Month: April 2025

Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is more than what we usually see in pop culture. ADHD definitely involves issues like trouble paying attention and impulsive or hyperactive behavior, but there’s much more to it.

ADHD isn’t about lacking the ability to focus; in fact, those with ADHD have great ability to hyper-focus on things they are passionate about.  ADHD is about difficulty controlling what you pay attention to. Thinking of ADHD this way still explains why someone might seem easily distracted or quickly switch tasks, but it also highlights other, less obvious signs, such as:

1. Emotional Reactivity

Emotional Reactivity is one of the most common but overlooked signs of ADHD. People with ADHD often feel emotions intensely and have great difficulty shifting their attention away from them. Their emotions ramp up quickly, but can take much longer to fade away. Sometimes emotions linger for hours or even days, rather than just seconds or minutes. Anger or frustration is most common, but this pattern can happen with any emotion.

“Emotional dysregulation is a hallmark of ADHD and manifests as sudden mood shifts, irritability, frustration, and an exaggerated response to minor stressors.” — Shaw, Stringaris, Nigg, & Leibenluft (2014, p. 203)

2. Time Blindness

People with ADHD don’t just ignore time; they experience time very differently. They struggle to estimate how long tasks will take, notice the passing of time, feel urgency about deadlines, and learn from past timing mistakes. This leads to chronic lateness, procrastination, poor planning, and trouble reaching long-term goals.

“Those with ADHD are often ‘blind to time,’ failing to sense or use time effectively to guide their behavior, leading to difficulties with deadlines, appointments, and planning.” — Barkley, R. A. (2010, p. 253)

3. Chronic Chaos

Not occasional chaos—chronic chaos. People with ADHD don’t struggle to solve problems, but they have trouble planning and directing their actions toward future goals like others do. As a result, their impressive abilities often get wasted on constantly handling emergencies.

“Adults with ADHD often describe their lives as being in a constant state of disarray, struggling with disorganization, clutter, missed deadlines, and an inability to maintain structure in their daily routines.” — Solden & Frank (2019, p. 37)

Why It Matters

Recognizing ADHD in yourself or someone you love isn’t just about labels—it’s about understanding a brain that works differently and needs different approaches. When ADHD is untreated or misdiagnosed (often mistaken for anxiety, depression, or emotional “problems”), people blame themselves and miss out on useful strategies.

At Dallas CBT, we specialize in recognizing and supporting ADHD in adults who might have gone unnoticed for years. If you’re ready for answers and support, we’re here to help.  Learn more about therapy for ADHD.

5 Strategies for Coping with ADHD That Actually Work (with some practice)

Living with ADHD is no simple feat, at times. It can and will impact all aspects of your life at some point—sometimes all in the same day.

Setting up your environment and routine in order to manage your daily life is a crucial first step in coping behaviorally with ADHD. Practicing executive functioning skills that can help you better manage your symptoms is the path forward. Here are a few starters:

1. Visualize Time:

People with ADHD experience time differently than those without, which makes it very hard to stay on task for a set amount of time. Here are a few ways to visualize time for yourself to stay engaged:

• Use a literal timer that you place in front of you while you work. It helps to use an analog timer where you can physically see time move. You might also consider a Time Timer that shows time as a disappearing wedge.
• Use an organizer where you can block out activities by time of day. Use different colors for different activities.

2. Externalize Your Memory:

If you have ADHD, your memory does not function like other people’s, at least without external support. External systems reduce cognitive load, and writing it out tends to be better for processing. Simple tools can help, such as:

• Sticky notes
• Daily task journals
• Digital, paper, or wall calendar
• Digital apps like Todoist or Notion

3. Break it down:

The ADHD brain is motivated primarily by urgency, which leads to chronic procrastination when the task is “write that 15-page essay” that isn’t due for two weeks. Break the problem or project down into its component parts:

• “Write Essay”:
  1. Open laptop
  2. Open Word doc
  3. Type heading
  4. Find article to cite
• Bonus points if you add these tasks to your daily task list from Tip #2!

4. Get Your Body Involved:

ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition, but it lives in the body too. Movement helps regulate attention and emotion. Even small amounts of movement can help “unstick” your brain when it’s in a fog. Try:

• Walking meetings
• Standing desks
• Fidget tools (putty, rings, chair bands)
• Taking a walk before or after work

5. Practice Self-Compassion, Not Just Self-Discipline:

ADHD often comes with a harsh inner critic. Years of hearing “You’re lazy,” “You just need to try harder,” or “Why can’t you just…” can internalize shame.

• ADHD is not a motivation problem—it’s a regulation problem. Beating yourself up doesn’t build skills. Self-compassion does.
• Learning to say, “This is hard because of how my brain works” makes space for curiosity, not just correction.

Looking for ADHD Therapy or Support?

If you’re looking for professional support, you’re not alone. At Dallas CBT, our team offers ADHD testing and ADHD therapy and coaching that blends evidence-based treatment (like CBT and ACT) with practical strategies tailored for ADHD brains. Whether you’ve just been diagnosed or have known for years, you deserve support that fits you.

Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is often misunderstood and overlooked as a diagnosis, even by those in the mental health community.  It is relatively common, with close to 1 in 10 children in the US being diagnosed (CDC, 2022).  Prevalence in adults is estimated at about 5%, though it is likely under-diagnosed (Kessler et al., 2006).  

If you’ve found yourself googling symptoms or felt validated by social media posts on ADHD, you’re not alone.  ADHD assessment can be the first step towards coping far more effectively with these differences.  Whether you’re searching for answers yourself, or for a loved one, here’s some info on how we go about diagnosing ADHD. 

Why ADHD Testing Matters

Getting an appropriate and valid diagnosis isn’t just about answering a couple of questions then getting stimulant medications.  ADHD often occurs with other mental health symptoms, like anxiety and depression; to complicate it, other conditions can also look like ADHD.  For example, one person may struggle with depressive symptoms as a result of their experiences coping with un-diagnosed ADHD, while another person may struggle with inattentiveness and concentration issues because of depression. 

The goal of a thorough assessment is to differentiate ADHD symptoms from other symptoms so that efforts to cope with them can be far more tailored and effective.

What Happens in ADHD Testing?

A comprehensive ADHD assessment typically includes several components:

• Clinical Interview: The psychologist will gather your developmental, academic, occupational, and emotional history. If the client is a child or young adult, parents or teachers may also be interviewed. 
• Symptom Checklists: These are standardized questionnaires used to assess ADHD  and other symptoms across different settings (home, work, school). 
• Cognitive Testing: These tests are meant to measure underlying abilities, such as verbal comprehension and the speed a person processes information. 
• Achievement Testing: These tests are meant to measure how effectively a person applies their underlying abilities to completing school- and work-like tasks 
• Rule-Outs: A thorough assessment includes evaluation of other symptoms that might look like ADHD (e.g., anxiety, depression, learning disorders). 
• Collateral Information: When possible and appropriate, reports and measures may be completed by parents, teachers, or other professionals to help understand how these symptoms present in different settings.

Who Can Diagnose ADHD?

In the United States, ADHD can be diagnosed by psychiatrists, neurologists, and certain medical doctors (e.g., pediatricians or family medicine doctors). However, the most thorough and evidence-based assessments are typically performed by licensed psychologists, especially those trained in psychoeducational or neuropsychological testing. 

What Does a Diagnosis Look Like?

Assessment results are interpreted by the psychologist, who will give any appropriate diagnoses based on these results.  

If appropriate, your psychologist will diagnose you with one of three subtypes of ADHD:

• Predominantly Inattentive Presentation 
• Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive Presentation 
• Combined Presentation

Each ADHD assessment results in a comprehensive report and a detailed feedback session to help walk you through it.  These reports include a detailed discussion of your results, diagnosis, and comprehensive recommendations to help you move forward and manage these symptoms more effectively.  These recommendations include treatment recommendations, as well as recommendations for academic or workplace accommodations (e.g., extended-time on testing, work supports).

A Note on ADHD in Women and Late Diagnosis

ADHD is still underdiagnosed in women and girls, in part because they often present with fewer hyperactive symptoms and more internalized struggles like overwhelm, disorganization, and mental fatigue. Many women aren’t diagnosed until adulthood—often after their child is diagnosed first.

If you’re a woman who always felt like you had to work harder just to stay afloat, it’s worth seeking an evaluation. You’re not making it up. You’re just long overdue for some answers.

Next Steps- ADHD Testing in Dallas

If you suspect ADHD, the best step is to connect with a licensed professional who can provide a comprehensive evaluation. At Dallas CBT, our psychologists specialize in the assessment and treatment of ADHD in both children and adults. We offer thoughtful, evidence-based evaluations that not only clarify diagnoses but also help guide meaningful treatment.

Curious whether an evaluation is right for you?

Learn more about our ADHD Testing here, and contact our office to schedule an appointment.