In recent years, diagnosis of ADHD has been steadily increasing. There’s several reasons why that could be, but here’s what I do know: Living with ADHD is a challenge, especially when it comes to managing disruptive and impulsive behaviors.
Those disruptive and impulsive behaviors are like mischievous imps, always ready to crash your party and wreak havoc on your daily life, relationships, and peace of mind.
It turns out Mindfulness is one tool that can help manage ADHD behaviors.
Mindfulness has emerged as a powerful ally for those of us navigating ADHD. While it’s not a cure-all, it’s proving to be an incredibly effective tool. This practice gives us a chance to pause, reflect, and make more intentional choices when our ADHD symptoms start to take over.
It’s like having a moment of clarity in the midst of chaos, allowing us to regain control and steer our thoughts and actions in a more positive direction.
How Does Mindfulness Help With Managing ADHD?
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a complex neurodevelopmental condition that many of us live with every day. It’s characterized by persistent patterns of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity that go beyond typical developmental milestones.
You might recognize how these symptoms can manifest as disruptive behaviors and present significant challenges across various aspects of your life, especially in the workplace.
At its core, mindfulness is an ancient technique that involves focusing our attention on the present moment and our current experiences, all while maintaining a non-judgmental attitude. It’s about being here, now, just as we are.
For those of us navigating life with ADHD, mindfulness practices can be particularly beneficial. They help us develop a deeper awareness of our internal experiences – our thoughts, emotions, and even physical sensations.
This increased self-awareness isn’t about criticism or trying to “fix” ourselves. Instead, it’s about understanding ourselves better and learning to respond to our environment more intentionally.
Cultivating this mindful awareness helps us to be better equipped to pause and consider our actions rather than immediately reacting on impulse. Speaking from experience working with numerous clients with dual-diagnosis conditions like ADHD, this approach really can make a difference.
Mindfulness Techniques for Managing Disruptive Behaviors
One of the primary challenges for individuals with ADHD is managing disruptive behavior and moment-to-moment impulses.
For example, have you ever been working on a task when a sudden thought creeps in about that musician you like, and you absolutely have to look up something related before you get back to work? Before you know it, you’ve spent fifteen or thirty minutes going down a rabbit hole.
Enter mindful awareness. Mindfulness can help by increasing self-awareness and providing tools to pause and reflect before acting.
We do a lot of work with mindfulness at Renewal Lodge, and have written several articles about starting and maintaining an essential mindfulness and meditation practice.
You might look into the following techniques to get you started:
- Body Scan Meditation: This grounding practice can be a powerful tool when ADHD symptoms feel overwhelming.
- Mindful Breathing: This technique is particularly effective for calming an overactive ADHD mind.
- Thought Observation: This practice helps create distance between you and your thoughts, reducing their power over your actions.
Starting a mindfulness practice is even more difficult when it comes to the attention challenges of ADHD. That’s okay and completely normal – the key is to continue engaging with your practice with patience and self compassion. When your mind wanders off as it tends to do, simply take a deep breath and draw your attention back to the present moment.
Additional Strategies for Controlling Impulsivity Through Mindfulness
Impulsivity is another hallmark of ADHD that can lead to difficulties in various areas of life. Mindfulness can be a powerful tool in developing better impulse control. Try some of the techniques listed below.
The STOP Technique
This powerful tool can be a game-changer for those of us grappling with ADHD-related impulsivity. Here’s how to implement it effectively:
- Stop: As soon as you notice an urge to act impulsively, mentally say “STOP” to yourself. This creates an immediate interruption in your thought process.
- Take a breath: Take a deep, intentional breath. Inhale slowly through your nose for a count of 4, hold for 2, then exhale through your mouth for a count of 6.
- Observe: Take a moment to notice your thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations. Are you feeling anxious? Excited? Frustrated? Where do you feel these emotions in your body?
- Proceed mindfully: Now that you’ve created some space, choose how to move forward intentionally rather than reactively.
Mindful Pause
This simple yet effective strategy can help us with ADHD to make more considered decisions.
- Set an intention to pause before reacting to situations throughout your day.
- When faced with a decision or a potentially reactive situation, take a brief pause – even just 5-10 seconds can make a difference.
- During this pause, take a deep breath and ask yourself:
- What am I feeling right now?
- What do I need in this moment?
- What would be the most helpful way to respond?
- Based on this quick reflection, choose your response more mindfully.
Sensory Grounding
This technique can be particularly helpful when ADHD symptoms leave us feeling overwhelmed or disconnected, like when we feel stressed and anxious. I love this technique because it only takes a couple of minutes and it is very effective at bringing us back to the present moment.
First, take a brief pause in whatever you’re doing and take a deep breath.
Now, systematically engage your five senses:
- Sight: Name 5 things you can see around you.
- Touch: Notice 4 things you can feel (e.g., the texture of your clothes, the air on your skin).
- Hearing: Identify 3 sounds you can hear.
- Smell: Try to notice 2 scents in your environment.
- Taste: Focus on 1 taste, even if it’s just the taste in your mouth or one you can remember.
As you go through each sense, try to fully focus on the sensations, letting them anchor you to the present moment.
Make It Routine: Practice Consistently at the Same Time Each Day
Building a consistent mindfulness habit is crucial for those of us with ADHD, despite the challenges of establishing new routines.
Start with just 2-3 minutes of daily practice, tying it to an existing activity like brushing your teeth. Set reminders until the practice becomes automatic. Creating a dedicated mindfulness space can serve as a physical cue for your routine.
Consistency matters more than duration when forming a habit, so don’t stress if sessions are brief. If you’d like, you can track your practice days – seeing your streak can be motivating. Remember to be flexible; missing a session is not a problem at all, just set a backup time to make-up the session.
Celebrate every practice, no matter how small. With ADHD, even a one-minute practice on the way to building a long-term habit is a huge success that will reinforce the routine.
Managing ADHD Medication Responsibly
It’s common for an individual with an ADHD diagnosis to be prescribed a daily medication. Some of these are stimulant medications that can be highly effective, but also highly susceptible to dependency and abuse.
For example, a prescription medication like Adderall can be effective in managing symptoms, but it is also one of the most commonly abused medications for individuals with ADHD. Side effects of Adderall addiction are not pleasant.
Remember to approach ADHD medication with care and responsibility. Always take your medication exactly as prescribed by your healthcare provider. If you find yourself needing higher doses or using the medication more frequently than prescribed, this could be a red flag.
If you’re struggling with medication management or experiencing urges to misuse your prescription, don’t hesitate to seek professional help. Your doctor or a mental health professional can provide guidance, or adjust your treatment plan if necessary.
Finally, you have the option of an inpatient program like Renewal Lodge if you want to tackle a substance abuse issue head-on and create a new relationship with managing ADHD symptoms within a lifelong recovery journey.
