You've Got the ADHD Diagnosis—Now What? Practical Support from a Mental Health Occupational Therapist
Receiving a diagnosis of ADHD can feel like a whirlwind of emotions—relief, confusion, and perhaps even a little uncertainty about the road ahead. For many, the diagnosis answers lingering questions about challenges with focus, organisation, and daily functioning, but it also raises new ones: What should I do now? How do I move forward? What tools can help me manage ADHD in my everyday life?
This is where a Mental Health Occupational Therapist (OT) steps in. As specialists trained to support people in managing the functional aspects of mental health, OTs provide practical, individualised strategies that go beyond diagnosis. They can help translate your ADHD diagnosis into actionable steps that make life smoother, more manageable, and ultimately more fulfilling.
Understanding ADHD in Everyday Life
ADHD, or Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, affects more than just attention and focus. It can influence how you manage your time, regulate emotions, organise tasks, and engage with work, school, or home life. Many people with ADHD experience difficulties in areas such as:
Time management: Struggling with deadlines, procrastination, or losing track of time.
Organisation: Feeling overwhelmed by clutter or finding it hard to stay organised.
Task initiation and completion: Starting tasks may feel daunting, and finishing them can be even harder.
Impulsivity and emotional regulation: Managing emotional outbursts or impulsive behaviours.
Working memory: Forgetting important tasks or losing items frequently.
A Mental Health OT understands that ADHD is not just about attention difficulties—it's about how these symptoms impact your daily routines and overall well-being. They work closely with clients to create meaningful strategies that improve functioning in practical ways.
How a Mental Health OT Can Help
1. Building Personalised Routines
Many people with ADHD struggle with structure, yet they thrive with routines that are simple and effective. A Mental Health OT can help you develop a daily routine that aligns with your needs, providing structure without being overwhelming. Whether it's creating a morning routine to get out the door on time, planning breaks during the workday, or setting up an evening wind-down routine, an OT can help you design habits that stick.
2. Time Management and Prioritisation
Managing time effectively is a common challenge for individuals with ADHD. A Mental Health OT can teach you time-blocking techniques, use of visual timers, and breaking tasks into smaller, achievable steps. They may also introduce apps or tools to help with task tracking and reminders, so you don’t feel like you’re always playing catch-up.
3. Environmental Modifications
Sometimes, the physical environment can create additional challenges. Whether it's decluttering your workspace, organising your home, or setting up systems that support better task flow, a Mental Health OT can assist in modifying your environment to reduce distractions and support focus. This can include organising your belongings into easy-to-find categories or setting up “work zones” to minimise distractions at home or the office.
4. Emotional Regulation and Coping Strategies
ADHD doesn’t just impact productivity—it can also affect emotional well-being. Mood swings, frustration, and low tolerance for stress are common in ADHD. A Mental Health OT can work with you on emotional regulation techniques that help manage impulsive responses and improve your ability to stay calm under pressure. Mindfulness practices, grounding techniques, and tools for recognizing emotional triggers can be incorporated into your daily routine.
5. Developing Executive Functioning Skills
Executive functions, like planning, organising, and managing time, are often areas of struggle for individuals with ADHD. An OT can help you build these skills through cognitive strategies, task management tools, and exercises that enhance working memory. For example, they might help you implement checklists, planners, or digital tools that support long-term projects or daily to-do lists.
6. Supporting Success at Work or School
ADHD often impacts performance at work or school, but a Mental Health OT can assist in creating realistic goals and strategies to improve productivity. This might involve advocating for reasonable accommodations in the workplace, suggesting workflow adjustments, or developing personalised study strategies that cater to your strengths and needs. A Mental Health OT can also work with you on improving communication skills, particularly if impulsivity or emotional regulation affect your relationships with colleagues or peers.
