Top Ways I Quiet My ADHD Brain

ADHD blesses us with never-ending ideas and thoughts, which sometimes becomes overwhelming  and frustrates me so much I want to bang my head against a wall. Sometimes I just want silence. The phrase “clear your mind” prompts the “yeah, right” response often.

Usually, I love the fact that I am never at a loss for ideas for projects, things to write, conversation, or plans for fun activities to do with my daughter.  Sometimes, however, I just want to be still, and I want my brain to follow my body. Easier said than done.

I have discovered some strategies that help,  however.  Please keep in mind that I share what works for me, but I am in no way telling you what you need to do.

Here are the top six ways I soothe my mind:

1. I write. When everything is swirling around in my head, ADHD renders me completely incapable of organizing or making sense of much, so I put it down on paper.  I can then sort through ideas, prioritize or ponder on them further (more swirling thoughts).
2. I draw. Many of my ideas are about projects I want to do, and I draw what I imagine.
3. I listen to music. Music takes me to a different place, relaxes me and shoves other things out of my head for a while.
4. I pray. I give my thoughts to the Holy Spirit and am filled with peace.
5. I meditate. Usually, if I can escape to a quiet place, I can relax and direct my mind to something else, something that relaxes me, and tame my ADHD mind.
6. I get physical. Exercise, such as running, frees me from everything, burns that energy that my mind is trying to deal with, and puts a smile on my face.

Remember, I do not tell people what they need to do.  I do, however, share ideas, especially if I have tried them and they worked for  me, in the hopes that others will benefit.

If you have other ways to quiet your ADHD mind, I would love to hear from you.

Common Core: ADHD Diagnostics and Treatment

I have two different things to share with you here, and I will connect them at the end.  It will be evident to some of you, but if you are not familiar with ADHD and some incidents in our country involving courts mandating ADHD medication for children, it might not be.

Here are the accepted effects of ADHD on society:

• Problems succeeding in school and successfully graduating.
• Problems at work, lost productivity, and reduced earning power.
  
• Problems with relationships. 
  
• More driving citations and accidents. 
  
• Problems with overeating and obesity. 
  
• Problems with the law. 
  

I recently read an article by the World Federation on ADHD  that discussed the differences between countries regarding diagnosing, treating, school intervention and payment for ADHD.  The ways in which school settings perceive and react to ADHD symptoms of children also differ widely between countries.   The World Federation on ADHD advocated for consistent worldwide standards for assessment, treatment and “multimodal intervention.”

In addition, global evidence reporting on shorter- and longer-duration medications indicates a trend toward an increased market share for newer, time released medications that last longer, despite their far higher cost. In other words, that’s what people prefer.  More expensive long-acting formulations of medications are becoming more widespread. Nations with socialized medical care provide a better menu of evidence-based interventions. This is all viewed as a problem.

The solution? “…the best global strategy for improvement in care would prioritize (worldwide) policy- and service-related objectives that promote the overall quality of care.” The World Federation on ADHD calls for research for better understanding of both across-nation and within-nation variability in interventions and access to treatment, and then a reduction in variables.

Ok, let’s switch to the United States for a few minutes.  In the US judges can constitutionally order drugs and treatments given to a child in spite of opposition from his parents. In addition, schools can force parents to medicate children. Parents are medicating their children for fear of losing them to Child Protective Services.

The US Government has also begun implementing a mental health screening policy recommended by the President Bush’s New Freedom Commission on Mental Health (NFC).  President Bush instructed more than 25 federal agencies to develop an implementation plan to screen America’s 52 million school children and 6 million school personnel  for hidden mental illness. The rationale? Evidence of America’s blind faith in science and technology to offer solutions for complex human and societal problems.  No other “free” country in the world has  adopted a government policy to screen the entire population – children first – for undetected mental illness. Couple this with the data mining about health, disabilities, behavior and family history that Common Core includes…

One other note about universal mental health screening: the method used to screen for mental and behavioral problems has been determined flawed, but it continues to be used by the discredited eugenics movement which sought to screen for mental “defectives.” Eugenics and psychiatry suffer from a common philosophical fallacy that “faith-based” ideological assumptions that mental and behavior problems are biologically determined, and can, therefore, be resolved through biological interventions.

However, the diagnosis of mental illness lacks scientific validity – it relies entirely on the subjective assessment by mental health professionals and normative check lists, records reviews, interviews, and observation by QUALIFIED specialists, not computer software under the supervision by non-clinical staff in a school. This flaw was acknowledged by the US Surgeon General report “mental health is not easy to define: what it means to be mentally healthy is subject to many different interpretations that are rooted in value judgments that may vary across cultures.” Another shortcoming: mental health professionals have an interest in expanding the patient roster to guarantee their paychecks. Therefore, screening will most likely inflate the number of American children (and adults) labeled with a mental illness and prescribed medication.

The New Freedom Commission Report praised two mental health programs: TeenScreen and TMAP. TeenScreen is a questionnaire devised by psychiatrists at Columbia University “to make sure that every teen in the US has access to free mental health check-up.” TeenScreen is already operating in more than 100 schools in 34 states and as the executive director told a congressional committee: “In 2003, we were able to screen approximately 14,200 teens…; among those students, we were able to identify approximately 3,500 youth with mental health problems and link them with treatment. This year, we believe we will be able to identify close to 10,000 teens in need, a 300 percent increase over last year.” Unfortunately, this is not a maybe; rather,it is a policy driven by commercial interests.

Remember the World Federation on ADHD and it’s recommendations?

One final thought: On August 27, 2013, Pearson, the world’s largest learning company and a major contributor to the Common Core Standards and who will continue to benefit–to the tune of billions of dollars–from its continued implementation, announced that it bought BioBehavioral Diagnostics, developer of Quotient, the only FDA-approved tool for the measurement of the symptoms of ADHD.  The press release on Pearson’s website states “The Quotient ADHD Test provides quantitative analysis of motion, attention and shifts in attention states, bringing a new level of rigor and reliability to ADHD diagnosis and remediation. Focusing on a highly prevalent condition known to pose serious challenges to educational outcomes, this acquisition marks a strategic entry into healthcare markets for Pearson, the world leader in clinical and educational assessment for learners.”   Quite a mouthful, especially when you put the World Federation on ADHD and Common Core Standards together, along with the array of monitors that Common Core wants to put in the classroom and on your children, you see where this is going.

In spite of Common Core Math, 2 + 2 really does equal 4, and I can even explain how I got it.    

Related articles

• Documentary: The Drugging of Our Children (stateofglobe.com)
• First Brain Wave Test Cleared by US to Check for ADHD – Bloomberg (bloomberg.com)
• Alliance for Human Research Protection, America’s Overmedicated Children (ahrp.com)
• US Kids Represent Psychiatric Drug Goldmine  (truth-out.org)

Creating an ADHD-Friendly Home for Your Child

I ran across a post on Facebook recently that asked about managing the chaos that having a child with ADHD can create in the home.  It is important to remember that ADHD is classified as a disability because it interferes with day-to-day living; therefore, just as with physical disabilities, you may will want to make some changes at home to accommodate your child’s ADHD and to create a less stressful environment for everyone.  I would like to offer you some tried-and-true suggestions.

1. Create boundaries.  Accommodating your child at home means finding ways to be supportive, positive and sensitive to your child.  This is one of the most loving things you do. Being supportive, however, does not mean that there are no boundaries. On the contrary, clear boundaries are important because they help create order in a disordered mind. All children respond best to positive reinforcement, and children with ADHD are no exception. Consequences are appropriate as well; however, consequences should be a logical result of the action, not an unrelated punishment.  The idea is to teach, not frustrate. Keep in mind that a major symptom of ADHD is difficulty remembering things; therefore, children with ADHD will need repetition to remember boundaries, especially if you are setting some new ones.  Writing down the boundaries, or rules, for the home where everyone can see them is an excellent additional support.

2. Establish routines and schedules. Routines and schedules that are written down provide a sense of control and reassurance that children with ADHD need. Routines for getting ready for school, routines for dinner time, routines for homework time, and routines for bedtime are some key areas that both you and your child will benefit from establishing. Schedules, even if they change from day-to-day, help a child with ADHD by providing predictability and advanced notice of things to come. Children with ADHD to not handle the unexpected well, and routines and schedules reduce the risk of frustrating your child. As with house boundaries and rules, put it in writin, and keep in  mind that routines and schedule should be helpful and enjoyable, not tedious. Include your child in establishing these routines and schedules as much as possible.  Identifiy the nonnegotiables, and allow your child to have some input. Review the next day’s schedule the evening before, and point out any deviations from normal routines.  My own daughter likes to write our routines down and decorate them before we hang them.  The whole process has become fun for us, and I hope you are able to reach this point as well.

3. Provide space to be ADHD.  Ideally, a home should be comfortable for everyone. A child with ADHD does not do well in a home that is full of “don’t touches” and decor such as white carpet, furniture that stains easily, or has breakables everywhere.   Children with ADHD move a lot, are prone to spills, and are not known for being orderly and neat. Reduce stress in the home by furnishing it and decorating it comfortably. Provide a place for everything, easily identifiable and accessible, keeping in mind that the goal is better organization, not perfection. Reality means there will be some clutter and mess. Set up a bulletin board to keep track of important papers, throwing out the rest. Schedule regular times to thoroughly clean out rooms and closets, with your help, and get rid of unnecessary items–broken toys or toys they no longer play with, clothing that is torn or too small, and other unnecessary items.  The more a child with ADHD has to keep track of, the harder it will be.  Create 5 minute pick-up times scattered throughout the day, and make them part of the routine. This decreases build-up of clutter and reduces longer clean-up times that are more difficult and frustrating. Make it fun–have a mini-contest or turn on music.

Providing space also includes designating areas of your home, indoors and out, for activities such as art and rowdy play. I am fortunate to have a very large basement area that is perfect for rowdy play, especially in the winter when Colorado weather may not invite outdoor play. My daughter and I also have an area for art supplies.  She loves to garden, so we have a garden and flowers; however, there is plenty of room to run and play, and a ball in the flowerbed is not devastating.

Final thoughts:

Although I have ADHD as well, I am a completely different animal than my daughter.  I prefer order, with everything put away and neat.  My daughter, the typcical child with ADHD, does not.  One of the most important changes I made in our lives was to relax.  It wasn’t easy, and still is not, but I had to  learn to find balance, for her sanity and mine.

I would love to hear your stories on establishing comfort and order in your home, and if you have additonal suggestions for managing children with ADHD at home, please do share.

 

Understanding ADHD

One of my goals for the summer is to teach my daughter more about ADHD so that she will continue to develop the understanding needed to manage it well. We are using the book “Putting on the Brakes: Understanding and Taking Control of Your ADD or ADHD” by Patricia O. Quinn, MD and Judith M. Stern, MA. The book has an accompanying workbook that is pretty good. We don’t do every exercise in it, but it does direct discussion well.

I occasionally run across debates on this topic that range from “Should I tell my child they have ADHD?” to “How much should I tell  my child?” Personally, I don’t understand why you wouldn’t tell your child they have ADHD. They already understand that something is different, and keeping them in the dark while having regular conversations with teachers, appointments with doctors and sometimes counselors, as well as conversations with friends, simply builds the belief that there is something wrong with them.  Having ADHD does not mean there is something wrong with you, it means your brain works differently.

Children are smarter then we sometimes give them credit for, and keeping secrets about something involving them increases anxiety and insecurity, doing nothing for self-esteem or problem-solving. Children respond as we respond, and if they observe us being uptight, even secretive about an issue that involves them, they will respond in kind.  Why not empower them instead?

ADHD seems to carry the same stigma as any mental illness–and I don’t clearly understand why it is often referred to as a mental illness.  I have seen it firsthand, for I have ADHD, and most responses are casual or interested, like it’s no big deal, but every once in a while I see the instant distancing, coupled with an “Oh” as if I had just told them I had leprosy. Then, they treat me differently, almost as if I were a little bit dumb.  I have long since moved past getting frustrated about this, but it does  make me ache for my daughter and anyone else with the diagnosis, for I know that they, too, will eventually come across this response, and I just pray that by then all have developed the understanding necessary to realize that this response comes from ignorance.  As common as ADHD is, many people still do not understand what ADHD is, and have latched on to some of the myths floating about. I wrote a book trying to explain it simply for anyone who wanted to understand it better.  I hope it makes a difference.

I told my daughter right away.  I wanted her to understand immediately that there were reasons for some of the challenges she faced, and that there are solutions. We are partners in managing ADHD. The name gave us something to research and learn about.  As her mom, it is my duty to equip her to become a successful adult, and understanding ADHD is part of that process.  She will take over her own care one day, and how can she do that well if she is not prepared? I balance everything I teach her, for there are challenges, but there are many gifts. She has her fair share, for she is funny, smart, gifted, creative, precocious, sweet, sensitive, energetic, fun, curious, well-grounded and excited about life.  I want to grow those gifts, not stifle them.  She is a courageous warrior and a gentle princess–who happens to have ADHD.  It’s like having asthma, diabetes, or any other health-related condition that will require attention and care for ever.  Other conditions don’t cause such an uproar, so why does ADHD?

Do your children a favor and just tell them. Teach them to understand it and handle it now.  Buy a book and read it together.  If you want to teach them honesty, then be honest with them.  Tell them “You are so awesome.  I love the way you danced and sang in the front yard this afternoon.  By the way, some of he challenges you have been dealing with have a name.  It’s ADHD, and we will talk more about it over time.  Right now, I just want you to concentrate on being you and on remembering how much you are loved. ”  Not so hard after all.  

Related articles

• An ADHD Primer (everydayhealth.com)
• A New Understanding of ADHD in Children and Adults (routledgementalhealth.com)
• Overcoming Adhd: a Guide for Parents (digitalproductsoftware.wordpress.com)

ADHD Needs a New Name

I recently read a guest opinion in the Boulder Daily Camera entitled The misnamed ADHD is not over-diagnosed that discussed the misconception that a person diagnosed with ADHD simply cannot pay attention. Veteran Boulder psychologist Bob Hopper, author of the guest opinion, noted that research has long demonstrated that people with ADHD can, in fact, exhibit concentrated focus when they are engaged by the activity or the topic.  Not only is ADHD not over-diagnosed, but is actually under-diagnosed in girls and adults, particularly women, because of the lack of understanding that ADHD presents differently in females, much like many other conditions.

I felt compelled to respond to Dr. Hoppers opinion, because he voiced something that I completely agree with, and even included in a book about ADHD I wrote recently.  ADHD is, indeed, misnamed.  ADHD is not the inability to pay attention, it is the unregulated ability to pay attention.  Simply put, the parts of the brain that are responsible for intentionally focusing on something are “sleepy,” which is why people with ADHD can focus on things that are of interest to them.  There are those, lacking a strong understanding of the nature of ADHD, who will observe a child or an adult deeply engrossed in an activity and draw the inaccurate conclusion that the person being observed “doesn’t really have ADHD–it’s just an excuse for lack of discipline or for simply not wanting to do some things.”

Dr. Hopper notes in his article that people with ADHD are interest-based learners, easily engaged in material or topics that are compelling to them.  He notes that this learning style successfully responds to four qualities: newness, interest, challenge, and urgency, and provides several examples of people, with whom we are all familiar, who fit this description: Steve Jobs, Albert Einstein and Thomas Edison.  As an adult with ADHD, I see this principle in action not only in myself, but also in my daughter and other children with ADHD with whom I interact with on a regular basis.  School systems that use these principles to drive education reach and teach not only students with ADHD, but all students.  Where are these school districts? Few and far between.  I know of two: Meade School District in South Dakota, and Boulder Valley School District (BVSD).  Fortunately, my daughter attends Lafayette Elementary School in BVSD, and I am incredibly thankful for the teachers and staff in this school.  The care and respect with which they treat their students is profound, and the difference they make is stunning.  I cannot fathom why this isn’t the norm across the country. Dr. Hopper comments in his article that students with ADHD are like square pegs being forced into round holes, forced to try to fit a one-size-fits-all mold that obviously does not work, yet education still tries to ride that dead horse.  The concept of tailoring education to meet learning style is not foreign; I experienced it and even had to study it when working on my masters, and experienced it while working for Corporate America as well.  Why do we appreciate this concept when referring to adult learning, yet cannot seem to grasp its importance when educating children?

As a final note, I would like to address medication for a moment.  When my daughter was diagnosed with ADHD, I was loathe to put her on anything; however, it was clear that ADHD was interfering with her ability to learn reading skills, so I chose to try it.  It worked, meaning that it increased her focus enough for her to learn the skills she needs to.  Medication did not cure her, and it did not alleviate other ADHD characteristics.  It simply allowed her to focus enough to learn.  The end.  I am on the same medication as she is, and I experience the same results.  It helps me focus enough to get work done, and to actually comprehend what I read.  Period.  Management of ADHD is a lot more involved for me and my daughter than simply taking our pill in the morning.  We both exercise, we both avoid certain foods and concentrate on others, we both need various organizing and time management tools, and we both are learning meditation and mindfulness, as well as techniques to manage stress and anxiety. ADHD requires daily management, and without medication, this would simply be impossible.  Medication puts our minds in a place where everything else can happen.

The book, What is ADHD and is it Contagious? is an overview of ADHD,  highlighting the differences of the diagnosis in girls, and addressing a number of  myths. It is intentionally a short book. I wanted the book to be a quick read, and wrote it to simplify the topic and to promote understanding. The book includes the personal perspective of Bell, an adult woman with ADHD, that  many of  you will relate with, and hopefully some of you will be compelled to view ADHD differently after reading it. The book is available in Kindle and paperback formats, for just a few dollars, and can be found at What is ADHD and is it Contagious?

I would love to hear your comments, not only about the comments in this post, but also the book.  Please take a moment to share.

Related articles

• 7 Misconceptions About ADHD (specialeducation.answers.com)
• Learning the Facts About ADHD (pediatrics.answers.com)
• ADHD: defect or difference? (engagekids.wordpress.com)

Top Ten Things I Love About ADHD

Creative

Recently, I was pondering the impact of ADHD on my life, and it dawned on me that ADHD turns us into hunters.  Now, not only do I have ADHD, but my daughter does as well, so  We spend a copious amount of our efforts learning about ADHD and its challenges, as well as exploring management strategies.  It’s no wonder there is an abundance of people who customarily view ADHD as a negative and limiting disability, when there is a rather extensive list of positives as well.  Adult ADD Coach Pete Quily, diagnosed with ADD himself, lists 151 positives on his site ADDCoach4U.  151!!  Plainly, ADHD affords a  menu of favorable traits that more often than not get overlooked.

Let me clarify, at this point, that I am very respectful of the challenges ADHD brings to the table; however, I am also a proponent of taking ownership of our own attitudes and responses to the curve balls that life throws us.  One of my favorite authors, Steven Covey, emphasizes this concept in The 7 Habits of Highly Successful People:

“Look at the word responsibility—“response-ability”—the ability to choose your response. Highly proactive people recognize that responsibility. They do not blame circumstances, conditions, or conditioning for their behavior. Their behavior is a product of their own conscious choice, based on values, rather than a product of their conditions, based on feeling.”

Caring

We all have choices, and I choose to balance managing the difficult aspects of ADHD with the favorable (and sometimes humorous) ones. I always encourage parents to take this approach with their children as well.  I believe in balance-it’s healthier, and way more fun.  I decided to create a list of those things about ADHD that I personally appreciate. Creating the list only took a few minutes, and I found it quite affirming.  I only listed 10, but I would love reading your lists as well.

 

I completely understand and relate to my daughter, who has ADHD as well.

I am very creative.

I have a goofy sense of humor and find humor in things the average person does not.

I think outside of the box (ok, I live outside of it most days 🙂 ).

I am never short of ideas.

I am seldom rendered speechless.

I have tons of  interests and love to try new things.

I am never bored.

I am tenacious.

ADHD has made me stronger.

Sense of Humor

Related articles

• ADHD: Animation Domination High Def (heressomeawesome.com)

How I Discovered ADHD

When my daughter Mikayla was four years old, a good friend of mine, who was qualified to recognize various issues in children, pulled me aside one day to tell me that, through observation and various interactions with her, she thought Mikayla had a sensory processing disorder and possibly ADHD.  Now, while I am no genius, I am smarter than the average picnic basket, and I knew Mikayla was different from the average child in that she was very high energy, bounced from topic to topic often, and was temperamental. She also had a number of idiosyncrasies, such as fiercely shaking her head from side-to-side for entertainment, fought brushing teeth and hair, had what I termed  supersonic hearing, and was very picky about clothing textures, that I attributed to her individuality.  Even at that age, it was also immediately apparent that she was extraordinarily creative, extremely bright and unusually articulate.  While the term “sensory processing disorder” was new,  I was vaguely familiar with ADHD, but I had never connected it to my daughter.   I have always accepted each child as different, with some being more high-spirited and more of a challenge than others, and I simply accepted that Mikayla was one of those children and would require some careful parenting skills to raise her well.  It never crossed my mind that there was something more to it.

Sure enough, after a complete evaluation by her pediatrician and a child development specialist, not only did Mikayla walk away with a formal diagnosis of ADHD, complimented by a co-occurring diagnosis of sensory processing disorder, but I realized I had ADHD as well. I was stunned, and then elated, because suddenly I had an explanation for a number of life long struggles that I had never gotten a handle on, AND I would be able to identify with my daughter, hopefully help her avoid some of the needless problems I had faced. Since then, I have embarked on a quest to learn as much as I can about ADHD, and to share that I have learned with others, in the hopes of weaving the fabric of support around those struggling to overcome.

Related articles

• A New Understanding of ADHD in Children and Adults (routledgementalhealth.com)
• Psychiatrist discusses “Real World Management” for ADHD (heardfernando2012.wordpress.com)
• Preschoolers With ADHD Often Treated Incorrectly (pdresources.org)