We are all familiar with 'ADHD.' Each of us knows someone with ADHD or thinks they have it themselves. As a result, we tend to underestimate the implications of the disorder or the need to diagnose it, and as such common sayings or preconceived notions have emerged.
For example:
"Everyone has ADHD."
"So what if you have ADHD, if it was important to you, you wouldn't forget."
"ADHD is a diagnosis related to children at school."
"Sometimes I feel like I'm just lazy or lack self-discipline."
So, no, not everyone has ADHD. In fact, only 4.4% of adults are diagnosed with ADHD, and despite what people tend to think, ADHD is not just a diagnosis for children, and it doesn't disappear with age; rather, it manifests in different expressions and forms throughout the lifespan. Alongside increasingly complex life demands and growing expectations as one matures, without appropriate treatment, the difficulties can expand and become more complex. Additionally, ADHD manifests differently in different individuals, adding to the confusion in this field.
Moreover, individuals with ADHD may still forget things, even when it comes to tasks that are genuinely important to them, and its unrelated to self-discipline, laziness, or decision-making.
How many times have you:
- Made a firm decision to submit the final project for your degree that has been waiting for two years.
- Sworn to yourself that this is the last time you'll have an over-the-top outburst at your partner.
- Decided that from now on, the presentation for work won't wait until the last minute because you're tired of the stress and the accompanying consequences, yet, in reality, the presentation will be postponed again at the last minute.
The point is that for a person with ADHD, it's not just about self-discipline or a firm decision. These are just some of the examples reflecting the challenges associated with the disorder.
ADHD is a neurodevelopmental biological disorder, meaning it originates and arises from variations in brain structure and function. This variability leads to difficulties in executive functions that enable a person to self-regulate and function optimally in all areas of life (such as planning, emotional regulation, recruitment of effort, organization, response inhibition, and more). The impact of ADHD can be broad and affect things that are important to a person such as work, relationships, parenting, social relationships, affecting all areas of life.
So, in conclusion, ADHD is not 'small,' it's not just about learning, and it doesn't go away when you grow up. Numerous studies show that ADHD continues into adulthood and leads to many challenges in daily functioning (such as reckless and impulsive driving, difficulty maintaining a job, difficulty managing anger and/or anxiety, and more). Alongside these challenges, there is difficulty understanding the implications of ADHD on adult life, stemming from stigmas and a lack of understanding of the biological disorder (such as, I'm lazy, I didn't try hard enough, if only I tried harder, I would succeed...).
As a result, adults with ADHD struggle to seek tailored behavioral treatment and report significantly lower quality of life compared to adults without ADHD. However, it is important to note that ADHD also has advantages such as creativity and leadership abilities, but without appropriate treatment, functional and emotional difficulties can worsen, and as a result, the advantages may not be enough.
The positive aspect is that with appropriate treatment and support, it is possible to find ways to cope with the difficulties and improve functioning in various areas of life. Cognitive-functional treatment for adults with ADHD (Cog-Fun A) was developed at the Hebrew University's Occupational Therapy School. It is based on extensive theoretical and applied models alongside real-time learning.
The treatment helps individuals learn to manage themselves and the challenges they face through shared learning while acquiring knowledge about ADHD and developing self-awareness (how do I function in different situations and what helps me). Based on this learning, a personalized process is implemented to acquire and improve use of resources and strategies that will assist in achieving significant functional goals for the individual and in improving their quality of life. In pioneering research to test the effectiveness of the treatment (Kestner, 2018, Kastner et al., 2022), significant improvements were found in the functioning and quality of life of adults with ADHD.
Who is authorized to provide cog-fun treatment? Certified occupational therapists designated by the Ministry of Health and licensed as cog-fun therapists for adults, on behalf of the Hebrew University's Occupational Therapy School.
