Adhd support groups near me

Support Groups for Adults - ADDA

Support Groups and Workshops are open only to ADDA Members. You must be logged in to sign up.

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You already know about ADDA’s famous Conferences… and between Conferences, many of you connect by attending Webinars, stay in touch through ADDA’s Website or by subscribing to ADDA’s monthly electronic newsletter, the ADDA Insider.

All those are great but what if you’re not “tech savvy”? Or, more likely, what if you’ve had it up to here with email? You’re suffering from “inbox overload” and you’d much rather just TALK TO SOMEONE!? If you’re lucky, you attend an adult ADHD support group, but what if you don’t? What if you can’t get to the meetings? What if they don’t fit your schedule? How do you connect?

Sometimes you just want to pick up the phone (without feeling like they’re wishing you’d “call someone who cares!”) ADDA has the answer.

ADHD support groups are a great way to connect with other adults who have ADHD or parents of children with ADHD. You can talk with people who understand your experiences, share advice and insights, and get perspective on challenges. ADDA offers a number of ADHD support groups online, making it easy to find a group of like-minded peers.

Check out our current listing of Virtual Support Groups and Virtual Workshops

After the peer support call is over I am going to hang up and cry. This has been so helpful. I have never spoken to anyone else with ADD. To hear all of your voices – intelligent, funny, fun people. The advice I got here has changed my life, thank you.
Jane, Los Angeles, CA

Would you like to meet with other adults with ADHD without leaving the comfort and privacy of your home? ADDA Virtual Peer Support offers ADDA members* the opportunity to connect with peers for support in a safe non-judgmental environment.

I am so inspired by the conversation, talking with people from all over the country with the same issues as me. I have felt like I was stuck on stupid for 50 years since I got my ADD diagnosis so late in life. After this call I feel not so alone.

Melanie, North Carolina

To get more information and call details, please complete the form below and we will be in touch with you shortly.

*You must be an ADDA member to participate in the Virtual support groups.

I was able to join in on tonight’s call and listen. I was really happily surprised to hear how supportive and informative everyone was. People were respectful and they were honest. I’m so glad I tried it. It helped me realize I’m not the only one who feels the way I feel in many situations described. I look forward to joining in on another call. Thanks.

Leslie, New Hampshire

Check out our current listing of Virtual Support Groups and Virtual Workshops

Start Your Own Support Group

At ADDA, we believe in the power of community. If you’d prefer a face-to-face support group with people who live near you, we have information to help you start or maintain an adult ADHD support group.

Begin by taking a look at the ADDA Support Group Manual. It contains a wealth of information for anyone thinking about starting a local support group, as well as practical information about maintaining established groups. The manual is written for both professionals and individuals interested in starting their own self-help groups. It even contains helpful information about handling some of the sticky situations that can undermine the success of any group.

ADDA Support Group Manual
Download the Support Group Manual Here

Top ADHD Support Groups In Orlando

ADHD, or Attention Deficit Disorder, affects an average of 4.1 percent of adults in the United States today. Although it can be fairly simple to detect ADHD in children, it can be much more difficult to detect it in adults due to more subtle yet complex symptoms. Although there are associated with ADHD in adults, the most common are delays in organizational abilities, traffic accidents due to reckless driving, issues in romantic relationships due to poor listening and communication skills, a general lack of focus and attention, severe restlessness, procrastination, no sense of time (constantly late to appointments, events, etc. angry and sudden outbursts, and an inability to prioritize tasks. Of course, all of these symptoms can stem from a variety of life circumstances, and if you or a loved one is experiencing any of these, it is important to consider a series of root issues and not immediately assume it’s ADHD. We recommend speaking with a doctor to receive a proper diagnosis and take further action from there.

Treatment for ADHD often involves a combination of medications and psychotherapy. Adderall, Ritalin, and Dexedrine are considered the first line of pharmacotherapy for ADHD and ADD, with Adderall being the most commonly prescribed. However, these prescription amphetamines can be addictive and research shows that medication alone is not able to address ADHD effectively.

If you do find out that you or a loved one is living with adult ADHD, there are various options to help with the recovery and coping process. It’s important that you seek professional assistance when handling this issue since untreated ADHD can lead to much more severe problems, such as depression, bipolar disorder, bad eating habits, anxiety disorders, and destructive lifestyle choices. Before the situation digresses, consider either attending or accompanying a loved one to an adult ADHD support group.

If you’re in need, here are three ADHD support groups in the Orlando, Florida area you should consider checking out:

Mastering Adult ADHD

This group, run by Nicole Denise Palow (Counselor, MS, LMHC), is for diagnosed adults looking for a chance to learn about living with ADHD and the various ways that it can affect your daily life. This education and support-oriented group focuses on empowering its participants with up-to-date research and news that can help impact their lives. This workshop is much more than a traditional support group, however—it specifically focuses on how you can optimize your brain functionalities, identify your greatest strengths, discover what your brain is truly capable of processing, and create strategies that specifically help you accomplish a more well-rounded life.

You can connect with the group leader, Nicole, here, or call (321) 234-6928.

Total Life Counseling Center

The Total Life Counseling Center in Orlando, Florida helps those suffering from ADHD and / or Asperger’s Syndrome. Lead by various local professionals, this support group focuses on improving and building leadership skills, social skills, listening and focusing skills, character building, communication abilities, anger management, provocation responses, and decision-making skills.

This group takes place every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday from 6 pm to 7 pm at 1507 S Hiawassee Road Suite 101 Orlando, Florida 32835. For more information, call Mr. Jim West at (407) 494-2520.

Mindfulness Group

The Mindfulness Group is run by Vania M Macrohon (Counselor, MS, LMHC) and specifically focuses on helping those with ADHD, anxiety, and/or depression. Vania helps her group members gain an increased awareness and appreciation of living in the present moment. This helps its members to be more engaged in their lives and relationships while minimizing the regular negative systems that they’re accustomed to. These sessions take place at 10631 N Kendall Drive Suite 1201 in Miami, Florida 33176. Call (786) 422-9337 for more details.

There are support groups across the United States that specialize in various aspects of adult ADHD, but most work to teach their group participants how to deal with life’s complex circumstances and navigate situations in a healthier way. For example, these groups teach participants how to ask for help from family and friends when they feel overwhelmed instead of channeling it in other ways. They also focus on helping them create a daily routine that allows them to focus on thing at a time, and how to break down tasks so that they’re more approachable and easy to succeed at. ADHD support groups also teach participants how to spot their own “red flags” and actions that could possibly lead to negative consequences, and how to turn to their support group for assistance. They also train them how to explain their disorder to an employer or co-worker so that they can provide accommodations.

Regardless of your reasoning, we highly recommend considering one of the above options (or a more local one) for you or a loved one suffering from adult ADHD.

Medical Disclaimer

The Recovery Village aims to improve the quality of life for people struggling with a substance use or mental health disorder with fact-based content about the nature of behavioral health conditions, treatment options and their related outcomes. We publish material that is researched, cited, edited and reviewed by licensed medical professionals. The information we provide is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. It should not be used in place of the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider.

ADHD: Tips for Parents - Mamarada

If a child is struggling to cope with Attention Deficit Hypermobility Syndrome (ADHD), there are several ways parents can support them.

How to help a child with ADHD?

Approximately one in three people diagnosed with ADHD as a child will grow out of the condition and will not need treatment in adulthood. Children who receive specialized treatment tailored to their needs can often successfully learn strategies for coping with existing problems, improve academic performance, relationships with others, and coping life skills.

Diagnosis of ADHD requires examination by a specialist (child psychiatrist or pediatrician). The doctor evaluates the child's behavior patterns by observing, testing, and receiving reports on his behavior at home and at school. The information obtained can form the basis for an effective treatment plan so that the child can reach his full potential in life.

Key steps for parents of a child with ADHD

Here are the key approaches that can really make a difference:

Contact your doctor or school if you are concerned that your child may have ADHD. An established diagnosis can help a child start receiving treatment and psychological help on time.
ADHD is a family problem. Make sure that all family members understand what is happening to the child, accept it not as a disaster, but as a common illness that the child needs help with, and try to maintain a balance of attention in the family.
Avoid giving your child with ADHD a "bad reputation" in the family.
It is important to maintain your personal boundaries and discipline and not tolerate bad behavior such as disobedience, swearing or violence.
Make sure you help your child lead a healthy lifestyle through a balanced diet, regular physical activity and sleep patterns.
Give the child simple and clear instructions or requests - talk to him from a short distance, looking into his eyes, speak slowly and calmly.
Praise your child when he has done what is required, however small (but be careful not to overpraise).
Write lists of useful rules and post them somewhere in plain sight (refrigerator).
Break up the child's required time at the table, such as meals and homework, into small intervals, say 15-20 minutes.
Avoid feeding your child food additives and dyes, as there is scientific evidence that children with ADHD are especially sensitive to them.
Find out about local parenting programs and support groups that can really help you cope better.

How do I deal with challenging behavior in a child with ADHD?

Children behave differently at different times. Feeling upset, sad, irritated, disappointed and many other emotions are a normal and healthy part of their lives. Many children go through the stages of setting and testing boundaries and are likely to be too provocative. This is especially true for children with ADHD. Sometimes younger children have tantrums, while older children may sometimes scream, rage, or even lash out at their parents or any obstacles or objects.

When we talk about "challenging behavior" we mean behavior that is persistent and difficult to manage for both the parent and the child. This includes things like:

Many outbursts of anger
Regular yelling, swearing and arguing
Aggressive actions: hitting, biting or kicking
Damage to things in the home or school
Malevolence or intimidation towards other family members or children
Constant trouble at school

The child's constant challenging behavior is tiring and demoralizing. In families, this often results in everyone feeling less positive and comfortable.

The child's behavior is a message about how he feels. When a child goes beyond acceptable limits, in order to understand the reasons for what is happening, you can imagine an iceberg. Complicated behavior is the tip, but there could probably be a range of emotions lurking underneath the surface. By starting to talk with the child, parents can learn more about how he feels and what is happening to him.

How to talk to a difficult child?

Find the right time and place to talk. It will be easier for your child to speak if you start a conversation during an activity.
Make it clear to the child that the problem lies in his behavior, and not in him as a person. Let your child know that it's okay to feel how they feel, whether it's sad, angry, anxious, or whatever, and that you can work together to find new ways to deal with these feelings.
Explain why you don't like challenging behavior so that he understands. For example, you might say that while it's okay to be angry, it hurts other people when they hit.
Be curious, empathetic and open-minded. Focus on listening to the child and trying to understand things from their point of view.
Use simple phrases such as “I notice you yell a lot”, “I think something is upsetting you”, “I am worried that you are not happy” and “I need you to know that you can talk to me about what's going on."
Reassure your child that you love him and want to help him feel happier and learn to enjoy life.

How else can you help a child with defiant behavior?

Set clear boundaries and routines and stick to them as much as possible. You can do this by having a family agreement that includes such things as time limits for watching TV or playing computer games, meal times, and times to get out of bed and go to bed.
Consequence warning. Your child may respond better if you communicate the consequences so they have the opportunity to change their behavior. After explaining the consequences, it is important to talk together about what happened and return to a positive interaction.
Maintain the desired behavior. Pay attention to and reward your child when they show the type of behavior you asked them to, and be specific about why you are praising them.
Discuss activities together that will help your child express feelings and calm down. This could be drawing, doing outdoor activities like running, jumping or your favorite sport, reading a book, writing a story, baking or making something out of plasticine or Lego.
Help your child understand his feelings. If you show interest in your child's feelings and experiences, it will help him understand and find words to describe them. You can also help them spot signs that let them know they are about to explode, such as feeling hot, squeezing muscles, or breathing more heavily.
Try to remain calm. You may feel frustrated, angry, or overwhelmed when your child behaves defiantly - and this is completely normal. Try not to react or object when this is the case. Give yourself and your child some time to cool down before talking about it.
Spend time with your child. Find something you can enjoy together, like going to the park, playing a board game, cooking, or watching your favorite movie.
Talk to teachers at your child's school. Share your concerns with their teacher and find out what their experience is like. How is your child behaving at school? Is it similar or different from how they behave at home? If your child's teacher has found a way to help normalize the behavior, it may be helpful to try this at home as well.

Monkey Mind on Steroids - Contemplative Outreach, Ltd.

Q: I've been doing the Concentration Prayer for about 7 years and I've changed for the better, which my wife, some of the other CP band members and even myself have noticed, so I know it somehow "works". However, I never got to the point where I was really "focused". My monkey mind is almost always on steroids. I've never been diagnosed, but I'm pretty sure I have ADHD. Are there any tricks or methods other than repeating the sacred word many times that are helpful for a person with ADHD? Thank you!

A: So nice to hear that you've been practicing for 7 years now, even though you don't feel "focused"! It's a rather humiliating practice, isn't it - we don't really produce anything, and our own "efforts" don't work; we just let go, again and again, to God. And it's life changing. As you have noticed, God works secretly, deep within us, even when we are not aware of it. With our regular practice of surrendering to God again and again, we are cultivating a new way of life. We may begin to see our inner reactions to people or circumstances and see our own chains of obsessive thoughts and emotions, but we can also see that this is not the whole story; just as our thoughts are not all there is in Concentrated Prayer. We can be at peace with the deeper way of being within us by responding thoughtfully to the world rather than reflexively.

In your note I hear your patience and also your joy in the fruits of your prayer. You really do not need to change anything in your prayer - you do it beautifully, showing yourself day after day exactly as you are, and again and again agreeing with God's presence and action in your life. However, we can all benefit from some grounding of the body before and during prayer. In our retreats, we often take a few minutes to focus on the breath, body prayers, and/or sacred chanting before we begin. From myself, I sometimes add practices such as gentle yoga, qigong, or mindful walking. You can try experimenting with your favorite type of body awareness practice, even if only briefly, before beginning the Concentration Prayer. As with the Prayer Center, it's more about the quality of your presence than it is about doing something perfectly. The mere appearance and sincere bow attached to your body can make a huge difference.

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