Most effective ways to manage ADHD

All the research shows that the best thing you can do to effect a positive outcome is medication therapy, provided it is consistent and effective.

The second best thing you can do is engage in behavioral intervention. That would be Behavioral Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or Coaching. The best outcomes come from a combination of the two.

I would argue that the third best thing you can do is practice good sleep hygiene. If you are not getting enough sleep, it is impossible to be optimally effective and attentive. I don’t know how much research there is into sleep and ADHD, but I’ve observed that the “brain fog” that accompanies sleep deprivation is not too dissimilar to the default state of our ADHD brains.

There is a decent amount of evidence that exercise is an incredibly valuable part of overall ADHD treatment. I’ve never met anyone who could manage their ADHD fully with exercise alone. But, I can attest to the fact that consistent vigorous activity directly affects my attention positively. Incidentally, it also helps me manage my anxiety, depression, sleep, and general health.

A well balanced life is key. If we are not getting the social interaction, intellectual stimulation, and whatever else we need like having a creative outlet or a forum for competition, we are not going to thrive. I imagine this is true for most humans, but we seem to be more in need of this balance than many.