This is an article in my Catholic Healing Series, where I talk about the most prevalent mental health issues of our time, who the best thinkers are, what the theory is, and how to heal the issue. If you enjoy this, feel free to check out other articles or videos!
The Issue
ADHD often involves inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity, or issues with mood and self-regulation. It likely results from levels of dopamine and norepinephrine being at sub-optimal levels in the brain. ADHD frequently negatively impacts people’s relationships with spouses and family members, as well as performance at work and school. People often lose the trust of others due to ADHD. Family members will complain that the person with ADHD cannot be trusted to complete tasks or that they cannot be trusted with complaints and emotions. In the workplace or school, there often is a lower threshold of tolerance. Work write ups and bad grades show up early and often.
The Thinkers
Dr. Ari Tuckman, PsyD is vibrant. He has tremendous insight and has written several books on the topic. Most importantly, he brings energy, organization and structure, and expertise to those who struggle with ADHD. He reveals what is required for someone to help someone with ADHD. First, there needs to be a knowledge of the internal world of people who struggle with ADHD. There are positives to having an ADHD brain and there are negatives. A lot of the negatives are, in fact, the downsides of the positives. People with ADHD brains have lively brains that are often creative, productive, and great at focusing where there is interest. The downsides are that people with ADHD can struggle with focusing on things they are not interested in, can struggle with entering a state of being in relationships, can struggle with impulsivity, can struggle with organization, and can struggle with emotional regulation. Next, there needs to be a solution focused approach that helps people with ADHD understand themselves at the deepest level. Then, effective tools and management strategies need to be collaboratively identified by the client and therapist that lead to flourishing. Of course, I entitled the article Healing ADHD because this is part of the Catholic Healing Series, but the reality of ADHD is that it is often managed much more than it is healed. In fact, most people with ADHD do not want to give it up! Understandably so. It offers many gifts. Tuckman is clear that success is often going from being your ADHD to managing your ADHD.
Dr. Roberto Olivardia, PhD is also vibrant. He has learned to manage his own ADHD and harness it with tremendous results. It makes him a great witness in terms of healing and a fantastic expert. He has great stories to share. Olivardia offers a similar approach to Tuckman. In order for healing to occur, a therapist needs to understand, to empathize, and to collaborate with the client.
Healing ADHD (Actually, Managing It)
Disclaimer: these are just some of the tools that can be used to manage ADHD. Also, I cannot guarantee healing or benefit. This entire article represents my opinions and applications of the tools, nothing more and nothing less. This article does not constitute formal medical, mental health, psychological, or other advice.
Determining the Underlying Cause
The underlying cause of ADHD symptoms is important to consider up front. Many people who have been through complex trauma exhibit symptoms of ADHD, but they do not have ADHD. If a person thinks this is her or his case, please see my article on Healing Trauma. This article is directed to people who have ADHD, which likely results from dopamine and norepinephrine levels in the brain not being optimal, and does not result from trauma.
The Uniqueness of ADHD
One thing is unique that it likely never goes away. Another thing is that it can offer great benefits. Finally, ADHD is unique from a management perspective. Many issues involve more surface level, shorter interventions and then deeper longer, term interventions. ADHD is not like that. It mostly involves mindfulness interventions that have about the same depth and time horizon. Tuckman, who understands ADHD about as well as anyone, notes that at first glance, it seems like ADHD management involves the utilization of surface level tools. But the longer someone approaches ADHD, there is a startling depth to what is happening. As I talk about common management techniques, I will try to reveal where one can be surprised by depth and meaning.
Thinking of Your Future Self When It Comes to Inattention
People with ADHD do a great job focusing! On things that they are interested in. When it comes to things that they are not interested in, people with ADHD can really struggle. In the extreme, people with ADHD have a significantly long list of projects that have been started and never finished. Just telling a person with ADHD that she or he needs to complete tasks will not work. People with ADHD know what they need to do. In fact, they know better than the average person, because people have been telling them for their entire lives.
Depth is required to solve the problem. Why do people with ADHD struggle with focusing on tasks to completion, especially when the tasks grow tedious? The reason is that people with ADHD make bad value judgments. For example, if a task is due on Friday, the person could begin it on Monday…or they could play video games or scroll. In the ADHD mind, the immediate payoff is disproportionately weighed. So, a person will play video games or scroll on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday until the late afternoon. Then, the person will stay up all night finishing the project that is due Friday. The way out of this problem is for a person to consider their Friday self. Will the person’s Friday self love her or his Monday self, because her or his Monday self did the right thing? Or, will the person’s Friday self resent her or his Monday self for playing video games or scrolling? Perspective is required to overcome inattention.
Neurologically, the person’s salience network needs to determine what system of the brain will steer decision making. The salience network often defaults to the limbic system, the rewards center of the brain. If a person with ADHD allows this to happen, then she or he will choose video games or scrolling every time. There is too much of a dopamine payoff. However, if a person finds greater meaning, she or he can decide what to do with the prefrontal cortex, the logical, emotive, and virtue center of the brain. Why break a complex project into a series of smaller manageable tasks that are done daily for a week? Because it allows a person to succeed as a spouse, a parent, an employee, and a child of God. Choosing a work project over video games and scrolling can be a prayer. When the prefrontal cortex makes decisions like these, a person finds the better way.
Building in a Pause with Interoception and Muscular Relaxation to Overcome Impulsivity
People with ADHD can be quick and effective decision makers. They also can make bad decisions that they would not have made upon consideration. To manage this, they need to build in a pause. Interview an urge. Will it lead this person to a life that flourishes, or will it cause failure? If it will cause failure, what is a better direction in which a person’s energy can be focused?
Noteworthily, the brain can be in a state of hyperarousal when urges hit. Trying to address thoughts up front likely will not be effective. A person needs to focus on interoception to overcome the urge. If she or he scans the body for tension and relaxes it, then the muscular relaxation will flip an off switch on hyperarousal. Then, a person can identify the better thought and the better activity. The other major factor in overcoming hyperarousal is social connection. Call a friend and see if an urge remains after that. It likely will not.
Postponing is the last method that I will mention. When an urge hits, a person can say to herself or himself, “I will wait until tomorrow. If this seems like a good idea tomorrow, then I will do it.” Guess what? It almost never seems like a good idea the next day.
Scheduling and Alarms to Overcome Disorganization
Disorganization is one of the major problems of people with ADHD. Their schedules and lives are full of unfinished projects—and there are no plans to finish them. The only way out of this problem is through being intentional—one of the best things that a Catholic can be. First of all, plan the week. Plan it by estimating on the low end what can be accomplished. Aim for functioning at about 80%. Only do what is planned each day and spend the rest of the time in rest and connection with loved ones. Find balance. If necessary, set alarms throughout the day. The alarms are reminders to check in with oneself to reorient if necessary. Also, if it is helpful, plan frequent breaks. Stay fresh and keep blood flowing by moving around during break times.
Overcoming Emotional Impulse Regulation Issues with Mindfulness
People with ADHD seem to lose their temper almost out of nowhere. However, that is just what seems to be the case. In the case of many people with ADHD, frustrations and stress build up internally over days and weeks before a meltdown. To respond more effectively, people with ADHD need to acknowledge upsetting and stressful daily events, identify the emotion that is felt, and process through it. Where does the person feel the emotion in her or his body? What is that emotion telling him or her? If a person deals with emotions daily, she or he is far less likely to have explosive moments. Additionally, it can be helpful to identify stressful future events. What can a person with ADHD do to help the time leading up to the vent be less stressful? Often, the anticipatory anxiety is worse than the stress of the event itself.
Overcoming Forgetfulness and Internal Motivation Issues
Another huge ADHD issue is forgetfulness. Alarms can help with reminders. Also, lists can help with visual reminders to do tasks. A lack of Internal Motivation is one of the most significant of all ADHD issues. When another person asks a person with ADHD to hit a deadline, that person is much more consistent in hitting it. However, when a person with ADHD needs to self motivate and set her or his own deadlines, results are much spottier. A person needs to be intentional once again. Identify the end date. Break the project into parts. Have a deadline every day that is non-negotiable. Set alarms to remind oneself. Perhaps most importantly, make an act of the will. Do not let the story of the day be a story of procrastination and failure. Pray to Mary for special graces to have the Strength of God, and then achieve.
Wellness
Prayer, diet, sleep, and exercise often help when it comes to managing ADHD. Prayer, I largely have addressed. Graces from God are needed to manage ADHD.
In terms of diet, the below can help as long as there are no dietary allergies or restrictions for a person:
1 spoon of fish oil daily
1 spoon of olive oil daily
Daily Multivitamin
Yogurt, kombucha, kefir, or probiotic supplement daily
At least 4 to 6 portions of fruits and vegetables daily
The above all are good for gut health. In the case of ADHD, it helps to consume a high protein diet, as well. This gives the body healthy amounts of tyrosine, an amino acid that produces dopamine. Avoiding alcohol and caffeine in large amounts also can be helpful.
In terms of sleep, it helps to get about 8 hours per night on average and to be early to bed and early to rise. It also helps to avoid screens within three hours of sleep, which can be tricky for many with ADHD. Good sleep hygiene practices always are a good idea.
In terms of exercise, it helps to get in regular physical activity. GABA is a neurotransmitter that is released in exercise that helps the brain to calm.
Medication
Medication does help some people with ADHD. It is important to have a competent psychiatrist who prescribes. I favor referring to a psychiatrist, because ADHD medications are powerful and it is important to eliminate bipolar disorder as a differential diagnosis. Medications usually are in the amphetamine category. Ritalin and Adderall are two of the most commonly prescribed. These medications increase the level of dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain. Some amphetamines demonstrate effectiveness quickly, while some ADHD medications take 4 to 6 weeks of daily use to show an impact. A key thing to look for are side effects. If extreme side effects show up, then a person needs to discontinue use and reconnect with the psychiatrist.
In terms of finding the right psychiatrist, I think that is a really important piece of things involving medication. I recommend that people approach psychiatrists as customer service providers. A great psychiatrist is collaborative, cares, and accepts input from clients/patients and any family members involved. If a person meets with a psychiatrist and the psychiatrist demonstrates those qualities, it could be a good fit. If a person meets with a psychiatrist and the psychiatrist does not demonstrate those qualities, I recommend trying a different psychiatrist until a fit is established.
Conclusion
God is calling all Catholics to be saints, and that includes people with ADHD. A pivotal part of the saint story is turning to God and being intentional. Pray frequently. Attend the sacraments frequently. Try to go to multiple Masses each week and go to Reconciliation regularly. A person should not rely on her or his own strength. Rely upon the Strength of God, and the victory is certain.
Resources:
Dr. Ari Tuckman’s website has great resources:
https://tuckmanpsych.com/
Are you being ADHD instead of managing it? Reach out to The Catholic Healing Institute and Tom Weishaar for a specially trained approach!
www.catholichealinginstitute.com
Tom Weishaar, MA LPCC CCTP-II is the President and CEO of The Catholic Healing Institute. He lives in Steubenville, OH with his wife and three children.
