The Adult ADHD Tool Kit

Downloaded by [New York University] at 07:18 14 August 2016 The Adult ADHD Tool Kit A central source of frustration for most adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Dis- order (ADHD) is that they know what they need to do, but they have difficulties turning their intentions into actions. These difficulties also interfere with their ability to use self- help books and to get the most out of psychosocial treatments that provide coping strategies that promise to improve their functioning. Drs. Ramsay and Rostain are experts in the assessment and treatment of adult ADHD and are leaders in the development of effective psychosocial treatments for this group of patients. Their newest book, The Adult ADHD Tool Kit: Using CBT to Facilitate Coping Inside and Out, is a coping guide for adults living with ADHD, one that does not just present useful coping strategies but also provides specific tactics designed to help readers implement these skills in their daily lives and brings them to life in a user-friendly format. The authors discuss many different settings in which ADHD may cause difficulties, including work, school, matters of physical health and well-being, and the issue of excessive use of technology. Although written for consumers, clinicians will find the book to be a clinically useful tool for their adult patients with ADHD, serving as a companion to the newly updated and expanded second edition of Drs. Ramsay and Rostain’s professional treatment manual Cognitive- Behavioral Therapy for Adult ADHD: An Integrative Psychosocial and Medical Approach. J. Russell Ramsay, PhD, is cofounder and codirector of the Adult ADHD Treatment and Research Program and an associate professor of clinical psychology in psychiatry in the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine. He is cochair of the professional advisory board for the Attention Deficit Disorder Association. Downloaded by [New York University] at 07:18 14 August 2016 Anthony L. Rostain, MD, is cofounder and codirector of the Adult ADHD Treatment and Research Program and a professor of psychiatry and pediatrics in the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine, where he is also director of education for the department of psychiatry. He is currently president of the American Professional Society of ADHD and Related Disorders (APSARD). This page intentionally left blank Downloaded by [New York University] at 07:18 14 August 2016 The Adult ADHD Tool Kit Using CBT to Facilitate Coping Inside and Out J. Russell Ramsay and Anthony L. Rostain Downloaded by [New York University] at 07:18 14 August 2016 First published 2015 by Routledge 711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017 and by Routledge 27 Church Road, Hove, East Sussex BN3 2FA Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business © 2015 J. Russell Ramsay and Anthony L. Rostain The right of J. Russell Ramsay and Anthony L. Rostain to be identified as authors of this work has been asserted by them in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. The purchase of this copyright material confers the right on the purchasing institution to photocopy pages which bear the photocopy icon and copyright line at the bottom of the page. No other parts of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe. Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Ramsay, J. Russell, author. The adult ADHD tool kit : using CBT to facilitate coping inside and out / by J. Russell Ramsay and Anthony L. Rostain. p. ; cm. Complemented by: Cognitive-behavioral therapy for adult ADHD / by J. Russell Ramsay and Anthony L. Rostain. Second edition. 2015. Includes bibliographical references and index. I. Rostain, Anthony L., author. II. Ramsay, J. Russell. Cognitive-behavioral therapy for adult ADHD. Complemented by (work): III. Title. [DNLM: 1. Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity—psychology. 2. Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity—therapy. 3. Adult—psychology. 4. Cognitive Therapy—methods. WM 165] RC394.A85 616.85'89—dc23 2014014783 ISBN: 978-0-415-81588-8 (hbk) ISBN: 978-0-415-81589-5 (pbk) ISBN: 978-0-203-44166-4 (ebk) Typeset in Minion by Apex CoVantage, LLC Downloaded by [New York University] at 07:18 14 August 2016 JRR dedicates this book, as always, to my daughters, Abigail and Brynn. ALR dedicates this book to my amazing wife, Michele, and to my wonderful kids, Isabelle, Julian, Sam, and Gen who have taught me what it really means to be a dad. Downloaded by [New York University] at 07:18 14 August 2016 This page intentionally left blank Downloaded by [New York University] at 07:18 14 August 2016 Contents Preface xiii Acknowledgments xix 1 Introduction 1 Why Should I Expect That This Tool Kit Is Going to Help Me? 1 Adult ADHD Background 3 Development of the Adult ADHD Tool Kit 5 2 What Do You Have to Do? The To-Do List 9 Planning Time to Plan 10 Comprehensive To-Do List 12 Daily To-Do List 14 “Enter the Room with a Plan” 16 3 How Do You Spend Yourself? The Daily Planner 19 Choosing a Daily Planner 19 (Over)use It or Lose It 22 Self-Care Activities 22 Err on the Side of Underscheduling 22 Define Start and End Times for Tasks 23 Downloaded by [New York University] at 07:18 14 August 2016 4 Define, Prioritize, and Choreograph What You Do: Time and Task Management 25 Review the Daily Planner—Early and Often 25 Write Down All of Your Existing Obligations 26 Define Tasks for Your Daily To-Do List 28 Breaking Down a Task into Its Steps 28 Commuting and Other Buffer Times 31 Scheduling Unstructured, Discretionary, and Downtime 31 Choreography and Realistic Expectations 32 viii Contents Make Adjustments, as Needed 34 Do It Now 34 5 Putting the Plan into Motion (or “Once I Get Started . .”) 35 Define Tasks in Specific, Behavioral Terms 35 Define the Smallest Step of Behavioral Engagement 36 Implementation Plans 39 The 10-Minute Rule 39 Be Aware of Your Escape Behaviors 40 Procrastination Thoughts 42 Change the Negative-to-Positive Anticipation Ratio 44 Identify and Accept Discomfort 45 6 Keeping the Plan Going (Part 1): Motivation, Emotions, and Energy 48 Renewing the Plan 48 Manufacture “Enough” Motivation 49 Behavioral Scripts 50 Reframe Time 52 Managing Energy 54 Setting Up Rewards 56 Accepting and Retraining Emotions 56 7 Keeping the Plan Going (Part 2): Attitudes, Beliefs, and Self-Esteem 60 Catching Your Automatic Thoughts 61 Thinking Errors 63 Changing Your Thoughts: Consulting Your Defense Attorney 65 Method Acting Approach 69 Values and Commitment 71 Changing Your View of Yourself 73 8 Outsourcing Coping Skills 76 Downloaded by [New York University] at 07:18 14 August 2016 Setting Up Automated Payments 76 Setting Up Automatic Reminders 77 Hiring and Bartering 78 Find Good Tools, but Avoid “Fool’s Gold” 79 9 Data Management: Recording, Organizing, and Managing Information 82 The Daily Planner, Again 82 Electronic Backup 82 Contents ix Going Paperless (Other Than Your Daily Planner) 83 Assertiveness and Information Management 84 Workplace Information 86 Classroom Information 88 10 Materials Management: Organizing and Managing Your “Stuff” 91 Do You Need It? 91 Finding a Place for Your Stuff 93 Tools of Daily Life 93 Keeping Up with Mail 94 Staying Organized 96 11 Environmental Engineering: Managing Your Surroundings 98 Your Work Station at Home 98 Stimulus Control 99 Alternative Work Stations 100 Your Work Station at Work 100 Your Sleep Station 102 12 Problem Management: Putting Skills Together to Navigate the World 103 Problem Management Template 103 Decision-Making Template 105 Facing Uncertainty 107 13 Managing College with ADHD 108 Readiness and Setting the Stage for College 108 Managing the Demands of College 111 Dorm Life (or Living at Home while Attending School) 111 Reserving Time for Studying 111 Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic 112 Asking for Help and Self-advocacy 116 Downloaded by [New York University] at 07:18 14 August 2016 Self-care 117 Dealing with Technology 118 14 Managing the Workplace with ADHD 119 Goodness of Fit 119 Planning, Organizing, and Getting Started 120 Accommodations: Coping with an Imperfect Fit 121 Assertiveness and Negotiation 123 Do I Tell My Employer That I Have ADHD? 125 x Contents 15 Relationships, Family, and Adult ADHD 126 Committing to Treatment for ADHD 127 Scheduling Times for Important Conversations 127 Scheduling Regular Check-In Meetings 128 Empathy Behaviors and Emotional Regulation 129 Handling Emotions during Interactions 130 Implementation Plans for Predictable Settings 131 Assertiveness and Negotiation 133 Externalized Coping Reminders 133 16 Health, Well-Being, and Adult ADHD 136 Sleep 136 Exercise 140 Healthy Eating 141 Monitoring Your Health over Time 142 Women’s Health Issues and ADHD 143 Motherhood and ADHD 144 Sexual Health 145 Driving 145 Changing Harmful Habits 147 17 Your Relationship with Technology: Good Servant, Poor Master 150 Benefits of Technology for Managing ADHD 150 Drawbacks of Technology for Managing ADHD 151 “Turn On the Device with a Plan” 152 Recognize Your Procrastination Risks 152 Stimulus Control 154 Implementation Strategies for Pivot Points 154 Planned

Load more