Meditation

People talk a lot about meditation is useful for ADD, and when a group of colleagues recently had an online discussion about it, I thought it was time to say something about it.

There are studies on how useful meditation is for management of ADHD symptoms and improvement of focus/attention. There is a widespread view that it's a good idea, as well. This can lead to some difficulty in the "should" department: it is something I hear clients say they should do because it'd be good for them.

The trick with studies and widespread views is that they don't apply to you as an individual; they hold true for a generalized group. The trouble with "should" is that it doesn't really say anything about whether something is good for you personally, either. It's a way of taking on pressure, without making a decision to actually do something.

Now that we have that out of the way I want to recommend a book called Moon Over Water: Meditation Made Clear  With Techniques for Beginners and Initiates. This book is very practical and outlines a variety of meditation techniques from different philosophies and strategies-- without carrying the weight of a lot of ideology. It's a book that helps people understand their options for making meditation work for them.

I know meditation doesn't work for everyone, and not all strategies work for everyone, and I know it first-hand. Before my ADD diagnosis, I tried meditation and relaxation techniques. In the middle of deep-breathing exercises, I'd get anxious or even panicky. When I tried Zen meditation, it made me anxious and hurt my head. Why? Because I was trying to quiet or even silence my mind, which basically made the mental chatter more oppressive, but not quieter. Some might tell me that with the right training and discipline, blah blah blah, I could do it. But the fact is, it wasn't working for me at all. 

I could understand what was happening after being diagnosed with ADHD- predominantly inattentive type. I was a hyperactive thinker, and willing my mind to be quiet was no different than willing the hyperactive body to be less fidgety.  The book let me understand better how I could work with my runaway  brain  while  meditating or relaxing; it is a matter of fit.

I also came to understand that sometimes it wasn't the obvious things that were relaxing or "quieting" to me. More physical activity might be more mentally quieting than sitting still. TV might be more zen-like than meditation techniques. I realized I did basically meditate in certain circumstances, like when trying to  sleep,  or oddly enough, while in the middle of a migraine and trying to deal with the pain. But I could also stop pressuring myself to do this thing that is supposedly good for me- and look instead and what works for me.

So this weekend, take the pressure off- find something that really helps you chill out. Let me know what it is for you!

Happy Friday,

Becca Colao

www.coachbecca.com
blog: beccacolao.typepad.com

Comments

[John M]

I think that there are comparisions to meditation and running a marathon. If a person who is not fit and has never run before, expects to be able to run in marathon they are going to be disapointed. A person with a hyperactive mind who has never meditated before is not going to be able to quiet the mind.

A person who runs a mile every day and struggles is going to show cardio vascular improvement. A person who meditates and struggles for 10 minutes a day is going to show improvement in how they deal with their day to day challenges.

Most people who run, never run in a marathon, most people who try to quiet the mind, will never achieve the mental silence that they are seeking. Both exercises have excellent benefits even if you do not acheive the ultimate goal. There are even some people who multi-task and do meditation and running at the same time.

[Becca Colao, MA, Senior Certified ADHD Coach]

John,
Thanks for your comment. I agree and disagree. I think that if you try in a way that doesn't suit- you may not get better. I actually have a fair amount of experience w/ this, for example being trained in various relaxation exercises that got worse for me, not better. Then I think it may be that adjusting the type of exercise or approach is useful- and then practicing that! I do want to avoid people thinking that if they just struggle- then they'll get there. Some people blow their knees out running too hard, or just end up hating it more.... and we all struggle too much as it is. I would respectfully disagree that people will automatically get better through struggling with what may be a very poor fit in meditation styles. In other words, there's difficult, and there's horridly difficult. Most people I work with work far harder at things than they realize already, so toning down the struggle is sometimes more important than doing the "right" thing, you know what I mean? Again, thanks for your comments! -Becca

[John M]

Becca,

I agree with your point that you need to find a style of relaxation and meditation that works with you so that you get a benefit with out risking hurting yourself. I also agree with you that doing the "right" thing may not necessarily be beneficial.

When someone in consistently struggling to achieve the same tasks and goals, it requires someone to slow down their struggling, reassess what they are doing, and perhaps ask others for guidance. When someone is struggling at new tasks, goals, or techniques they are challenging themselves and there is the potential for self growth.

In my life there have been times where I have avoided new situations where I thought that I was going to struggle because I was afraid it would end up in failure. This was based upon past struggles where I had done more damage than good because I did not reassess my situation and I kept on struggling. I fear that many ADD Adults associate struggling with past failures and tend to avoid it in all forms, even when it could be beneficial.

[John Almond]

I am posting a link to a site that explains great deal about what kind of benefits meditation brings, and various meditation techniques