We often need support from others and coping mechanisms and tools that help us survive in this never-less-than ridiculous world of ours let's start with local and regional support and tools like bullet journalling ...
Coping Tools #1: Bullet Journalling
Thank you again to Jemma in Middlesbrough for mentioning bullet journalling as a useful tool for helping us stay in control of our lives and to Jessica McCabe, the creator and host of “How to ADHD” a series on YouTube, for further contextualising the usefulness of the technique of Bullet Journalling in relation to our neuro-diverse minds and for the other useful videos which she has made about life skills for people with AD/HD.
How to Create a Bullet Journal www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkZEEQG6IVE
How to ADHD youtube channel www.youtube.com/channel/UC-nPM1_kSZf91ZGkcgy_95Q
Thank you again to Jemma in Middlesbrough for mentioning bullet journalling as a useful tool for helping us stay in control of our lives and to Jessica McCabe, the creator and host of “How to ADHD” a series on YouTube, for further contextualising the usefulness of the technique of Bullet Journalling in relation to our neuro-diverse minds and for the other useful videos which she has made about life skills for people with AD/HD.
How to Create a Bullet Journal www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkZEEQG6IVE
How to ADHD youtube channel www.youtube.com/channel/UC-nPM1_kSZf91ZGkcgy_95Q
Local / Regional support
If you live in Tyne & Wear or Northumberland, there is the
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The Adult ADHD Service provides an assessment and treatment service for adults who are experiencing difficulty with symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Attention Deficit Disorder. The team is made up of a number of health care professionals.
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Patient Information Leaflet
Let's not forget the good folks living in the Tees Esk and Wear Valley area ...
Adult ADHD team Tees, County Durham and Darlington
Lancaster House
Falcon Court
Preston Farm Industrial Estate
Stockton on Tees
TS18 3TS
Tel. 01642 368202
About the service, from their website
www.tewv.nhs.uk/site/care-and-treatment/service/Attention%20deficit%20hyperactivity%20disorder%20(ADHD)%20team
"The adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) team provides specialist assessment and intervention for people referred to the service.
The service is available to individuals aged 18 years or older who live in the Teesside, County Durham and Darlington area. There is no upper age limit.
The team's role is to:
Lancaster House
Falcon Court
Preston Farm Industrial Estate
Stockton on Tees
TS18 3TS
Tel. 01642 368202
About the service, from their website
www.tewv.nhs.uk/site/care-and-treatment/service/Attention%20deficit%20hyperactivity%20disorder%20(ADHD)%20team
"The adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) team provides specialist assessment and intervention for people referred to the service.
The service is available to individuals aged 18 years or older who live in the Teesside, County Durham and Darlington area. There is no upper age limit.
The team's role is to:
- Monitor prescribed medication to treat an ADHD diagnosis within specialist services for adults with ADHD in line with NICE guidelines
- Ensure medication continues to be clinically effective
- Develop and maintain a therapeutic rapport with the client and carers, where appropriate, to facilitate the sharing of progress/problems encountered in relation to the ADHD diagnosis and medication
- Monitor clinical need, benefits and side-effects of medication
- Discuss co-existing conditions, reviewing the need for referral to other agencies or services. Provide nursing intervention and support where appropriate
- Review current relationships, occupational and social circumstances to establish levels of functioning and quality of life
- Review alcohol, substance and nicotine use, providing appropriate health promotion and guidance where needed
- Monitor blood pressure, pulse, weight and height recording results and raising any concerns with the patient's GP and consultant psychiatrist
- Review risk status and any changes to mental health state, liaising with the GP and other services if required
- Reiterate the implications of prescribing unlicensed or off-label drugs, ensuring informed consent is obtained and documented
- Provide written information about local and national support groups and voluntary organisations.
- Consultant psychiatrist
- Clinical nurse specialists
- Team secretary.
Are you a parent as well as having ADHD yourself?
As one would expect, many of us are parent of children with ADHD and related conditions. Here are some support groups from across the region (more to follow) for you and your children, starting with South Tyneside ...
As one would expect, many of us are parent of children with ADHD and related conditions. Here are some support groups from across the region (more to follow) for you and your children, starting with South Tyneside ...
South Tyneside ADHD Support Group South Shields
Contact: Sam, Jean or Jen Telephone: 07971954207, 01914242862
Contact: Sam, Jean or Jen Telephone: 07971954207, 01914242862
- "We are a group of mams and dads originally set up in 1996 who meet on a fortnightly basis to discus problems, idea's and arrange fun things to do. The kids are looked after at these meetings by play/sports development, who are supplied by local council and are fully trained. Any family member can come along as long as there is a child who suffers from ADHD, and their siblings can come along also.
- Children must be between 5 and 14 yrs to come to the group, but most family members can join in the monthly activities. Please get in touch if you would like any more information. We advise that you ring before planning a visit to check all these details are up to date".
UK support (more to follow)
AADDUK
AADDUK provide a useful coverage of current UK information about ADHD; for example, “Adults with ADHD: ignored and undertreated” says British Medical Journal publication, The Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin, an independent review of medical treatment published by the British Medical Journal, with an editorial article about how enormous numbers of adults with ADHD are overlooked by the UK medical system. Here's an extract "The transition from child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) to adult psychiatric services can be difficult to negotiate, especially if the individual has a disorder that is under-recognised in adults".
Adults with ADHD: ignored and under-treated
Another interesting article they provided a link to a few months ago was published in Science Daily cf Harvard Review of Psychiatry. Methylphenidate 'Normalizes' Activation in Key Brain Areas in Kids With ADHD.
They also provide an incredibly useful resource AADD-UK on-line discussion forum "...where you can ask questions, and chat with others about ADHD and related matters" with the proviso that: "Information posted on the forum boards can support but not replace the relationship between you and your doctors or other healthcare professionals. And while it may inform your discussions and explorations of treatment options with your healthcare professionals, you should also always check with your doctors if you are considering changing treatment or medication".
ADDIS
ADDISS, The National Attention Deficit Disorder Information and Support Service. "We provide people-friendly information and resources about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder to anyone who needs assistance - parents, sufferers, teachers or health professionals. Whatever you're looking for in ADHD, we'll do our best to help". Their useful website is well worth checking out. They organise really interesting conferences and other regular events, including parent training days and various workshops. They're about as good as we are when it comes to updating their information but they do some excellent work!
Let's not forget about good old ADDERS which has been online since 1998 (it now being run by Simon Hensby, as a tribute to the late founder Sarah-Jayne Caroline Bass (formerly Caroline Hensby), still with the objective of promoting "... awareness to Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and to provide information and as much free practical help as we can to sufferers, both adults and children, and their families in the UK and around the World." They also have a facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/adders.org
UKAAN
The UK Adult ADHD Network (UKAAN) was established in March 2009 to provide support, education, research and training for mental health professionals working with adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). UKAAN was founded by a group of experienced mental health specialists who run clinical services for adults with ADHD within the National Health Service. The Network was established in response to UK guidelines from the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE, 2008) and the British Association for Psychopharmacology. They are also responsible for the publication of
Handbook for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Adults
International
European Network Adult ADHD
In 2003, the European Network Adult ADHD (ENAA) was founded by J.J. Sandra Kooij, MD, a Dutch psychiatrist specialised in adult ADHD.
http://www.eunetworkadultadhd.com/
Although they note that "Members respresent their countries and have to be (child)psychiatrists, pediatricians, psychologists or neurologists that want to be active in, and have added value to the aims of the Network", the site is an excelent source of useful information that reflects their laudible Aims and Achievements, namely:
AADDUK
AADDUK provide a useful coverage of current UK information about ADHD; for example, “Adults with ADHD: ignored and undertreated” says British Medical Journal publication, The Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin, an independent review of medical treatment published by the British Medical Journal, with an editorial article about how enormous numbers of adults with ADHD are overlooked by the UK medical system. Here's an extract "The transition from child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) to adult psychiatric services can be difficult to negotiate, especially if the individual has a disorder that is under-recognised in adults".
Adults with ADHD: ignored and under-treated
Another interesting article they provided a link to a few months ago was published in Science Daily cf Harvard Review of Psychiatry. Methylphenidate 'Normalizes' Activation in Key Brain Areas in Kids With ADHD.
They also provide an incredibly useful resource AADD-UK on-line discussion forum "...where you can ask questions, and chat with others about ADHD and related matters" with the proviso that: "Information posted on the forum boards can support but not replace the relationship between you and your doctors or other healthcare professionals. And while it may inform your discussions and explorations of treatment options with your healthcare professionals, you should also always check with your doctors if you are considering changing treatment or medication".
ADDIS
ADDISS, The National Attention Deficit Disorder Information and Support Service. "We provide people-friendly information and resources about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder to anyone who needs assistance - parents, sufferers, teachers or health professionals. Whatever you're looking for in ADHD, we'll do our best to help". Their useful website is well worth checking out. They organise really interesting conferences and other regular events, including parent training days and various workshops. They're about as good as we are when it comes to updating their information but they do some excellent work!
Let's not forget about good old ADDERS which has been online since 1998 (it now being run by Simon Hensby, as a tribute to the late founder Sarah-Jayne Caroline Bass (formerly Caroline Hensby), still with the objective of promoting "... awareness to Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and to provide information and as much free practical help as we can to sufferers, both adults and children, and their families in the UK and around the World." They also have a facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/adders.org
UKAAN
The UK Adult ADHD Network (UKAAN) was established in March 2009 to provide support, education, research and training for mental health professionals working with adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). UKAAN was founded by a group of experienced mental health specialists who run clinical services for adults with ADHD within the National Health Service. The Network was established in response to UK guidelines from the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE, 2008) and the British Association for Psychopharmacology. They are also responsible for the publication of
Handbook for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Adults
International
European Network Adult ADHD
In 2003, the European Network Adult ADHD (ENAA) was founded by J.J. Sandra Kooij, MD, a Dutch psychiatrist specialised in adult ADHD.
http://www.eunetworkadultadhd.com/
Although they note that "Members respresent their countries and have to be (child)psychiatrists, pediatricians, psychologists or neurologists that want to be active in, and have added value to the aims of the Network", the site is an excelent source of useful information that reflects their laudible Aims and Achievements, namely:
- Increasing awareness that ADHD is a lifelong condition.
- Improving diagnostic assessment and treatment.
- International research.
- Improving access to services.
- Establishing cooperation between professionals involved in child and adult ADHD