ADHD and the Subtle Art of Slowing the Mind
Many foundational skills that are introduced in counselling have to do with increasing awareness of ourselves in our surroundings. This involves getting to know our thoughts, behaviours and emotions and they affect each other and aspects of our external world. However, for folks who experience ADHD signs and symptoms, slowing down the process can be bumpy, even with the help of a clinical counsellor. For example, a therapist might suggest that a client with ADHD try meditation as a way to routinely experience and build a state of calm. The suggestion of meditation for someone who struggles with ADHD can spark frustration on its own. Maybe you’ve tried to sit still to meditate and find yourself across the room a few pages into a book before you realize your attempt was thwarted by zooming thoughts and ideas. This can be a really frustrating road-block when you’re trying to take time to do something for your wellbeing. But, I truly believe that mindfulness practices ARE possible for folks with ADHD, sometimes there simply needs to be a few modifications to the approach.
So, here are some tactics for anyone trying meditation or mindfulness practices and who finds it difficult to calm or centre enough to feel like you’re getting something out of it:
Be intentional about when you meditate. This might begin by highlighting times in your day when you’ve got some dopamine to spend. For some folks this might be right after you get up in the morning because the demands of the day haven’t yet affected your mood or capacity for focus. Others might find that right after a meal or shortly after taking ADHD medication, when dopamine levels are higher, provides the right moment to sit with the present moment. The point is, your meditation practice should work for you, so find a time that suits your personal needs.
Initially, choose a mindfulness practice that is very short, maybe only as long as 2 minutes. By making the goal more achievable, especially as you are getting used to this new habit, you’re more likely to get that little dopamine hit from a completed task. What’s more, part of the purpose of engaging in mindfulness practices from a mental health standpoint is to strengthen your capacity to inhabit and experience a calm state. If at the beginning that only occurs in 2-5 second bursts throughout a few minutes of meditation, so be it and build from there.
Don’t quit if you miss a day. Let yourself fail sometimes and tell yourself it’s ok. Sometimes folks with ADHD have come to expect themselves to fail because of years of difficulty with task execution and completion challenges, so it can be important to notice when you have the urge to throw in the towel, and kindly tell yourself you’ll try again tomorrow. In a moment of frustration, you may need to re-engage with the part of yourself that feels hopeful and connected to your goal for increased mental peace.
Start with a guided practice. Short, free, guided mindfulness meditations abound on the internet, and apps like Calm or Insight Timer have free versions that provide easy access to short guided mindfulness series. By keeping this practice as something you’re following, as opposed to trying to keep your mind centered all by yourself, may help you launch this new healthy habit.
Lastly, there is another option entirely. For some folks with a more hyperactive presentation of ADHD, sitting down to anything might just be too hard initially, so another approach is needed. If that’s true for you, you might try using a physical sensation as a reminder to recenter your thoughts and intentions in the present moment. For example some folks with ADHD find it helpful to wear a rubber band around their wrist and lightly snap the band against their skin to shift their attention to the present (emphasis on lightly —this should not be painful!). Once there you might simply take a moment to observe 3 inner sensations in your body. There may be some other physical movement (like snapping your fingers 3 times etc) that pulls your attention to the present. Get creative with what works best to recenter your mind.
Mindfulness and meditation practices are challenging for anyone, but can be especially tricky to start in on if you have ADHD. But with practice and some trial and error, it is possible for folks with ADHD to see the benefits of mindfulness. The effects trickle outwards into other aspects of relationships and daily living and can ultimately build into a reliable mental refuge, that is present and freely available in times of stress or pain.
May you achieve the peace of mind you desire to live in a way that works for you.
warmth and care,
Evi
