ADHD strategies

Nothing will change

Hard to remain hopeful

Adults with ADHD have often lost confidence in resolving their problems. After years of trying to change behaviours it may seem unlikely that anything will ever happen.

“Man needs, for his happiness, not only the enjoyment of this or that, but hope and enterprise and change” – Bertrand Russell

Definitions of hope include:

“the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best”
“to look forward to with desire and reasonable confidence”
“to expect, wish and desire accompanied by confident expectation of its fulfilment”

Adults living with ADHD are challenged on a number of counts: confidence is battered from years of struggle and failure, desires are abandoned as unreachable and dreams are left hazy and tenuous. But without hope we are stuck. If we do not believe in possibilities, that things might change and get better – then why bother, why even try?

Circumstances change

Things never remain fixed, time changes everything. If we gain new knowledge and insights then we can perhaps build better solutions. Relationships can change when we better understand the issues that have challenged us. New opportunities appear in work. ADHD medication can offer a solution to many challenges, but most of all hope comes from support groups, forums, coaches and from sharing with other people with ADHD. With people to empathise with, relate to, listen to and discuss life and challenges, it becomes clear that it is possible to turn a life around. Take this hope from other peoples experiences with it comes the drive and energy to change yourself.

My experience is of lives so much better

I have seen many adults with ADHD redefine and shape their lives completely and achieve their dreams. I have been privileged to help some clients find far better jobs and careers, start amazing businesses, gain 1st class degrees, become healthy and fit, leave addictions, move country, improve relationships, resolve financial issues, and to feel great about themselves.

It happens all the time but is much easier if you get some help, from people like you.

“Ah, Hope! what would life be, stripped of thy encouraging smiles, that teach us to look behind the dark clouds of to-day, for the golden beams that are to gild the morrow” – Susanna Moodie

Andrew Lewis

Andrew Lewis is an ADHD Coach, writer and founder of SimplyWellbeing. He has over 15,000 hours and 18 years of experience in coaching over 500 ADHD executives, ADHD business professionals and ADHD creatives. Andrew ran a major ADHD support group and an ADHD diagnostic clinic for a while. He is an ADHD specialist backed with business expertise from a twenty years career in software, from roles in programming, through marketing, sales and to running a few software start-ups. His ADHD insight is personal, with decades understanding his own ADHD experience and in bringing up his ADHD daughter. He has published his writing primarily via this website, with interactive ADHD courses in development.