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How much of it would you define as meditation in the traditional sense? I've got ADHD(is it just ADD now? I know one got lumped into the other) too and I do a l

How much of it would you define as meditation in the traditional sense? I've got ADHD(is it just ADD now? I know one got lumped into the other) too and I do a lot of introspection but it tends to be during intermittent times in my day like when I'm wandering around for lunch or going for a jog/walk. I can't really do the iconic sit down and cross my legs thing, I get antsy. But when I'm on the move but not trying to keep myself mentally oriented it's pretty easy to zone out and think about my life and how it might relate to the way I've been feeling at the time.

jwdunne 9y ago
I think ADD is now just ADHD. ADHD without hyperactivity is called ADHD predominantly inattentive. As for meditation, there's a lot of value in practicing sitting still without fidgeting, by focusing on one thing and, most importantly, bringing the attention back when the mind wanders. This builds up strength in typical problem areas such as racing thoughts, impulsiveness, restlessness. The only thing that's difficult is remembering to do it and building a habit. It doesn't help there and that's one thing that is a big problem for me, perhaps you and many others with ADHD! The mindfulness prescription for ADHD is a great book :)
- PeanutCurry 9y ago
  I'll check the book out! Admittedly I do have trouble with remembering to practice my mindfulness exercises semi-often but it's from the reverse end of the spectrum. I was lucky enough to get diagnosed when I was young so I've been able to realiably maintain my prescription (I've heard adults who get diagnosed have trouble getting prescriptions in helpful doses) medication which is a great help but can cause me to tunnel vision tasks that don't require that level of attention if I'm not careful to monitor if I'm working productively.
  - jwdunne 9y ago
    It's still something I struggle with. I remember medication now but still forget about once a week. Too many close calls. Meditation is worse because it requires a good handful of time. Knocking back some tabs takes no time at all.
LifeQuestioner 9y ago
I have adhd. I had to go to a course to learn to meditate because I couldn't sit on my own. I've even had Tibeten monks come up to be and say they notice I have problems sitting still. I hate it, makes me want to jump of a cliff sometimes. But that's part of it - you learn to stay with the u comfortable and learn about yourself and the thoughts that make you run. Man, the benefits of meditation for me now far outstrip medication. Like, I found it enhances my concentration like no medication has because I'm able to do the work. It takes practice, we all zone out loads when we first start. It's not zoning out you're trying to stop, you're training yourself to come back. When I stop practicing though, takes a few weeks(or a month or two if I've been on retreat) and my brain goes back to normal. I have to practice around other people, else I won't do it. Oh and yoga is insanely useful for me, moving meditation!!
mickronome 9y ago
Not op/parent, but I too have ADD/ADHD-PI and is helped by what some call meditation. My physical therapist at the psychiatric unit mostly saw them as an excercise which have appeared to help people like me. Briefly, or maybe not so, what was taught to me was an excercise to sit down and experience myself emotionally and physically, with a focus on the latter, and without judging or interpretation. Thoughs may come and go, I don't cling to them, but neither do I force them away. There is a physical part in an intention, a will to let the body find a posture that feels both solid and effortless where the respiration movement is not isolated to a small part of the chest or abdomen. The breathing is hard to describe, but when it works right it barely feels like I'm breathing at all, as although most of the chest, back, and abdomen is somewhat involved - breathing becomes so smooth and effortless compared to what my otherwise tense body usually do to breathe. Immediate effects for me is that the world feels more real, solid, and even that the floor feels softer. Sometimes I think that maybe this is what feeling both relaxed and alert means? Neither is something I think I have felt more than very rarely. Otherwise, regulating emotions, tuning out noisy environments etc is long term effects. To me the excercise appears to reinforce the importance of body perception, raw unprocessed emotions, and physical stimuli over internally generated feelings and thoughts. A stillness to listen to even when I'm not doing the exercises, a recliner in my mind to lean back into when there is too much chaos around me. Not to flee, but to hear and see without getting overwhelmed. As ADD is characterised by a mind constantly jumping from thought to thought, one that is never still, it's conceivable that some kind of balance between various parts of the brain gets upset, somewhat like when everything becomes a nail because all you have is a hammer.

jwdunne 9y ago

I think ADD is now just ADHD. ADHD without hyperactivity is called ADHD predominantly inattentive. As for meditation, there's a lot of value in practicing sitting still without fidgeting, by focusing on one thing and, most importantly, bringing the attention back when the mind wanders. This builds up strength in typical problem areas such as racing thoughts, impulsiveness, restlessness. The only thing that's difficult is remembering to do it and building a habit. It doesn't help there and that's one thing that is a big problem for me, perhaps you and many others with ADHD! The mindfulness prescription for ADHD is a great book :)

PeanutCurry 9y ago
I'll check the book out! Admittedly I do have trouble with remembering to practice my mindfulness exercises semi-often but it's from the reverse end of the spectrum. I was lucky enough to get diagnosed when I was young so I've been able to realiably maintain my prescription (I've heard adults who get diagnosed have trouble getting prescriptions in helpful doses) medication which is a great help but can cause me to tunnel vision tasks that don't require that level of attention if I'm not careful to monitor if I'm working productively.
- jwdunne 9y ago
  It's still something I struggle with. I remember medication now but still forget about once a week. Too many close calls. Meditation is worse because it requires a good handful of time. Knocking back some tabs takes no time at all.

LifeQuestioner 9y ago

I have adhd. I had to go to a course to learn to meditate because I couldn't sit on my own. I've even had Tibeten monks come up to be and say they notice I have problems sitting still. I hate it, makes me want to jump of a cliff sometimes. But that's part of it - you learn to stay with the u comfortable and learn about yourself and the thoughts that make you run. Man, the benefits of meditation for me now far outstrip medication. Like, I found it enhances my concentration like no medication has because I'm able to do the work. It takes practice, we all zone out loads when we first start. It's not zoning out you're trying to stop, you're training yourself to come back. When I stop practicing though, takes a few weeks(or a month or two if I've been on retreat) and my brain goes back to normal. I have to practice around other people, else I won't do it. Oh and yoga is insanely useful for me, moving meditation!!

mickronome 9y ago

Not op/parent, but I too have ADD/ADHD-PI and is helped by what some call meditation. My physical therapist at the psychiatric unit mostly saw them as an excercise which have appeared to help people like me. Briefly, or maybe not so, what was taught to me was an excercise to sit down and experience myself emotionally and physically, with a focus on the latter, and without judging or interpretation. Thoughs may come and go, I don't cling to them, but neither do I force them away. There is a physical part in an intention, a will to let the body find a posture that feels both solid and effortless where the respiration movement is not isolated to a small part of the chest or abdomen. The breathing is hard to describe, but when it works right it barely feels like I'm breathing at all, as although most of the chest, back, and abdomen is somewhat involved - breathing becomes so smooth and effortless compared to what my otherwise tense body usually do to breathe. Immediate effects for me is that the world feels more real, solid, and even that the floor feels softer. Sometimes I think that maybe this is what feeling both relaxed and alert means? Neither is something I think I have felt more than very rarely. Otherwise, regulating emotions, tuning out noisy environments etc is long term effects. To me the excercise appears to reinforce the importance of body perception, raw unprocessed emotions, and physical stimuli over internally generated feelings and thoughts. A stillness to listen to even when I'm not doing the exercises, a recliner in my mind to lean back into when there is too much chaos around me. Not to flee, but to hear and see without getting overwhelmed. As ADD is characterised by a mind constantly jumping from thought to thought, one that is never still, it's conceivable that some kind of balance between various parts of the brain gets upset, somewhat like when everything becomes a nail because all you have is a hammer.