Parenting with ADHD: Getting Past the Stigma
Learn how adults with the condition can cope with Idaho Board-Certified counselor and Licensed Mental Health Therapist Lisa Schiro
Lisa Schiro, founder and CEO of K-Counseling
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BOISE, Idaho – Oct. 7, 2022 — Parents with ADHD are often labeled scattered, even mentally ill, and are accused of being unable to parent well–everything from preparing meals to remembering to pick up a child from school. Parents with ADHD can be victims of ridicule, contempt, or discrimination. Therefore, many hide symptoms and suffer in silence. A lack of awareness around ADHD, a neurodevelopmental disorder, perpetuates the stigma. A person is not less of a parent because they have ADHD; in some cases, with specific types of ADHD, it can be a superpower.
Approximately 1 in 25 adults has ADHD, according to WebMD, and of course, many are parents. Proper diagnosis and treatment are the keys to success. (It is paramount to know all options, including those that don’t include medication).
“Qbtech® is a Swedish medical technology that provides award-winning FDA-cleared ADHD testing with a 98% accuracy, when combined with a clinical interview, and is currently only available in two locations in the Treasure Valley,” says Lisa Schiro, founder, and CEO of K-Counseling, in Boise, Idaho. “Only 10,000 providers are offering this testing across the United States, and our clinic is one of them. Parents with ADHD have a lot more going for them than people think. Parents with hyperactive/impulsive ADHD are often able to harness their superpower of movement combined with hyper-focus in a manner that those without ADHD cannot do. However, inattentive ADHD can be supremely frustrating for a parent because they often feel scattered. Getting past the stigma of ADHD is the first step. Change begins with awareness, and National ADHD Awareness Month of October is the perfect time for this.”
What is ADHD?
ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition and not a mental illness. Think of ADHD more as a pattern of behavior. ADHD is associated with neural pathways in how the brain works; these behavior patterns usually appear by age seven. However, challenging behavior may appear at younger ages. There are also many cases not diagnosed until adulthood. While ADHD doesn’t disappear with age, there are non-medicinal ways to address the unhelpful symptoms. People like options, and many people would prefer to exhaust holistic options first.
An estimated 4.4% of adults in the U.S. have ADHD, according to a 2006 University of Michigan survey of 3,199 adults ages 18 to 44, which experts still cite today. “This condition is generally examined only in children, but these findings suggest ADHD is one of the most common neurological disorders in adults,” says Schiro.
What else can be done besides prescribing medication?
“Holistic approaches, like FDA-cleared NeuroFeedback, help the central nervous system operate as it should. When it is less chaotic, the person feels less chaotic. A calm mind creates a calm body,” continues Schiro. “More conversation needs to happen around proper diagnosing, coaching on required skills, holistic remedies, environmental and behavioral modification, coping skills, and leveraging.”
During National ADHD Awareness Month in October, Lisa is available to discuss this condition and what adults can do to bring the positive side into focus. To schedule an informational interview with Lisa, please contact Lynette Hoy at (415) 694-3004 or email at lynette@firetalkerpr.com. Lisa can also be contacted directly at (208) 919-2520 or lisa@k-counseling.org
About Lisa Schiro
The founder and CEO of K-Counseling & Anxiety Treatment, LLC in Idaho, Lisa Schiro, M.S., LCPC, is a Board-Certified Counselor Supervisor and Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and Coach who has been in the field of psychiatry for over 17 years. She is the author of “Rice Paper Prison: Breaking Free From OCD” and has been featured in the Idaho Press during the pandemic. Lisa has coached/trained C-suite and employees at companies including Hewlett Packard and Group One Realty. Mrs. Schiro has also served on Governor Brad Little’s task force as Clinical Supervisor of the Idaho Anti-Trafficking Coalition.
