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Can you Live a Normal Life with Adult ADHD?

Can you Live a Normal Life with Adult ADHD?

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Life is falling apart; you can’t meet deadlines, attend social events or focus on the simplest tasks. 

In other words, you feel like you can’t function like a “normal” person. 

You may have adult ADHD. It directly translates to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. It’s a mental health condition that may get in the way of how your brain functions and result in hyperactivity, impulsive behavior and low attention span.

In Sri Lanka, adult ADHD is largely misunderstood, undermined and completely ignored. ADHD is only viewed as something that causes hyperactivity in kids. 

Well, that’s MORE to it. 

Therefore, we are going to go cover: 

  1. How common is Adult ADHD?
  2. Adult ADHD symptoms 
  3. What causes Adult ADHD?
  4. Adult ADHD diagnosis & treatment
  5. What is Sri Lanka doing wrong?
  6. Being normal with Adult ADHD

How Common is Adult ADHD?

Every adult with ADHD had it as a child. While some kids outgrow ADHD, about 60% of them continue to have it as an adult.

According to a 2021 study, globally around 6% of adults showed ADHD symptoms in 2020. 

Many sources have confirmed that only a fraction of them have been diagnosed or treated across all cultures and countries. 

So, how do you know you have it? Let’s find out.

Adult ADHD Symptoms

There are 3 types of ADHD, some may have one, two or a combination. 

Inattention

  • Forgetfulness
  • Difficulty staying focused during conversations
  • Difficulty paying attention to detail
  • Easily distracted
  • Trouble staying organized
  • Not being able focus and commit to relationships
  • Terrible with time management

Impulsivity [the ability act without thinking]

  • Always interrupt others
  • Tendency to blurt out things at the wrong time and place
  • Prone to dangerous risks
  • Mood swings

Hyperactivity

  • Walk or move around aimlessly
  • Difficulty staying in one place
  • Excessive fidgeting and talking
  • Anxiety
  • Hyperfocus: The opposite of being distracted
  • Shifts from one task to another without completing any of it.
Symptoms of adult ADHD

Quick fact: Almost everyone has the above symptoms. These are linked to adult ADHD, only if they occur repeatedly and get in the way of your daily life.

What Causes Adult ADHD?

Actually, nobody really knows it. 

BUT, The Centers For Diseases Control and Prevention confirms that usually genetics is how attention-deficit hyperactivity is passed on. Around 3 out 4 diagnosed children have a relative with ADHD. 

Other risk factors for causing ADHD are: 

  • A concerning brain condition
  • Tobacco use, stress and alcohol consumption during pregnancy
  • Preterm birth
  • low birth weight
  • A low intake of nutrients such as magnesium, folate, zinc, or polyunsaturated acids
Causes of adult ADHD

Adult ADHD Diagnosis & Treatment

If you begin to show any adult ADHD symptoms, consult your doctor. Using the oDoc app, you could reach out to the country’s leading practitioners very easily.

The doctors may do a physical examination, run a few tests and most importantly, will check for the below. 

  • Adult ADHD symptoms
  • The time and place they started
  • The impact of these symptoms on your day-to-day
  • A family history of ADHD
  • Any other health concerns or recent life events like a divorce in the family

It’s not possible to get rid of ADHD and you don’t have to. All you need to do is manage it.

Your doctor will work with you using a combination of medications, skill training and counseling. 

People lead very happy, healthy lives with ADHD. 

 

What is Sri Lanka Doing Wrong?

We stumbled across a Reddit user who shared an experience of a psychiatrist dismissing adult ADHD saying, ‘everyone feels like they have ADHD’. 

If you ever experience adult ADHD symptoms and someone brushes it off, ignore them and not the symptoms. 

In Sri Lanka, overlooking ADHD is very common and that is the root of all obstacles staying in the way of leading better lives. 

Secondly, hyperactivity and other adult ADHD symptoms are seen as mental illness. It’s merely a psychiatric diagnosis/condition. University of Jayewardenepura Faculty of Medical Sciences Department of Psychiatry senior lecturer and Colombo South Teaching Hospital Kalubowila honorary consultant psychiatrist Dr. Dulshika Waas confirms this. 

 

Being Normal With ADHD

You can be having attention deficit hyperactivity and still be normal. It’s just a condition. It doesn’t make you any less. 

It’s one of the many obstacles people face. 

If at all, it makes you extraordinary. Think of all the high-spirited and spontaneous energy you bring to this world. 

Get the best out of this by keeping it at bay with prescribed doable treatments and counseling. Your first step is to consult your doctor for a quick diagnosis via oDoc today!

Sources

  • WebMD
  • NHS UK
  • MayoClinic

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Pedal Power: Health Benefits of Cycling

Pedal Power: Health Benefits of Cycling

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Fuel shortage in Sri Lanka leads to more cycling

In a state where public transport has also been limited, and bus ticket prices have risen exponentially, the lack of transport options has made daily commuting and travelling during emergency situations increasingly difficult. As a result, walking and cycling have become almost the only choice for many Sri Lankans.

Cycling is a low-impact aerobic exercise that offers a wealth of benefits. It is a great exercise that keeps you moving and helps establish a physically and mentally healthy lifestyle.

1. Cycling can help you lose weight

Cycling is a great aerobic workout that burns calories and helps people lose weight and belly fat. To lose weight, you must burn more calories than you take in. Depending on your intensity and weight, cycling can burn between 400 and 1000 calories each hour.

Body parts that are exercised, targeted, toned, and used while cycling

  • Foot: Ankle dorsiflexion and plantar flexors
  • Arms: Triceps and biceps 
  • Shoulders: Deltoids
  • Calf: Gastrocnemius and soleus
  • Buttocks or Gluts: Gluteus minimus, gluteus maximus, and gluteus medius
  • Thigh: Quadriceps and hamstrings

2. Cycling boosts mental health and brain power

Cycling can ease feelings of stress, depression, or anxiety as it may help take your focus away from the mental chatter of your day.  When cycling, concentrating on the road or your cadence might help you improve your attention span and awareness of the present moment. Here are a few ways cycling could boost your positive mental health.

  • It improves your mood. Cycling increases blood flow throughout your body, allowing endorphins and other feel-good chemicals like dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin to spread quickly.
  • It promotes positive mental health. Exercise is known to have significant effects on self-esteem, sadness, anxiety, and stress. Still, cycling has been identified as one of the most beneficial exercises for the head and heart.
  • It helps you sleep better. Regular riding helps synchronise your circadian rhythm and can help to reduce levels of stress hormones that can make proper regenerative, deep sleep difficult.
  • Improves your memory. Riding a bike helps build new brain cells responsible for memory. 
  • Improves creative thinking. The regular, uniform movement of cycling relaxes the brain, stabilising both physical and mental functions.
  • Cycling promotes new thought patterns that promote feelings of calm and well-being. You can use it as a type of meditation and a great way to “zone out.”
benefits of cycling

3. Cycling improves balance, posture, and coordination

As you stabilise your body and keep your bike upright, you’ll improve your overall balance, coordination, and gait.

Maintaining balance is important because it tends to deteriorate with age and inactivity. Therefore, enhancing your balance can help lower your risk of injury and keep you off the sidelines by preventing falls and fractures.

correct posture of cycling

4. Cycling can reduce the risk of heart diseases

Regular cycling stimulates and improves your heart, lungs and circulation, reducing your risk of cardiovascular diseases such as strokes, high blood pressure and heart attacks.

Cycling also helps your cardiac muscles become more robust and lowers your resting pulse and blood fat levels.Additionally, research shows that people who cycle to work have a lung function that is two to three times better than those who commute by car.

Drawbacks of cycling and safety

Cycling has a few disadvantages to consider, and these primarily relate to cycling outside, which involves factors beyond your control.

There could always be a risk of an accident, whether in an urban or rural area. Hence, 

  • Obey the law at all times. Even if you have the right of way, exercise caution when passing through crossroads and crowded locations. Invest in a good helmet and any other necessary safety equipment.
  • Avoid wearing any loose clothing that could get caught in your bike chains.
  • Unfavourable weather might also be a barrier. So, invest in rain and cold weather gear and have a backup transportation plan for when conditions are unsafe for riding.
  • For extended daytime rides, use sunscreen on all exposed skin.
  • Take a break if you experience pain, fatigue, or muscle soreness.
  • If you have any cycling-related injuries, staying off the bike is best until you fully recover.
tips for cycling safely

The bottom line

Given the current situation in Sri Lanka, cycling to your destination may seem like the only option. However, just play it safe and use caution when necessary, especially on busy roads or during unfavourable weather.

If you have any injuries or need clarification regarding conditions that cycling may affect, speak to a general practitioner or a physician via the oDoc app.

Sources

  1. 15 benefits of cycling: why cycling is great for fitness, legs and mind, Cycling Weekly (2022).
  2. 12 Benefits of Cycling, Plus Safety Tips, Healthline (2021).
  3. Cycling – health benefits, Better Health (2021).
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How To Manage Stress

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How To Manage Stress

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With the cost of living rising rapidly by the day, the currency devaluing, and the country falling into economic decline, it is no surprise that STRESS LEVELS ARE AT AN ALL-TIME HIGH. I just grew 10 additional grey hairs typing this sentence.

So many of these factors are mostly out of your control. But there are many actions you can take to relieve your stress and approach difficult situations differently.

Be active 

Running on the treadmill won’t make your stress completely disappear. But staying active with daily exercise can relieve some of the emotional intensity you’re feeling. This helps clear your mind and lets you face issues more calmly. Exercise is shown to release endorphins – natural chemicals in your body that help you feel better and more positive.

exercise

 

Eat and drink healthily

Alcohol and binge-eating doesn’t make your stress vanish. They can help in the moment but can actually add to your stress in the long run. You’ve heard it before but you’ll hear it again. Consuming a healthy, balanced diet can alleviate some of the stress you’re feeling.

 

Identify stress triggers for yourself

Sometimes, the causes of stress are within your control. Maybe you are not able to manage your time well between work and family or maybe you have an upcoming deadline. You can improve your time management skills by asking for help either from your loved ones or a licensed professional, setting priorities and pacing yourself.

causes of stress
stress management

 

Connect with your loved ones

Having a supportive community of family, friends and colleagues can help ease your troubles and even get you to think about a problem in a different way. Having a laugh, doing a fun activity, gossiping over a meal are all excellent stress relievers!

 

Say ‘’No’’

With that being said, it’s okay to say ‘’No.’’ Sometimes saying ‘’yes’’ to everything that is demanded of you can burn out your time and energy. Setting those boundaries for yourself to re-energize and refresh can alleviate the hectic nature of your life.

say no
realistic expectations

 

Set realistic expectations

Maybe you’re extremely ambitious and want to give your 100% to the 100 things you’re working on. But be mindful of setting realistic goals for yourself, in terms of what you can and can’t control.

 

Have some ‘me’ time

Taking a few hours or days a week to relax and do the things you enjoy can do wonders for your mental health. Read that book you’ve been putting off, listen to a new Spotify playlist or practice meditation.

self care

Try to be positive

We know. How can you be positive when the world is on fire around us. But look for the positive things in your life and the people and things you’re grateful for. Glass half-full instead of glass half-empty..

Maybe you’ve tried all the above and you’re still highly strung out. Talking to a licensed mental health professional can help you manage your stress better. You can speak to one on oDoc today! Download the app now.

Sources:

  • Stress: 10 Ways to Ease Sress, 2020, Cleveland Clinic
  • 10 Stress Busters, 2018, NHS
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Insomnia – Everything You Need To Know

Insomnia - Everything You Need To Know

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female with insomnia struggling to sleep at night

People with Insomnia find it hard to fall asleep, stay asleep or even go back to sleep if woken up. Insomnia may cause someone to feel tired when woken up, drain their energy level, resulting in a low performance at work, mood swings and even some adverse health conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and weight gain.

The amount of sleep needed varies from person to person. However, an average person needs at least six to nine hours of sleep. Quality sleep plays a vital role in overall well-being. Not getting sufficient sleep regularly can significantly impact physical and mental health along with the quality of life. 

What are some insomnia symptoms?

Insomnia is defined as: 

  • Difficulty in falling asleep at night
  • Waking up in the middle of the night
  • Waking up too early

As a result, here are a few other symptoms related to the lack of sleep:

  • Feeling drained out/tired
  • Difficulty in focusing or paying attention 
  • Increase in carelessness
  • Feeling tired and lethargic during the day
  • Feeling anxious or depressed 

Insomnia can be both short-term and long-term. Short term insomnia tends to last for a few days or weeks and is often triggered by stress. Whereas long-term or chronic insomnia is when sleep difficulties occur at least three times a week for three months or longer.

What causes insomnia?

Insomnia may be the primary problem, or it may be associated with other health conditions. However, several things may contribute to insomnia, including environmental, physiological, and psychological factors.

Causes for chronic insomnia include:

  • Stress: Concerns regarding jobs, education, finance, family and health can affect the mind’s activity at night, making it difficult to fall asleep.
  • Schedule: Circadian rhythms are 24-hour cycles that are part of the body’s internal clock running in the background to carry out essential functions and processes. One of the most essential and well-known circadian rhythms is the sleep-wake cycle. When the sleep schedule is disrupted due to working/studying till late at night, travelling across multiple time zones, working a late or early shift, or frequently changing shifts, it makes it difficult to fall asleep.
  • Poor sleep habits: Eating, watching TV till late, using smartphones, playing video games before bed can interfere with the sleep cycle. Similarly, poor sleep habits include an irregular bedtime schedule, naps, an uncomfortable sleep environment, and using the bed for work, eating or watching TV.

Common causes of insomnia include:

  • Mental health: Trauma, anxiety, depression could affect the sleeping patterns, leading to insomnia.
  • Medication: Many prescribed drugs can interfere with sleep, especially severe illnesses.
  • Illnesses: Insomnia is influenced by medical conditions such as cancer, diabetes, asthma, Parkinson’s and heart diseases. 

Additionally, excessively drinking caffeine may also cause irregular sleeping habits, while nicotine in tobacco products is another stimulant that can interfere with sleep. On the other hand, alcohol may help fall asleep, but it prevents deeper stages of sleep and often causes awakening in the middle of the night.

What are the risk factors of insomnia?

Almost everyone has experienced a couple of sleepless nights. However, the risk of insomnia is more significant if someone falls into a specific demographic or experiences certain lifestyle factors:

 

  • Over the age of 60: Changes in sleep patterns and health.
  • Women: During the menstrual cycle and menopause, the hormonal shifts influence sleep patterns. Further, during menopause, night sweats and hot flashes often disrupt sleep. Insomnia is common during pregnancy, especially in the first and third trimesters.
  • Mental or physical health condition. 
  • Constant stress
  • Irregular schedule

How can insomnia be prevented?

Good sleep habits will help improve sleep and prevent insomnia. 

  • Consistent bedtime and wake up time
  • Stay active (regular physical activities)
  • Create a bedtime routine that will help get in the mood to sleep (Taking a warm bath, reading or listening to soft music.)
  • Avoid or minimise caffeine, alcohol, and prevent the use of nicotine.
  • Avoid large meals and beverages before bedtime.
  • Keep the bedroom dark, quiet and cool to make it comfortable.

Insomnia is not a nuisance or a small inconvenience but an actual sleep disorder that can significantly impact one’s physical, mental and emotional health. 

If you think you have insomnia, feel free to reach out to a healthcare professional via the oDoc app as soon as possible. They can assist you in exploring the possible causes and offer help with finding the best treatment for your needs.

References

  1. Insomnia, Cleveland clinic (2020)
  2. Insomnia, Mayo Clinic (2016)
  3. Everything you need to know about Insomnia, Healthline (2022)
  4. Circadian Rhythm, Sleep Foundation (2022)
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How Do You Deal With Grief & Loss?

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How Do You Deal With Grief & Loss?

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Grief is an emotional response to loss. Any type of loss could cause grief; loss of a loved one, loss of a pet, loss of a job and financial stability, loss of a relationship, loss of a baby and more.

The pain of loss can sometimes be overwhelming and it can be hard to deal with such intense, overpowering, unexpected emotions. Your physical health can also be affected, making it difficult for you to eat, sleep or think straight. Your whole world can be changed with a loss. Nothing could look quite the same anymore – everything appears lacking, strange or unfamiliar. These are completely normal reactions to have.

how to deal with grief

You might be going through something similar and maybe you’re wondering how you can feel better soon? How can you get to the point where you are not in so much pain anymore?

There are healthy ways to cope with grief & loss that can ease your sadness over time and help you come to terms with what happened and move on with life. There is no ‘’normal’’ way of grieving. Everyone goes through it differently with some feeling better in a few weeks while others take years to fully heal.

Myths about grief & loss

You need to ‘stay strong’

You can feel your feelings. You can feel sad, scared and lonely. You can cry, get angry or stay quiet. None of these reactions are ‘’weak’’. You don’t need to put on a brave front.

Distracting yourself from the pain will make it go away faster

Ignoring the pain or trying to push it down so you don’t feel it will make you feel worse in the long run. While it is extremely hard to do, you need to face what has happened.

If you don’t cry, you didn’t really care about the loss

Crying is one reaction to grief & loss but it’s not the only one. Those who don’t cry can react to loss in different ways. This doesn’t mean they didn’t feel the pain as badly.

After a certain amount of time, you should be over it 

There’s no timeline to grieve. For some, grief will always remain but they are able to manage their grief better over time.

What are the different ways you can cope with grief & loss?

Talk to someone about it

Talking about the loss can be hard because that means you have to think about what has happened and come to terms with it. But sharing your feelings and thoughts with friends and family can be clarifying and cathartic.

Express your feelings in other ways

If you’re not able to talk about the loss, you can journal or write down your thoughts. Scrapbooking or volunteering for a cause can also help you let all your emotions out

Don’t be afraid to find moments of joy

Again, feel your feelings. It’s okay to laugh, be happy, have a good time and joke around if those emotions come naturally to you.

Look after your physical health

Having quality sleep, eating healthy and exercising regularly allows you to better cope with your grief emotionally.

Sometimes, it can be hard to grieve by yourself. How can you make sure you’re dealing with grief& loss in a healthy, non-destructive way? You can always reach out to a mental health professional, possibly one who specializes in grief counseling, who can help you work through your emotions and teach you coping mechanisms.

You can speak to a licensed mental health practitioner on oDoc. Download the app now.

Sources:

  • Coping With Grief & Loss, Help Guide, October 2021
  • How To Cope With Loss: Tips for Healthy Grieving, Everyday Health, October 2021
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