Priceless Take on ADHD Awareness Month + 9 Other October Observances

Priceless Take on ADHD Awareness Month + 9 Other October Observances

I am trying to observe ADHD Awareness Month #adhdawarenessmonth in an ADHD-Friendly way. But I have a difficult time with month-long observances. Focusing on one topic every day for a month is too much to ask of my brain. The amount of information often creates brain fatigue bordering on overwhelm.

For some monthly observances, ironically including ADHD awareness month, I find myself almost dreading the month. There is too much of a good thing in terms of the quantity of information shared.

I am not oblivious to the fact that it is a bit hypocritical of me to be dedicating this blog to observing it. The reason I decided to focus on ADHD Awareness Month is:

1. I am an ADHD Coach, and ADHD is literally at the heart of everything I do in my life and my business.
2. I wanted to share my perspective in case I am not alone. If this resonates with you, I hope my experience will help you explore what might work better for you.

What I know does work for me is to limit the amount of information I am exposed to over the course of the month. Here’s how I do that:

• I only subscribe to things I know I will look forward to reading or seeing.
• I allow myself to unsubscribe from things that haven’t worked for me in the past.
• And, most notably, I stay off social media as much as possible throughout the entire month. I cannot tolerate the number of posts on this topic. I find it incredibly fatiguing for 2 reasons:

1. With so many tips and tools shared, it feels like I should be doing so much more to support myself better. But I can’t do them all and often feel overwhelmed.
2. Because my business is literally focused on supporting individuals with ADHD, it feels like I should be doing something to promote ADHD Awareness Month too. Seeing what “everyone else” is doing puts me in my head with negative self-talk– I should have planned earlier, done more, etc. If I don’t see all the posts, my brain doesn’t have to exert energy shifting my negative thoughts/mindset. As a result, I am better able to tolerate what I have decided to do (because I know it works better for MY brain!).

As you see, hear, and/or read things about ADHD Awareness Month (or any other month-long observance), ask yourself how you can take what supports you and let go of what doesn’t.

ADHD-Friendly Resources to Support ADHD

Please note- any fee information shared was accurate at the time it was researched in October, 2022. In no particular order, my favorite resources are:

• ADDA (https://add.org)- a membership organization with several membership options available. The individual membership is $7.60/month or $79.97/year.

  • Mission: To create a community of ADHD adults who make it possible to thrive with ADHD
  • Included in membership are:
    • Webinars
    • Virtual Support Groups
    • Other Resources

• CHADD (https://add.org)- a membership organization with memberships offered to individuals, families and professionals

  • Mission: We believe in improving the lives of people affected by ADHD.
  • Membership includes the CHADD magazine, “Attention.”

• ADDitude (https://www.additudemag.com)- a print and digital magazine published about every other month. Also offered are

  • Webinars
  • FREE “ADDitude Insider” membership to receive newsletters, articles and more

• ADHDFriendly.com- (https://www.adhdfriendly.com)

  • Mission: Relentlessly creating tools, content and services designed to level the playing field for individuals impacted by ADHD and/or Executive Function Skills challenges.
  • ADHDFriendly.com offers
    • ADHD-Friendly shop
    • FREE Mini-POM (Personal Owner’s Manual) and PDFs of POM tools
    • ADHD Friendly Podcast
    • Blog
    • Other offerings at various price-points

Other National Observances in October

There are actually 62 month-long National Observances in October. Some of my favorites from the list are:

• National Book Month (#NationalBookMonth)- I love reading, so a month dedicated to books is right up my alley!
• National Reading Group Month (#NationalReadingGroupMonth)- Seeing this on the list made me want to start a book club!
• Disability Employment Awareness Month (#DisabilityEmploymentAwarenessMonth)- This one sent me on a deep dive to learn more about what resources are available. I will be paying more attention to this throughout October.
• Depression Education and Awareness Month (#DepressionAwareness)- Always important to raise more awareness on this topic.
• National Cookie Month (#NationalCookieMonth)- “YES!” to this and the next one, Dessert Month!
• National Dessert Month (#NationalDessertMonth)- This one reminds me of how I learned how to spell the word “dessert” correctly. I always remember dessert is better/more than the desert. The extra “s” means “more” to me.
• Toilet Tank Repair Month (#ToiletTankRepairMonth)- Hmmm… this one had me doing some research. Interestingly, it is designed to prompt everyone to check their toilets to make sure they aren’t running/wasting water. And, coming right before the busy holiday season, seems like the timing is just right!
• Women’s Small Business Month (#WomensSmallBusinessMonth)- As a woman who owns a small business, I have just one thing to say about this, “Yes!”
• Dental Hygiene Month (#DentalHygieneMonth)- Research sows a correlation between ADHD and a negative impact on dental health, including more tooth decay/cavities, tooth loss, and fillings. Improving dental hygiene is at the root (no pun intended) of reducing the impact.

There are 53 other National observances in October. Each one important to those who support it. While it is impossible to pay attention to everything, deciding what and how much you want to focus on creating more awareness is key to succeeding without getting overwhelmed.

To hear more on this topic, check out the ADHD Friendly Podcast episode #51: Patty observes ADHD Awareness Month in her way: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEjCfaR4M3gGWjuQZQUn2Yg/videos