I found an interesting graphic on Pinterest the other day; the caption read, “8 personalities, 8 coping mechanisms for ADHD”.

Clicking on the graphic led me to an article written by Lisa Aro for Everyday Health.

According to her bio, Lisa and her husband both have ADHD, as do 5 of their 6 children. Wow. And I thought my family was unique with all 5 of us diagnosed.

Based on her family, Lisa identifies eight different coping mechanisms for ADHD:

1. The List Maker, who makes lists to keep on track. In Lisa’s family, that’s Rachel, pictured above, in her self portrait.

2. The Break Taker, who needs a break in activity now and then in order to avoid overwhelm.

3. The Disappearing Act belongs to Lisa’s only non ADHD child, Hannah, who needs to disappear for a while for some alone time in order to be able to cope and stay calm.

4. The Hands On, who needs tactile stimulation in order to learn, focus, or calm down.

5. The Planner, who needs systems, checks, and back ups in order to feel calm and in control.

6. The Fidget, who needs something to do with their hands in order to focus, sit still, and listen.

7. The Emailer, who has learned to use email as a backup method for their brain, helping keep track of appointments and responsibilities.

8. The Writer, who writes in order to make sense of their own ADHD while hopefully educating others as well.

Of course, I saw The Writer in myself, but there are parts of me in other identities as well.

What about you? Which one do you identify with?