Introduction

[mamalauryn85]

Hi everyone! My name is Lauryn. I’m a 38 year old mother of 2 children. I l live in Florida . I was diagnosed with adhd at 17 years old. I just recently started meds for medication management because I was struggling with my studies and day to day life. I started college a few years ago and I’m about to graduate from Daytona State College with an associate of arts degree. I’m continuing my education so I can get a bachelors degree in social work so I can become an addiction/mental health counselor. I am also in long term recovery from substance use disorder. I love to advocate for people that are struggling with addiction, mental health, and trauma.I am struggling with managing my adhd especially my executive functioning. I get hyper focused on the wrong stuff ,and ignore important tasks. My time management is terrible. Any tips or suggestions will help. Hope everyone has a great day. 💯❤️

[STEM_Dad]

Hi Lauryn! I was a college student while raising kids in my 30s. (Before my ADHD diagnosis. I didn't finish the degree.) ... I then worked for 10 years at the last college I attended.

One of the best suggestions that I learned about is that body-doubling (aka, working with a buddy/study buddy/study group) can really help in many ways. That might include out-of-class time management and helping to mitigate hyperfocusing on the wrong things.

*(Unfortunately, I learned this after I already had to drop out of school.)

I am still bad at time management. I think that my ADHD medication has helped me with being able to redirect my attention, but I still will often hyperfocus on the wrong things...it's just not nearly as bad as before. (I was on Adderall originally and on atomoxetine/Strattera since then. They both helped me in this way.)

• I'd say that my ability to pull myself out of hyperfocus is about 50% improved on medication, and my ability to direct my focus intentionally is about 70% improved.

• The two things that can interfere a lot with those improvements are stress/overwhelm and lack of sleep. (I've had a lot of problems with both, recently.)

On that note, how's your sleep, and how's your stress levels? 🙂

I know how hard it is to go back to school after you have kids. I've tried it a couple of times. I'm glad that you are aware that you have ADHD, and that you're getting the help you need.

.....

Like I said before, I worked at a college for 10 years. I know that many colleges have some form of support which might help people with ADHD. This support might include:

• Academic support

• Accomodations

• Counseling

• Skills training

• possibly even assistance from the school's Disability Support services

Since you mentioned the name of your school, I checked and found that they advertise at least some of these kinds of support. If you need an advocate to help you access these services, consider talking to your academic advisor, the Dean's office for your academic program, or the office of the Dean of Students.

[mamalauryn85 in reply to STEM_Dad]

Hi there!

Thank you so much for sharing your experiences and insights with me. Your journey through college while raising kids and managing ADHD is incredibly inspiring, and I can't tell you how much I appreciate your thoughtful advice. Learning about body-doubling and its benefits, even after your own challenges, is a valuable lesson that I will definitely take to heart.

I'm grateful to hear about the improvements in your focus with medication; it gives me hope for managing my own ADHD better. Your openness about the obstacles you face, like stress and sleep issues, also reminds me that it's okay to struggle and that these are common hurdles for many of us.

Your question about sleep and stress hit home – it's definitely stressful juggling school and raising two kids, but I'm actively working on improving my sleep habits. It's a work in progress, but I'm hopeful that I can handle the stress more effectively with better rest.

I'm determined to make the most of the support systems available at school, and I hadn't considered some of the options you mentioned. Knowing that there are accommodations and services specifically tailored for students with ADHD is incredibly reassuring. I'll be sure to contact the academic advisor and the dean's office, as you suggested.

Again, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Not every day someone takes the time to offer such genuine support and guidance. You've made a real difference in my journey, and I'm truly thankful.