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As part of my quest to overcome my own ADD difficulties through lifestyle changes, rather than medication, I offer the following tips. (Please note, I am not a doctor! Discuss any changes with a physician before beginning. These tips are based on my own, unscientific experiences and research)

• Positive Human Contact Face-to-face interaction is very good for everyone, in terms of slowing down our mental processes in order to communicate with another person. Your brain is able to think at a rate of 500+ words per minute, but we tend to speak at 100-200 words per minute. Taking the time to listen and interpret what others are saying is healthy brain excercise.
• Spend less time with electronics Recent research indicates that not all ADD/ADHD symptoms fall into the genetic neurological, dysfunctional or disabled categories. Often children diagnosed as ADHD have experienced too much information in sound and picture images (via TV and video games) coming at them too rapidly for them to process. They are overloading their senses and are unable to understand what these images represent at this speed. As a result the left side of the brain is unable to fully integrate what the right side of the brain is experiencing.
• Get enough sleep Getting enough sleep means going to bed and sleeping until you wake up on your own.
  

  A study of 866 children between the ages of 2 through 13 found that youngsters who frequently snore or have sleep disorders are almost twice as likely to suffer from ADHD than those who sleep well.

  “Inattention and hyperactivity among general pediatric patients are associated with increased daytime sleepiness and – especially in young boys – snoring and other symptoms of SDB (Sleep Disordered Breathing),” wrote Dr. Ronald Chervin, a University of Michigan neurologist and sleep researcher. “If sleepiness and SDB do influence daytime behavior, the current results suggest a major public health impact.”"

• Eat a balanced diet While somewhat unscientific, there is anecdotal evidence that diet can be a major factor in your ADD expression. Reduce sugar intake, as well as refined carbohydrates while increasing protein consumption. Be careful of foods that are frequently associated with allergies, such as milk, eggs, and wheat.
• Regular excercise Being active is good for your body and your mind, whether you have ADD or not. Aerobic exercise increases levels of the neurotransmitters dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine. These neurotransmitters provide emotional stability, the ability to focus, mental alertness and calmness. Conversely, a deficiency in neurotransmitters can cause depression, mood swings, irritability, anxiety, attention problems, stress and sleep problems.
• Prayer or meditation There is evidence that meditation can be a powerful tool in controlling the symptoms of ADD:
  

  Meditation can help improve symptoms in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), an international psychiatry conference heard this week.

  The Australian study in 48 children diagnosed with ADHD found Sahaja yoga meditation led to an average 35% reduction in symptom severity over six weeks, and enabled many to reduce their medication.

If you found this post useful, please share it with your friends on Twitter using the tinylink http://tinyurl.com/6gmohl. Thanks, I appreciate it! Feel free to comment below, I enjoy discussing these ideas. ~@Stephen

I originally posted on this back in June, but now that I am not working at a “real” job, it occurred to me that I really need to pay attention to these tips in order to make the most of my day.

In order to get the most out of your ADD mind, and reap the benefits of traits like creativity and originality, Dr. Hallowell (the author of Delivered from Distraction) recommends a set of “Habits” for the ADD adult to engage in. Many people that I have spoken to about my ADD (who do not understand what ADD is and is not) poke fun at my need for structure. Those unfortunates mistake lack of focus for a lack of discipline, yet the truth is that our minds lust for structure.

The secret structure that engages our imagination

From Delivered from Distraction here is a list of positive qualities for adults that are looking for a way to harness the power of their Attention Deficit Disorder.

1. Do what you’re good at. Don’t spend too much time to get good at what you’re bad at.
2. Delegate what you’re bad at to others, as often as possible.
3. Use your extra mental energy for something creative.
4. Get well enough organized to achieve your goals. The important part of this phrase is “well enough”. That means that you can be fairly disorganized - just get well enough organized to achieve your goals.
5. Ask for and heed advice from people you trust - and ignore, as best you can, the dream-breakers and finger-waggers. Do not be afraid to ask for help.
6. Stay connected. Make sure you keep up regular contact with a few close friends.
7. Go with your positive side. Don’t listen to the negative side, make decisions and run your life with your positive side.

Why is GTD good for your ADD? Read the rest of this entry »

If you found this post useful, please share it with your friends on Twitter using the tinylink http://tinyurl.com/5sffdu. Thanks, I appreciate it! Feel free to comment below, I enjoy discussing these ideas. ~@Stephen

This morning I followed a link in a Comment left by Jenny and Erin to their blog post where they ask a question (or three) about the role of habits in your life. I have written previously about the myth of changing a habit in 21 days, so I was intrigued. In their “quest for understanding“, Jenny and Erin ask:

1. How big of a role do habits play in your daily life?
   
2. Do your habits typically form intentionally or unconsciously?
   
3. What approaches have you found successful in shaping them?

As I am one of those lucky people gifted with ADD and a touch of OCD, habits are an enormous part of my daily life, although the term “ritual” may be a little more accurate. Some of the things that I do as part of my daily routine were initially formed unconsciously, and have been intentionally groomed and adapted; other behaviors, the ones that form the foundation of ‘getting through the day‘, were definitely formed intentionally as part of my lifestyle therapy.

Drugs are not (necessarily) the answer

I tried a couple of different prescription medications for ‘treating’ my ADD, and while they worked for me in the sense that I was able to sit still and do my work, the side effects proved to have a very negative effect on my relationship with my significant other. My doctor’s answer was an additional prescription for combating the side effect. Nice.

Instead of taking that route, I made a careful examination of the things that I needed to do and the tasks I needed to complete. Then I created mini-schedules for accomplishing repetitive tasks that was not boring and kept me free from distractions. Then I went off of the medicine.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective ADD Adults

There is a complete post at this link, but here is a list of habits for you to cultivate in order to bring a positive spin to your ADD:

1. Do what you’re good at. Don’t spend too much time to get good at what you’re bad at (You did enough of that in school).
2. Delegate what you’re bad at to others, as often as possible.
3. Connect your energy to a creative outlet.
4. Get well enough organized to achieve your goals. The key here is “well enough”. That doesn’t mean you have to be very well organized at all - just well enough organized to achieve your goals.
5. Ask for and heed advice from people you trust - and ignore, as best you can, the dream-breakers and finger-waggers.
6. Make sure you keep up regular contact with a few close friends.
7. Go with your positive side. Even though you have a negative side, make decisions and run your life with your positive side.

(Please keep in mind that I am not a doctor or a therapist. If your medication is working for you, by all means, continue. But do not be afraid to ask your doctor about alternatives.)

This pair of books by Dr. Hallowell are an incredible resource for the ADD Adult, or for a parent of an ADD Child. I cannot recommend them highly enough. If you decide to order these for yourself, please consider supporting this blog by clicking these links. (Thank you!)

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If you found this post useful, please share it with your friends on Twitter using the tinylink http://tinyurl.com/6k7fyp. Thanks, I appreciate it! Feel free to comment below, I enjoy discussing these ideas. ~@Stephen

I will be away from the computer for most of the day, therefore I submit this for your consideration, from Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff… by Richard Carlson, Ph.D.:

“One of the major reasons so many of us remain hurried, frightened, and competitive, and continue to live life as if it were one giant emergency, is our fear that if we were to become more peaceful and loving, we would suddenly stop achieving our goals. We would become lazy and apathetic.

You can put this fear to rest by realizing that the opposite is actually true. Fearful, frantic thinking takes an enormous amount of energy and drains the creativity and motivation from our lives. When you are fearful or frantic, you literally immobilize yourself from your greatest potential, not to mention enjoyment. Any success that you do have is despite your fear, not because of it.”

Stop thinking. Breathe. Count ten breaths, in and out. Be mindful of your breathing.

Now, consider this: What is one thing that you can do right now to make your day better?

Smile to yourself, and do it.

What would you do, indeed. Share with us in the Comments.

If you found this post useful, please share it with your friends on Twitter using the tinylink http://tinyurl.com/6993js. Thanks, I appreciate it! Feel free to comment below, I enjoy discussing these ideas. ~@Stephen