6
As a way of promoting the improvements made from challenging our cognitive systems and activating that recursive process, this project concludes with a series of activities that anyone can use to help manage their ADHD and heal from their past experiences. As previously mentioned, improving executive functions requires consistency, which is why this workbook contains approximately a year’s worth of activities. From the perspective of someone with ADHD, this can seem overwhelming. With this in mind, the activities aim to incorporate creativity, movement, and reflection in order to remove the element of overwhelm and discourage avoidant behaviors. These activities would typically be completed once or twice a month and, depending on the activity, shouldn’t take more than 20-30 minutes. Additionally, to engage the repetition aspect of improving executive functioning, different versions of the same kind of activity will be repeated throughout the workbook to repeatedly engage targeted cognitive processes.
In conclusion, the lived experience of a young adult with ADHD is complex and oftentimes difficult, but it is far from hopeless. There are many things that ADHD individuals excel at, like creativity and openness, and they are driven by what they are passionate about (Hoogman et al., 2020). Just because their experience is different doesn’t mean that they are deficient, and social context has a great impact on the things that are difficult for them. Psychologists and other advocates are working towards a greater social understanding of ADHD, but in the meantime, promoting and encouraging positive growth is necessary for these individuals. As explained, movement is a powerful aspect of that growth. Engaging in physical activity and finding a movement-based outlet for creativity and passion is incredibly useful for challenging and nourishing not only executive functions but healthy living in general. Combined with the cognitive, social, and emotional interventions in self-help, young adults with ADHD have the tools to succeed in many different settings, despite being told they couldn’t.
