ADHD and Mindfulness
As an ADHDer sitting there and noticing my thoughts is torture! Realizing not everyone has 50 000 thoughts a minute was a real ah-ha moment for me, especially when chatting with folks that still meditation was a breeze.. Like yeah if there isn’t a storm already in your head it’s easier to focus on just your breath. BUT I have also fallen in love with mindfulness, my tricks are starting with mindful movement, getting into nature, noticing all the things and taking breaks. AND I understand each mind is different, even with ADHD, so not all these things will fit everyone.
Mindful Movement
We don’t have to settle the mind to get into presence! I love running, weightlifting, yoga and walks because they somewhat force me to be in the moment. Bringing extra mindfulness might mean noticing breath, body sensations, form, AND your thoughts, even cycling through them. This can help too if I’m noticing I’m having self-judgemental thoughts or have stopped breathing. It also helps me to move first then do the stillness as I rest afterwards. I personally LOVE intense workouts so I can feel my body throughout the day and bring mindfulness to that… and soothing like stretching, bath soaks and falling asleep that little bit faster.
Getting into nature
Studies show that being with nature helps reduce ADHD symptoms (Kuo, 2004). I had a co-worker who whenever I was stressed would advise me to “go look at a tree,” and dang I am grateful for that advice because It usually took me out of the thought race, connecting with something bigger and knowing relationship with land is healing.
Noticing all the things
I alluded to this in the previous tips, not just trying to focus on one sensation, breath or grounding but bringing it all together. I like yoga nidra for this as it goes quickly through different sensations, visualizations and counting always giving something for your mind to do. I like yin yoga and mindful movement because you focus on your breath AND physical sensation often with surroundings that can be taken in as well. In sitting meditations I never just focus on my breathing, but include all the senses. Sometimes preparing this ahead of time, a good cup of tea so flavour lingers in my mouth, smells like candles or essential oils, sounds like music, nature or trafficking, soft clothing or surfaces (I usually like to lie down for meditation so I can in more softness) and visualizing my breath going all over my body or in and out.
Taking breaks
When I took Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction, an 8 week course developed by Kabat-Zinn after he learnt it from Buddhists, my teacher ended up advising me to take a break after I shared how raw I was feeling. Hindsight 20/20 ADHD means I feel things really intensely and can hyperfocus. So I felt it all! In everyday life that can just be too much and its more than okay, helpful even, to let your brain be itself! Letting it wonder or taking breaks from mindfulness when its just too raw means your more likely to come back to it rather than burning yourself out.
Sources:
Kabat-Zinn, J (1990) Full Catastrophe Living Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness, Bantom Books.