ADHD & Change

Back To School

Coping with change when a student has an ADD or ADHD diagnosis can be challenging at any age. Whether someone is headed back to elementary, middle, or high school, even college, this time of year can be a trigger for children & young adults. So what makes Back to School a trigger?

A Disrupted Routine

Summer is often a time for students to be at home & “brain dump”. Brain dumping allows them let all their emotions & feelings out, coupled with a lot of rest. The relaxation of summer is freeing. Back to school throws a curveball into that freedom & the flexibility summer offers, making the adjustment of a routine hard to handle.

Increased Demands

At 52 years old, the idea of homework sounds horrible. Can you imagine someone with ADD/ADHD & how they must feel at the thought of homework? This, coupled with potential projects & papers, group projects, increases demand in the mind, even before they walk through the schools doors, & can cause preliminary anxiety & stress.

Sensory Overload

For many students, summer means hanging out at home, & choosing who they hang out with & what they do during the day. Back to school can seem to some as if they are being forced into crowded classrooms, going from scarce schedules to full schedules, & noisy hallways. This is cause for sensory overload in someone with ADD/ADHD, & beforehand can cause severe anxiety.

Sleep Disruptions or Poor Sleep

It is well known & studied that adequate sleep is crucial to good overall performance & good mental health. But back to school can throw a wrench in the sleep schedule of a person with ADD/ADHD. From a carefree summer sleep schedule to now early rising, alarm clocks, late bed times from homework. Poor sleep can often create irritability, heighten anxiety, & increase frustration. This can be especially difficult for preteens & teens who have to wake up early, since most school schedules do not follow their natural circadian rhythm.

Pressure to Perform

Assignments & deadlines, being called on in class, can make the transition of back to school challenging. Internal & external expectations cam amplify feelings of inadequacy or overwhelm, & can exacerbate some of the previous obstacles, like disrupting sleep, creating a cycle of anxiety.

Social Stress

Navigating peer relationships, meeting new people, & group dynamics can lead to feeling of exhaustion, be distracting, & even cause some individuals to close themselves off. All of this leading to overwhelm & anxiety.

These are only some of the transitions that prove to be challenging for individuals with ADD/ADHD. But there are ways to prepare & head off some of the challenges.

Start Routines Early

Begin practicing school wake-up times, bedtime, & morning routines a well prior to the start of school.

Use Visual Calendars

Calendars in the home, checklists, or planners with color coding can help with organization & transitions. If your student is good with excel, create a spreadsheet of everything that is required or due.

Break Down Tasks

Divide larger tasks into smaller tasks. Or high priority to low priority, but break it down. For example, pack a backpack the night before. Get homework assignments into a calendar & break it down into pieces to help complete it & get it in on time. Create manageable steps.

Prepare the Night Before

The old saying is true, "By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail". Lay out clothes the night before, prep as much lunch as you can. Eliminate as much morning chaos as possible by preparing the night before.

Communicate with Teachers/Counselors

Make sure to communicate ADD/ADHD diagnosis with all teachers & counselors. With a doctor's diagnosis, they are required to accommodate students. Also, when you communicate with them, it provides them the knowledge of the diagnosis, & they will provide support & accommodations like extra time for projects, extended deadlines, & structure to help with the students success.

By knowing the obstacles & how to prepare for back to school, students with ADD/ADHD can get a head start on controlling their emotions & understand that they are not alone in these feelings.

If you or your family are ready to create a personalized plan to help your student thrive this year & be prepared for the years to come, let's connect. Book with me to take the final steps toward a smooth transition & prepare for the future.

www.glowhealthcoach.com