Deal With an Attention or Developmental Disability Diagnosis

Dealing with the diagnosis of ADHD, autism/Asperger's, or other attention and developmental disabilities can be tough. With all the negative stereotypes surrounding these diagnoses, it can be difficult to imagine yourself as having them. Here is how to cope with your diagnosis and live a positive lifestyle with a disability.

Steps

 * 1) Tell yourself that you have the diagnosis. It's okay to be disabled. Most of these conditions are lifelong, and as you gain experience and practice, you will learn to manage it well. You can still be happy and successful with a disability.
 * 2) Give yourself time to adjust. A disability diagnosis means you will come face-to-face with your limitations and challenges, and this is stressful. Allow yourself time to process your emotions, and spend extra time relaxing. Taking care of yourself&mdash;physically and emotionally&mdash;is important.
 * 3) Research your disability. Read medical definitions and recommended treatments, but also search for things written by people who share your disability. The disabled community has plenty of subcultures (e.g. a strong autistic community) and you can listen to and share tips and stories with people like you.
 * 4) Look into accommodations you could get. Many schools and workplaces will provide appropriate accommodations. Research potential ones, and think about what could make your life easier. You may find like a weight has been lifted off your chest, when you never even knew it was there.
 * 5) Find emotional support. Look to friends and family members whom you can confide in, and who will be there for you no matter what. You can also find support from the disabled community online. It's important to have people who care about you and will listen to you as you adjust to life with a diagnosed disability.
 * 6) Find ways to manage stigma. Many disabilities are stigmatized, and that can hurt. Take time to educate yourself on stigma, and consider raising awareness about your disability to combat it.
 * 7) * Be aware that autism awareness and autism acceptance are two very different things&mdash;one fights stigma and the other increases it.
 * 8) Love yourself for who you are. Tell yourself that this diagnosis doesn't determine who you are, it's a part of you but you are still you.

Related wikiHows

 * How to Know if You Have Asperger's Syndrome
 * How to Cope With Adult ADHD
 * How to Cope with an Autism Diagnosis
 * How to Deal With ADHD
 * How to Accept Your Autism
 * How to Cope With Stigma