New York, Jun 27 (AP) Jeremy Didier had taken her son to a psychologist for a possible ADHD evaluation when she spotted an article about women with the condition. As she read it in the waiting room, she thought to herself: They’re describing me. “Lots of risk-taking, lots of very impulsive behaviour growing up,” Didier said. As the magazine described, she’d excelled in school but gotten in trouble for talking too much. She’d amassed too many speeding tickets as an adult. She turned to her husband and said, “I think I might have ADHD.” Also Read | Explosion and Stampede in Central African Republic: 29 Children Killed, Over 250 Injured As Transformer Blast During Exam Triggers Chaos at Barthelemy Boganda High School in Bangui. Didier is now the board president of Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, a nonprofit advocacy and support organisation. Her realisation mirrors the experiences of other adults who wonder if they have ADHD after a child’s diagnosis. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder is a neurodevelopmental condition characterised by inattention, hyperactivity or a combination of the two. Common symptoms such as trouble concentrating or sitting still can create challenges at work. Also Read | Shubhanshu Shukla Becomes First Indian To Enter International Space Station, Says ‘Privilege To Be Amongst Few To See Earth From This Vantage Point’ (Watch Video). People with ADHD are often passed over for promotions, said Andrew Sylvester, a psychiatrist at UCHealth in Longmont, Colorado. Difficulties with attention may lead the mind to drift during meetings, and cause someone to miss important discussion nuances. The disorder may interfere with organisation, planning and remembering details. Yet some adults think of having ADHD as a source of personality strengths and ways of thinking that benefit employers. Diagnostic manuals may call it a disorder, but it also can be a superpower, they said. “Our brains work differently and so we’re more likely to be able to think outside the box and come up with different things, and sometimes that’s because we’ve had to do that in order to to survive,” Didier said. Here are some ways to cope with and channel ADHD in the workplace. Finding community Getting diagnosed with ADHD doesn’t always lead to a quick fix. While doctors often recommend medication and therapy, not everyone can take medication, and those routes don’t necessarily eliminate all symptoms. Didier floundered with a messy house and lots of yelling as she and four of her five children were diagnosed with ADHD. She experimented with medicine, diets and reward charts, and discovered what helped her the most: a community of parents who had children with ADHD. “There’s nothing like talking to other people who are going through what you’re going through to help you feel … that you’re not alone,” she said. Didier eventually became a social worker and now runs support groups for adults with ADHD, teaching skills they can use at work. Some organisations have employee resource groups organised around neurodiversity to provide camaraderie and support to adults with ADHD, autism, dyslexia and other conditions. GPS of the brain People with ADHD often struggle with executive function, which Didier describes as “your brain’s GPS” for navigating your day. Executive function is a set of mental skills that includes making plans, managing time and flexible thinking. It also includes working memory, which helps us keep track of what we’re doing. To keep from getting derailed, experts recommend breaking large tasks into chunks, writing detailed to-do lists and taking breaks. Personal chef Bill Collins, 66, who was diagnosed with ADHD two years ago, writes structured lists when he’s making a meal for a client. He creates categories for kitchen areas — counter, stove and oven — and then lists tasks such as “chop carrots, boil water for pasta” underneath each category. Then he numbers each task so he knows exactly what to do, where and when. “That’s how I got around my unknown ADHD early on, just making lists,” Collins said. “If it’s something I don’t want to do, I put it at the top of the list so I can be done with it.” Another technique is called “body doubling,” which involves a pair of work colleagues meeting over Zoom or in-person to focus on completing projects. The two may choose to perform separate tasks — one might build a presentation deck while the other files tax reports — but help each other stay accountable. “You’re just sitting there during that dedicated time, getting things done,” Didier said. Insurance company Liberty Mutual provides an AI tool that helps break down large projects into manageable tasks and provides reminders about deadlines, to help employees with ADHD stay focused and organised, said Head of Benefits Verlinda DiMarino. Getting through meetings Meetings can be difficult for people with ADHD if their minds drift or they feel an urge to get up out of a chair. They also may struggle with impulse control and find it hard to wait their turn to speak. Nicole Clark, CEO of the Adult and Pediatric Institute, a mental health practice in Stuart, Florida, suggests asking for meeting topics in advance and writing up talking points. If you think of questions during the meeting, write them down. Some employers use a voice-to-text service, projecting what a speaker is saying on a screen, which helps people with attention difficulties stay focused, Clark said. Sylvester, the psychiatrist, recommends practising active listening by repeating in your head what someone just said, or taking a brief time-out from a meeting to reset. Tell them, “‘I need five minutes. I’ll be right back.’ Get up and walk out. Do what you need to do,” he said. Mariel Paralitici-Morales, chief medical officer of the Adult and Pediatric Institute, who has ADHD, sits close to whoever will be speaking to help sustain attention. “Having something in my hand helps,” said Paralitici-Morales, who sometimes holds a fidget spinner. “If we have to talk, I found it’s easier for me to be the first one and break the ice” to keep herself from second-guessing what she planned to say. (AP) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)