When you have ADHD, it is easy to feel bad about yourself. You hear a lot of corrective and critical statements. After hearing enough of those, you begin to internalize them. You begin to feel like you are not enough, and shame creeps into your life.

However, it is important to break free from this pattern of self-shaming. You are not broken. You are who you were created to be. I know it can be easy to feel shame about having ADHD, but you need to fight that temptation. Here are a few suggestions to break free of the shame.

ADHDers are often told to work harder. Yes, it is important to have a strong work ethic, but it is also important to play hard as well. My grandfather once advised me, "Alex, whatever you want to do in life, work hard to get there, but also, take the time along the way to play hard, as well." This is a lesson I have never forgotten. Years later, I heard something similar while studying ADHD. The ADHD mind needs time every day for some unstructured fun. Play, which Dr. Edward Hallowell defines as "any activity in which your brain lights up and you get imaginatively involved," is not only necessary, but also can help one be more productive and learn more about oneself.

One common tip given in ADHD books for maintaining a healthy lifestyle when one has ADHD is "spirituality." For many, this politically correct term means praying. However, the symptoms of ADHD can make one wonder: Is it even possible to pray when you have ADHD?