The Zany Sense of Humor of an ADHDer

One day, during my Freshman year of high school, one of my teachers pointed out in front of the class that I had a weird sense of humor. “Yeah, but I’m not the only one,” I responded.

He doubled down. “Yeah, but yours is way out there.” At that moment, the conversation went from playful to isolating. I acknowledged that I had a bizarre sense of humor, but he went further and made me feel different. And, this teacher was a family friend! My sense of humor started to become a source of shame. I tried to hide the more bizarre side of my sense of humor, only sharing the humorous side that I knew others would appreciate.

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Advice, Information, Sleep, Tips, Wisdom Evelyn Gallagher Advice, Information, Sleep, Tips, Wisdom Evelyn Gallagher

12 Benefits of Sleep ADHDers NEED

I recently read (okay, listened to the audiobook of) Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams by renowned sleep researcher Matthew Walker, PhD. IT. BLEW. MY. MIND. Sleep is crazy important. Because I read that book (okay, listened to that audiobook), I made several changes to my life. My sleep schedule is now quite strict, and I bought a new bed to ensure maximum comfort. In short, I learned that, if you don’t get eight hours of sleep every night, you’re basically screwed.

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It Is Okay to Ask for Help!

Our culture places individual achievement on a high pedestal. Those one-man armies are revered for their accomplishments, but oftentimes, what you do not hear about is all of those who have helped those people get where they are. The phrase “no man is an island” is old but still very much true.

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BOREDOM BUSTER: Meal Planning

Welcome to BOREDOM BUSTER! This is a new series of blog posts that I am introducing to help you find ways of getting rid of the boredom of certain mundane tasks to which ADHD brains have an aversion. How often will these BOREDOM BUSTER posts come out? I have no idea. Don’t expect them with any regularity.

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New Year's Resolution? Why Wait?

Every year, millions of people stay up until midnight on the night of December 31 to ring in the new year. I have never understood this. I find this quite arbitrary. Prior to midnight, we write "2018" on our checks, and after midnight, we write "2019." If we are celebrating the changing of one element on our calendars, then why are we not doing this every month or every day? One could argue that we celebrate because we only change the year once every 365 days, but if we are simply celebrating the novelty of the changing of the date, it would make more sense to celebrate a new decade.

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Growth Mindset Part 3: Fostering a Growth Mindset

A fixed mindset is easy to spot, especially when you have become aware of it. To remind yourself of what it is like, review part one of this series. When you see the qualities, take notice of them. What effect does this mindset have? How does it affect you? How does it affect others? When you see it in action, remind yourself that you want to foster a growth mindset, not what you are observing. Be sure to take note of both when you are acting with a fixed mindset and when others are using it.

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Growth Mindset Part 2: Benefits of a Growth Mindset

Growth mindset focus on learning, not results. If students focus on improving and learning, their grades will go up. The focus is on learning the information, not simply doing well enough to get the grade that will make their teachers and parents happy. The improvement in academic performance is especially useful in subjects, like math, that build on previous material. Instead of struggling as more and more as topics build on previous topics and having to go back and relearn some material, the student will be ready for the next subject, having already mastered the previous topics.

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Information, Positivity, Wisdom Evelyn Gallagher Information, Positivity, Wisdom Evelyn Gallagher

Why Every ADHDer Needs a Doggo in Their Life

ADHD expert, Dr. Edward M. Hallowell has, on numerous occasions, proclaimed his belief that kids should be given a doggo when they receive an ADHD diagnosis. Dog-loving ADHDers rejoice! ADHD expert, Dr. Edward M. Hallowell has, on numerous occasions, proclaimed his belief that kids should be given a doggo when they receive an ADHD diagnosis. Dog-loving ADHDers rejoice!

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Information, Comorbid Conditions Evelyn Gallagher Information, Comorbid Conditions Evelyn Gallagher

A Crappy Truth about ADHD

After a recent diagnosis of a rare bacterial infection in my intestines as well as irritable bowel syndrome, I began wondering if gastrointestinal issues were one of the many comorbid conditions that plagued ADHDers. The results of my searching were, well, crappy (if you'll pardon the pun). While not much research has been done in the area, there is some evidence that GI distress is common among those with ADHD. There are many GI issues ranging from serious diagnosable conditions to occasional digestive issues, so this is a wide area. I am not a medical professional. Therefore, I will try to simply relay facts instead of making any bold claims. The only claim I intend to make is that some people with ADHD experience gastrointestinal issues.

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