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.