Reasons You Should Continuously Educate Yourself on ADHD

When my partner was finally diagnosed with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), it was like a light bulb moment for me. Suddenly, so many of the behaviors I had been experiencing in my spouse made sense. Like many others in my situation, I turned to ADHD experts for guidance, and they all offered one crucial piece of advice - educate yourself about ADHD - Continuously. Here are the key lessons I've learned from my journey of learning about ADHD:

1. Not all content is created equal.

Some information resonates with you right away, while other content may take a few readings to fully grasp. It all depends on your own experiences, the writing styles of the authors, and their areas of expertise (e.g., children, adults, seniors). In my learning journey, I found a few authors that I liked the most and read more of their work to help me strengthen my knowledge.

2. Learning about ADHD is like peeling back the layers of an onion.

The more you read and delve into the subject, the deeper your understanding becomes because different content on the same subject gives your different perspectives. Furthermore, there have been major advances in ADHD treatment over the last few decades, if you don't keep up, you might miss important information that could help you and your spouse. Finally, learning is not just a one-time event; it's an ongoing process of discovery.

3. Once you learn a helpful tip or technique, give it a try and practice it for a few weeks.

Learning ADHD is one thing, but if you just read it and not apply it in real-life, it will go in one ear and out with the other. You don't have to practice every tip or technique, just the ones you like. Remember, it takes 21 days to create a new habit, so practice, practice, practice.

Here are a couple of my favorite ADHD books and I have gone an re-read them from time to time to refresh my ADHD knowledge. If you have your favorite books, share it in the comment section and tell us why you like it.

Taking Charge of Adult ADHD by Russell A. Barkley, PhD

Helping Your Husband with ADHD by George Sachs PsyD

Happy learning!