Are attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) support groups helpful?

One of the biggest gifts of ADD is that it forces you to realize that you cannot do it all alone. You will need support along the way. You can find a support group or start your own. My observation is that support groups offer advantages in addition to individual treatment. The number one advantage you can get from a group is to overcome your shame as you see other smart, hardworking people who struggle with the same challenges you do. It can go a long way to build your self-esteem if you see others who are competent and capable but somehow can’t manage to do their own laundry!

If you choose to start your own group, the following is a guide for structuring your group.

1. Share, cultivate, and honor big ideas.
2. Help each other translate symptoms into needs.
3. Help each other solve the problem of getting needs met.
4. Support each other with resources.

It may help to remember what is at stake: Your gifts are not just for you. The world needs your gifts. Your family, your friends, your community, and your world need you to stop beating yourself up, playing small, and feeling guilty about what you cannot do. In my book The Gift of Adult ADD (2008) I offer recommendations for starting your own group using the book as a study guide. Many ADHD people read a book without doing the activities, and a book group can help you slow down and get the real benefits of completing the suggested experiments.