Mindfulness and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder might seem like an impossible pairing and this assumption is understandable. ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder that makes it really hard to use executive skills like planning, concentrating, being focused, organising, decision making, managing impulses and time management. In the face of these challenges, engaging in an exercise that requires sustained attention and concentration might seem paradoxical and a strategy that just isn’t accessible for people with ADHD. But it is actually for this very reason that mindfulness is such a great tool to support the challenges associated with ADHD. Excitingly, evidence is suggesting that regular and consistent mindfulness practice helps to strengthen executive skills for people with ADHD. Plus, there is a lot of evidence that mindfulness-based practice is associated with a reduction in stress, anxiety and worry, all of which are highly comorbid with ADHD and definitely make using executive skills even harder. Given this, learning to be more mindful and using a framework such as mindfulness to build the capacity to focus when needed makes sense.
Mindfulness has been defined as “paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally” (Jon Kabat-Zinn) and as “paying attention to what’s going on right here, right now, inside of us or outside of us” (Debra Burdick). People with ADHD and their loved ones know all too well just how challenging it can be to be present in the here and now and to pay attention to what’s going on inside of them or outside of them. The brain in general is incredibly habitual and exists on autopilot a great deal of the time. There is great advantage to this as it is an effective way of enabling us to do multiple things at once – we can ride a bike, stack a dishwasher or drive a car without having to concentrate on the mechanics of the process. However, what it also does is provide space for our minds to wander and this can lead to mindlessness – moving through life without paying attention to what is happening outside of ourselves and inside of ourselves. Evidence suggests that even in the general population brains are wandering and daydreaming about half of the time and time spent daydreaming is greater again for people with ADHD. This can be incredibly frustrating if the cost of this is lack of productivity at school or at work, difficulty studying or managing exams or work performance, difficulty tuning in within relationships, feeling disorganised, losing track of important things or experiencing high levels of anxiety and stress, low self-esteem or negative self-beliefs.
So, how does mindfulness help with the challenges of ADHD? Mindfulness, as described above is the practice of paying attention in a particular way – that is, consciously choosing what to attend to and using all five senses to tune into the outside world and our internal experiences so that we can be fully aware of what we’re experiencing. You can apply these skills to the areas of your life where ADHD shows up and gets in the way of your goals and your intentions. Like any new skill, it takes persistence and practice, but it will get easier over time. Below are some tips for using mindfulness when you have ADHD.
Start by exploring the way that ADHD impacts on your life. Is it study? Work? Relationships? Being organised? Managing chores or home tasks? Write a list of the challenges you face and then rank them from least important to most important. Be as specific as you can.
Spend some time imagining what life would be like if these areas of your life weren’t so challenging for you – what might it look like and what might it feel like? This will help to motivate and inspire you, especially when mindfulness feels hard.
Set some small goals. Start modestly and set goals that are achievable. An example goal might be to be able to engage in meditation sessions that last for 20 minutes within 6 weeks; to be able to reduce stress levels from 8/10 to 6/10 within 3 months; to be able to increase attention when studying from 10 minutes to 15 minutes at a time within 2 months.
Set yourself some intentions that focus on how you want to be in the areas of life that feel hard. An example might be “I intend to pay attention to my boss when in staff meetings”; “I intend to get to get more sleep”; “I intend to get to footy trainings on time”. It might also help to write down why these intentions are important and what you’ll accomplish by making these changes.
If you don’t have any experience with mindfulness, use a guided meditation or mindfulness exercise to start with and keep your practice short. Attempting a 60-minute practice might leave you feeling discouraged if you find it really hard. Practice as little as 5 minutes a day can help and really get you started.
Know before you start that mindfulness and meditation are not relaxation exercises – your mind will wander, and your mind might bring you uncomfortable thoughts and uncomfortable feelings. The process of practicing mindfulness and meditation is about learning to be with those thoughts and feelings without judgement and learning to bring your focus back to the here and now.
Consider practicing mindful movement exercises if sitting still is a challenge – mindfulness doesn’t have to be practiced sitting or lying down.
Try practicing mindfulness during your favourite activities such as being fully attentive while watching a movie, while swimming, while cooking or while being with friends.
Consider setting yourself reminders, involving others to share the experience or enrolling in a mindfulness course to get yourself going and sustain your practice.
It can be hard work starting something new and it can be hard to remember to practice and to maintain motivation to practice but small steps and engagement with your goals and aspirations can really help get you going. And remember, mindfulness is like a muscle and the more you practice, the stronger you’ll get. For more information about ADHD and mindfulness see the resources listed below. If you need some support with your symptoms of ADHD, executive skills or implementing mindfulness you can also reach out to us for help. Contact our administration team on (03) 9882 8874 or explore our website melbournewellbeinggroup.com.au.
Additional resources on ADHD and Mindfulness:
Driven to Distraction (Revised): Recognizing and Coping with Attention Deficit Disorder
· by Edward M. Hallowell M.D. and John J. Ratey M.D.
· Mindfulness for Teens with ADHD by Debra Burdick
· https://www.additudemag.com/
· https://www.smilingmind.com.au/
For ADHD assessments or for further support give our team a call on (03) 9882-8874.
This blog was written and prepared by Dr Victoria Miller - Clinical Psychologist and Associate Director here at MWG.