Adult ADHD: Building Strategies After the Diagnosis

ADHD in adulthood

According to the Government of Québec, ADHD persists into adulthood in 50 to 65% of cases. CADDRA’s Canadian guidelines describe it as a condition that is typically chronic. Receiving a diagnosis as an adult often brings answers, but the next question comes quickly: how can you better manage these difficulties day to day?

Beyond medication: recognized approaches

Official resources describe several approaches that may or may not complement a medical treatment decided with a physician:

• psychoeducation, to better understand how ADHD works;
• psychosocial interventions;
• organization and planning strategies applied to daily life.

The choice of approaches depends on each person. Any question about medical treatment should be discussed with your physician.

Assessment, psychotherapy, intervention: what is the difference?

Assessment

It is used to understand cognitive functioning and, where applicable, to clarify a diagnosis. It is often the first step. We described it in our article Adult ADHD assessment in Quebec.

Psychotherapy

In Quebec, psychotherapy is defined by the Professional Code as a psychological treatment for a mental disorder, for behavioural disturbances or for any other problem causing psychological suffering or distress. It is reserved to physicians, psychologists and holders of a psychotherapist permit issued by the OPQ.

Strategy-focused intervention

Quebec’s regulation on the psychotherapist permit lists interventions that are not psychotherapy, including rehabilitation, which aims in particular to help a person improve their skills, and psychological education, which teaches skills through information and education. The neuropsychological intervention offered at the clinic follows this logic: it focuses on cognitive functioning and on putting strategies into practice.

Neuropsychological intervention at Clinique Octobre

• Who it is for: adults who have already received a diagnosis, such as ADHD or a neurocognitive disorder;
• What we work on: identifying, putting in place and practising strategies adapted to your needs, around attention, memory, organization or planning;
• How: online only, in French or English, for people who live in Quebec. The first meeting clarifies your needs and which strategies to focus on.

When you reach out, indicate the diagnosis already established and the need or difficulty you would like to work on.

FAQ

Sources: Government of Québec, Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) · LégisQuébec, Regulation respecting the psychotherapist’s permit · Ordre des psychologues du Québec, La psychothérapie (French). This article is informational and does not replace a health professional’s advice.