Quieting the noise of a busy ADD mind…
One of my favorite topics to discuss is mindfulness and ADHD!
For people with ADHD, a busy mind is almost constant. As people with ADHD learn how to take control of their internal world, they soon experience less mental chaos and increased quite, and naturally feel happier.
When we increase our awareness and take responsibility for our thinking, we gain control of our experiences, positive feelings naturally increase, confidence is strengthened and self-esteem enhanced. It can be quite liberating to learn that our feelings are simply a barometer of the quality of our thinking in a particular moment. This is why we can be in the exact same situation one day and feel terrible and the next it isn’t a big deal or upsetting to us or when there is a shift from feeling overwhelmed by the demands of life to increased hopefulness about life’s possibilities.
Distractions are not the only cause of the busy mind. The fear of forgetting, and struggles such as procrastination, losing things, and task initiation can result in thinking that is preoccupied with managing the details of life, particularly when life feels out of our control. How we use our mind matters greatly and when caught up in thinking, life is experienced as unfulfilling and moments of joy are few. Our mind is the source of all experiences and how we use it reflects a clear cause and effect relationship and although quieting a busy mind isn’t intuitive, it can be taught. Interestingly people with ADHD are often able to control their thinking when in highly stimulating situations. For example, one person reports that when rock climbing, he knows he must fully focus or he fears falling and loosing his life. Another reports that when running, he is able to clear the thoughts and fully focus and “feel” the moment. Learning to shift attention and awareness away from the thinking mind to each moment facilitates health and well-being and is the beginning of emotional freedom and inner peace.
Such mindfulness does not mean that the ADHD symptoms will disappear. However, with practice and awareness that each new thought or idea does not necessarily require attention or a reaction but like a cloud in the sky can simply pass by, again, and again, the result is increased focus to the moment at hand. As mindfulness increases, the urge to get to next moment or the next thought decreases and a deeper feeling of understanding, calm, and inner peace emerge and the ADHD mind becomes quieter and insightful, allowing for increased creativity, joy, and more meaningful relationships.
How to quiet the busy mind:
- Step One: Knowledge that you CAN quiet your mind.
- Step Two: Increase your awareness of each moment, awareness without thinking.
- Step Three: Become an observer of your own thinking. See how often you get caught up in your thoughts.
- Step Four: Once you realize you have been caught up in thoughts, come back to the moment. Notice your breath. Become mindful of whatever it is that you are doing.
- Step Five: Make a strong determination and commitment to quiet your mind and remember that progress and change will be incremental and an ongoing process. Quieting the mind takes practice and becomes easier over time.
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