October is ADHD Awareness month and rather ironically it coincides with a global ADHD medication shortage!! And what seems to be a rise in self-harm cases. All fun and games in this world!!!
There are some other ways to cope with ADHD that do not involve medication which some people swear by and give a similar feeling albeit not quite the same:
One is nature and I certainly know when I spend time in nature, I certainly feel more alive, at ease and grounded/centred.
Another is creativity and doing something that sparks joy for you, which can help you feel more alive and present.
And rhythmic drumming (see September’s blog) has been found to help with attention and focus.
And then there is exercise. Premedication I used to exercise excessively as it was the only way to calm and soothe my nervous system down. And when I say excessively it would be going to the gym twice a day or walking for four hours a day!!! You might think this was healthy, but it wasn’t as due to not having adequate executive functioning, I was actually unable to STOP exercising/walking and it became addictive for me!!!
I have learnt a lot since then and medication has helped me with that (I don’t walk for four hours a day for a start!!) which is why this medication shortage is a disgrace really and not acceptable. For some people it is life and death taking this medication, so it is not something to take lightly.
These other ways to cope with ADHD are shared within the groups I run and the one-to-one ADHD coaching sessions I deliver, which don’t involve walking for four hours a day (!!!) but include:
- movement, specifically walking for 30 minutes per day is good for the ADHD brain
- bouncing and swaying help the ADHD brain.
- Some form of meditation be it guided, visualisation or somatic e.g. Qi Qong
With regards to the rise in self-harm, which is a concern and is caused by many different factors, one sure fire way to reduce and prevent this is a healthy lifestyle. Encouraging healthy lifestyle changes, self-care and supporting individuals in achieving this have been proven self-harm prevention strategies. The healthier a person’s lifestyle is, the less at risk they are of developing negative thoughts. And vice versa.
Given it is ADHD Awareness month, I have two groups coming up in October to coincide with this and encouraging self-care and how to prevent self-harm. Special rates and discounts due to it being ADHD Awareness month:
- ADHD Self-care and coping skills session for adults with ADHD. This takes place on Wednesday 18 October 7-9 pm and is a small group (6-8) run in Stanway, Colchester. Limited spaces available. Deadline to book is 16 October via this link: ADHD Self-Care Group
- On Tuesday 31 October from 7-9 pm I am running the informative ‘ADHD brain and me’ awareness session again, where you will learn everything, you need to about ADHD, how to cope with it and how to build a system that works for you in all areas of your life. We’ll be covering the history, the science, the process and figuring out your system to manage it. This is for those who are diagnosed, self-diagnosed, awaiting diagnosis or simply curious as well as family members.  It’s usually £49 but given its ADHD Awareness month, you can get it for £39 for the month of October. Deadline to book is 27 October via this link: ADHD Awareness GroupÂ
Email [email protected] with any questions. Further details on these sessions and one to one ADHD coaching can be found at www.findyourspark.co.uk or visit @FindYourSparkADHD on Instagram
NEW COURSE ALERT– I am also intending to run an adult ADHD support group. If this is something you would be interested in attending, please email [email protected] to express interest. We look forward to hearing from and meeting you in due course!!!