How ADHD Can Affect Your Relationship

Adult ADHD can affect relationships by leading to feelings of resentment and rejection in the relationship. The person who has ADHD often feels criticized or nagged, and they may end up feeling like they can't do anything right. And they may avoid their partner in order to get away from that criticism. The person who doesn't have ADHD in the relationship will often feel overburdened, or like they have to be responsible for making sure that everything gets done. They may feel like they're not being listened to or not being heard. And then they end up feeling disrespected as well. Communication plays a huge role in relationships, where one partner has ADHD. One of the most important things is to have constructive, open communication. If you're emotionally charged or upset, take a break, walk away. Come back when you're ready to really listen to your partner and get down to the root of what's actually going on. You want to avoid bottling up your feelings, so that you don't explode. You want to watch what you say and how you say it. Using humor can be a nice tool. And you also want to remember that you're not a mind reader. So you really need to listen and understand what your partner has to say. So in order to help the partner who has ADHD, you want to organize your life as much as possible. So set a fixed schedule. Set up visual cues, like sticky notes or marker boards around the house. Control the clutter in your home, so that there are fewer distractions. And also it can be helpful to have the person with ADHD repeat back any requests to make sure that they understood what you asked. To rekindle the spark in a relationship, couples, can get back to why they fell in love in the first place. Remember to slow down. Accept each other's imperfections. Look for the good in your partner, and practice compassion. And remember that you're on the same team. So the good news is with proper attention and treatment, a person with ADHD can expect to have a normal, healthy relationship.