Change ADHD behavior with body building in the brain

Since ADHD is a brain problem, it seems logical that's the place to build new habits that replace negative behaviors of ADHD.

Similar to weight training for muscle building through repeated practice, new behaviors can be formed in much the same way. The more focus on the new habit is repeated, the more developed the involved parts of the brain become.

Mastery of a new habit results from repetition.

Mastery is correlated to development of the networks in the brain. It's like "body building in the brain."

Like you decide to become a physically better you, you may do the same mentally. The goal is to become a better you by developing good patterns that replace negative patterns. The habits procrastination, losing focus, or impulsiveness may be replaced with perseverance, mindfulness, and control.

Although changing set patterns can be difficult, the brain will adapt to new changes. The first job is to identify the new behavior you desire and get to work setting the pattern.

Visualize and Practice

Do your homework so that you are prepared to visualize. Know specific traits and characteristics of the new habit for use in your visualization exercises. Know how it will feel, look, and sound. Think of people you know or have viewed that are masters of the habit you desire. Model their behavior.

Choose a quiet, comfortable place for your visualization. One where you will not be disturbed. Get comfortable, quiet, gently close your eyes and listen to your breathing as it gets slower and slower, and you feel more and more relaxed. If you have a method for relaxation, perhaps on a CD or on a downloaded file, use it. The main thing is to get relaxed, comfortable, and quiet in body and mind.

Next, visualize yourself using your desired habit. Use as many of your senses as possible, making it real.

If you start to lose focus due to thought or unrelated visuals, remain calm, gently reach up and tap your forehead just above the right eye, and return to your task. No matter how often your focus may be interrupted, tap and return.

Practice your new habit. The more practice, the better. Repeated practice, and visualization will thicken the appropriate networks in the brain, establishing the new pattern. Don't give up, the exercise will pay off.

Keep your focus on the new you.


You may find tips, strategies, and suggestions in previous Let the Energy Flow blog entries that will help you practice desired habits.

Limiting beliefs stifle success

Most of us with ADHD tend to be sensitive individuals. Sure, it's good to be considerate of others.

However, being sensitive to negative beliefs is a serious problem. Admonitions, threats, and the frustration and anger expressed to us through others impress our minds with negative beliefs: "You're not good enough." "You can't do that." "It will never work." "You are weird, crazy, lazy, and will never amount to anything." "You are a failure."

Limiting beliefs come from parents, teachers, and others who have a role in our care as we progress through childhood.

I'm not excusing those who filled my head with failure, but, in my case, I can understand how symptoms of my ADHD played havoc with them. Most caregivers have our best interests at heart, and would do no intentional harm.

Unfortunately, repeated remarks stemming from others frustration at our ADHD behaviors, become deeply engrained on our unconscious. Therefore, we play out our belief of no-good, trouble-maker, failure who always forgets,and never listens or follows direction.

Or, we change the limiting beliefs.

We do this using the same principle of mind that created the belief in limitations. Of course, we have but one mind, but it serves two functions. We generally refer to the two functions as conscious and unconscious, or objective and subjective. Think of the conscious mind as the thought or thinking component and of the unconscious as making thoughts materialize.

Using the principle of mind, what is impressed is expressed, use the objective mind to reframe negative beliefs into positive affirmations and thoughts. Keep affirmations short and to the point using the present tense. The unconscious mind does not reason, or distinguish nuances. As you say it, is exactly how it accepts it. Avoid words or phrases containing someday, tomorrow, soon, I'd like, etc.

Visualize.

In fact, use all of the senses possible as you see yourself making good decisions, being a good listener, performing responsibly, making good grades, receiving raises, promotions, winning awards, reaching goals, and contributing successfully to your community and country. Feel it, see it, hear it, and taste it.

When is the best time to do this? Anytime is good. But, just before arising while in the drowsy state, and just before falling asleep at night are two of the best times for planting new seeds of thoughts. In addition to this, set aside a few minutes throughout the day sitting quietly, visualizing and affirming new behaviors.

Remember, you are not controlled by remarks, thinking, or actions of others unless you allow it. Appoint your conscious mind as the watchguard for your thoughts. Avoid limiting beliefs.

Let you determine what is true about you.

Readers of this blog know that I endorse the use of the energy modality EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) to identify root causes of limiting beliefs. For a limited time, this site offers a FREE EFT Manual Download.

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How to Remember to Flush

Let's fess up. We have a problem remembering to do things. Responsibilities, tasks, directions, routines, and even things like flushing the toilet. Our lack of remembering drives friends, family, supervisors, and co-workers up the wall and adds more problems to manage.

Making lifestyle changes such as nutrition and exercise can reduce the severity and eliminate some symptoms. Energy psychology may remove blockages created by deep seated causes. However, most of the ADHD traits and symptoms live with us forever.

As dismal as this picture looks, there is hope. We can turn negative traits into positives that work for our good instead of against us. Rather than allowing ADHD symptoms manage us, we manage them.

That thing others call daydreaming, or spacing out when we are caught doing it, is called visualization. Most of us are great visualizers. Visualization is the ADHDer's salvation when put to work for us rather than against.

If you can visulaize it, you can do it . . . and remember to do it.

Make a mental picture, a movie, in your mind of the behavior you need to remember. Start at the beginning and leave nothing out. Visualize going through each and every required step of the routine. Not only see the action, but feel it, smell it, taste it, hear it. Make it real. You are the star of the video as well as director, editor, producer, sound effects, wardrobe . . . Make it your best.

Once the movie is in your head all that remains is an external trigger to set it in motion. The internal movie will play when given the appointed external trigger.
et us use the problem of finding keys, handbag, or other items you need the next time you leave the house. You had them with you when you last returned, but now they are nowhere to be found. Make a movie of returning to the house, and entering the house with the items. Film yourself arriving to the house and entering the house as you normally would. Picture yourself opening the appropriate doors to get inside. Film yourself walking into your house exactly as you would time and time again after returning to your house. Film putting everything away in its appropriate place immediately upon entering the house. The keys go directly to their designated place, the handbag is put away in its assigned place.

In this example, opening the appropriate door for entering the house makes a good external trigger. It may be house key, garage door opener, or other means of unlocking the entry to your house. Select any appropriate external trigger.

The external trigger will start the movie. You will be led through the steps included in the movie you created. For example, you will return keys, handbags, and other items to their places exactly as you filmed it.

My latest movie titled,"Putting the Toilet Seat back Down," was a success. No more startled screams in the middle of the night, and the wife is noticeably happier at breakfast.

paul@keenehealth.net

http://keenehealth.net/id66.html

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The ADHD mind needs to take time out

The ADHD mind runs a continual marathon throughout the day. No wonder that focus is the chief problem for ADHD or that it is known as the focus disorder. Visual images flash in our heads continuously demanding attention. Not just one screen, but multiple screens. It is no small feat keeping up with all of them, but we give it our best shot, and do it surprisingly well.

Granted, it is difficult to do this, and listen to others at the same time. Others as in teachers, parents, supervisors, spouses, friends, anyone, or anything.

When you say to us in total disbelief, "How can you not remember me asking you to pick Georgie up from daycare? You looked right at me, close enough I could smell the coffee on your breath!" We really do not remember.

But, there is hope for us.

We can learn to quiet the mind. We can give our mind short breaks throughout the day. We can learn to slow the mind down and to clear multiple screens allowing focus on one. One as in the person speaking to us.

Techniques such as meditation, visualization, and guided imagery assist in quieting the mind, slowing it down. Eventually it may come to rest, lost in the stillness of the universe.