“Therapy Helped Me…”
Adults living with ADHD explain how counseling has given them the coping skills they need to move forward with their lives.
ADDitude asked, “How does therapy improve your outlook and ADHD symptoms, with or without medication?” Here’s what you had to say:
“Weekly sessions affirmed that I was a good person who had a problem, not a scatterbrained oaf.” – Joseph McAllister, Washington
“Putting a label on my symptoms made me feel more ‘normal’ for the first time in my life, if that makes any sense. Before being diagnosed, I felt that I was lazy, disorganized, spacey, and downright stupid. After I began treatment, I understood that I could take control of my symptoms. It made a big difference in my perspective.” – D., Texas
“It helped clear up misinformation about ADHD. Many medical professionals, believe it or not, still don’t believe that ADHD is a real disorder.” – Melissa, New Jersey
“Counseling let me know I wasn’t alone. I was understood — finally.” – Rhonda, Illinois
[Free Download: 7 Myths About ADHD… Debunked!]
“Finding my counselor was like finding a long-lost friend! She understands when I have a bad day.” –Diane, Washington
“I need someone to talk to who won’t judge me. I found that my therapist is the only one who doesn’t.” – Geni Rodriguez, California
“Counseling taught me that ADHD is not a liability, but that it isn’t a gift either.” – Eva O’Malley, New Jersey
“Counseling and coaching were vital in helping me deal with ADHD. The diagnosis can leave you angry, bewildered, and depressed, even when you finally have a label to tack onto your weirdness.” – Mark, Canada
[“Finally, Everything Made Perfect Sense”]
“I started counseling a month ago, and it’s already helping me cope with life. I am dealing with such issues as finding self-acceptance, knowing I am loved, trying not to let my ADHD imprison me, and being able to maintain relationships.” – Linda Cook, Arizona
“It was crucial in helping me realize that I had to re-learn behaviors that I had been compensating for during the years of being untreated.” – Matt, Illinois
“Therapy saved me from being overwhelmed and misunderstood. It stopped me from giving up.” – T. Bishop, Indiana
“Counseling helped me prioritize what issues I needed to work on first, and to identify what was an ADHD symptom and what was just a function of living in the 21st century. It has been very helpful in allowing me to move forward.” – Heather Brady, New Jersey
“Counseling was the key to helping me realize that I could survive and live with ADHD. Without counseling, I would have never graduated college to become a teacher.” – Anne Dykstra, Maryland
“When our counselor told me that my son had a severe case of ADHD, and that I should be proud of the progress he’s made, I felt validated. I had a right to be an extremely exhausted mom!” – Emma, New Jersey
