Trips Home Are Difficult Because of ADHD

I recently traveled from Scotland to my parent's house in Ireland. While it was great to see everyone, trips home aren't always smooth sailing when you have attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Trips Home with Adult ADHD Trigger Impatience

One of the main challenges I face during visits home is impatience. So accustomed as I am to my own schedule, it's difficult to cede control and march to the beat of multiple drums, so to speak. Sometimes that means waiting around for people to get ready for dinner. At other times it means going to places I wouldn't normally go to. At all times, these external factors are underpinned by a sense of impatience (on my part).

And, in truth, I don't disguise my feelings all too well. People know how I'm feeling just by looking at my face.

However, I'm aware of this. I know I can be inflexible and want things to be just so. That's why I make a concerted effort to look at things objectively. Sometimes impatience is justified; most of the time, it isn't.

When My ADHD Is Triggered During a Trip Home

Thanks to ADHD, I will always struggle with impulsivity and impatience. However, I like to be good company, and bouts of unreasonable childishness don't help me or anyone else. So, when I feel my impatience isn't warranted, I have a bit of a chat with myself in order to navigate through the situation.

First, I accept my nature. I understand that, even with ADHD medication helping considerably, I'm never going to be zen all day, every day. Then, I remember why I came home in the first place: to see family. So, what does it matter if we go here or there? What does it matter that the plans have changed, and now this is happening instead of that? When I answer those questions, I can relax a bit more because these issues barely count as issues. It's the company I'm in, not the slightly inconvenient situation, that's important.

Thinking About My Trip Back with ADHD

Eventually, trips home end and become trips back to Scotland. In my estimation, a week spent visiting family is plenty: it's ample enough to spend quality time with one another and not so long that nerves get frayed. And it's this knowledge that my routine is never too far away that helps me when I'm struggling to remain zen at home.

Do you struggle with impatience? How do you cope during visits home? Let me know in the comments.