Adult AD/HD Support Group NE Meetings in July 2022
Hi folks,
Here are the dates and times for our JULY meetings. Please see the PDF flyers for further information:-
- Middlesbrough: Tuesday JULY 5th 6 – 8pm Langdon Square Community Centre Coulby Newham, Middlesbrough TS8 OTF. Download the Middlesbrough flyer here.
- Durham: Thursday JULY 14th 6-9pm Waddington Street Centre, 3 Waddington Street Durham City DH1 4BG. Download the Durham flyer here.
- South Shields: Thursday JULY 21st 6-9pm Age Concern (ACTS) Dora Dixon House, 29 Beach Road / Corner of Anderson Street, South Shields. NE33 2QU. Download the South Shields flyer here.
- Newcastle: Thursday JUNE 28th 6-9pm Recoco (The Recovery College) 1 Carliol Square, Newcastle NE1 6UF. Download the Newcastle flyer here.
Let’s briefly look at 4 of the topics we often discuss at our meetings:
- sensory processing
- why ADHD is different for women
- addictions and ADHD
- our all-time favourite CLUTTER!
SENSORY PROCESSING
We’ve often talked at our meetings about the topic of sensory processing disorder and how many of us feel overwhelmed and / or over stimulated, here’s an interesting video about it by Candace Peterson, it also has a link to the full version of the video
WHY ADHD IS DIFFERENT FOR WOMEN
Gender-Specific Symptoms & Treatments by Ellen Littman
ADDICTIONS
CLUTTER (this one, from Dig Coaching, is inspired by Michelle!). As you can see, I’ve copied the article below because it looks at the topic in terms of a relationship!
Do you need visual reminders to remember to complete a task or attend an event? Could your “reminders” be clutter to your mate/roommate? One of my recent clients was very visual. If something was out of sight, it was out of mind, so he left items out to serve as visual reminders.
Dr. Russell Barkley, one of the world’s leading experts on ADHD, tells us that those with ADHD need to focus on the point of performance. Thus, leaving a screwdriver on the kitchen counter is a good structure, as it will remind him that he needs to tighten a few screws on the front porch. Simple enough, right?
But what if your significant other has an opposing style and your visual clue is just clutter? Some individuals are emotionally very sensitive to clutter and may not feel at home with it. If he or she thrives in an environment in which “everything has a place and a place for everything,” then this screwdriver might be tolerable if it’s the only visual reminder for a week or wasn’t combined with other reminders. But if multiple reminders are left on the counter every day, this may be a source of conflict.
There are 2 types of clutter:
I just drop it and forget about it (very ADHD prone, i.e., socks on the floor).
I need this part on the countertop to remind me to finish a project.
As the non-ADHD partner, you will want to respect this. You can consider areas of the house that are clearly the “clutter zones” and are left alone. The parts that really matter, perhaps the kitchen and areas where family and friends congregate, can be left clutter-free.
What about the “hurricane children” who come home from college? Take a laundry basket and move it into a “zone.” It helps the clutter-free person, but it doesn’t change the clutter-prone person.
Aha! – a compromise. Consider making a home for your clutter. Maybe place an “inbox” on the counter to hold the reminders to make it look like it is supposed to be there. It doesn’t have to be an inbox, but the idea is to co-design an environment for your styles to coexist.
You can’t change the other person. You can request, but negotiation is crucial. Their reminder systems are as legitimate as your need to put things in a drawer. Please think about your zones and how you work with your partner!
Kindest regards
bill
Bill Scott
Adult AD/HD Support Groups North East
07856212564