Find a therapist to help with ADHD

Growing up and emerging adulthood generally take longer for young adults with ADHD.

Goals include time management, organization, inhibition, motivation and emotional health.

Collaborate on an initial plan including aligning goals, practicing skills and reviewing effectiveness.

This post was co-authored by Anthony L. Rostain.

Parenting a teen or young adult with ADHD can feel like walking a tightrope: you want to keep them safe, and you want them to grow. In today’s “always‑on” world—post‑pandemic, digitally saturated, and full of uncertainty—that balance is harder than ever. This guide distills practical insights and strategies to help you nurture autonomy, resilience, and executive‑function skills at home.

We will not go into the criteria of ADHD here, as they may be found elsewhere. What we do want to point out, though, is that the hallmark of poor attention and distraction is impaired executive functioning. Also associated with ADHD are procrastination and low self-esteem—behaviors that are a consequence of the inability to achieve tasks that a young person knows they should be able to complete but have considerable difficulty in doing so. It’s like running with weights on your legs.

Why “Growing Up” Takes Longer Now (and What That Means for ADHD Youth)

The classic milestones of adulthood—finish school, start a career, become financially independent, find a partner—were once expected by the mid‑20s. Today, emerging adulthood often stretches from 18 into the late 20s. Neurologically, the brain completes its structural development from age 14 to 26. For youth with ADHD, the transition can take even longer.

Emerging adulthood is characterized by:

Identity exploration, with self-focus and frequent trial‑and‑error.

Instability and feelings “in transition”, which can look like starts, stops, and reversals.

Executive Functions: The Real Growth Target

ADHD is, in large part, a challenge of executive functions (EFs)—the self‑management skills that allow us to “do what we set out to do,” across time and in the presence of distractions. Five EF domains are especially relevant and may be........

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