ADHD and the Eight Fold Path: The Practical Truths part two: Right Coaching and Support.

At long last I've come to the final of these posts regarding the Eight Fold path to the treatment of ADHD. The final truth to discuss is that of Right Coaching and Support. I use these terms sort of loosely because they can mean different things to different people. The key idea here is that people with ADHD need three things in order to maximize the effectiveness of treatment:

1. Support: Especially at first, but even as the years go by, people who struggle with ADHD need support. Support can be as simple as someone who can remind them of things from time to time, or at least be understanding when things are forgotten. Support is also non-judgmental. Even though you may have forgotten to mail out the bills three days in a row, the person providing support must be able to look past the error and ask "so what's your plan going forward?". Spouses and Parents are not always able to manage non-judgmental support at all times, which is why a professional Coach or therapist can be so valuable.

2. Accountability: People with ADHD need accountability. The phenomenon of getting things done at the last minute is the embodiment of the power accountability can have. To a certain extent we are all accountable to someone. The person with ADHD needs to have the feeling that someone is waiting for them to complete a task. This someone needs to be real, specific and have a connection with them. The credit card company isn't really specific enough. In addition, the center of accountability once again must be non-judgmental. No one wants to be accountable to someone that yells and calls you names if you're late or make a mistake. This leads to avoidance and the need to make up stories, also known as lying: Yes professor, I turned that paper in ages ago! What do you mean you can't find it? Non Judgmental accountability provides the impetus to complete a task, with the feeling of knowing that you are being supported and encouraged to meet your obligation.

3. Finally people with ADHD need understanding. People want to do well. No one likes to feel they are a screw up or hopeless. Having someone in your life who understands you, and the effect ADHD has on you, is invaluable. Being able to say to a Coach, a spouse, a parent, or a friend that you had an "ADHD Moment"(shameless Blog Title plug :) ) and be able to laugh with them about it can mean everything. Having them offer a kind word of encouragement can mean the difference between success and failure for many people.

In closing, finding the right person or persons to offer you support, accountability, and understanding may be one of the key things you can do to treat your ADHD. It is a life long process. Be patient and celebrate small successes.

The Eight Fold path And ADHD: The Practical Truths Part One

The Practical truths for ADHD treatment are those things that deal with day to day life. Everything leading up until now has been about building a foundation for success, and an end to frustration and suffering. Now it is time to take the foundation and begin to build a new life upon it!

The Seventh Noble truth is that of Right Organization and Prioritization. People who have ADHD are often very capable, hardworking, and able to laser focus on a task for hours. The problem is that many times, the task itself is really not a priority or is something that will actually delay urgent tasks from being completed. This where prioritization becomes so key; you have to be able to look at everything that needs to be done, and the order that it needs to be done, in order to ensure you are working effectively. For someone who does not have ADHD or Executive Function challenges, this would seem obvious. But, all too often, the person with these challenges will jump into a project with very little idea of what they need, or how long it will take. Additionally, they may not recognize that while it's fine to tackle painting the house, or cleaning out the garage they actually have to pay the mortgage so they'll continue to own the home!

Hand in hand with learning to prioritize is taking the time to organize. This is the great "stopper" in many people's lives, because the task can feel overwhelming. Taking the time to methodically organize your desk, your bills, your tools, or any number of other things can seem like a boring, dreadful experience. However, knowing where things are can become the one key thing that allows you to be successful in so many ways. Here's an example: hang a basket by the door of the house you use the most. In this basket put your car keys, sunglasses, parking pass, outgoing mail, and anything else you will need to get yourself out the door in the morning. Put an extra set of everything in the basket if necessary. The time, aggravation, and negative self talk you will avoid by doing this can turn your entire day around.

It is hard for people with ADHD to learn the skills of Prioritization and Organization, but they can make your life better, less stressful, and allow you to focus on the tasks ahead of you. Not everyone can do it alone! That's why our final Noble truth will be discussing Right Support.

ADHD and the Eight Fold Path: The Mental Truths Part Three: Right Medication

There is so much discussion surrounding medication for people with ADHD. There are those who think medication should be the first line of treatment. There are other who think it's wrong to utilize medication, especially in children and teens, and advocate for a drug free approach. There is the usual collection of fringe types who insist that meds are not really effective and it's the pharmaceutical companies who are pushing this method of treatment. Finally, there is still a vestige of moral guilt on our parts that seems to whisper: "you're taking the easy way out by swallowing a pill. You should have the moral fiber to overcome your problems without medicating yourself."

As with any discussion that is charged with emotion and tinged with feelings of guilt, the decision whether or not to take medications for ADHD is not an easy one. But I urge you to hear me out on this; don't let emotion drive your decisions. Don't be cowed by the often times ill informed opinions of family and friends. Take a deep breath and consider the situation through calm, rational eyes. Remove the emotion from the process. Here is what we know:

1. Treating symptoms of ADHD with stimulant medications has been going on for quite a long time. It was first tried in 1937, and had such immediate and excellent results that it has continued to be used (albeit with better more advanced formulations) ever since. Think about that for a moment. We have been using stimulants to treat symptoms of ADHD for almost as long as we've been using antibiotics.

2. Clinical research and patient data show that approximately 90% of those who use medication to treat ADHD symptoms experience improvement in performance.

3. Use of medication in conjunction with other modes of treatment (Therapy, Diet and lifestyle changes, Coaching, etc) enhances the effectiveness of the other interventions.

Right Medication for ADHD is the decision made after careful consultation with qualified health care professionals. A person may decide to forgo medication all together, or they may decide to try it and see what works. Regardless of the decision, Medications must be evaluated as a key element of any treatment plan. You wouldn't deny a diabetic insulin, or a child with strep throat antibiotics because you "don't believe in giving kids drugs". Don't deny your child or yourself the opportunity for relief from the symptoms of ADHD out of ignorance. Educate yourself on the options and make an informed decision.

The Eight Fold Path And ADHD: The Mental Truths Part Two

The next of the Mental truths to consider is Right Therapy. Many people benefit from seeing a therapist. As we go through life, we can pick up baggage and negative habits that are hard to shake. We can be too hard on ourselves, or blame ourselves for things we couldn't prevent. We can hold on to times when we were hurt by others. We can harbor anger and resentment that festers inside of us. None of this is healthy, and because we are so close to the situation we cannot objectively deal with it. The Therapist becomes your ally in wrestling with these things. Because they are non judgmental (or should be anyway), you can talk through things and be prodded toward finding a way to resolve old issues, and create new more positive ways of thinking.

For the person who has ADHD therapy can be so liberating! A good therapist can help you work through all those negative feelings you may have had abut yourself, about your abilities, and about all those mistakes you made. Many therapists can help you retrain they way you react or think about situations through CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) techniques. They can also help you to resolve feelings of doubt about your condition. It's not an excuse, and no, it's not your fault.

I see therapy as a key piece of multi-modal treatment. People who have lived with undiagnosed ADHD have lived with frustration, disappointment, and a variety of other negative emotions for much of their lives. This inevitably leads to damage to their self esteem. It is no coincidence that Depression is a very common condition (also called a co-morbid condition) for individuals with ADHD. Another very common condition co-existing with ADHD is anxiety. While medications can help alleviate the symptoms, therapy is crucial to retraining our thoughts and achieving the acceptance and forgiveness we all must find to move forward in our lives.

The Final mental truth is that of Right medication. This particular topic is rife with stigma and controversy. I'm looking forward to throwing my two cents in on this topic!

ADHD and the Eight Fold Path: The Mental Truths Part One

Continuing on with the series of posts that is taking far longer than I expected, we now turn to the second part of the Eight Fold Path, or the Mental Truths. This could also be called the psychological truths, but it's easier to type mental, so we're going with that. These Truths are as follows:

1. Right Acceptance and Forgiveness

2. Right Therapy

3. Right Medication

When someone is diagnosed with ADHD, there is a weird process that happens. At first there may be a sense of elation. You finally have a reason for all the screw ups in your life! You have a disorder! You aren't such a loser after all! But doubts creep in; am I really justified in feeling better about myself? Am I just using this as an excuse? Do I really deserve to be let off the hook for all the mistakes and sins of omission I have made? Do I really have a disorder?

I'm not an expert, and I'm definitely not going to say that this is a universal experience. But I think it's important to recognize that until recently, ADHD was not a valid reason for an adult to have difficulty with being organized, on time, and generally capable in the executive function arena. In fact the likelihood is that even people in your life who say they recognize ADHD is a legitimate disorder, and can impair performance are still thinking on some level "yes, but you still should be able to mail those letters I gave you!" Indeed, a person diagnosed with ADHD may be having an internal dialogue with themselves that is similar to this. But in order to effectively treat ADHD, it is important to recognize that a person must be willing to do two big things:

1. Accept that they have Neurobiological disorder that is just beginning to be understood. Accept the fact that no amount of will power or sense of purpose could have prevented or changed times when they forgot appointments, or were totally disorganized. Accept that many of their tendencies are not a moral failing. Accept that they must now take responsibility for treating their disorder.

2. The second big thing is they must be willing to forgive. This is a big one, no question about it. Forgiveness may be given to people who didn't understand, such as parents or teachers. But the bigger issue is that a person who has ADHD must be willing to forgive themselves. Forgive themselves for all the things they felt they should have been better at. Forgive themselves for all the half done projects, the impulsive purchases, the missed opportunities. The old expression "To err is human, to forgive is divine" contains a great deal of truth.

The path to a better life cannot begin without Acceptance and Forgiveness. In my opinion, these two things are vital to the healing process, and they are not easy. That is why, in our next post, we'll look at why Therapy can be so vital.

ADHD and the EightFold Path: The Bodily Truths part three

The final Bodily truth is Right Nutrition. You need to start thinking about the things you put into your body. I'm not saying you need a special diet. What I do want to stress is that bad eating habits and poor food choices doesn't help you in the least. People with ADHD do have some special challenges in this area: we tend to be running late, so meals might be skipped, or fast food becomes a staple of the diet. We have a hard time planning, so grocery shopping and meal preparation can be spotty at best. This makes Right Nutrition even more imperative. By treating your body well, you are treating your brain well, and giving it the raw materials it needs to function effectively.

Here are the points I consider key to eating well:

1. Eat breakfast every morning. There are a number of studies that show kids who eat breakfast do better in school than those who don't. If you have ADHD this alone should motivate you to make sure you eat first thing in the morning.

2. Avoid Fast Food. It's not good for you, there's questionable content, and there are far better choices out there.

3. Avoid junk Food. Ditto on the above reasons. Human Beings do not need chips to survive.

4. Skip the Soda. Drink water instead. It's much better for you. If you miss the carbonation, drink seltzer water. If you need the caffeine, black coffee or tea will do just as well, and they have anti-oxidants to boot!

5. Eat fresh food as much as possible. Make sure you are eating fruits and vegetables every day. Eat Protein and Carbohydrates in balance with one another, and keep fat to a minimum. There's no mysteries here!

6. Don't drink alcohol if you're under age. Your brain is still developing, and booze is not something you need. If you're an adult, avoid alcohol in excess. If you find your days challenging as it is, throw a hangover into the mix with ADHD and see how productive you feel.

While this isn't nutritional advice per se, I'll just add it to the mix: smoking or using tobacco products, taking illegal drugs or misusing prescription medication is harmful to your body and your mind. People with ADHD have a much higher prevalence of substance abuse than the general population. The need for stimulation causes many people with ADHD to engage in risky behavior, including drug and alcohol abuse. You should seek help if you or someone you care about is abusing drugs and alcohol. Like ADHD, this is a treatable disorder.

The Bodily truths are the foundation for the successful treatment of ADHD. By getting your "house in order" so to speak, you will be ready and able to manage your ADHD far more effectively. Our next Posts will examine the Mental Truths: Right Acceptance/Forgiveness, Right Therapy, and Right Medication.

More information on Spark

I keep referring to Spark by John Ratey in these posts. It's a great book, well worth reading for everyone, not just people with ADHD.

Here is a link to a place where you can buy the book on Amazon.com. I'm not getting a dime for this either: http://www.amazon.com/Spark-Revolutionary-Science-Exercise-Brain/dp/0316113506/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1288215164&sr=8-1

Check it out!

ADHD and The EightFold Path: The Bodily Truths part two

The next Bodily truth to be discussed is one I am passionate about: Right Exercise.

I can't stress enough the benefits of regular strenuous exercise. You feel better; not just because you exercised, but you actually feel good. I now exercise a minimum of six days a week for anywhere from one to two hours. That may seem like a lot, but the reality is that exercise is many things:

1. Mowing your lawn, if you have a push mower.

2. Cleaning your house

3. Going for a walk with your dog

4. shopping in the mall (assuming you avoid Mrs. Fields).

I am a runner. I will run anywhere from 3 miles to as many as 10, depending on my training schedule. To keep myself from getting injured, I've started a weight training program that I'm doing three days a week. I do these things because I enjoy them. The key to regular exercise is finding something you enjoy doing and then going out and doing it.

Before I get my exercise in for the day, I don't feel like my brain is fully on. The effects of an hour of solid exercise on me are striking; I'm alert, focused, capable of staying organized and on track, relaxed, able to deal more effectively with set backs, and self confident. There are many reasons rooted in brain chemistry for these changes, which I won't go into here; as I said in my last post read the book Spark by John Ratey, and you will receive an education on the inner workings of the mind. The point is, the brain responds well to physical activity and enhances your abilities to focus, organize, and perform other tasks.

For the person with ADHD, exercise is an all natural way to treat aspects of the disorder, and some people use exercise exclusively as their remedy. Combined with other modes of treatment, exercise will increase and enhance the effectiveness of medication, therapy, coaching, and will also offer enhanced self confidence and mental well being. Hey, what have you got to lose besides a few pounds?

The Eight Fold Path Part One: The Bodily Truths

There is clearly a very direct relationship between the physical body and the mind. As we learn more about the brain, we are seeing ever more clearly how improving the health of the body can bring about positive changes in the human brain. If you have ADHD it is very important that you exercise good "self care". This doesn't just mean showering, and brushing your teeth (although those around you really appreciate that) but it also means certain fundamental things are vitally important to managing your condition. The book Spark by John Ratey goes into excellent detail on a lot of this, but here are three essential practices I feel anyone should follow, but especially those with ADHD:

Right Sleep: The body and the mind need rest to function effectively. In our faced paced world, it can seem that sleep is a luxury. But, I have noticed that even one night of poor sleep or insufficient sleep plays havoc with my abilities to focus, my ability to initiate and follow through on tasks, and my overall mood. I have found my medications to be less effective when I am tired. It is not pleasant to face the day when you are sleep deprived as any new parent can tell you. If you have the ability to get a full night's restful sleep, this is one of the best gifts you give yourself. Turn off the TV, the laptop, and the smartphone. Curl up in bed with a good book, and make sure the light's off at a regular time every night. Make an appointment with your pillow. With enough rest, you will be ready to face the the next day, and ready to handle the next two Bodily Truths: Right Exercise and Nutrition.

ADHD and the Fourth Noble Truth: The Path, or Multi-Modal treatment

At last I can return to this series of posts! We are now at the heart of the matter: what can you do about life with ADHD? The Buddha saw the Eight Fold path as the sets of behaviors that would allow someone to live a life that would be increasingly free of unmet desires and temporary pleasures. The path that I will be laying out is actually a combination of treatment you would receive from a Doctor and Therapist, as well as new behaviors to enhance the quality of your daily life. In brief, here is the Eight Fold path as seen through the eyes of Multi-Modal treatment for ADHD:

The path is divided into three parts:

Part One: The Bodily Truths:

1. Right Sleep

2. Right Nutrition

3. Right Exercise

Part Two: The Mental/Psychological Truths

4. Right Acceptance & Forgiveness

5. Right Therapy

6. Right Medication

Part Three: The Practical Truths

7. Right Organization & Prioritization

8. Right Coaching and Support

In the next few posts, we will discuss these Truths in some detail. Each has a positive impact on the life of someone suffering from ADHD. Taken together, they are a path to a better life and a brighter future.

Stress and ADHD: From Hyper-focus to Scattered and Back.

On September 28, my Father passed away suddenly at the age of 72, after he suffered serious injuries from an accident in his home. He spent two days in the hospital in intensive care, but could not speak or really communicate as he was on a respirator and a lot of other medications. I was faced with a number of stressful conversations and decisions. My sister and I needed to determine how much care would be administered. I needed to help her deal with her intense sadness at the chain of events. I needed to inform his siblings with whom he'd had a troubled relationship. I needed to deal with a myriad of Doctors and medical personnel. Finally I had to try to retain some sense of normalcy for my kids and the other aspects of my life. While all of this was happening I experienced one of the oddest aspects of ADHD that I know of; the ability to completely hyper-focus.

It's an extremely weird feeling; everything slows down, and things in my mind seem to click into place. A list seems to form; who to call, what things I will need, what information I need to ask the Doctors about. I am calm and clear. I can manage to push emotion aside, while still retaining my empathy. I can ask questions and follow up without trouble. Its as if I have been listening to a static filled radio broadcast for sometime, and then the signal suddenly became crystal clear. I am able to filter out distraction and concentrate. Following my father's death, for the next week I remained in this hyper vigilant state. I planned the funeral, went through my Father's important papers, put together photo collages, sorted through his bills, and then dealt with a lengthy wake filled with well wishers and a longer funeral and post funeral reception. Through it all I was calm, composed, alert and together.

It was only after his funeral that I began to come back down to my normal state. It was then I experienced the flip side of the coin: how low level constant stress can aggravate and even worsen the normal symptoms I experience from ADHD. For the next two weeks I had trouble organizing, prioritizing, and initiating tasks. Thankfully my wife ran interference for me on a number of things. I had lower than normal levels of energy, even with my medications. I thought perhaps it was sadness, and I'm sure part of it is. But, a bigger part of it is just normal, routine ADHD that is for some reason more active and aggravated.

I've tried to exercise regularly and get enough sleep. I've tried to tackle tasks head on as much as possible. I've got lists coming out my ears and two different calendars right now. Is it helping? A little. It's as if I had an Ulcer, and I need to just realize that a big life stressor will aggravate the condition and time will be needed to get things back to equilibrium. Until then, I just try to stay focused on the good behaviors that have helped me in the past, and try to go easy on myself while I work through this process. Knowing the challenges you face helps immensely as you try to overcome them.

Getting back to normal

I had to give up posting for a while because my life got turned upside down when my father passed away very unexpectedly at the end of September. Things are starting to get easier, and I'll begin posting regularly again next week.

ADHD and the Third Noble truth: The way to end suffering is by following the path!

Well by now, anyone who had only heard the first two truths as taught by the Buddha would have been seriously bummed out. First you tell me that life is suffering, and then you tell me that I suffer because I want stuff? Who invited this guy to the party, he's a real buzz-kill! Not so fast, says the Buddha, there is a way to end suffering! You must follow the Eight Fold path.

Yes, those of us with ADHD can also put an end to our suffering, and we too must follow a path. That path is known as multi-modal treatment. Multi-Modal treatment is simply what its name implies: many different kinds of treatment. You will see your family Doctor or a Psychiatrist for an initial evaluation and diagnosis. They may prescribe medication to alleviate the symptoms. You may need to work with a Therapist following this to undo some of the damage that living with undiagnosed ADHD has caused. You may work with a Coach to help you build new skill sets and work-arounds. Finally, you may begin an exercise program, change your diet, start meditating, or all of the above. Studies have shown that utilizing the Multi-Modal treatment method increases the over-all effectiveness of each individual therapy. For more information on this, please visit C.H.A.D.D.'s website by following this link .

So by following this path, we can end the suffering of ADHD. The Fourth Noble Truth consists of the parts of the path itself. We will look at the first three pieces of the path in my next post.

By the way, I would be remiss if I didn't credit the website Buddhanet (link here ). This is the place where I try to ensure that my Buddhist comparisons and discussions are reasonably accurate.

ADHD and the Second Noble Truth: The Cause of Suffering

Buddhists teach that the cause of people's suffering in life is (depending on the source you read) the love of, or the desire for material things. Material things here are not just a nice home and a car, (although those are certainly included), but also include love of or desire for wealth, fame, sex, and other earthly things. Likewise, ADHD is the cause of suffering for many many people around the world.

It is important to grasp this as truth. ADHD is a condition caused by factors in the brain which we do not yet fully understand. It is often referred to as a "neurobiological" disorder; in other words, it's a part of us. It is not laziness, moral failure, or ineptitude. In order to set yourself along the path to healing, this second truth helps to crystallize for us the thing we have always wondered: why I am like this? Why do I not do what I should when I should? Now we know why; suffering has a cause and it's cause is ADHD.

As a quick aside, check out my new website at www.bjnicholson.com . It's a bit of a work in progress, but this mirrors so many other aspects of my life.

Next Post: The Third Noble Truth: There is a way to end suffering: follow the path.

ADHD and the First Noble Truth: Life is Suffering

For anyone trying to make their way through life with undiagnosed ADHD life can indeed be suffering! I think a better term might be struggle. The easy, every day things people are expected to be able to handle are very difficult. Students are reprimanded for poor study habits, lack of organization, inconsistent academic performance, and for not "trying". Adults can find themselves slogging through jobs with great difficulty or changing jobs multiple times due to boredom, restlessness, or a lack of performance. Managing finances, relationships, and self care is very difficult. Those of us with ADHD are remarkably inconsistent and probably very frustrating to deal with.

So it is clear: Life with untreated ADHD is a great struggle. This struggle, this unseen force is what has held us back and troubled us all our lives. "What is the matter with me?" is a very common phrase I used to ask myself, along with "Why am I such an idiot?". It doesn't take long before self esteem takes a big hit. Depression and anxiety are very common among people with ADHD, and this only increases suffering. The next noble truth deals with the cause of our suffering, and we will look at it through the lens of science as well as the lens of traditional "moral" definitions.

Part One: ADHD and the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism

The idea struck me one day while I was out for a run: the journey that someone with ADHD takes as they begin treatment really follows a very predictable path, one that seemed to have great similarity to the path that the Buddha taught. I don't claim to be an expert on Buddhism, nor am I a practicing Buddhist. But, the synergies between the teachings of the Buddha and the treatment path for ADHD are striking.

The Buddha's teachings that I reference here are the Four Noble Truths. Buddhism teaches that we must understand and embrace the Four Noble Truths in order to begin to walk on the path toward enlightenment. They are as follows (more or less; like I said, I'm no expert):

1. Life is suffering

2. Our sufferings and difficulties are a result of our attachment to material things that are short lived. We have desires and cravings that cannot be satisfied by the material world.

3. The way to end our suffering and material cravings is by following a path, or a new way of living

4. The Fourth truth is the Eight Fold Path itself.

What struck me is that for people with ADHD, life is hard, and full of difficulties. These difficulties are caused by the collection of traits and behaviors we have collectively known as ADHD. There is a way to alleviate our difficulties, and this is multi-modal treatment. Multi-Modal treatment involves eight key components.

In my next post, we'll look in more detail at the First Truth: Is life truly suffering for someone with ADHD?

Great New Book to Check Out

Here is a quick plug for a new book that has just been published. The woman who was my instructor during ADHD Coach Training has published a new book titled Empowering Youth with ADHD: your guide for coaching adolescents and young adults. Jodi Sleeper-Triplett is one of the premier ADHD coaches in the country, and I am thrilled that I was able to learn so much from her. You can learn more about the book on Jodi's website by clicking here .

Part one of my Buddhist-style journey through ADHD treatment coming tomorrow.

In my last post I talked about the importance of a regular exercise routine as a part of treating my ADHD. But this is really just a small part of the over-all path I try to follow to manage the condition so that I can function at an optimal level. Experts in the field of ADHD recommend what is called "multi-modal" treatment as the most effective way to manage ADHD. In the next series of posts, I will describe my own version of this multi-modal treatment model. I based it upon Buddhist principles, not because I'm a Buddhist or think you need a religious approach, but because the the treatment and management process just seemed to fit so nicely into the teachings of the Buddha. It's simple, easy to remember, and best of all, it allows to you take one step at a time as you work toward managing what is a life long condition.

Be looking for Part One: The Overview coming shortly.

Staying on Track with exercise: Finding the right tool is the key

In my last post I talked about why I needed exercise everyday. For the last month I've been successful at staying on track with getting at least 45 minutes of strenuous exercise 6 days a week on average. This is remarkably consistent for me. The difference was that I found a new tool for helping me to stay on track. I found the website Daily Mile. You can take a look at he site here .

What's great about the site is that you can record your run, or bike or whatever everyday and it gives you a color chart of what you've done. The graphics are great and really speak to my need for instant feedback. What's great about this site for people with ADHD is that you can invite friends and view their stats as they view yours; you can actually set up built in accountability. Once a week, the site sends you an email with your training stats, and also keeps track of things like how many doughnuts you've burned, how many times around the world you've gone, etc. If you're really looking for accountability, you can also have it update your Facebook page or twitter account with your runs/workouts. This site is really great for those of us with ADHD: it's simple and easy to use, it provides instant feedback, it looks cool, it gives you a reward for every run, and you can build in accountability. For me it's the best tool I've found that not only tracks what I've done, but motivates me to get out there the next day!

Exercise is a truly important piece of treating your ADHD, but it is only a piece of the puzzle. In my next series of posts, I'm going to begin my discussion of how treating ADHD mirrors the teachings of Buddhism. This idea originally came to me on a run, and I'm excited to share my thoughts on this as I refine them.

Is exercise a magic bullet?

I've done an awful lot of reading on ADHD since my diagnosis. The one thing I've seen consistently throughout all the literature is that exercise is a vital component of any ADHD treatment regimen. I've been what I would call an active person for most of my adult life, and I know from personal experience that things go better for me after a run or a workout at the gym. The problem for me has always been planning to do it or following through on a plan. I get really excited when I start a new routine, or I commit to finally training for that marathon. Then things would come up, or I'd get busy, or I just wouldn't run, and my program would gradually fall by the wayside. Well, here's the thing: I'm now committed to making exercise a daily thing because I need to! Without it, I'm not effective. I'm making it as integral to very day as bathing and brushing my teeth. It's good for my body, but it's better for my brain. I'm not just happier, but I get more done, and I feel great.

Check out Dr. John Ratey's website for more information about the benefits of exercise for ADHD. You can find his site here: http://www.johnratey.com/newsite/index.html

If you want to read a great book about exercise and its mental benefits pick up a copy of Spark, Dr. Ratey's book on the subject.

In my next post, I'll talk about what I'm doing for exercise and how I'm staying motivated.

The End of Regret

People who come to their diagnosis of ADHD later in life tend to feel regret...or at least I do. I think back to all the things I might have done had I known what was holding me back. I think this time of year especially bothers me as kids go off to college, full of potential. Then I realize that what I'm feeling isn't regret: it's shame. Shame and ADHD go hand in hand, and in order to move forward, you have to forgive yourself. Everyone can feel regret, it's a normal human emotion. But when we let our regret turn to shame over past mistakes or perceived failures, regret turns to shame. Put an end to regret! Turn toward the future! The past cannot be undone. But from this day forward, you can start taking the steps you need to be the person you want to be.

The real way to gain mastery over regret and shame is through knowledge and understanding of ADHD and the effects it can have. Below is a link to a great article dispelling many common myths about ADHD. For more information, please visit www.help4adhd.org

Myths and Misconceptions About AD/HD:
Science over Cynicism
By Phyllis Anne Teeter Ellison, Ed.D.

http://www.help4adhd.org/en/about/myths

A New Start

Well I tried to start this last year, but as these things often go it didn't really get off the ground. But, new year, new title, new approach. I'll have some cool links up soon as well as some great stories to share. I hope this time I'll actually get this Blog rolling.