When Jared Lavarra, a second-year Engineering Science major at Mercer, decided to leave the Navy Reserves, he found it difficult to focus on getting the necessary work done to return to civilian life.
Lavarra says, “There were a lot of external controls in the Navy, which helped me function a little bit better, especially when I was deployed…I was able to have no distractions. I mean it was like a prison because you were just locked away doing this job.”
Lavarra struggles with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) which, according to the National Institute of Mental Health, is characterized by an ongoing and disruptive pattern of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity.
In addition, signs of ADHD in adults can include losing things, forgetfulness, having trouble organizing, and difficulty managing time.
Lavarra struggled with these difficulties after he left the structure and routine of the Navy. He says, “There was also another host of issues, like from post-deployment, stuff that I didn’t realize at the time, but it exacerbated the ADHD. It sure made it a lot harder to have any kind of forward trajectory. It was just like you were stuck.”
For those like Lavarra who are living with this disorder, there are support services available. Licensed professional counselors Shannon Campbell and Tiffany Papp of Guide to GrowTherapy, LLC in Hamilton, NJ, specialize in treating individuals with ADHD.
Medical doctors as well as mental health professionals use different data to diagnose individuals with ADHD. Campbell says gathering insights from individuals experiencing symptoms and those in their immediate environment is important.
Campbell says, “We want to find out from other people who are either caregivers or in a relationship with that person, or in that household with that person, what they are seeing as well.”
According to Campbell, ADHD symptoms have to be present in multiple settings so all of the data collected is used to make a formal diagnosis.
While ADHD can cause difficulties for adults, it is often diagnosed at a much younger age. According to the CDC (The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), an estimated 9.8% of children in the US have been diagnosed with ADHD from 2016 to 2019.
When Gabbi Forbes, a Career-Prep high school senior studying Photography at Mercer, was five years old, she was diagnosed with ADHD.
Forbes says, “It’s gotten better over time, but I would always just space out the whole time when the teacher was talking. Up until like middle school, I was not really good in math or science. I wouldn’t pay attention because I was very uninterested.”
After the diagnosis, Forbes was prescribed medication to combat her symptoms.
Whether an individual with ADHD is medicated or not, students, teachers and parents can help those experiencing symptoms of the disorder.
When trying to complete tasks, Papp says, “Be mindful of what environment works best for you. Maybe you are someone who does better…in a quiet and direct space. Or maybe that’s too distracting because it’s too quiet and you’re a student that does better with a little more volume around you.”
In addition, Papp says it’s important for students to advocate for themselves. She continues, “If you know that sitting in the back of the room is not going to be great for you, ask your professor if you possibly could move your seat [to the front].”
“It really doesn’t have as much to do with having a disability as it has to do with having an understanding of yourself as a learner. Be willing to share that [understanding] with your faculty and welcome them into that conversation.”
– Arlene Stinson, Director of MCCC Center for Accessibility Resources
Along with making their needs known, students can receive support at Mercer’s Center for Accessibility Resources (CAR). Arlene Stinson, director of CAR, says communication between students and faculty is important.
Stinson says, “It really doesn’t have as much to do with having a disability as it has to do with having an understanding of yourself as a learner. Be willing to share that [understanding] with your faculty and welcome them into that conversation.”
Though there are many strategies and resources to help with ADHD, researchers are still working towards figuring out the cause. According to NIMH, studies show that genetics play a large role.
Behind each ADHD diagnosis, there is a story of resilience and determination. Some of the benefits of ADHD include the ability to hyperfocus, high energy, creativity, and courage.
For example, Medical News Today says “Those with ADHD are often highly creative, especially when given a goal-oriented task. Living with ADHD also requires people to approach tasks differently, which means they can become great problem solvers.”
While there are positive traits associated with ADHD, daily activities are still a challenge. Lavarra continues to adjust to life after the Navy and is working to understand himself.
Lavarra says, “You struggle with things and you have friction in your life that you don’t necessarily realize comes from ADHD, you just are. It’s just normal to be rushing everywhere five minutes late.”
