The First Habit of Highly Effective Adult ADHD Treatment - Be Proactive

In 1989 Steven Covey wrote and published "Thecondition and say to themselves, "This is the way
7 Habits of Highly Effective People" which is aI am but I am going to have to deal with it
self-help manual of 7 simple, yet powerful stepsregardless of where it came from". Life is not fair
for personal improvement. Millions have usedbut we must continue to move on to improve in
these timeless principles to improve themselveslife. Proactive ADHD people can be
for the better. This article will explore how"response-able." Adults with ADHD do have the
someone who has been diagnosed with adultfreedom to choose their response even in the
ADHD/ADD (or knows someone who has beenmidst of negative surroundings. They may say to
diagnosed) can begin to use these habits tothemselves, "I cannot change - it's so hard. I am
enhance their adult ADHD treatment and journeynot responsible for the mess I am in and I am
to wellness. This exercise is not a replacement fornot the one responsible for getting me out.."
reading "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People"Second, adults with ADHD are encouraged to
nor is it a replacement for professional adultdiscover what they can control and what they
ADHD treatment, but a supplementary exercisehave little or no control over. People can
to propel a "good" treatment into a highly(generally) control the outcome of their health,
effective adult ADHD treatment.behavior, body language, conversation, thoughts,
Steven Covey on his personal website shareschildren, etc. People have very little or no control
that the first habit is "Be Proactive." What does itover other people's beliefs, the weather, the
mean to "Be Proactive"?traffic, other people's attitudes, other people's
Steven Covey writes:ethics, other people's emotions, other people's
"Habit 1: Be Proactive is about taking responsibilityparenting, and other people's vote, etc. It is true
for your life. You can't keep blaming everythingthat we may be concerned about traffic,
on your parents or grandparents. Proactive peopleweather, politics, attitudes, feelings, social
recognize that they are "response-able." Theycondition, terrorism, etc, and we may have a little
don't blame genetics, circumstances, conditions, orinfluence on these things, but not in a major or
conditioning for their behavior. They know theysignificant way.
choose their behavior. Reactive people, on theRegardless of the method of adult ADHD
other hand, are often affected by their physicaltreatment, adults with ADHD are encouraged to
environment. They find external sources to blamebegin working on the things they can actually
for their behavior. If the weather is good, theycontrol. Adults with ADHD have the same areas
feel good. If it isn't, it affects their attitude andof influence as everyone else. There are three
performance, and they blame the weather. All ofspecific areas the adult with ADHD should
these external forces act as stimuli that weADDress: (1) Behavior, (2) Health, and (3) Time.
respond to. Between the stimulus and theTherefore, the adult with ADHD should ask, "How
response is your greatest power-you have theCan I Control My Behavior?", "How Can I Control
freedom to choose your response. One of theMy Health?", and "How Can I Control My Time?"
most important things you choose is what youFinally, this exercise may quickly overwhelm
say. Your language is a good indicator of how youpersons with ADHD and they may feel so
see yourself. A proactive person uses proactiveparalyzed that they feel like "being proactive" is a
language-I can, I will, I prefer, etc. A reactivedream and not a realistic expectation. However
person uses reactive language-I can't, I have to, ifthe truth is that they can be proactive! The adult
only. Reactive people believe they are notwith ADHD is encouraged to understand that
responsible for what they say and do-they havebeing proactive is not a destination, it is a habit
no choice."developed one day at a time, one moment at a
First, the adult with ADHD is encouraged to taketime. For adults with ADHD, when positive
responsibility for his/her life and adult ADHDreinforcement does not come from within, they
treatment. This should not be thought of as aare encouraged ask for help starting with friends,
punishment or negative judgment upon thefamily, and significant others. In reality, to ask for
individual, because a common symptom of adultshelp is a proactive task. For the adult with ADHD,
with ADHD is negative self-esteem. The adult withyour first step may be to ask for help. The
ADHD more than likely already feels ashamed ofsecond step may be to continue asking and
his/her behavior so it must be made perfectlyseeking for help until a healthy answer is received.
clear that these statements are taken as positiveA third step may be to continue seeking until
and uplifting reinforcement and not another lecturevisible changes are seen. For the person who has
of words to tear down. It is hoped that thisa significant other who is or may be suffering
positive encouragement reverberate with suchfrom adult ADHD, your first step may be one of
intensity that that it will be able to keep internalproactive encouragement.
and external negative reinforcement at bay.In summary, regardless of the method of adult
It is easy to blame others for our shortcomings.ADHD treatment, the first step begins with
Some of this blame is actually true, howeverpracticing the habit of being proactive. Keep
adults with ADHD need to come to grips with thispracticing!