Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a mental health condition in which someone has difficulty paying attention, controlling impulsive behaviors, and exhibiting hyperactivity. This condition is most commonly diagnosed in children, however, can last into adulthood. Understanding ADHD, and finding effective ways to manage symptoms, is essential for individuals to live a successful and satisfying life.

ADHD is characterized by three different types of behaviors: inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. Those with attention deficits may exhibit poor focus or concentration, trouble paying attention to details and following directions, or difficulty completing school or work assignments. People who experience impulsivity may be quick to blurt out answers, interrupt, or act without thinking about the consequences. Finally, those who are hyperactive may talk excessively and energetically, fidget or squirm, or find it hard to sit still for long periods.

Common symptoms include difficulty paying attention, restlessness, impulsiveness, procrastination, difficulty following instructions, knowledge retention issues, disorganization, daydreaming, difficulty sustaining focus, being easily distracted and difficulty managing time.

Due to the different possible manifestations of ADHD, treatment is highly individualized and can vary. Generally, the first line of treatment includes medication and/or behavioral approaches. Medications are typically used to improve concentration and focus while helping to reduce impulsivity and hyperactivity. Depending on the individual, the doctor may prescribe one or more medicines such as Adderall, Ritalin or Concerta. Behavioral approaches may include cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) or psychotherapy in order to help understand and manage their behavior.

In addition to conventional approaches to managing ADHD, there are several natural remedies that may be relied upon in conjunction with medications. Exercising regularly, sleeping enough, eating a healthy and balanced diet and practicing mindfulness can all help to support the individual in dealing with some of the symptoms of ADHD. Spending time in nature, talking with friends, doing something creative and avoiding stimulants like caffeine may also provide some relief. Ultimately, it is important for those with ADHD to find what works best for them, in order to improve their overall life satisfaction.

Of course it goes without saying, but I will say it anyway, always enlist your personal health care provider when concerned with any personal health care issues. ADHD should always first be diagnosed by your doctor and a treatment plan should always be between the two of you. Open communication with your physician will be the first right move in the right direction.

The next best move is to invest in your own wisdom. No one knows you better than you and quite frankly you are about to discover that you probably don’t know you all that well either. So start educating yourself. Start slow but definitely start figuring out which of these symptoms are unique to you. The trick is to begin dissecting the where, when and how’s each of the symptoms relates to you personally.

Immeditately read Brain Energy and look up the author. This doctor has a whole differant approach to mental illness. He strongly believes that these ‘mental problems’ come from a completely differant place. He believes they stem from poor metobolic health. This is a must read for anyone with ADHD, Bipolar Disorder and/or Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria.

Once diagnosed, it’s important to get the facts on ADHD. And trust me, they are everywhere. So much so that it can become overwhelming. Namely for someone with ADHD. But it is important to know exactly what you are dealing with. Knowledge is power and you want all the power you can get. In time, you will become the expert on your ADHD.

Learning about your ADHD is an essential step in managing it. (I keep saying YOUR ADHD, because every case is unique. No two people with the disorder act or react in the exact same way.) So it’s important to become as informed as possible about ADHD and the various treatments available for it. Then determine which pieces and parts work uniquely for you. Here are a few tips for learning about your ADHD:

1. Read books and articles on ADHD. It’s important to read works written by mental health professionals and the most recent to come to print. Medician is an ever changing field and everyday new ideas, therories and treatments come to light. So staying up with the latest research on the subject is paramount. I display books, posts and research throughout this site. When I learn it, you learn it.

2. Speak to other adults who have ADHD and learn from their experiences. Real life is always best and learning what others do to help themselves can never hurt. Also, having someone who actually understands what you are going through can be golden. Try finding an ADHD support group in your area. It can be extremely beneficial for managing symptoms. Being part of a supportive group can help to diminish lonely feelings and provide a space to talk about your struggles and triumphs with those who truly understand. There are a few things to consider when finding a suitable ADHD support group:

Find a group with members of a similar age or having similar interests. This can be helpful in connecting and forming meaningful relationships.
Look for groups that incorporate activities such as exercises or games to help with focus and concentration.
Think about location. Look for a group that meets at a convenient location or time.
Look for groups with certified practitioners or professionals. This can help to provide guidance and advice.

Once you have found a suitable ADHD support group, it is important to take part and engage in the activities. Talking to fellow members and sharing tips and advice can be a great way to build relationships and find ADHD relief. 3. Learn about how you can make cognitive-behavioral changes to manage your symptoms. Changing your ways (while explaining to no one – we will discuss that throughout this site) is life long. Managing ADHD is the goal. To date, there is no CURE for ADHD, so owning it and controlling your symptoms is the path to take.  4. Research medications used to treat ADHD and the potential side effects. This is extremely important.
If the cure is worse than the disease, you really want to know this. Do your own due diligence and talk things out with your health care provider. Remember, knowledge is king.

Here are a few common drugs used to treat adult ADHD that you can start with.
https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/methylphenidate-adults/
https://www.goodrx.com/adderall/what-is
https://www.drugs.com/concerta.html

5.Learn about herbal and natural treatments that help with ADHD. It is said that for every created synthetic drug there is a naturally created counterpart. And I have first hand knowledge that says that might just be true. So, for example, if one of your symptoms is restlessness, then finding that herb, spice, tea or soup that calms you, will be exactly what the doctor ordered. If you discover that taking a meditative walk at the right time every day (the time you have figured out for yourself through learning to learn about you) will allow you to stay on an even keel, then invest in some walking shoes and get moving. And remember, you don’t have to explain anything to a soul. This is about your self care and what works to make you the best you are. So if explaining yourself is a problem, then get passed it or you will go no where real fast.   6. Learn about nutrition and dietary changes that will help. You will be amazed at how what you consume effects your brain so definately get a food journal and start tracking what you eat and drink. This entire site concentrates heavily on what we consume, or don’t eat that we should. The important thing is to learn about the foods you consume and recognize how the body and brain react to them.

I do realize how easy all of that sounds, but I also understand just how hard it can actually be. So start small and just walk through the process at your own pace. As you do, things will simply start changing in your favor. The more you know about yourself and your symptoms and the way you act or react to them will only improve over time. And that is an important fact to remember. This is a life long journey. ADHD is a part of you so take the steps necessary to live your best life.

Keeping up with the latest and greatest on the subject of ADHD is very important. When I began researching the topic, I realized that the sheer volume of data was overwhelming. But I also knew that inside that data (somewhere) was the answers to the questions that all people with ADHD need to know. Some of it was very scientific and so hard to read that comprehending it was mind boggling. And I have to admit, I quickly gave up. So, instead, I continued to search until I found the professionals I could understand and used them always as a cross reference.

Here are a few of my favorites, that I still follow on a daily. You can subscribe to many of them and their latest posts, finding and events will come straight to your email. So find the ones that work for you and start staying on top of the world you actually live in. The world of a woman with ADHD.

One of my favorites is Science Daily. Your source for the latest research news. Go to their home page and put ADHD in the search bar and off you go.
You can read a plethora of data easily, comprehend it and remember it. It’s a website I have on speed dial (sorta speak).

Here’s a great post to get you started. It’s titled: Researchers link 27 genetic variants to ADHD.

It’s a fastinating read and will definately get you started on your own due diligence and your search to find the researchers and professionals you can
relate to and understand.

Also try CHADD. This site too is wonderful for readable, digestable data on ADHD. You can join this organization, get in depth guides and learn about
myths and misunderstandings about this disorder. Check out this article titled: Women and Girls. Informative, readable and easy to understand. It will
give you a view of how they deliver their data. It could be just what you need.

And of course I am a constant reader of ADDitude magazine.

These are just a few sites that I follow. You too will find your favorites and learn to rely on their findings. So definately begin your research and start mastering this part of your life. It can only lead to better things to come.

First start with a promise to yourself. And that promise is to be patient with yourself. No matter how long you’ve been dealing with your ADHD, or have just been diagnosed,  it’s important to remember to be compassionate with yourself. Self love and self care will soon be your closest companions.

Secondly, get a journal and start learning to learn about you. If you have never journaled before, start simple. But we here at AlllNaturWell believe journalling is the right place to begin. Discovering who you truly are is a great aid in managing not only ADHD, but RSD and Bipolar Disorder as well. It’s a way to ‘take control’ of your situation and allows you to see certain patterns in your day to day that can be used (or un-used) when managing your mental health for the long haul.

I’ve listed a few suggestions below but Amazon has a great variety when it comes to journals, diaries and planners. Again, if you have never journaled, start with something that gives you prompts and reminders. And don’t make it chore. Have fun with it. You might just be the most interesting person you’ll have the pleasure of knowing. So go ahead. Let the self discovery begin.

While I have you here let me add a few hints about ‘thoughts’ journaling. First grab a journal that feels good in your hand. (Here’s the one I use) And by that I mean one you can get attached to. This journal will soon become your best friend and closest confidante. Somedays you will write like a best selling author. Other days you will doodle because you have nothing to say. And that’s okay. Just make sure you go to that book everyday for your good mental health.  And trust me, you will soon know eactly why.

With that said, when I first started researching neurodevelopmental disorders, which is what we are talking about when addressing ADHD, I began keeping notes on all the information I was suddenly taking in. And that was okay, and necessary, but I also quickly learned that I had to know far more about my son-in-law. I needed to know about his daily actions, his diet, his habits, his sleeping routine – of which he had none – and so many little idiosyncrasies I hadn’t realized even existed. Without this data on a daily, I was simply stabbing in the dark. So I ask him to start keeping a very detailed account of everyday for one month. This data proved priceless. Patterns began to reveal themselves and a road to managing his symptoms began falling into place. Dim little lightbulbs started popping on. And all with very little effort on his part.

So for the first thirty days after being diagnosed, whether that be ADHD, RSD or Bipolar Disorder, it would be wise to start understanding your own habits – both good and not so good. Write down everything you consume in a day and the time you ate it. Detail any symptoms – when they are heightened or drop off. Pay close attention to your water consumption. Detail the amount of caffine you take in. Record what time you retire to bed and what time you wake. How tired were you when you went to bed. Did you fall fast asleep or was it a restless night. Did you rise in a good mood? Bad mood? Dragging or hopping right into the day? What did you eat for breakfast. Did you leave for work on time? You get the idea. Every move is relevant. Literally.

With that said, I do believe, that for many of us anyway, spending time exploring who you truly are in your day to day, can only lead to a healthier body, an eased mind and a content spirit. A combination that each of us is looking for. Learning to journal, and taking the results seriously, is one of those necessary ‘small changes’ that need to be put into place for the whole self wellness.

A little side note here: Keeping more than one kind journal could make the process easier. Keeping a dietary journal seperate from your thoughts journal might reveal certain things that will become relevant over time.

Lets’ step back and take in the whole picture that’s been put before us.

Being diagnosed with ADHD can be scary for some. Simply because of the stigma wrapped around the word. But let that notion go and recognize it for what it actually is. And that is a neurodevelopmental disorder. That’s what you have. Not what’s wrong with you.

Let’s ask, and answer, a few questions that will most likely arise when a diagnosis of ADHD is presented.

Let’s ask: How does the ADHD mind differ from the ‘normal’ (neurotypical) brain? Well, accourding to WebMD, people with ADHD appear to have smaller brain volume in certain areas, some of which control emotional and impulse control. People with ADHD may also have smaller brain size overall.

Lets’ also ask: What’s happening in the ADHD brain that shouldn’t be or is disfunctioning? Great question and something that must be understood completely.

First, the brain is a communication network where messages are relayed from one brain cell to the next. There is a gap between these cells (neurons) which is called a synapse. In order for messages to be passed along, the synapse needs to be filled with a neurotransmitter. Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers, and each one is responsible for different functions.

The key neurotransmitters for the ADHD brain are dopamine and noradrenaline. In the ADHD brain, there is ‘dysregulation of the dopamine system’. This means, in layman’s terms, that there is either too little dopamine, the dopamine is not being used efficiently or there are not enough receptors for the available dopamine.

“Dopamine helps regulate our emotional responses and increase our feelings of reward and satisfaction. Dopamine also plays a significant role in controlling memory, mood, sleep, learning, concentration and body movements.

Noradrenaline is a chemical made by certain nerve cells and in the adrenal gland. It can act as both a neurotransmitter and a hormone. Health conditions that result from low levels of norepinephrine include anxiety, ADHD and depression to mention just a few.”

Here are a few articles that will throw some more light on this topic. They are short reads with a plethora of data.

ADHD vs. Non-ADHD Brain – WebMD

Dopamine – Health Direct

Norepinephrine (Noradrenaline) – Cleveland Clinic

Now that we’ve covered ADHD in layman’s terms, definately dive deeper on a daily basis. Make it part of who you are. Create the habit of reading one relevant article, study or email on the subject daily. Now that’s not to say they will all be relevant to you, but it will force the situation where you stay tuned into the subject. All it might take is one relatable story to reveal a secret that makes your life easier and more enjoyable. And what’s a few minutes spent everyday reading a few thousand words that could deliver a tip, trick or study that could add to the peace and joy in your life.

And write, write, write. Get a journal and start your story today. I am not kidding when I say you are probably a stranger to yourself and have been most of your life. You took on what others may have said about you, knowing full well their words were wrong but not knowing how to explain they were. And so you just let it ride and somehow became (and accepted) what those words represented. For example, women and girls with undiagnosed ADHD often hear themselves labeled as spacey, disorganized, immature, excessively talkative, etc. Over time, and hearing this often enough, makes one buy into the line and believing such brings on the new problem of low self esteem, shame and embarrassment. It’s only after a accurate diagnosis of AHDH that everything comes into focus. By that time time however, much damage has been done and is often difficult to unlearn.

And last be not least, experiment. By that I mean, try making a few small changes in your routine and see what happens.

And before we go any further, you must give everything a fair fighting chance to work. Four days to see if a suppliment has any effect on you is not a fair shot. Changes take time to cause results. Like a long time. Remember you have been ADHD all your life. So adding a suppliment – which I promote heavily at times – will take a bit of time to take hold. So, when you decide to add (or subtract) something to or from your life, make a vow to follow through for 365 days before deciding to retain or abort the action.

Anyway, as I was saying, experiment a bit. Let’s say you have a terrible habit of getting into bed and immediately grabbing the phone and start scrolling TicTok. Now don’t get me wrong, I love TicTok, but there is nothing on there that can’t wait until you’ve rested. Instead you finally pass out, rather than fall into peaceful slumber. Instead, learn to ‘retire from your day’.

The bottom line is that now that you know your situation, take control of it, master it and keep going. Women with ADHD have made great strides in their worlds and so can you. Learn to learn about you and the sky’s the limit. (Or maybe Mars could be the limit, if you listen to Elon Musk)

Just A Personal Side Note: In all fairness, there’s is a whole lot more to getting a reign on your ADHD. It takes a lot of research, soul searching and self discovery. And it takes a lot of adjusting and a whole lot of time and patience. My son-in-law was quite reluctant in the beginning but as I made suggestions, according to research I could show him, he did help himself by complying to my requests. I bought him a few suppliments I thought would help and my daughter started presenting differant meals to improve their diets and they created a bedtime ritual, that quite frankly benefitted both of them. I bought them a ‘thoughts’  journal and a ‘food’ journal and together they wrote his story. About 6 months into it, he himself realized just how much better he was feeling. His aches were lessening, he was actually sleeping 8 hours a day and he’d lost a conciderable amount of weight. His mind was not racing as much, his spirit was content and having a day filled with rewarding habits seemed to be the beginning of healing. Now although his diagnosis was not ADHD but rather RSD, did not seem to change things. He was already on the right path to being the happy, carefree young man he once was. A year later, still following the game plan they had created for themselves, their family is happy, healthy and thriving. All because he took control of his situation by educating himself and following through with life changes that absolutely made all the differance.

While I was researching, I tripped across a few interesting recipes that used natural ingredients that have been proven to improve ADHD.
My daughter used them and to this day they stay in her line up of cuisine.

Her favorite is Lion’s Main Crab Cakes. (The kids think it’s lobster!)

I can’t remember where I found the recipe but knew that I wanted to get fresh Lion’s Mane into their diet. Finding the fresh Lion’s mane was a
bit trying but soon it was like ordering anything else on line.

Here’s the recipe my daughter uses for this wonderful dish and here’s a few web sites that will explain facts and fiction on this fungi called Lion’s Mane.

In a large bowl combine:

1 egg
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
¾ teaspoon old bay seasoning
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
Salt and Pepper to taste
½ cup panko breadcrumbs
¼ cup finely chopped scallions or green onions

Shred 8-10 ounces of fresh Lion’s Mane Mushrooms to look like shredded crab meat might look. Gently fold into the egg mixture until completely incorporated.

Form mixture into crab cakes and cook in oil in a saute pan over medium/high heat for about 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown.
Remove to a paper towel lined plate and serve warm with a remoulade sauce.

Remoulade Sauce:

In a bowl combine:

⅔ cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon worcestshire sauce
1 tablespoon chopped chives
1/2 tablespoon finely chopped scallions or green onions
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt and Pepper to taste

Whole Foods sells Lion’s Mane Mushrooms as do many other grocers and health food stores. Do your research and make sure you are comfortable with what you are purchasing. And remember, adding any natural ingredient to your ADHD treatment plan should first be discussed with your primary care professional.

Read these three blogs that discuss Lion’s Main Mushrooms and ADHD.

ADDitude – The Truth About Lion’s Mane, Psychedelics & Caffeine

forij.co – Lion’s Mane vs. Adderall for ADHD

mytwentytwo.co.uk – Lion’s Mane And ADHD: Could This Wonder-Mushroom Offer An Alternative To ADHD Medication?

Disclaimer: The information or products mentioned in this article are provided as information resources only and are not to be used or relied on to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. The statements made in this article have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Any products mentioned are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The information in this article is intended for educational purposes only. The information is not intended to replace medical advice offered by licensed medical physicians. Please consult your doctor or health practitioner for any medical advice.