Like the title says... can you use running to help treat ADHD? with or with out meds?

Your experiences?

That's difficult to say. It seems beyond reason to think that aerobic exercise for 40 minutes four times a week wouldn't benefit anyone physically capable of doing so.

I use running effectively to burn off some of my abundant energy. It's a reflective time and has helped distance me from some of the roller coaster of emotions I sometimes experience.

I took up running knowing that at 46 years old I would have to be patient and methodical in my approach or I would quickly become injured in one way or another. Running has been a terrific platform to learn the benefits from longer wave length cycles of adaptation. My brain adapts really quickly, my muscles take about six weeks, my tendons and ligaments take months and apparently my bones take years!

So it depends on what you want treated. I can't think of a single element of my life that hasn't been improved by running carefully. I ran 500 miles last year and all of it injury free. There is a pile of good info out there about how to do it safely. Too many never figure out how it all works. Milk me, I'm a cow. :D
Cheers!

Do it. ADD or not, it's worth it. And I'm pretty sure it releases certain chemicals like seretonin that calm/focus the mind... but don't quote me.

Yes -- in my opinion running is an excellent adjunct to medication and for folks with very mild cases of ADD it might be enough without meds (when I was in highschool and college I exercised 3 or 4 times a day and it tended to pace the dorm halls at night during studying). It really helped -- back then everyone thought you out grew ADD so medication wasn't even an option and I feel that exercise was one of the most important tools I had to help focus my mind and calm my emotions. Hallowell and Ratey in Delivered from Distraction say that exercise is like taking a dose of Ritalin and Prozac holistically. They said sometimes as little as 10 minutes of vigorous exercise can help you focused for several hours. It gets the blood flowing to the brain as well as increasing the level of neurotransmitters in your system and all that helps!:)


There is a book I'm reading now called the Marathon Mind that discusses this whole topic in some detail -- you might look for it.

Scattered

Hallowell [in his new book] says that hard physical activity 3-4x/day can control it.

Cannot comment on it regarding myself.

I would suggest that it can work: eg Increased bloodflow; increased alertness; improved glucose control; improved quality of sleep; reduced restlessness.

Exercise, in study after study, has proven it's merits.

I am very very very excited and impressed by the Studies coming out of Tufts University, on the effects of Exercise on Aging and Longevity and resilience.

REmember that movie COCOON? They took little old peopel in their 90s and got them lifint weights.

They got healthier, more active, deprssion resolved, they started walking.

Some could not barely lift -=2 pounds=- when they started.

They were brought back from the brink of death and being wheelchair bound.

The mental attitude has to be there though. [Nothing kills a person faster than negative mental outlook and depression/loss of hope.]

Interestingly, we are really "set up" for our outcomes of "good health" or "bad health" from early on life experiences.

read this for more info on how mental health affects health/illness outcomes: www.acestudy.org (http://www.acestudy.org)

I think it can be changed if we challenge it, though.

Actually, I believe what Hallowell said was that for some people, exercise 3 or 4 times a day might be enough to control their symptoms.


Scattered

Dot those "I's" and cross those "T's"! heh

Dot those "I's" and cross those "T's"! hehHey -- I'm an all or nothing kind of gal -- obsessively on or totally off!;)

Only reason I made of point of this though is that I don't want folks getting the idea that Hallowell is saying this is a cure all for everyone. Although, I'm pretty sure everyone could benefit.

Scattered

I am question coming from someone who is considering ending medication. I think I am coming to the conclusion that I will wait to the end of school to get off it, if it helps me concentate, then i need every bit of help i can get. Scattered... thanks, you anwsered the question alot for me. I been thinking of running in the morning before school mainly because it wakes me up, and makes me have a better mood thourghout the day, don't know if it helps on concetration. But the benefits of just being happier would be great. I just have trouble moviating me to get out of bed at 5:00 AM, in the dark in cold michigan to run. Thanks. I guess my question is anwsered to that one time a day running will not make any difference. although it is a good brainstorm for english papers.

If you do try to end meds, it makes sense to do it during the summer when less is at stake. I'm sure exercising a number of times a day will help -- don't know if it will help enough or not. Life stressors can change and depending on what they are and how fast they are coming at you your executive functions may or may not be up to it. I just hope you give yourself permission to get back on them without feeling like a failure if things start falling apart without them -- and those things might not only be grade, but social relationship, choices your making, and so forth. ADD is a very real neurobiological condition and no reflection on your strength of character. You might check out this thread and the first post by Hyperion -- it give a good explanation of the neurochemical process at work.




http://www.addforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25900&referrerid=4494

Scattered

Here is my personal story.

In one of the first Special Education classes that I taught, was a boy who was the poster boy for hyperactive ADHD. I thought that running might take out some of the steam in him so for the first few weeks we would play soccer for an hour a day. My EA and I did everything in power to make that boy chase that ball and in the end we had him running near full tilt for that hour. After we got back to class every day, he drank, he caught his breath, and soon after he was his normal ADHD self without exception.

I feel that exercising helps get out the extra energy, but even when working out every day, I still have a lot of my symptoms, although I feel they are not as pronounced. It feels freeing to exersice, especially swimming. It is the only thing I do that can silence my mind! :D

I was a running "addict" my senior year in college and think that was one of the best years of my life, so I wouldn't be at all surprised to learn that there is a neuro-chemical link to the treatment of meds and running.

Here is my personal story.

In one of the first Special Education classes that I taught, was a boy who was the poster boy for hyperactive ADHD. I thought that running might take out some of the steam in him so for the first few weeks we would play soccer for an hour a day. My EA and I did everything in power to make that boy chase that ball and in the end we had him running near full tilt for that hour. After we got back to class every day, he drank, he caught his breath, and soon after he was his normal ADHD self without exception.You know Ratey in his book Shadow Syndromes discusses the idea of tipping points -- the little thing that can tip you over the line between a mild problem and a major one. I'm guess that for those with mild forms of ADHD exercise along with other postive circumstances might be enough to "tip" them on the side of the line where their ADD wasn't a big problem. However, for a frank case of ADHD, exercise might help medications work more effectively but wouldn't be enough to mitigate behavior on their own, IMHO.

When I was in college I ran and exercised numerous times a day and managed to get good grades. I was in a very strict, regimented private college with few distraction and I'm reasonably bright too boot. However, parenting two kids and living in a household with several ADDers pushed my executive function challenges way past the point where exercise was enough -- I exercised hard an hour a day plus took walks and was still sinking fast into the fog and ended up on meds (however, exercise did firm my tush up nicely:p ).

Scattered

Hey, I exercise. It's a good way to work through tension and I got to admit, my thinking is clearer sometimes after a good workout. It might just make the difference in between struggling and adaption in a mild case of ADHD. No problems here with that idea.

But it just won't be that magic bullet for most.

It's certainly no magic bullet for me. It's just one more potent tool in the kit.

Hey, I exercise. It's a good way to work through tension and I got to admit, my thinking is clearer sometimes after a good workout. It might just make the difference in between struggling and adaption in a mild case of ADHD. No problems here with that idea.

But it just won't be that magic bullet for most.I agree with both you and Ian! It's not a magic bullet, just part of an overall healthy lifestyle, which all of us ideally would be pursuing anyway. Probably even more important for ADDers than for most folks since our challenges are greater and we can't afford the fall off from not taking optimal care of our bodies and minds.

Scattered

For me, I love this thread btw-I ran in the Marines, It was one of those mistakes I made back in college years-but the running was my salvation-it was something I could do, and I almost got addicted to it, it felt as if everything was okay as long as I could run-I had positive results, even though I couldn't put my m16 back together in 30 seconds, or march the right way-I still love running, just that my body is getting older, I could really hurt something. I think you are right, scattered, it somehow brings a balance, and weren't you talking about seratonin levels, I think it just helps mind and body relate together better. thanks for this thread.

I'm old (47) and have gotten away with running again after a long lay off. Like 23 years? I'm a bit of an anomaly though and I realise that. You are right to be cautious about running. It's very common to be hurt. I recently read a statistic that suggested 90% of new runners over the age of 40 will be injured in the first year.

I really wanted to run badly, so I took extra measures to avoid it and so far it's all good. I have other issues with running, but injury isn't one of them... yet!

The keys that seem to strike me as important are to understand these facts.

- Have a serious running expert fit you with shoes, then go find another serious expert and have them fit you with shoes! Lean about shoes and how you run mechanically for your particular gait.

- The brain adapts fastest and this is a hazard. Just because we think we might be ready for more, may not be the case.

- The muscles take about six weeks to adapt to changes in any part of the running schedule.

- The tendons and ligaments take many months to adapt to those same changes. These are the ones that people normally get caught on and end up with various common running injuries.

- Lastly the bones take years to adapt to the pressure.

I knew it was going to be a long period of adaptation so my expectations were low in regards to rapid progress. For instance, I took 14 weeks to go from walking a half hour to running a half hour. The progress was calculated and slow as molasses.

The benefits have been deeply satisfying on so many different levels. I'm a different guy because of my attendance to this long cycle low amplitude approach to running.

If you need or want a hand, I'd be more than happy to share what it was like, what happened and what it's like now.
Experience, strength and hope.

I've fallen in love with the slow pace required to be successful in this. It's a very patient, deferred gratification venture and the benefits have been too numerous to count. I love to run.
Evangelist - Ian

i have a tracking disorder in my knee, so I have to build up to running when I take breaks. I like to run, it's the exercise where i feel the most accomplished after finishing. Like i had a really good workout.

Swimming is the only thing I can do and not think at all, so I enjoy that because it is such a strange experience to havea quiet mind!

yes chloe i two have that i love to swime its great to have an off monet ofve peace dorm

I remember I could focus way better and had more energy when I was doing Taekwondo. At that time, I exercised 5-6x 1,5h per week, and very intense.

BUT... one can overdo everything.

I know I should not start now with Taekwondo, rather first go to a gym and try to get some basic fitness.

First, I have some spine problems, and i have to address them first to not worsen them by the wrong training,

second, I've recognized that too hard training can and will cause the opposite.

When I had eating disorders, I sometimes did 4h of sports a day. Or without any training, I swam 5 km with only 3 short breaks.

As for many ADDers, limits (both mentally and physically) can be a bit diffuse, I try to check whether I'm progressing slow enough.

I hate it, but I tend to overdo and to prefer extremes, so I have to control myself.

And, marathon, for example, is a real torture for the body. The muscles need so much energy that the body burns your white blood cells!!!
So you are very prone to infections then!!!!

What is good, is the regular training, and there is an optimum level of exercise, as for everything.
From what I know, more than 1h intense exercise per day is doing more harm than good...

A former classmate was world champion in rowing (juniors). She really had to take care not to get infected, she could not stay awake too long, needed lots of sleep and had to take enormous care of her muscles...
For her, it was worth it, as she was world champion in rowing in 2001.

But others have other goals...

The mother of a friend grew up in the socialist Eastern Germany. She had to do lots of sports (talented children were forced to), and now, her lung and heart are too big and she is suffering of fibromyalgia.


Long post, short message:

Don't overdo!

piaszw (member.php?u=8948), That was one of the benefits of running for me. I knew that if I over did it would soon be injured. Taking this up again in midlife has made it much more challenging mostly because of how slow and careful I've had to be if I am to continue.

It's brought to light the whole of my issues surrounding self care. Running long distance requires more sleep, better food and the whole range of care and attention to the details of recovery. Without a strong recovery from the stresses of training, most of my mileage would be wasted and would not be producing better results.

I'm so grateful to be in my late forties and now patient enough to enjoy this more careful progress. It's all a wonderful process where I'm forced to listen to my body.

Running when done correctly is a powerful anti depressant for me too, which is a good thing.
Cheers! Ian