Lately there has been an explosion of media influencers who are ADHD awareness advocates. Videos on Tik Tok and Facebook have been popping up explaining how and why people with ADHD act the way they do. These influencers are sharing their struggles and successes, making it easy for people with ADHD to relate and get to know themselves better.
However, be advised that social media influencers are not experts. This applies not only to ADHD, but for virtually any area of which someone is claiming to be an influencer.
There’s an old tale of a farmer who’s donkey was sick. He needed the donkey to till the soil and haul heavy loads. Not knowing what to do, he visited his neighbor who he heard had a sick donkey.
“What did you do for your sick donkey?” asked the farmer.
“I gave him linseed oil,” replied the neighbor.
The farmer went back to his neighbor two days later. He said, “I gave my donkey linseed oil. It killed him.”
“Yup, killed mine too,” replied the neighbor.
The moral of the story is to ask the right questions. Get the details and listen very carefully.
Social media has helped create an ADHD community. These communities are linked with influencers’ Reels and Tic Toks which often leads many people down the “rabbit hole” of positive and negative information and correct and incorrect information about ADHD. They often lead to Youtube channels, book suggestions, and even products promoting focus and organization. Remember, influencers are influencers to make money. So, social media has its good points and not so good points.
For a person with ADHD, social media provides many avenues for change and personal growth. Many people find themselves getting excited about changing their ADHD habits.
After spending many hours down the rabbit hole, do you:
- Still sign up for a webinar but not attend?
- Buy the book but do not read it?
- Join the accountability group but never check in?
- Sound Familiar?
That is because research shows that social media has a strong effect on the ADHD brain. “That little thrill you get when you see reactions to your posts and that urge to check for updates is real—researchers are learning that the brain is releasing neurotransmitters that are related to pleasure and a feeling of being better focused when we receive these notifications.” (CHADD)
In the very moment when the ADHD brain focuses on all the possible changes that can help it overcome the challenges that it faces, a great sense of hope abounds. Social media Influencers are sometimes helpful providing tips and strategies on how to live with ADHD. Tips and strategies are great. However, following through is another challenge all together.
Oftentimes we make excuses as to why the strategy does not work or why there wasn’t time to check in with the group or read the book. In order for the influencers, groups, products, and strategies to work, one must not only desire change, but take the necessary first step with no excuses.
But, then again, taking the first step in not making excuses is the real problem. The only way to have no excuses is to retrain your brain to not make them! Building your executive function is the key to that process. Science shows that building cognitive skills improves executive function. Which in turn helps you plan, organize, and follow through with those strategies, read those books, attend those webinars and become your own influencer.
Play Attention can help you develop the very skills you need to improve your executive function. With a customized Play Attention program you can improve:
Focus
Working Memory
Filtering Distractions
Social Skills
Task Completion
Organization
Time Management
Emotion Regulation
Processing Speed
And so much more!
Click here to schedule a 1:1 consultation and learn how you can develop the very skills you need in order to take that first step!