Refusal to Treat ADHD
ADHD can be a very difficult condition to treat, partly because there’s often no immediate physical danger to counter and no acute symptoms that threaten health and safety. Instead, ADHD brings a load of questions, doubts, and emotional hurdles alongside the classic cognitive difficulties and behavioural issues, and that can make patients of any age shy away from the treatment options at their disposal.
Whether you struggle with convincing your partner, family member, or child to acknowledge their needs and get the help they deserve, one thing is very clear: the longer they go without treatment, the more wear and tear on your relationship, and the sooner your own confidence and happiness will begin to suffer.
Conflict is frustrating and destructive – learn some ways to help an ADHD person see the silver lining and make the choice to get help, without having to force them against their will.
Breaking Through a Problematic Perspective
There are several ways that attitude and perspective can get in the way of healthy ADHD management, so it’s important to understand the root of your loved one’s reaction. Anger, sadness, and fear are common emotional symptoms, but there can be more complex psychological reactions to the prospect of ADHD treatment, too.
The better you can grasp what an ADHD person is feeling and internalizing, the better you can work with them to broaden their perspective.
Controlling Symptoms vs Protecting Symptoms
Some ADHD people decide that their symptoms are who they are, rather than something they must learn to live with. It’s true that ADHD symptoms cannot be ignored – nor should they be – but there’s a big difference between allowing them to dictate your daily routine and finding a way to use them to your advantage (or overcome their hold on you).
As a friend, spouse, or parent, you may need to encourage the ADHD person to consider their potential, and help find activities or information to empower them.
Sorting out Priorities
Sometimes, starting treatment with ADHD is hard because it’s difficult to imagine what you will get out of it. The outside world seems to have clear expectations of you, but everything from fear of failure to simple disinterest can lead an ADHD mind to distraction – or combat.
Helping a person with ADHD outline their own priorities is a good start; it’s easier for them to stay motivated in treatment when they work towards personal goals, and see personal rewards.
Raising Awareness
In many cases, it takes a good deal of time and effort to help a person with ADHD realize how their thoughts, feelings, and actions are intimately connected. After all, until you get a handle on the inner workings of your mind and behaviour, it’s near impossible to develop effective coping mechanisms.
In many cases, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) techniques can help a patient understand the fallout of their uncontrolled symptoms, and how they can change that response for the better.
