This Post will go over some of the most effective non medication treatment options. However Proper medication for ADHD has been shown to be the most effective. This article I am writing is to show options to do WITH medication or WHEN medication is not available or an option.
Meditation -Low Cost to Free
Yoga -Medium Cost
Balance Training -Medium Cost
Mental Health Therapy-Medium to High Cost
Neurofeedback therapy -High Cost
ADHD Coaching -Medium Cost
Diet and Supplementation -Low but ongoing Cost
Meditation -Low Cost to Free
The benefits of meditation are incredible. You only need 15 minutes a day of mindfulness practice to see these benefits. Sitting, standing, or lying down in a calming environment while you practice mindfulness techniques and breathing will do the following
shrink the size of your amygdala
strengthen your executive function control center in your brain
train you to feel calm
train you to find grounding and balance
and so much more
Yoga -Medium Cost
Half of the people who come to this website are my yoga students so this shouldn't be a shock.
Hatha Yoga balance the right and left hemispheres of the brain using movement and breathing techniques. Which will naturally help ADHD issues. (More to be added to this section later)
Balance Training -Medium Cost
Dr.Hallowell mentions this in his book ADHD 2.0. Balance training progressively makes exercise more complex and makes it harder to strengthen the cerebellum part of the brain and the vestibular system. Some research has suggested that this can help reduce hyperactivity in children with ADHD and the clumsiness (accidental bumping into objects) that continues to be an issue in adulthood. Also, this kind of training has been shown to help calm the body, as the nervous system can assess threats more quickly when it feels grounded in space. (References to be added later).
There are a few balance training centers you could go to. Or you could work with a certified personal trainer who specializes in balance training. If you would like to work with me send me a message or come by Anytime Fitness Larkfield in Santa Rosa.
Mental Health Therapy-Medium to High Cost
A therapist trained to work with folks who are neurodivergent can help in the following ways
Normalizing your experiences
Help you sift through social memories
Psycho education around toxic v.s healthy behavior
Trauma and more
Neurofeedback therapy -High Cost
Here is an example of the power of Neurofeedback therapy for ADHD when done well: my experience with Neurofeedback Therapy.
I did 12 sessions and the effects lasted a little longer than a year.
ADHD Coaching -Medium Cost
I have done ADHD Coaching with a few different people, but I received the most help through integrative coaches at my school and when I hired a coach to help me with specific needs.
If you were to work with me either through coaching or personal training I offer lots of skills and resources to help you reclaim some control and calm back in your life that are accessible to folks with and ADHD brain.
If you don't have access to coaches either in your community nor budget you may want to try a support group. ADDA and CHAAD are great organizations for such things.
Access to the verified providers I have worked with is available for Learner Blog Subscribers. Click the Button Below to join the tribe.
Diet and Supplementation -Low but ongoing Cost
Diet and Supplementation can make a big difference in your brain and overall health. But I want to warn you that you can not CURE ADHD with diet and lifestyle alone. Such claims are dangerous and ill-advised.
However, you can reduce many negative symptoms and eliminate dietary causes of attention difficulty and other issues.
Here is what I suggest
Include high-quality and medical-grade Omega Fatty Acids in your diet and consider supplementation. Specifically, omega 3, 6, and 9 are beneficial. You can find these in cold-water fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, and tuna, as well as in nuts, seeds, and plant oils.
According to the National Health Insitute (which matches multiple other sources of nutrition), the following
Fish and other seafood (especially cold-water fatty fish, such as salmon, mackerel, tuna, herring, and sardines)
Nuts and seeds (such as flaxseed, chia seeds, and walnuts)
Plant oils (such as flaxseed oil, soybean oil, and canola oil)
Fortified foods (such as certain brands of eggs, yogurt, juices, milk, soy beverages, and infant formulas)
For a quick and fun way to remember which foods to eat for you brain get my printable here
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