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The Simple Guide to ADHD Regulation: The Secret to Finding Balance, Getting Things Done, and Enjoying Your Life
One minute you’re on a roll, churning out work like a machine. Then, the next day even putting on socks feels overwhelming. Sound familiar? This frantic crash cycle isn’t just a personality quirk or laziness. As therapist Jenna Free (@adhdwithjennafree) explains, the real culprit to your ADHD highs and lows is dysregulation.
If you have ADHD (or simply suspect you do) and you’ve found yourself frustrated with all of the hacks—half-completed planners, too many screenshots to count, timers going off every 30 minutes, and sticky notes covering your desk and walls— you’re not alone. If all these “solutions” have fallen flat and you’re struggling to keep your head above water—this book is for you.
The Simple Guide to ADHD Regulation can help you reset your nervous system, gain control of your life, and even begin to enjoy it.
What you’ll discover inside:
* Reasons why ADHD often feels like chaotic highs and crashing lows
* Explanations of how fight, flight, freeze, and fawn responses shape your daily struggles
* Practical steps to reset your nervous system, thoughts, and actions
* Tools to help you stop avoiding tasks
* Prompts to help you zoom out to what really matters most
* Engaging sidebars and fun graphics to bring the teachings to life
What you won’t find inside?
* Quick fixes and band aids
* Hard assignments and homework
* Shame and shoulds
Plus, this book is full of fun graphics and illustrations, so if the thought of a long, boring book is overwhelming you—no fear! As someone who has ADHD herself, Jenna made this book specifically designed with your brain in mind! If you're ready to rethink how you approach ADHD, take back control, and finally live a life that doesn’t feel so hard, we’ve got you.
(P.S. You'll even figure out why putting on socks feels impossible some days. . . and how to overcome it!)
If you have ADHD (or simply suspect you do) and you’ve found yourself frustrated with all of the hacks—half-completed planners, too many screenshots to count, timers going off every 30 minutes, and sticky notes covering your desk and walls— you’re not alone. If all these “solutions” have fallen flat and you’re struggling to keep your head above water—this book is for you.
The Simple Guide to ADHD Regulation can help you reset your nervous system, gain control of your life, and even begin to enjoy it.
What you’ll discover inside:
* Reasons why ADHD often feels like chaotic highs and crashing lows
* Explanations of how fight, flight, freeze, and fawn responses shape your daily struggles
* Practical steps to reset your nervous system, thoughts, and actions
* Tools to help you stop avoiding tasks
* Prompts to help you zoom out to what really matters most
* Engaging sidebars and fun graphics to bring the teachings to life
What you won’t find inside?
* Quick fixes and band aids
* Hard assignments and homework
* Shame and shoulds
Plus, this book is full of fun graphics and illustrations, so if the thought of a long, boring book is overwhelming you—no fear! As someone who has ADHD herself, Jenna made this book specifically designed with your brain in mind! If you're ready to rethink how you approach ADHD, take back control, and finally live a life that doesn’t feel so hard, we’ve got you.
(P.S. You'll even figure out why putting on socks feels impossible some days. . . and how to overcome it!)
224 pages, Hardcover
Published March 17, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
May 6, 2026
This book allowed me to feel seen and I'm grateful to have read it for that reason alone. However, I would have liked more detailed advice provided and I don't think all this contained was personally life-changing.
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March 18, 2026This one hit me perfectly! I picked this up hoping for something actually helpful (and not just another pile of ADHD “tips”), and it delivered. I really liked how simple and approachable it is—short chapters, clear ideas, and strategies that feel doable instead of overwhelming. A lot of it is basic on the surface, but in a way that actually makes it easier to apply in real life.
What stood out most was the focus on regulation instead of just productivity hacks. It helped me look at my patterns a little differently and notice what’s actually going on when I’m stuck or avoiding things.
I’d recommend it if you want something quick, practical, and ADHD-friendly—especially if longer, more detailed books tend to lose you like they do me.
Thank you NetGalley and Harper Celebrate for the ARC!
What stood out most was the focus on regulation instead of just productivity hacks. It helped me look at my patterns a little differently and notice what’s actually going on when I’m stuck or avoiding things.
I’d recommend it if you want something quick, practical, and ADHD-friendly—especially if longer, more detailed books tend to lose you like they do me.
Thank you NetGalley and Harper Celebrate for the ARC!
March 25, 2026
: ̗̀➛ 4 stars
this book just read my mind
this book just read my mind
April 22, 2026
Best ADHD book I've read yet because of its simplicity and practicality. How many books have you read that tell you "get an agenda, use post-it notes, set alarms," which leaves you with one more thing to do and a constant reminder of your overwhelm and deficits. Just me?
Jenna Free strips our actions down to regulation, and the neurodivergent's tendency to fall into disregulation. The world wasn't but for neurodiverse brains, which layers a lot of anxiety and shame into the way we think about ourselves. Learning how, and committing to, keeping yourself regulated is the comfort zone from where we can make better informed decisions.
Alongside colourful pages and charming illustrations, Free gives us just enough information to feel confident in our ability to approach ADHD, not to change, but to listen to ourselves.
Highly recommended.
Jenna Free strips our actions down to regulation, and the neurodivergent's tendency to fall into disregulation. The world wasn't but for neurodiverse brains, which layers a lot of anxiety and shame into the way we think about ourselves. Learning how, and committing to, keeping yourself regulated is the comfort zone from where we can make better informed decisions.
Alongside colourful pages and charming illustrations, Free gives us just enough information to feel confident in our ability to approach ADHD, not to change, but to listen to ourselves.
Highly recommended.
April 19, 2026
Jenna Free looks at ADHD through a nervous system lens instead of treating everything like a behavior or discipline problem. The early part is basic, with definitions of fight, flight, freeze, fawn, and emotional dysregulation. The book gets stronger once those ideas connect to real behaviors like avoidance, scrolling, and binge eating.
The strongest part is the reframing. Free shifts the question away from “why am I doing this?” and toward “what is driving the need to self-soothe right now?” That angle is especially useful in the context of ADHD, binge eating, and obesity, which very few accessible, non-academic resources address in a meaningful way.
The book also reads as written with women in mind. Perfectionism, pressure, and the constant sense that you should be doing more drive many of the dysregulation loops described here.
The biggest weakness is that the book is too short and too general. My life didn’t change after reading it. It added a few new ways to think about what’s going on, but nothing here is groundbreaking.
A longer book with more research, more specific exercises, and a more practical guide would have made this far more useful. Instead, Free keeps much of the advice broad and clipped, and the audiobook PDF mostly offers charts and visuals rather than detailed, usable guidance.
The strongest part is the reframing. Free shifts the question away from “why am I doing this?” and toward “what is driving the need to self-soothe right now?” That angle is especially useful in the context of ADHD, binge eating, and obesity, which very few accessible, non-academic resources address in a meaningful way.
The book also reads as written with women in mind. Perfectionism, pressure, and the constant sense that you should be doing more drive many of the dysregulation loops described here.
The biggest weakness is that the book is too short and too general. My life didn’t change after reading it. It added a few new ways to think about what’s going on, but nothing here is groundbreaking.
A longer book with more research, more specific exercises, and a more practical guide would have made this far more useful. Instead, Free keeps much of the advice broad and clipped, and the audiobook PDF mostly offers charts and visuals rather than detailed, usable guidance.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I received a free copy from the publisher through Netgalley and voluntarily reviewed it.
The Simple Guide to ADHD Regulation caught my eye when I saw it on Netgalley and I requested it immediately. I am autistic and suspect I am an ADHD'er as well. I struggle regularly with regulation, so a book focused on regulation sounded great to me. And I am really glad I gave this one a try as it was such a great read. From the way it was formatted to the actual writing and information.
This book is filled with great information and tips. I like how each chapter tackles a specific topic with a certain tips or exercise you can try and apply. I read this book one chapter at a time so I could process the information a bit and applying some of it before reading more. This worked very well. I also like how a lot of the tips really are simple, but still had a profound effect when I applied them to my daily life. As an example I often find myself feeling rushed and stressed and one of the tips I got from this book is that if I have to rush there isn't enough time. Simple right? It helped me recognize these moments and then stop and see how I can change that. I often remove tasks from my planning or shorten tasks so I won't get behind on others. It really has helped a lot and makes me days a lot calmer.
I also like how this book doesn't aim for perfection, for doing it right all the time. Instead of focuses on progress, simply noticing when you're disregulated more often than before or using some of the tips and strategies in this books sometimes.
I also loved how this book was formatted and the layout and size of the chapters. Each chapter is relatively short, it is very to the point with a lot of information in a short time frame. The ending of each chapter has a nice short summary with some questions or strategies that you can apply. The book also has very nice and easy read formatting with colors, artwork or information displayed in different shapes like in circles of another color or with arrows to other bits and such. It made it very easy to read.
All in all I thought this was a wonderful read filled with simple, but profound tips and strategies. This gave me a lot of insight in my behavior and how to change some things. It made me think and see some behavior in different light and I already noticed the difference after applying some of the strategies in this book. The way the book is structured and formatted makes for easy reading. I definitely want to re-read this one and refresh my knowledge in a few months. I can definitely recommend this one to those who are ADHD'ers or think they might be and struggle with regulation.
The Simple Guide to ADHD Regulation caught my eye when I saw it on Netgalley and I requested it immediately. I am autistic and suspect I am an ADHD'er as well. I struggle regularly with regulation, so a book focused on regulation sounded great to me. And I am really glad I gave this one a try as it was such a great read. From the way it was formatted to the actual writing and information.
This book is filled with great information and tips. I like how each chapter tackles a specific topic with a certain tips or exercise you can try and apply. I read this book one chapter at a time so I could process the information a bit and applying some of it before reading more. This worked very well. I also like how a lot of the tips really are simple, but still had a profound effect when I applied them to my daily life. As an example I often find myself feeling rushed and stressed and one of the tips I got from this book is that if I have to rush there isn't enough time. Simple right? It helped me recognize these moments and then stop and see how I can change that. I often remove tasks from my planning or shorten tasks so I won't get behind on others. It really has helped a lot and makes me days a lot calmer.
I also like how this book doesn't aim for perfection, for doing it right all the time. Instead of focuses on progress, simply noticing when you're disregulated more often than before or using some of the tips and strategies in this books sometimes.
I also loved how this book was formatted and the layout and size of the chapters. Each chapter is relatively short, it is very to the point with a lot of information in a short time frame. The ending of each chapter has a nice short summary with some questions or strategies that you can apply. The book also has very nice and easy read formatting with colors, artwork or information displayed in different shapes like in circles of another color or with arrows to other bits and such. It made it very easy to read.
All in all I thought this was a wonderful read filled with simple, but profound tips and strategies. This gave me a lot of insight in my behavior and how to change some things. It made me think and see some behavior in different light and I already noticed the difference after applying some of the strategies in this book. The way the book is structured and formatted makes for easy reading. I definitely want to re-read this one and refresh my knowledge in a few months. I can definitely recommend this one to those who are ADHD'ers or think they might be and struggle with regulation.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
Received this book as a part of Goodreads Giveaways.
I entered the giveaway because it was a book about ADHD. I got diagnosed at age 31 so its something new I am looking into for last 2ish years.
I did not know who the author was and hadn't interacted with any of the content she had created before.
That said, this book was amazing! I had always known I have to put so many rules on myself to have enough energy to get through the week. And I hated myself for it. I wasn't even diagnosed then, but I already had rules on when my TV turned off and lights and fans and alarms with a motivational video and everything was externalized. Then when I was diagnosed, a lot of it started making sense - but I didn't know what to do with it.
This book really put into words a lot of the things I was doing and wanting to do and thinking about.
1. Loved the design! The colors, fonts, diagrams, illustrations - loved all of them. Being a visual person, it made me feel instantly safe. Like I was among friends. A lot of literature and content I interact with about ADHD does manage to still make me feel like a failure.
2. Regulation as a practice - Very important, not only for ADHD folks but I would say for everyone. So many times, I read a regulation practice suggestion or explanation and did immediately go "okay thats not gonna work" and she has mentioned "If you think it's not gonna work, have you really tried it?" and I was like yeah well.... not really .... I think the language used was also very gentle and kind and felt accepting. It addresses almost every single thing I personally do and the problematic thinking I have (probably not for everyone?) but it was almost like it was written for me!
3. I did read the book in a few sittings (like we were advised not to do!!!) but I am gonna go back and now work through them one by one. Like a workbook. But just reading it made me feel like extra space opened up in my brain and someone just gave me the permission to try something else for a change than just beating down myself into submission through fear.
All in all, I think it is going to be my "When everything seems loud, please refer" book, and stay on my night stand for the foreseeable future.
I am really glad I won the giveaway for this one and I actually sat and read it. ♥️
I entered the giveaway because it was a book about ADHD. I got diagnosed at age 31 so its something new I am looking into for last 2ish years.
I did not know who the author was and hadn't interacted with any of the content she had created before.
That said, this book was amazing! I had always known I have to put so many rules on myself to have enough energy to get through the week. And I hated myself for it. I wasn't even diagnosed then, but I already had rules on when my TV turned off and lights and fans and alarms with a motivational video and everything was externalized. Then when I was diagnosed, a lot of it started making sense - but I didn't know what to do with it.
This book really put into words a lot of the things I was doing and wanting to do and thinking about.
1. Loved the design! The colors, fonts, diagrams, illustrations - loved all of them. Being a visual person, it made me feel instantly safe. Like I was among friends. A lot of literature and content I interact with about ADHD does manage to still make me feel like a failure.
2. Regulation as a practice - Very important, not only for ADHD folks but I would say for everyone. So many times, I read a regulation practice suggestion or explanation and did immediately go "okay thats not gonna work" and she has mentioned "If you think it's not gonna work, have you really tried it?" and I was like yeah well.... not really .... I think the language used was also very gentle and kind and felt accepting. It addresses almost every single thing I personally do and the problematic thinking I have (probably not for everyone?) but it was almost like it was written for me!
3. I did read the book in a few sittings (like we were advised not to do!!!) but I am gonna go back and now work through them one by one. Like a workbook. But just reading it made me feel like extra space opened up in my brain and someone just gave me the permission to try something else for a change than just beating down myself into submission through fear.
All in all, I think it is going to be my "When everything seems loud, please refer" book, and stay on my night stand for the foreseeable future.
I am really glad I won the giveaway for this one and I actually sat and read it. ♥️
March 17, 2026
In the five years since I received my late ADHD diagnosis, I have read so many books & articles to try to gain a better understanding of…everything. I’ve often found myself with a feeling like, “well, I’m glad I was diagnosed, but now what?” This book, “The Simple Guide to ADHD Regulation” by Jenna Free, is the first that has felt so relatable that I cried from just how seen I finally felt. Hands down, this is the best book about ADHD that I have read.
Free breaks everything down & explains it all in such a gentle & accessible way & this was the first time I found that I could actually understand how/why dysregulation occurs & what I can do about it. It also came into my life at a perfect time, just as I was realizing that my years-long exhaustion was due to burnout of many shades, including ADHD burnout. Along with her podcast, Free’s book has become a necessary tool in my daily functioning & burnout recovery.
I genuinely think about this book everyday. I will definitely buy a physical copy for myself when it’s released & I have already recommended this book to so many people, including my therapist, my psychiatrist, many friends, & the psychology professors that I work with. (Me: I have been trying to reach you about your nervous system’s extended dysregulation!)
Thank you to Harper Celebrate & NetGalley for providing a digital advance copy of this book. All thoughts & opinions expressed are my own.
Free breaks everything down & explains it all in such a gentle & accessible way & this was the first time I found that I could actually understand how/why dysregulation occurs & what I can do about it. It also came into my life at a perfect time, just as I was realizing that my years-long exhaustion was due to burnout of many shades, including ADHD burnout. Along with her podcast, Free’s book has become a necessary tool in my daily functioning & burnout recovery.
I genuinely think about this book everyday. I will definitely buy a physical copy for myself when it’s released & I have already recommended this book to so many people, including my therapist, my psychiatrist, many friends, & the psychology professors that I work with. (Me: I have been trying to reach you about your nervous system’s extended dysregulation!)
Thank you to Harper Celebrate & NetGalley for providing a digital advance copy of this book. All thoughts & opinions expressed are my own.
March 28, 2026
Reading The Simple Guide to ADHD Regulation by Jeana Free felt genuinely refreshing. As someone with ADHD, I’ve come across a lot of advice that either feels overly clinical or just unrealistic—but this book struck a different tone. It was practical without being overwhelming, and supportive without feeling patronizing.
What stood out most to me was how approachable and doable the strategies felt. Instead of pushing rigid systems or one-size-fits-all routines, the book focused on understanding how ADHD actually shows up in everyday life and offered ways to work with it rather than against it. That shift alone made a huge difference in how I viewed my own habits and challenges.
I also appreciated how validating it was. So many of the examples and explanations made me feel seen, like my struggles weren’t just personal failings but part of a bigger, understandable pattern. That kind of reassurance is powerful, especially when ADHD can often come with a lot of frustration or self-doubt.
Overall, I found this guide genuinely helpful and different from anything I’ve read before. It gave me tools I can actually imagine using, and more importantly, it helped me feel a bit more in control and less alone. I’d definitely recommend it to anyone with ADHD who’s looking for realistic, compassionate support.
Thank you Netgalley for this ARC and allowing me to give my honest review
What stood out most to me was how approachable and doable the strategies felt. Instead of pushing rigid systems or one-size-fits-all routines, the book focused on understanding how ADHD actually shows up in everyday life and offered ways to work with it rather than against it. That shift alone made a huge difference in how I viewed my own habits and challenges.
I also appreciated how validating it was. So many of the examples and explanations made me feel seen, like my struggles weren’t just personal failings but part of a bigger, understandable pattern. That kind of reassurance is powerful, especially when ADHD can often come with a lot of frustration or self-doubt.
Overall, I found this guide genuinely helpful and different from anything I’ve read before. It gave me tools I can actually imagine using, and more importantly, it helped me feel a bit more in control and less alone. I’d definitely recommend it to anyone with ADHD who’s looking for realistic, compassionate support.
Thank you Netgalley for this ARC and allowing me to give my honest review
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
The Simple Guide To ADHD Regulation; The Secret To Finding Balance, Getting Things Done, And Enjoying Your Life is an empowering, educational, relatable, honest, compassionate, inspiring, factual, and gentle read! As a social worker, I hoped to learn how to better help my clients with ADHD from this book and absolutely did. I was so shocked at the warmth this book is written with and how easily the author explains the science of dysregulation and tactics to overcome symptoms. This is a book is written candidly as if the reader is a close friend without confusing jargon. Perhaps this is because the author is a counselor for ADHD with ADHD. She truly gets it and I believe so many people would benefit from reading this book. The blend of personal experience and professional knowledge is fantastic!
#ad #gifted Thank you to @harpercelebratecooks for the gifted copy!
#ad #gifted Thank you to @harpercelebratecooks for the gifted copy!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Simple Guide to ADHD Regulation by Jenna Free is one of the best books on ADHD that I have ever read. The author presents background information in a way that is easy to understand with helpful and fun, colorful graphics. Her warmth and compassion shine through as she presents very simple and practical tools for regulation out of a fight, flight, freeze, or fawn approach. This is one I will be purchasing for myself and family members, as I want a hard copy to keep close at all times.
I am grateful to NetGalley and the publisher Harper Celebrate for the opportunity to read an ebook copy of this amazing book in advance in exchange for my honest review.
I am grateful to NetGalley and the publisher Harper Celebrate for the opportunity to read an ebook copy of this amazing book in advance in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
An excellent resource about ADHD and emotion regulation. One of my favourite takeaways is how context can be a great emotion regulation tool for us ADHDers. I’ve always been accurately aware of how I want to give so much explanation or context to people when I hurt their feelings or crave that to be given to me when I’m upset, and it helps to know this isn’t just a weird quirk but is instead my attempts at regulating my emotions.
This is definitely something I’ll be purchasing a hard copy of to keep on hand for personal and professional use.
Thank you to Net Galley and Harper Celebrate for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is definitely something I’ll be purchasing a hard copy of to keep on hand for personal and professional use.
Thank you to Net Galley and Harper Celebrate for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
April 27, 2026
2.5 ⭐️
I don’t think I learned anything new, maybe a new perspective/understanding of previous advice. I can’t say I learned it new as it helped with understanding but wasn’t groundbreaking.
I felt like my dad was giving the same old advice, just stop thinking about it and write yourself reminders. Overall this read like someone selling themselves and their practice that was tailored for a particular type of ADHD people (anxious type) and I would not recommend it to friends and family.
Thank you to Harper Celebrate and NetGalley for letting me read this early copy and share my honest thoughts
I don’t think I learned anything new, maybe a new perspective/understanding of previous advice. I can’t say I learned it new as it helped with understanding but wasn’t groundbreaking.
I felt like my dad was giving the same old advice, just stop thinking about it and write yourself reminders. Overall this read like someone selling themselves and their practice that was tailored for a particular type of ADHD people (anxious type) and I would not recommend it to friends and family.
Thank you to Harper Celebrate and NetGalley for letting me read this early copy and share my honest thoughts
March 19, 2026
4.5 stars rounded up. A solid guide filled with lots of useful context, helpful explanations, and actionable steps! The book itself, which I won a finished hardback copy of in a Goodreads Giveaway, is lovely, with wonderfully colorful graphics that add texture without being overwhelming. The pages are also short enough (physically and in terms of text length) that the guide is accessible, which is critical given the content. Will be sharing this book with others and I look forward to our conversations about it!
February 8, 2026
This book offers practical advice for dealing with ADHD. It gives examples of how someone with ADHD can become dysregulated and what to do about it to change the behavior. I thought the book was a bit simple: larger text, wide margins, etc. and wish it was a bit longer with more information. It really is more of a guide than a full book, but I do think that the tips will be useful for me when it comes to task avoidance and dysregulation.
March 24, 2026
This slim volume cuts to the chase with it's deceptively simple premise: dealing with dysregulated is one of the best things you can do if you live with ADHD.
The idea that I don't HAVE to rely on anxiety and stress to get through the day was at once refreshing and challenging.
I look forward to rereading it and slowly putting its lessons into effect.
The idea that I don't HAVE to rely on anxiety and stress to get through the day was at once refreshing and challenging.
I look forward to rereading it and slowly putting its lessons into effect.
April 23, 2026
Great book best tips
1. This is reality, now what?
2. To do list will never be done let that set you free
3. Have choice with things, you don’t have the do anything! Let your brain choose
4. You can only do one thing at a time, choose and commit
5. If you’re rushing you’re already late, so don’t rush
1. This is reality, now what?
2. To do list will never be done let that set you free
3. Have choice with things, you don’t have the do anything! Let your brain choose
4. You can only do one thing at a time, choose and commit
5. If you’re rushing you’re already late, so don’t rush
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
A very straight forward, easy to read book from an ADHD therapist who also has ADHD. Now how to decide which family member gets to read it next. Thanks to the publisher, Harper Celebrate, for sponsoring the giveaway.
March 19, 2026
Highly recommend! I have been watching Jenna on social media and listening to her podcast. I am the queen of old lady ADHD and dealt with ADHD before ADHD was a thing. The tips in this book have been life-changing for me. The things says are validating; helping my life to finally make sense.
May 17, 2026
This was fine. I don't know that it is revolutionary, and I dislike how dysregulation is becoming an unregulated word, but I can see how this may help others. It does get a thumbs up for how it was formatted, though.
March 22, 2026
Very informative and useful book. thank you Net Galley for giving me an advanced copy to read.
April 5, 2026
My brain is actually pretty cool when I'm not stressing it tf out!
April 13, 2026
The reality is _________. Now what?
April 13, 2026
I’ve read a lot of books on ADHD. This one is by far the best for where I’m at. It’s like the author has a front seat row to the mess in my brain. She gets it.
May 10, 2026
A good l, helpful and easy to use resource.
My copy was a gift from Goodreads First Reads.
My copy was a gift from Goodreads First Reads.
May 14, 2026
A must read.
May 18, 2026
A good guide to dealing with executive functioning but may be a little lighter on details or examples at times. (E-galley from NetGalley)
May 24, 2026
Definitely a book I will be implementing in my day to day life
May 16, 2026
I was so happy to receive a free copy of this book from a Goodreads Giveaway. I honestly can't thank those responsible enough!!
I am in my late 50s and just recently diagnosed with ADHD. Needless to say it was a shock - but also an affirmation. I've seen therapists off and on for years because of anxiety issues, but also just because something seemed "off". Relationships, jobs - nothing ever seemed to work out for me. In spite of me feeling like I was giving my all - like 150% - to succeed at something. I've had many times in life when I felt that I was so close to getting the life I wanted...but then it would all slip away - like a sandcastle when the tide comes in.
It makes me sad and angry that all those mental health professionals never thought to send me for cognitive testing! I believe that many times I was just written off as a "hysterical female" and given a pat on the head and assured everything would be okay.
It turns out that anxiety and depression are symptoms of ADHD! So if you are being treated for either of those things and are still having issues, please get tested for ADHD. They are still learning about this condition and it can look very different in women. That's why most girls are missed in childhood.
I was never the disruptive kid in class. If anything I was very shy and did not talk much at all. I was, and still am, the daydreamy type. This is the Inattentive kind of ADHD.
So, I have been trying different medications that have helped a bit - at least as far as not losing my job. I am much less forgetful. But this book does not focus on that kind of treatment. This book is about changing thought patterns that cause us to get in our own way.
The author is a therapist that was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult also. She really knows what she is talking about. I truly felt like she "gets it" in a way that all of my former therapists never did. I completely agree with what she says and love the advice that she offers.
Luckily, there was a lot here that I have always worked toward anyway. I guess it was just instinct. Mindfulness practices, getting over that "all or nothing" kind of thinking. In general, she says that people with ADHD suffer most from dysregulated emotions. If you can recognize when you are dysregulated, you can take steps to regulate yourself in the moment.
I think a lot of this book is good advice for everyone - whether you have ADHD or not. Our whole society is set up to be so not-ADHD-friendly, especially in recent times with all the technology pitfalls to deal with.
But if you do have ADHD you are going to keep running around in circles in life, no matter what meds you might be taking, unless you practice what she is advocating.
This book is very well written, with simple, easy to follow steps to help you regulate your emotions and move on to what you want to accomplish. I loved reading it and will definitely be rereading all or parts of it as I continue on this journey that may have started late, but I guess that's better than never. I highly recommend this book to everyone! Thank you, Jenna Free, for understanding us so well and writing this book! :)
I am in my late 50s and just recently diagnosed with ADHD. Needless to say it was a shock - but also an affirmation. I've seen therapists off and on for years because of anxiety issues, but also just because something seemed "off". Relationships, jobs - nothing ever seemed to work out for me. In spite of me feeling like I was giving my all - like 150% - to succeed at something. I've had many times in life when I felt that I was so close to getting the life I wanted...but then it would all slip away - like a sandcastle when the tide comes in.
It makes me sad and angry that all those mental health professionals never thought to send me for cognitive testing! I believe that many times I was just written off as a "hysterical female" and given a pat on the head and assured everything would be okay.
It turns out that anxiety and depression are symptoms of ADHD! So if you are being treated for either of those things and are still having issues, please get tested for ADHD. They are still learning about this condition and it can look very different in women. That's why most girls are missed in childhood.
I was never the disruptive kid in class. If anything I was very shy and did not talk much at all. I was, and still am, the daydreamy type. This is the Inattentive kind of ADHD.
So, I have been trying different medications that have helped a bit - at least as far as not losing my job. I am much less forgetful. But this book does not focus on that kind of treatment. This book is about changing thought patterns that cause us to get in our own way.
The author is a therapist that was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult also. She really knows what she is talking about. I truly felt like she "gets it" in a way that all of my former therapists never did. I completely agree with what she says and love the advice that she offers.
Luckily, there was a lot here that I have always worked toward anyway. I guess it was just instinct. Mindfulness practices, getting over that "all or nothing" kind of thinking. In general, she says that people with ADHD suffer most from dysregulated emotions. If you can recognize when you are dysregulated, you can take steps to regulate yourself in the moment.
I think a lot of this book is good advice for everyone - whether you have ADHD or not. Our whole society is set up to be so not-ADHD-friendly, especially in recent times with all the technology pitfalls to deal with.
But if you do have ADHD you are going to keep running around in circles in life, no matter what meds you might be taking, unless you practice what she is advocating.
This book is very well written, with simple, easy to follow steps to help you regulate your emotions and move on to what you want to accomplish. I loved reading it and will definitely be rereading all or parts of it as I continue on this journey that may have started late, but I guess that's better than never. I highly recommend this book to everyone! Thank you, Jenna Free, for understanding us so well and writing this book! :)
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