Mindfulness Meditation training in adults and adolescence with ADHD

[MentalNomad]

I'm burned out from slogging through a history class assignment right now, so here is the link and a couple of excerpts to get you all interested!

http://www.wcbsthailand.com/download...%20et%20al.pdf

We hypothesized that mindfulness training may
improve attention and emotion regulation in ADHD. In
an exploratory investigation of efficacy, we measured
various aspects of attention and set-shifting. The neurocognitive findings suggest that mindfulness may
specifically improve conflict attention and set-shifting in
ADHD. This type of attention appears to play a role in

Overall, results of this pilot study support the feasibility of mindfulness meditation in a subset of ADHD
adults and adolescents and encourage future controlled
studies of MAPs for ADHD. This approach, seen as selfregulation training, offers a novel and potentially useful
tool in the multimodal treatment of this condition.

This seems to be a potential treatment for a subgroup of those with ADHD. Thoughts?

[ana futura]

Yes, based on my own experience I have to say that mindfulness training is excellent for treating ADHD. Unfortunately it takes a little more effort than swallowing a pill, so I don't practice as much as I'd like to or should. But, when I do practice it, the results are fantastic.

I have a book by one of the authors of that study, Lydia Zylowska, I highly recommend it.

[ana futura]

Practice consists of two main elements- meditation, and maintaining mindful awareness as you go through your day. In my experience practicing the first makes the second much easier to do, but adhering to a structured meditation practice is the hardest aspect of mindfulness practice for me.

[amberwillow]

I'm just looking into a mindfulness and meditation program atm the help heal pain and defuse stress.
Some respected Melbourne practitioners are running workshops on The Path Out of Pain.
I thought it sounded very interesting.

The only issue I can see is the organization aspect of fitting the regular practice in.
I work hard to achieve balance... Sometimes it all falls apart.

The hard bit is starting small and developing momentum.
Once the pieces start coming together I do better, it's just getting over that threshold thats frustrating.

[MentalNomad]

Crap, spelling error in the title!

Anyway, I haven't gotten around to reading the full article yet, but there seems to be potential there, for at least a portion of the ADHD population.

[Drewbacca]

I'm starting mindfulness mediation on Wednesday... I'll keep you posted.

[ana futura]

Originally Posted by Drewbacca

I'm starting mindfulness mediation on Wednesday... I'll keep you posted.

Are you doing it as part of a program or with a meditation group? On your own with a book?

[alan1]

Last summer I took an 8 week mindfulness meditation class. It clearly helped though nothing has ever been has useful as medication. And even medication for me is much less effective than I would ideally like.

You must set aside time every day to actually meditate. For a few weeks after the class ended I was very good about it, then much less so. I started it again a few weeks ago. Even if it is just for a few minutes it quiets the mind. Sometimes though my mind is way too noisy and stimulated to be slowed by anything other than rigorous exercise. Also, actually doing the meditation and laying still for extended periods of time was much harder for me it seemed than for most of the others in the class. Yet I was surprised by how long I could do it with practice. At first, it was just a few minutes but it slowly increased way beyond what I though possible for me. Sitting quietly was something I expected it to feel like a form of torture. It was not.

Bottom line. Meditation helps moderately for me and is very much worth doing but does take some effort. I will try to keep up the practice.

[Unmanagable]

It's amazingly effective for multiple areas in my life when I make time for it.

The breathing techniques help at any given time.

The awareness factor helps a little more each time.

I seem to benefit on a deeper level in group settings, but don't attend any regularly.

Guided and rhythmic meditation are the two I prefer.

[Drewbacca]

Originally Posted by ana futura

Are you doing it as part of a program or with a meditation group? On your own with a book?

There's a group w/ instructor through my school.

[Amtram]

I'm extremely jealous of anyone who succeeds at this. Even after my Adderall kicks in, I can't even attain this state, much less maintain it. Tried various approaches for years, and never managed to succeed.

[ana futura]

Have you been trained Amtram? Proper training makes it MUCH easier. When I meditate I must use a mantra (or at least watch my breath) My brain is a pinball machine when I meditate, but I still find it extremely beneficial. Believe it or not, I find it easier without meds. Meds make my thoughts too "considered" and I'm more likely to dwell.

For years I told myself the same thing "I can't meditate! It's awful!" And that was way before my diagnosis. Then I finally bothered to read about mindfulness, and go to a zen center and learn how to do it properly. It is NOT about shutting off your mind.

Zylowska's book has guided meditations aimed at the ADD'er, it's an excellent starting point.

Also, even if you simply can't stand meditation, you can still emply the other mindfulness practices- mindful eating, mindful breathing. You can "mindfully" wash the dishes!

The first thing you must realize is that it's not about "succeeding". There is no "success" to be had. If you try it and hate it, that experience is beneficial is well. You are still learning about the nature of your brain. If you try it enough times, you might eventually learn to see the benefit, even you are still not what you'd consider to be a "good meditator".

I worked through most of my anguish over meditation through yoga. I struggled with achieving a calm mind while practicing yoga for years, that made the transition to mindfulness meditation easier. Moving meditations like yoga, martial arts, or walking meditation are all good ways to transition into sitting meditation.

[ConcertaParent]

Zylowska's Mindfulness book is for adult ADHD. For an 11-year old girl, is a yoga class the best way to see if meditation will help with her ADHD?

Has anybody used Les Fehmi's Open-Focus exercises? The audio tracks from the CD included with his book are available for free online. If I had adult ADHD, I would keep doing these guided exercises, but after all the failures with medication and other ADHD treatments, I've become skeptical if meditation will help with my child's ADHD.

[ana futura]

I would recommend martial arts or yoga for a child. I started martial arts around her age, and I think it helped me tremendously. I started yoga at age 16.

The benefits are subtle, and it takes time to see them, so try not to set yourself up for disappointment. Nothing "cures" ADHD, but I think without a doubt yoga and martial arts help children with ADHD tremendously.

Don't expect to see improvement overnight. Your daughter will have ADHD her entire life, yoga is valuable tool that can be used to help her manage her ADHD over her lifetime, it's not a "cure".

Some of the excercises in Zylowska's book would work for children as well, the guided meditations are very straight forward and simple. It's still worth a try, but I was not "comfortable" with sitting meditation until my 30's.

[Electra2]

I was tought mindfullness but unfortunatly I usually fell asleep or drifted away pure ADD style...I was fokusing on a raisin...the taste of it...the texture of it...then...I remember something else...and then something else then that...and more then that..and then..."Electra2!! Whats happing?! "
...oh! Right.Mindfullness...