By Rachel McDonagh
Disclaimer: I’m not a doctor, psychiatrist or even a med student! I have an ADHD diagnosis and I’m speaking only from my own experiences. If you happen to relate to some or all these things, that doesn’t automatically mean you have ADHD too. Furthermore, people with ADHD aren’t a monolith, so this is not meant to be a pure representation of anyone who has it. This article has been written for educational purposes only and if you want help, please speak to an appropriate medical professional.
Daylight Savings Time- something that seems fantastic around March and horrendous by October. Initially I had written about the history of Daylight Savings, as some of it regarding the UK is rather fascinating! However, waffling about that in this article is simply going to take up far too much of my time, which is a precious commodity if you have ADHD. Instead, I shall recommend a few different videos if you wish to do your own research.
The constant in my life currently is the ever-consuming darkness that fills our skies as soon as lunch is over. Both the hours of daylight and my attention-span will continue to get shorter, dancing in almost perfect synchronicity to try and make me regress into a sad little creature until next spring. While I can’t claim to have completely eradicated the effects of the early nights, I think I’ve found some ways to combat them that I’m hoping will be beneficial to everyone.
Illustrations by Rachel McDonagh
Routine, Time, Scope.
These three words are enough to spark fear in most people with ADHD. I’m very aware of the challenge in trying to follow a routine like that of a 9 to 5; over or underestimating how long a task will take; or struggling to continuously perceive an ongoing project. Having ADHD means that we often ‘feel’ time instead of seeing it - time is connected to people, activities, and things. As the nights draw in, this can confuse any habits or instincts we have, especially during term time where we’re expected to have a substantial amount of self-discipline. This has become even more apparent to me as I’ve started my postgraduate degree, which requires a lot more ‘independent study’. During primary and secondary school- and even my undergraduate to an extent- everything was timetabled for me, all I had to do was show up! There is no ‘mental load’ required and any subsequent mental tasks like homework, coursework, or revision would basically just sit on the backburner until they were very urgent. Now I’m left to my own devices, and I’ve quickly realised I’m going to have to be on top of both attending and doing things.
How I try to give my life more structure is a mixture of making sure things aren’t just swimming around in my head getting lost, and thinking of my day as something that can contain tasks with no set time in which they must happen. This gives me a metaphorical basket that represents the amount of time I have during the day, and there are tasks I can choose to place in it. The tasks vary in size, and I can only fit so much, but there are several ways to do this and there is no specific order in which they need to be placed.
Then once I think my head is starting to get a bit full again, I will simply write everything down: any task or chore in no coherent order. This is just to get it out and stop me from getting overwhelmed. In doing this I can then join some tasks together, organise them into categories, or filter them out entirely. When I have a solid list of things I need to do I can start thinking about where to slot them into my day. This is the ‘tasks’ part of my aforementioned basket metaphor. I don’t always work during ‘normal’ hours either, but I do try to keep a balance and not overwork myself. This may sound conceptually vague to those of you who enjoy the rigid structure of planning your time hour-by-hour and honestly, I’m envious of your ability to do so.
I may not always get everything I want done in any given week, but this method has been a huge improvement over how I used to work- which was basically not at all. Despite feeling rather secure in how I now have to work, I also understand that getting started on this can be the hardest part. This is where I would suggest talking to friends, family, or lecturers! Lecturers or people on your course can offer some specific insight that you may find really beneficial, whereas others around you can help to ground you should you find things are getting to be a bit much.
It’s key to remember that whether you deal with a learning disability or not, those around you are almost always in the same position that you are! You’re not alone in the way you feel and anything that seems like a bit too much can always be broken down into something more manageable.
Medication and Health
Not everyone who has ADHD takes medication, and even those of us who do can be on different types or doses! I personally take mine in the morning and in the afternoon, which does a pretty good job of keeping me stimulated throughout the day. This remains especially important not only for my university and extra-curricular work, but also general chores and self-care. ADHD doesn’t discriminate either, so if I find myself forgetting my medication for a few days, even doing things I really enjoy can be a struggle.
Keeping to the times you’re supposed to take your medication will act as a foundation for consistency and is a good habit to have even during the lighter, summer months! Things like setting a dedicated alarm helps too, or a reminder if you’re worried about something going off during a lecture. If I know I’m going to be out of the house during the afternoon I’ll bring a pill box with me, so things don’t get too lost in the ever-growing amount of junk I keep in my bag.
Although medication can be important in keeping balance in your life, it’s also important to manage your overall health during the winter months. With less sunlight during the day, most people find themselves falling into Vitamin D deficiency. While I would personally recommend talking to a doctor about supplementing to support yourself, trying to spend some time outside while we do have sunlight can help you make the most of it. I know everyone in every advice article talks about taking a walk, but taking a step back from things can often bring a bit more clarity to how you’re feeling. During the darker hours of our day, I make use of a ‘sun lamp’, designed to mimic the sun’s natural light and the positive effect it has on our bodies. They’re fairly cheap on certain websites and anecdotally do quite a lot of good!
Illustrations by Rachel McDonagh
Eating and Sleeping
I struggled to decide what I was going to put in this section and the previous one, especially as I’ve found there is a lot of overlap between the two. So, I’m using this section as a way to build on things, but there may be a bit of crossover between them too.
Eating is extremely important. Trying to eat healthy is something we should all strive for, but making sure you eat enough is paramount, especially if you take medication like I do. While people have their individual preferences, such as how many hot meals you should have per day or whether to even eat breakfast at all– I strongly believe consistency is key here. If that means cutting some corners, having some ready meals or frozen pizzas when the idea of cooking gets a bit too much, do so! There is no shame in simply feeding yourself, even if every meal you have isn’t homemade.
Snacking is also beneficial, especially during longer days or when you know you’re going to be out of the house for a little while. I’ve found protein bars to be somewhat of a lifeline when I hyperfocus at the library- only realising the time is getting on because it’s already dark outside- and can tide me over until I’m ready to go home and make dinner.
It's almost the same with sleeping habits. While ideally we all get 8 hours of sleep a night at the same time and wake up feeling refreshed, it doesn’t always work that way. A mixture of hyperfocus and revenge bedtime procrastination often keeps me up until I look at my phone in absolute horror at the time. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, things like alarms or other external stimuli really do help to snap you back to reality and give yourself a chance to take a break!
While it is often said that you should limit your screen time before bed (and I do not disagree with this), having a reliance on dopamine does make this a bit difficult to achieve. If, like me, you have to watch or listen to something to go to bed, some adjustments can make it easier on your eyes. Putting your laptop on a side table or away from your bed with a dimmed screen reduces strain, not to mention it stops you from accidentally knocking it on the floor! Utilising a TV would be beneficial, especially in training yourself to recognise that this means bedtime. Podcasts or white noise also get rid of the need for a screen while still providing that external sound.
If the advice I have been giving up until now sounds too conceptual, things like a consistent sleep and meal schedule can act as anchors. For some of us, we can only really commit to one or two aspects at a time and if you are one of these people, I think getting enough sleep and enough food are great things to prioritise. You really can’t do much else without them, after all!
Social Creatures
I am acutely aware of my position writing this article, and that it will not reflect most people reading it. I am currently undertaking a Postgraduate degree and I also studied in Portsmouth during my bachelor’s. I’m also a rather talkative, outgoing individual, but I’ve certainly been in the position of not knowing anyone in a room and wondering if I’m going to spend my time at university utterly alone. This is simply not true! I genuinely believe the only way to not make a single connection during your time studying is if you lock yourself in your room all the time. While the expectation is to become friends with your flatmates, that doesn’t always happen, and it didn’t happen with me! It doesn’t mean they’re not nice people (although I know you can’t always get on with everyone) it just means they’re not your people.
Whether your course is big or small, there will be chances to connect with others, or maybe even a group! The University also has a huge range of societies where there are opportunities to meet new faces. This has the added bonus of something you can find you have in common with one another, or maybe it would be the opposite! Furthermore, there’s a multitude of ways to keep in touch with others online. Discord is my primary example and some of the newer features they’ve introduced, such as in-server games and activities, have made reconnecting with friends from my bachelor’s even more fun!
There are introverts and extroverts, both of whom can have ADHD – and some people don’t! Regardless, having exposure to others around us and building positive connections, no matter how strong, can be important to solidifying our place in a new setting. Forging bonds gives us an anchor to ground ourselves with, should the seas of anxiety try to pull us under.
Illustrations by Rachel McDonagh
Final Thoughts
Thank you for taking the time to read this! I congratulate you for getting through my ramblings and ultimately, I hope something from this has resonated with you.
Whether or not you have ADHD, I want to once again stress that you shouldn’t feel any shame in not doing things the ‘right’ way. The winter months are not easy to get through and while I find anchoring myself to certain things or people very helpful, it might not be right for you.
Nevertheless, taking care of yourself doesn’t have to just be like the cute videos or pictures people post on Instagram or TikTok. If making your life a bit easier involves having a few ready meals in your freezer because cooking feels far too overwhelming, or needing to reach out to a lecturer or support network just to talk about everything swimming in your head – do so!
Resources
Listed below are some university-based resources with most being available to all students, not just those with any disabilities.
Health and Wellbeing Support details different wellbeing services the university offers, including but not limited to the Student Wellbeing Service.
Student Wellbeing Service offers a more direct resource, with access to informal advice and registering for one-to-one help.
Additional Support & Disability Advice Centre (ASDAC) is the university’s Disability Centre, which can offer advice or aid in applying for other grants or benefits.
Purple Lantern Society is a society aimed at creating an inclusive space for neurodivergent students, founded by neurodivergent students.
International Student Enquiries offers contact details for international students, with specialist staff for different regions.
A list of the societies currently running within the university.
About the Author: Rachel McDonagh
Rachel is a current student at the University of Portsmouth. She completed her BA in Animation in 2021 and is currently studying towards an MA in Illustration. She's incredible at getting started and not knowing when to stop. When she's not making something, she is usually thinking about what she'll make next!
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