The Coronavirus pandemic has been a challenging and difficult time for everyone. Many of us have been battling uncertainty, rapid change and rising anxiety for quite some time now. But what if we can look to the future and consider the long-term benefits of our current situation? Here are six positive outcomes of the pandemic for people with ADHD.
- More awareness of ADHD
A survey conducted by ADDitude has revealed a significant increase in ADHD diagnosis since the pandemic took hold. Here are some reasons for this:
For some people with undiagnosed or undertreated ADHD, the pandemic has been the tipping point that has made their ADHD symptoms no longer manageable or unavoidable. Personal struggles that could be hidden under normal circumstances have been amplified by changes to routine and working from home. Once this safety net of consistency and predictable organisation was pulled away, some people found their usual coping strategies to be ineffective.
Homeschooling has increased parents’ awareness of how their children cope with school work, organisation and time management. For some, it really highlighted the less obvious symptoms of ADHD. School closures also made the importance of socialisation and routine for children very clear. Many parents have noted an immediate improvement in children’s anxiety levels following their return to school.
Of course, technology has played a part too; now that more people are assessed and diagnosed remotely, it removes geographical barriers and makes ADHD assessment more accessible to everyone. Here is our guide to Booking your online ADHD assessment.
- A chance to slow down and think
Some of us have found ourselves with more time on our hands as our routines have changed. This has enabled people to slow down and reflect upon what really matters. It has allowed them to take the time to reconnect with friends and family members. People have spent a lot more time outdoors appreciating nature and noticing the small things that often pass us by. Being able to slow down and let a little calm into our lives has really positive benefits for our mental health. Hopefully, more people will make a conscious effort to build this into their future lives.
In this article, adults who are newly diagnosed with ADHD describe how the pandemic has allowed them the time to properly consider and evaluate why they find things so hard.
- Less social pressure
The pandemic has taught us that staying at home isn’t necessarily unhealthy. People have forged new habits such as baking, meditation and home exercise that they will carry forwards into the future.
Indeed, spending more time at home has been welcomed by some people. We no longer need to worry about saying no to social events that we dread. This can be a huge source of anxiety for people with ADHD. There’s less pressure to dress a certain way and people are worrying less about their appearance. If this has made you feel more content and relaxed, be sure to remember this once society returns to ‘normal’. Let’s hope it will be more acceptable to just be yourself. Our blog post about Social anxiety disorder and ADHD has some helpful tips for coming out of lockdown.
- Living in the moment
Lockdown removed the logistics of rushing around from one place to another to be in two places at once. This has left us with more time to breathe. When you can’t make firm plans, you’re really forced to live in the moment. There are fewer meetings, appointments and organised social events. Time off really can be time off when you just take it easy. Weekends and time spent with loved ones suddenly become much more meaningful.
Maybe in the future, we need to consciously plan days with no plans to keep this mindful living going. Our blog The mindfulness prescription for ADHD explains the benefits of mindfulness for ADHD.
- Better Listening
There’s nothing like a global pandemic to bring out all the emotions and behaviours that people normally suppress. We have seen people being a lot more open and honest about how they really feel. There’s a lot more sincerity behind the overused everyday question ‘How are you?’. People are listening to the answers more carefully and it’s easier to see who really cares.
The pandemic has made us feel vulnerable and made us more aware of the vulnerability of others. Everyone is handling the situation differently and we need to have empathy for other people’s circumstances. Maybe the pandemic will make us all better listeners and help us to become a kinder, more accepting and more tolerant society.
- Appreciation
If the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s to appreciate what we’ve got. Many of us have found the support we have received from family and friends to be invaluable as we have gone through so much change and uncertainty. It’s also made us appreciate all the people who work tirelessly to keep us as safe as possible. There are too many to list here but immediate thoughts go to medical staff, frontline and critical workers and the scientists who have produced vaccines in an amazingly short time. All these people deserve our deepest appreciation and admiration for the phenomenal efforts they have made.
We need to take these changes and make sure we carry them forwards into our future lives. We need to make sure that if nothing else, this awful crisis has made us aware of some of the cracks in our lives that need more care and attention.
If you or a loved one is struggling to cope with ADHD, please get in touch with us. We offer ADHD assessments and evidence-based treatment packages for both children and adults. Contact us on 0800 061 4276 or by email at enquiries@adhdcentre.co.uk
If you are interested in learning about mindfulness, we offer a six-part mindfulness course. Follow the link below to find out more and take the first lesson for free. Essential Mindfulness Course
