Nowadays, it is very common to hear about mental health disorders. They affect the way people think, feel and the mood they have. In other words, they can drastically affect the way people see the world, don’t believe me? Ask Justin!

Mental health disorders affect the way people see the world and the way they may perform at different activities in their lives. Although these disorders are not as widely understood by the general public as it would be ideal, understanding famous people experiences with these disorders can drastically improve the situation of those affected. People tend to feel empathy for the people they admire and respect. When famous artists share their experiences, they make things better: people that also have this particular mental illness feel they are not alone and those around them will have better grounds for understanding.

You may have heard about Justin Timberlake’s ADHD, for example. He casually revealed during an interview about his movie The Love Guru, that he had both Attention Deficit Disorder combined with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. He was just rearranging some records that were scattered all over the table in front of him, while he declared that: “You try to live with that”. Fans or just casual witnesses of his success will notice how a person with both those ailments is capable of not only living through the predicaments this implies but also notably exceeding at his craft. Timberlake is known for co-writing successful pieces of comedy, having a very prominent musical career and being a very energetic performer and entertainer. So talk about an inspirational mental disorder patient!

When a person has ADHD, it is common for them to have a hard time paying attention, being restless and impulsive on their decision-making and to continuously overlook the consequences of their acts. These behaviors can often be misunderstood by friends and family. They may mistake this behavior for selfish acts, evidence of immaturity or as symptoms of other disorders, sometimes considered more serious. But don’t be afraid if you think you have this disorder. Nowadays there are multiple studies that show that there are many methods and tools for patients to prepare to face life with a different outlook and succeed, living along with their conditions and enjoy life as everyone else.

But things don’t come easy, like anything good in life. People with ADHD must not only focus on their weaknesses but develop other strengths in order to succeed. A 2015 study on a group of students in Latin America found out that ambitious students with ADHD should master a profound understanding of themselves, known as intrapersonal capacity, as well as developing specialized abilities according to what their surroundings demand. In this regard, the study also showed that alumni with more intrapersonal capacities got there because they participated in specialized programs to help them understand their emotions.

It is clear that overcoming the symptoms of ADHD can be a challenge, and for challenges, there are always appropriate strategies to follow. People with ADHD may face problems organizing their time, knowing how much time it will take them to perform a task, have dangerous procrastinating habits, have difficulty to meet social demands and balancing other areas of their life along with their responsibilities.

If you think you have symptoms of ADHD, you can build up abilities or habits to help you overcome it. The following are just the tip of the iceberg in overcoming ADHD:

Take medications the right way: although medication is a tool for many patients of ADHD, you should know that there are rights and wrongs for this too. First of all, don’t self-medicate, your doctor should be the one to prescribe you any medication, if at all.

Take advantage of the benefits of exercising regularly: people with ADHD tend to experience restlessness and difficulty focusing their energy and attention the right way. Exercising regularly can increase the levels of hormones that improve concentration and it’s a great tool for getting rid of that extra energy. This excess of energy is the same that makes some patients restless and unable to focus on physically discreet activities, such as reading.

Try to get quality sleep at night: in order to overcome the symptoms of ADHD that prevent you from sleeping well, you should make sleep a top priority at night. Get on a tight sleep schedule by sticking to your bedtime, controlling the darkness of your room; avoid late-in-the-day consumption of caffeine (or any at all) and check if your meds are affecting your sleep.