#19 Floriana Reinikis - A Neuroaffirmative approach to ADHD

Описание: Dr. Floriana Reinikis, a clinical psychologist with ADHD, shares her personal and professional journey. She discusses her upbringing in Italy, her academic success, and her transition to working in the NHS. She explains how the rigid structure of her job in the NHS caused her physical and mental health to deteriorate, leading her to leave and start her own service focused on ADHD and neurodivergent conditions. Dr. Reinikis also highlights the challenges faced by girls and women with ADHD, the need for a better understanding of ADHD in females, and the importance of creating an ADHD-friendly environment. Floriana Reinikis discusses the stigma surrounding ADHD and her personal journey of self-acceptance. She emphasizes the importance of shifting the narrative around ADHD to a more neuroaffirmative approach. Floriana also shares her experience of coming out about her ADHD diagnosis and the positive response she received. She highlights the need for routine and structure, recognizing and managing escape behaviors, and building a support network as key elements of an ADHD-friendly life. She envisions a future where neurodiversity is fully integrated into society and individuals are recognized for their unique strengths and abilities.

Takeaways
Dr. Floriana Reinikis shares her personal and professional journey as a clinical psychologist with ADHD.
The rigid structure of her job in the NHS caused her physical and mental health to deteriorate, leading her to start her own service focused on ADHD and neurodivergent conditions.
Girls and women with ADHD often mask their symptoms and struggle with anxiety and depression.
There is a need for a better understanding of ADHD in females and the creation of ADHD-friendly environments. Shift the narrative around ADHD to a more neuroaffirmative approach
Embrace and accept your ADHD diagnosis, and fight against stigma
Create routines and structures to provide stability and support
Recognize and manage escape behaviors to stay focused and productive
Build a support network of understanding and supportive individuals
Envision a future where neurodiversity is fully integrated and individuals are recognized for their unique strengths and abilities
Titles
Creating ADHD-Friendly Environments
Navigating the Rigid Structure of the NHS Managing Escape Behaviors: Staying Focused and Productive
Creating Stability: The Importance of Routines and Structures
Sound Bites
"ADHD isn't a problem, it's a good thing."
"As soon as you put structure around somebody with ADHD, that can cause an enormous amount of stress."
"I never thought about ADHD until about eight or nine years ago, because my knowledge of ADHD, even as a professional, was of the difficult boys, the challenging boys who get in trouble."
"How would they feel about it? So again, I thought I need to do to shift something about how we read, write and communicate about ADHD to the people we see."
"Do I care now? No, I don't care anymore. No, no. That's a must, huh?"
"The thing that you said earlier on about lockdown, when you encapsulate ADHD is, and those with autism as well, and other neurological conditions if you like, and you lock them into a rigid structure like lockdown was for us, that's stressful. That's anxiety. That's horrible to deal with."