in fact you do have ADHD. This section will help you to understand the common ways that ADHD presents and link you to some resources to help you to follow-up.
An assessment for ADHD can be conducted by a physician, psychologist or registered clinical social worker.
Characteristics of ADHD Can Change Through Life’s Stages
ADHD symptoms and their severity are not set in stone, but rather, can shift throughout an individual’s life. Each phase of our development holds different experiences and demands. Oftentimes, it is when these demands increase that the symptoms of ADHD become more apparent. For most, it’s the demands of the classroom that raise the red flags. For others, it’s the demands of a workplace, a marriage, parenting, etc.
Challenges seen during the childhood years continue to have an impact throughout various aspects of life, such as following through on responsibilities, maintaining supportive relationships, and work performance. It is important to note that ADHD diagnosis in adults requires only 5 symptoms (instead of 6 for individuals under the age of 18) to be present in order to meet diagnostic criteria for ADHD diagnosis in adults.
The characteristics of ADHD change throughout development:
- Hyperactive/impulsive symptoms are more visible in very young children and tend to “mellow out” over time. However, significant hyperactivity and impulsivity are still observed in some adults with ADHD, and particularly in those with substance abuse and antisocial behaviour.
- Inattentive symptoms become more apparent in adolescence and continue into adulthood.
When left untreated, unsupported, and misunderstood, the impact of ADHD evolves over the child’s development. Ideally, children are diagnosed early in their school-aged years in order to increase their chances of success over their lifetime. Research into this area indicates that untreated ADHD can lead to lower outcomes in all areas of their life: academics and employment, antisocial behaviours, higher risks of injury when driving, addictive behaviours, and lower self-esteem.
Preschool
• Behavioural disturbances
School-age
• Behavioural disturbances
• Academic impairment
• Poor social interaction
• Co-morbid conditions
Adolescence
• Academic impairment
• Poor social interaction
• Lower self-esteem
• Smoking/alcohol/drugs
• Antisocial behaviour
• Co-morbid conditions
College-age
• Academic failure
• Not coping with daily tasks
• Occupational difficulties
• Low self-esteem
• Alcohol/substance abuse
• Injury/accidents
ADHD Treatment & Strategies
We’ve laid out a picture of some ‘worst-case scenarios’ above – but this is only more likely to happen if you don’t have a diagnosis and treatment in place. The good news about ADHD is that with a diagnosis, treatment, strategies, and supports in place, ADHD can be managed and managed well. And remember to focus on your strengths!
Medication may be considered as part of a treatment plan, in combination with counselling and implementing strategies. You will want to work closely with your physician to find the medication that works best for you
Start by establishing healthy daily habits as they often have outsized positive effects for individuals with ADHD.
- Eat regularly
- Eat well
- Get a good nights sleep
- Exercise daily
ACTION PLAN
We are fortunate to be living in a time where there is an explosion of information about ADHD, including strategies for adults to manage ADHD Executive Function challenges. But it can all be a bit overwhelming! How do you get started?
Take a step back, evaluate what your needs and goals are, and come up with an ACTION PLAN.
Using the S.M.A.R.T. Goals template below may be helpful.
Specific
What exactly do you want to achieve?
Good goals area clear and defined
Measurable
How will you know then you’ve achieved it?
You will need to be able to track daily progress
Achievable
How can the goal be accomplished?
List the specific tasks you will need to complete
Relevant
Why is this goal important to you?
Does this goal help add to your plans for the future?
Time-bound
When do you want to achieve this goal?
Set your target date so you can guide your work toward a successful completion
Find Reputable Adult ADHD Resources & Sources of Support
Review our Screening Checklist to guide you in finding a service provider that is a good match for your needs.
The RESOURCES section on our website provides reputable websites and books on ADHD.
Learning Disabilities (LD) does not mean you cannot learn. It does mean that despite you having at least average or higher intelligence, you experience unexpected difficulties in some learning areas. LD is an umbrella term that includes difficulties with processing what you see, hear and feel; difficulties with memory for learning; and/or difficulties with executive functions which involve organization, planning, strategizing and time management.
This means you could have difficulties with speaking, reading (including Dyslexia), writing (including Dysgraphia), math (including Dyscalculia), social interaction and relationships, and/or organization. An individual’s difficulties are usually in one or two areas, but they could also experience challenges in all of them.
Learning Disabilities are diagnosed by a registered psychologist who will use a combination of personal interviews and a variety of tests to determine your learning capabilities and challenges. An assessment is important in order to rule out other reasons why someone might struggle with their learning; that is, Learning Disabilities can often come with other conditions and/or look like other conditions (e.g., ADHD, anxiety).
Am I An Adult With A Learning Disability?
Foundational Learning, Upgrading or Post-Secondary School
Whether you are a young adult transitioning from high school directly to a post-secondary or a mature adult pursuing further education later in life, you need support! It can be daunting for everyone – but it is even more challenging if you also have to manage a Learning Disability or ADHD.
Considerable support is provided for learners at any education level and time of their lives through government-supported LD and ADHD programs for adults and at most post-secondary schools in Alberta. They help people with a diagnosed disability of any kind, including a Learning Disability or ADHD.
Below is information for you about adult learning and post-secondary institutions.
- List of post-secondary institutions in Calgary & Alberta with links to their Accessibility Offices.
- List of adult academic upgrading agencies.
Colleges and universities have an accessibility department or office, which is usually a part of Academic Services or Student Services. This department is where you would meet with an Accessibility Advisor or Learning Strategist. They will help you to access accommodations and other academic support you might need.
Listed below are the post-secondary institutions (PSIs) in Calgary, Edmonton, and other parts of Alberta. You will have to do your homework to match your area of interest and your learning needs, with the PSI that may be better suited to you. These post-secondaries have supports for diverse learners and accessibility advisors or learning strategists to work with you.
The PSIs are listed alphabetically within each catergory.
In the work environment we all have to evaluate how well we are performing and what we can do to improve our effectiveness. For people who are also managing LD and/or ADHD, it is a good idea to implement a Success at Work Plan to ensure you have chosen a good career to match your individual profile, and have strategies and accommodations in place to help you to meet your potential in the workplace.
With each new job or role, you may need to go back to that plan and update your skills and strategies. Most regions will have employment resources and support service providers available to assist you.
FIND HELP – Employment Services lists government support and employment agencies in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Sharing, or Disclosing, that you have a disability can be a difficult decision. Here are some things to consider:
Most governments have laws in place to protect individuals with disabilities against discrimination in the workplace and that require employers to provide reasonable accommodations that do not put the employer in ‘undue hardship’.
If you shared (disclosed) your disability with your employer but your requested accommodations are not being implemented or you feel you are being discriminated against because of your disability, then you can access an advocate to share your complaint with and help facilitate constructive conversations.
Remember though that your requests for accommodations must be reasonable, and the requests don’t put the employer in a position of undue hardship. Most governments will have advocates in place to support you.
Check in regularly to see new articles and resources about topics related to Adults in the Workplace.
If you or your adult child are struggling to manage ADHD symptoms, you are not alone. There are many resources and service providers available to help people with ADHD to develop strategies and skills, including for related emotional and social skills.
When you are starting your search, you need to consider:
- what type of service you are looking for and why
- what qualifications the service provider should have based on the type of service they are providing
- how to determine a good fit for you
Sources of Support is a list of professionals and agencies to help you in your ADHD journey.
There are a range of services available to support you so be prepared to ask targeted questions to ensure that the service provider has expertise in providing the specific service or intervention you are seeking.
Where to Start
When choosing a service provider, start with trusted sources for referrals to find who may best fit your needs. But remember, the final choice is always up to you!
Ask friends or family members who have been in similar situations to share referrals to any medical professional or psychologists with the right type of expertise (cognitive, academic, processing, social, emotional, behavioral, etc.).
If you have a family physician who you trust, ask them to share referrals.
The PAA website allows psychologists to pay an annual fee so that they can list their services and describe their areas of expertise. Be careful in paying attention to what they do and don’t provide. The referral service does not, by itself, tell you the depth or breadth of the psychologist’s background or experience. See below for questions to ask and consideration to keep in mind.
Interview Process
We’ve provided a word doc of the Screening Checklist that you can adapt and take with you when you are interviewing service providers. Good luck!
Many of us struggle with mental health issues at some point during our lifetime. This can be especially true for individuals who have the added challenge of trying to manage Learning Disabilities and/or ADHD.
To learn more about Mental Health issues that may co-exist with LDs and ADHD, go to: Common Co-Existing Diagnoses: Mental Health.
Your first step will be to talk to your family doctor and connect with mental health supports in your region.
If you live in the Calgary Region, go to the website; Access Mental Health – Calgary Zone
Phone: 403-943-1500 or Toll Free: 1-844-943-1500
If you need immediate help, call the Calgary Distress Center Or, access Eastside Community Mental Health Services
Listed are resources and some of the public and community service providers in the Calgary Region (Alberta, Canada) that provide mental health support for adults, youth and families. Hopefully it will start the process to connect you with those who can help.
Employment Services
Disclaimer: The Learning Disabilities & AHD Network does not support, endorse or recommend any specific method, treatment, product, remedial centre, program, or service provider for people with Learning Disabilities or ADHD. It does, however, endeavour to provide impartial and, to the best of our knowledge, factual information for persons with Learning Disabilities and/or ADHD.
