Meditation for ADHD That Actually Works! (with guided mindfulness meditation practice)

Summary

In this insightful video, Jude, a meditation teacher with ADHD, explores meditation practices that effectively address ADHD symptoms. He explains why traditional concentration-based meditations often fail for those with ADHD and instead recommends mindfulness and insight practices like Vipassana. Jude emphasizes the importance of understanding ADHD's physical restlessness and dopamine deficiency, advocating for a holistic approach to managing symptoms through diet, exercise, and stability, in addition to meditation.

Takeaways

• 🧘‍♂️ Vipassana or mindfulness practices are more effective for people with ADHD than focus-based meditations.
• 🧠 ADHD is characterized by restlessness in the body, leading to an overactive mind as a response to bodily discomfort.
• 💊 ADHD often involves a dopamine deficiency, which leads to seeking stimulation through thoughts and actions.
• 👀 Meditation for ADHD should focus on observing sensations in the body and mind without trying to change them.
• 🙌 The practice involves being curious about bodily sensations, especially restlessness, and observing them without judgment.
• 🌀 Mindfulness meditation helps change the relationship with discomfort, reducing the suffering and reactivity associated with ADHD.
• 💆‍♀️ Regular practice can shift experiences and make symptoms more manageable by fostering acceptance and equanimity.
• 📈 ADHD symptoms can be exacerbated by life stressors such as financial instability, suggesting a holistic approach including lifestyle adjustments.
• 🥗 Diet, exercise, and overall life stability play crucial roles in managing ADHD symptoms effectively.
• 🌍 A holistic approach to ADHD management includes mindfulness, diet, exercise, and creating a secure, stable living environment.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video by Jude from the Being Integrated channel?

The video focuses on meditation practices for ADHD that actually work, explaining why traditional meditation techniques may not be effective for individuals with ADHD and introducing alternative mindfulness practices.

Why do traditional meditation practices not work well for people with ADHD according to Jude?

Traditional meditation practices, which often involve focusing on the breath, do not work well for people with ADHD because they tend to be restless and uncomfortable, making it difficult to maintain focus and attention.

What alternative meditation practice does Jude suggest for people with ADHD?

Jude suggests Vipassana, or mindfulness, practice as an alternative for people with ADHD, as it involves observing one's experience without trying to change it and can be more effective in dealing with the restlessness and discomfort often associated with ADHD.

How does Jude describe the experience of ADHD in terms of the body?

Jude describes ADHD as a restlessness in the body, which leads to an active mind trying to escape the discomfort. This discomfort is often a result of a perceived dopamine deficiency in the brain.

What is the role of dopamine in ADHD as explained by Jude?

Dopamine is a motivating chemical in the brain that gives a sense of excitement. In ADHD, there is a deficiency of base-level dopamine, causing the mind to constantly seek stimulation and dopamine hits, often through thought loops.

Why are stimulant medications used to treat ADHD, and how do they work?

Stimulant medications are used to treat ADHD because they boost the base level of dopamine in the brain, reducing restlessness and the constant seeking of dopamine, leading to a calmer and more laid-back state.

What is the purpose of mindfulness and meditation in treating ADHD according to the video?

The purpose of mindfulness and meditation in treating ADHD is to help individuals去面对 and observe discomfort without trying to escape it, which can lead to a change in behavior, feelings in the body, and the way the mind engages with the world.

What does Jude suggest as the first step in the mindfulness practice for dealing with ADHD?

The first step is to come into the body, notice where restlessness is felt, and be curious about the sensation of restlessness without trying to change it or judge it.

How does Jude recommend dealing with the mind during the mindfulness practice?

Jude recommends observing the mind, noticing its tendencies to distract or create thought loops, and gently bringing the focus back to the sensations in the body without trying to change them.

What is the concept of equanimity in the context of this video, and why is it important?

Equanimity refers to the practice of accepting feelings without resisting or trying to escape them. It is important because it changes the relationship with discomfort and can reduce suffering and angst associated with ADHD symptoms.

What additional advice does Jude give for managing ADHD symptoms outside of meditation practices?

Jude suggests a holistic approach, including a healthy diet low in sugar and complex carbs, regular exercise, and finding stability and security in life to reduce the feeling of being unsafe, which can exacerbate ADHD symptoms.

Outlines

00:00

🧘‍♂️ Meditation for ADHD: Challenges and Vipassana Practices

The speaker, Jude, introduces the video on meditation practices for ADHD, highlighting the ineffectiveness of traditional meditation techniques for individuals with ADHD. Jude, who has ADHD and teaches meditation, explains that simple focus-based practices do not resonate well with him or others with ADHD due to their nature of restlessness and discomfort. Instead, he finds Vipassana or mindfulness practices more effective. The speaker suggests that ADHD manifests as a physical restlessness, which is mistakenly attributed to mental hyperactivity. The video aims to explore why certain meditation practices work for ADHD and introduces the concept of dopamine deficiency in ADHD, which leads to a constant mental search for stimulation and satisfaction.

05:01

🔍 Exploring Mindfulness and Vipassana for Sensory Experience

This paragraph delves into the specifics of mindfulness and Vipassana meditation practices, emphasizing the importance of observing and accepting one's sensory experiences without judgment or the desire to change them. Jude outlines two main areas of focus for these practices: the mind and the body. The goal is to watch thoughts and feelings unfold without interference, which can lead to a change in the relationship with discomfort and potentially alter behavior and mental engagement. The speaker invites viewers to explore restlessness as a physical sensation, suggesting curiosity and observation without trying to alter the experience, and discusses the importance of being an observer to one's own mental and physical state.

10:01

🤔 Embracing Discomfort: A Deeper Look into Mindfulness

The speaker continues the discussion on mindfulness by encouraging the audience to embrace discomfort fully. Jude suggests that by inviting and accepting discomfort, one can change their relationship with it, reducing suffering and angst. The paragraph explores the idea of being present with physical sensations and observing the mind's tendency to distract from bodily discomfort. The practice involves gently returning focus to the body and sensations, aiming to meet them with acceptance. The speaker acknowledges that the practice might be overwhelming at first but emphasizes the importance of persistence and finding personal comfort levels in the process.

15:03

🌱 Holistic Approach to ADHD: Beyond Meditation

In the final paragraph, Jude wraps up the video by advocating for a holistic approach to managing ADHD, which includes mindfulness and meditation but also encompasses diet, exercise, and overall life stability. The speaker highlights the importance of equanimity—the practice of non-resistance to feelings—and suggests that this principle can significantly impact daily life and the experience of ADHD symptoms. Jude also recommends additional resources, including another video on equanimity and a channel called 'how to ADHD' for practical advice, concluding the video with an invitation for viewers to subscribe and engage with the content.

Keywords

💡ADHD

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by symptoms such as inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. In the video, the speaker, Jude, explains that ADHD involves restlessness in the body and a deficiency in dopamine, leading to a constant search for stimulation. This understanding sets the stage for exploring meditation practices that accommodate these symptoms.

💡Meditation

Meditation is a practice where an individual uses a technique, such as mindfulness or focusing the mind on a particular object, thought, or activity, to train attention and awareness. In the context of the video, meditation practices are suggested as a way to help manage ADHD symptoms by observing rather than trying to control one's mental and physical state.

💡Mindfulness

Mindfulness involves being fully present and engaged in the current moment, aware of your thoughts and feelings without distraction or judgment. Jude emphasizes mindfulness as a more effective meditation approach for those with ADHD, as it allows one to observe experiences rather than trying to focus narrowly, which can be challenging for people with ADHD.

💡Dopamine

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that plays a key role in reward and pleasure systems in the brain. The video explains that ADHD is often associated with lower baseline levels of dopamine, leading to a continuous search for stimulation to elevate dopamine levels. Understanding this helps explain why stimulant medications are effective for treating ADHD.

💡Vipassana

Vipassana, also known as insight meditation, is a form of mindfulness meditation that focuses on observing the true nature of reality. Jude mentions Vipassana as a suitable practice for those with ADHD because it encourages observing sensations and thoughts as they are, rather than trying to control or suppress them.

💡Restlessness

Restlessness refers to an inability to stay still or remain calm, often characterized by continuous movement or fidgeting. In the video, Jude identifies restlessness as a common symptom of ADHD, particularly in the body, which can drive the mind to seek stimulation. He discusses techniques for observing and accepting this restlessness through meditation.

💡Equanimity

Equanimity is the state of psychological stability and composure, especially under stress. It involves maintaining calm and non-reactivity. Jude highlights equanimity as a crucial aspect of mindfulness practice for managing ADHD, advocating for an approach where individuals learn to stay present with their discomfort without reacting to it.

💡Sensory Experience

Sensory experience refers to the awareness of physical sensations in the body. In the video, Jude encourages viewers to pay attention to the sensations of restlessness or discomfort in their bodies during meditation, fostering a deeper understanding and acceptance of these experiences rather than trying to escape them.

💡Concentration-Based Practices

Concentration-based practices involve focusing intently on a single object or sensation, such as the breath, to calm the mind. Jude notes that these practices are often recommended to beginners but may not be effective for individuals with ADHD, who might find it difficult to sustain such focused attention. Instead, he suggests more observational forms of meditation.

💡Holistic Approach

A holistic approach considers the whole person, including physical, mental, and emotional aspects, in treatment and wellness practices. Jude advocates for a holistic approach to managing ADHD, combining mindfulness and meditation with lifestyle adjustments like diet, exercise, and stability in life, to address the disorder comprehensively.

Highlights

Jude, who has ADHD and teaches meditation, finds traditional meditation practices ineffective for ADHD.

Vipassana or mindfulness practices are recommended for ADHD due to their effectiveness.

ADHD is characterized by restlessness and discomfort in the body, not just a mind issue.

ADHD can be viewed as a dopamine deficiency, causing a constant search for stimulation.

Stimulant medications for ADHD work by increasing the base level of dopamine in the brain.

Mindfulness meditation helps by allowing discomfort to be observed without trying to escape it.

ADHD treatment through meditation involves changing the relationship with discomfort.

Meditation for ADHD should not focus on forcing focus but on observing the present experience.

The practice involves watching thoughts and feelings without judgment or trying to change them.

ADHD individuals often get caught in thought loops, seeking dopamine hits.

When focusing on uninteresting tasks, the brain's focus center shuts down further in ADHD individuals.

Meditation can help with restlessness and discomfort even for those without ADHD.

The practice encourages curiosity about the feeling of restlessness and where it is centered in the body.

Observing the sensations in the body can change the experience and reduce suffering.

The practice aims to meet discomfort with an open heart, similar to meeting a loved one.

Jude suggests that diet, exercise, and life stability are also crucial for managing ADHD symptoms.

A holistic approach to ADHD management is recommended, combining mindfulness with lifestyle changes.

The video concludes with an invitation to subscribe for more ADHD and meditation content.

Transcripts

okay welcome to my channel Being Integrated I'm Jude

and this video is about meditation practices for adhd that actually

work so I have ADHD and I also teach meditation

and I quickly learned that a lot of meditation practices

do not work for me and specifically the types of practices that you most

encounter as a beginner are the ones that most don't work for me so

if you're just beginning a meditation the practices are typically about

bringing your attention back to your breath over and over

these very simple practices and those don't work that well for me and i have

been able to do those practices well at times in my life

but other times i have not been able to do them well at all

most times i can't do them that well actually but there is a whole other

category of practices called vipassana practice

or mindfulness practice or insight practice

that really does work for me and might work for you i know other adhd people

who have very much taken to these practices and

found them a lot more helpful than more focused or concentration based

practices now the question is why why do some practices work and others don't

and to understand this we have to understand what adhd is

so while adhd presents differently in different people there are some pretty

common symptoms and for me the simplest way to express

it is it's a restlessness in my body it actually took me a long time to

realize this because i thought adhd was in the mind i thought oh my mind's

just crazy and going after things but then i realized

my mind was so active because my body was restless and uncomfortable

it was actually the discomfort in my body that my mind was working

really hard to escape another way of looking at adhd is as a dopamine

deficiency so dopamine is this motivating chemical

in our brain it gives us this sense of kind of

excitement around things it's like when we see something we want and we're

really close to getting it there's a big dopamine rush the thing is

with adhd is there's a deficiency of a natural kind of base level of dopamine

in the brain and as a result our mind is constantly

seeking dopamine we're looking for things that are

stimulating adhd people are often really good at thinking and finding

thoughts that are somewhat pleasurable or interesting and we can get caught in

these thought loops for a long time and kind

of spend most of our lives in these thought loops jumping from one

thought loop to the next thought loop getting these little hits of dopamine

this is why most adhd or maybe all adhd meds

are stimulants which can sound weird because we think of adhd as

hyperactivity or overactivity in our mind but it's

actually an underactivity in the dopamine levels so when we give someone

a stimulant that boosts their base level of dopamine

they're actually more okay we're not as restless we're not seeking

the dopamine because we already have the dopamine in our brain and we're able to

be more calm and laid back instead of looking at adhd

as an overactive mind we want to look at it as a discomfort in the body a

restlessness which could be looked at as a lack of

dopamine but it's really this dissatisfactory feeling in the body

and this constant need to either think or act out to try

to get more satisfaction to try to feel better

so a big part of adhd treatment when it comes to the way of

mindfulness and meditation is going into the discomfort and looking

at it being really clear with it and it's through the

opening to the sensations of discomfort and not

trying to escape them that we actually shift our relationship with it and

things can really change for us our behavior can change the feelings in our

body can change the way our mind engages with the world

and with itself can change so i know that for an adhd person the

idea of meditating may seem like torture and in some ways it is

torture what we know from studying uh adhd in the brain is that when we try

to focus on something that we're not interested

in that part of the brain responsible for

focus shuts down even more so it's actually the more

effort we put into trying to gather our attention and really focus

the harder it becomes and then this just creates this really awful feedback loop

and suffering it creates this frustration this restlessness

and we could just want to like like i'm sure if you have adhd you know exactly

what i'm talking about and even if you don't have adhd i feel like

pretty much all of us are on the spectrum to some degree we all

have the same challenges an adhd person has even if they're not on the same

extreme so if you ever suffer from restlessness

or discomfort in the body which i'm sure everyone does then you can also benefit

from these practices you can use these practices when you're

feeling overwhelmed or when your mind's going crazy to

find more of a sense of okayness and well-being so the type of meditation

we're going to be exploring i mentioned is kind of like a

mindfulness style which instead of trying to focus on one thing it's

actually more trying to observe what's happening

in our experience so we're not trying to calm our mind

actually we're just letting our mind be as it is and we're trying to watch it so

there are a lot of different uh vipassana or mind from the style

meditation practices we're only going to explore a little bit

in this particular video but i have more on my channel

but if we're talking about mindfulness practice in general

it's really watching observing and opening to our sensory experience

without trying to change it or without judgment as they say

so the two main areas we can focus on we can explore with this practice

the one is the mind what's happening in our mind

and then the other is the body what's happening in our body these are the

sensory experiences that make up our sense of self and our feeling of me

it's our thoughts and feelings we're gonna be practicing

watching our feelings and being open to what we're feeling and

watching our thoughts allowing them to be allowing them to unfold

and we're gonna notice one how watching these sensations without trying to

change them actually changes them so what we're

going to realize is that we're often actually trying to change our experience

we're trying to escape the discomfort or we get

really into our thoughts and we feed into them we give them more energy

instead of trying to avoid the discomfort in our body

or really feed into the thoughts we're just going to try to

watch be in this observer role and a big part of this is noticing the

relationship between the two noticing how the reactivity in the body

or the discomfort in the body how that springs thoughts certain types of

thoughts or thoughts in general and how we use

our thinking to escape uncomfortable feelings okay so with that

being said let's just jump into the practice

so we're just going to start by coming into the body

you can close our eyes if that's comfortable and notice where do you feel

restlessness let's be curious about the feeling of restlessness

and if you feel it right now even in the subtle way so be curious

can you find that sensation of restlessness in the body

and where do you feel it

maybe it's strong right now maybe it's subtle

but just notice the sensations notice the vibrational quality to this feeling

where does it feel like it's centered where's the core of it

for me it's usually in my abdomen sometimes in my chest a bit

could even be in my face as well

just notice how these sensations move how the feelings kind of dance in the

body and be really curious see how much you

can zoom in and just pay attention to the moving of this energy the moving

of the feeling of restlessness in the body

and if you're feeling it in your kind of chest or abdomen area

try putting a hand there or both hands and just see what that does just notice

does this aggravate it more does it change the sensation at all

does it soothe it

so we're not trying to do anything we're not trying to

make it any bigger or smaller we're just being curious

about what we're feeling and we're noticing if it's changing if bringing

awareness attention clarity to the experience

changes it at all

are we resisting the experience are we tightening up around it at all

and if you go into thoughts if you're imagining these things like

sometimes i visualize these things in my body or i'll just

be thinking about something totally unrelated that's okay but try to come

back to the actual sensations in the body coming back to the feelings

moment by moment just checking in get distracted check in again and just

gently with that okayness whenever we get distracted it's not a

problem it's totally fine there's no judgment here we're just

noticing how our mind runs away and gently coming back to the body

and being with the sensations of putting your hand

on your body is helpful if it's lowering the reactivity or the

restlessness that's okay just go with it if the hands

are aggravating it you can take them off just do what's comfortable for you right

now and we're kind of asking what does your

body need to be more comfortable

can you let go of any tension you're holding on to maybe in your

jaw in your neck and your hips

and if you can't that's fine so the first thing is we're

noticing what's there we're trying to relax as best as possible

knowing that we there's no way we're going to fully relax

and then we're just accepting whatever tension or restlessness is left

whatever feeling is left whatever tension or restlessness

can we just allow it to be there can we almost invite it not try to resist it

can we feel the sensations fully and open our heart to the experience

so just as we meet someone we love with an open heart

can we open our heart to our own discomfort to our own feeling of

restlessness

and sometimes when we do this it gets worse it gets

more uncomfortable and just notice if that happens and that's okay

try to find what works for you what doesn't the thing is sometimes when we

do this the symptoms become amplified and that's okay

so long as we can handle it so long as we can be present with it if it's

getting to be where we're dissociating where we're

zoning out where we can't be present and you can find a way to to find it more

easy for yourself you can find a way to accommodate yourself

but over time as we practice we want to be present and open to the sensations as

much as possible and the more we can do that the more

it's going to shift our experience the less of a problem it's going to be

the power of this practice is it might not get rid of the feelings but it

changes your relationship to it it makes it

not such a problem anymore it takes a lot of the the suffering

and the angst out of the experience we're just practicing moment to moment

can we be with the discomfort can we be with whatever is happening in

our body

and everyone's in a different place so if this isn't working for you

i have another video on managing the stress which might be helpful

but if you're able to do this practice it's very good like it's

this is the way through it this is the way to shift the experience

so just continuing to be present with the sensations in the body just as they

are without trying to change them really welcoming them

the next piece is noticing the mind noticing what the mind wants to do

if it wants to run around if it wants to create imagery if it wants to think

about the future or worry about the past

we start to see a relationship between the mind and the body that

the mind is often trying to distract us from what's happening in the body

because it's uncomfortable and that's okay that's just what it does

and so can we observe the mind and come back to the body gently

with ease there's a whole world of the mind

there's a lot we can do with practicing working with thoughts but for

now we're going to stay focused on the

sensations in the body and just trying to meet them with acceptance

warmth

you can slowly open your eyes if they're closed

and i'm really curious how that was for you you can uh leave some comments uh it

might have gone well it might have been

illuminating for you or it might not have been and that's okay some people

when they first do this practice it is overwhelming it's too much

and that's totally okay if that's where you are so i have two

practices on my channel that are really relevant to this one is

working with feelings kind of what we're doing and then the other is working with

thoughts which is just being in the thoughts

allowing the thoughts to kind of run free but to observe them as they're

moving and we're using this technique called

noting or labeling which will be explained in that video it's

kind of a lot to get into now but these are the practices that

i've personally found extremely helpful for my adhd and adhd symptoms

and also bringing these practices into everyday life the big piece here is

equanimity which is not fighting our feelings further not

resisting them or tightening up around them

or trying to escape them but to actually open to them this is really

the core of the practice and this is what's really going to change things

over time so i have another video on equanimity

and the practice of equanimity and how we become more and less equanimous

through life how our experience kind of shapes us and creates more

resistance and avoidance in our being so i would highly recommend

the video and equanimity for everyone i think it's one of the

most life-changing principles to understand it can really shift our

day-to-day experience and relationship to our

experience a relationship to our feelings and discomfort

okay so that's it for this video if you appreciate this video if you want more i

can do more videos on adhd and uh other tips to

work with it there's actually another great channel

called how to adhd that has more practical kind of general life

advice around adhd that i'd recommend checking out if you aren't

already familiar i also want to mention that there are actually so many

ways to work with adhd outside of this so this is

really focused on how we can use mindfulness and meditation to work with

adhd which for me has been without the most impactful important

skills to learn but also diet is really important adhd

exercise just having an elevated heart rate for 20 minutes a day is really

important with adhd i've also noticed that my adhd is a lot

worse when i'm in a less secure position in

life so if i'm struggling financially when i was in school and i was like kind

of struggling to you know make rent in all this my adhd

was much worse than when i had a stable income so to

think about the larger picture adhd is often this feeling of feeling

like something's wrong or we're unsafe so the safer and more grounded we could

feel in our life the lower the adhd symptoms are going to be so i'm really a

fan of a holistic approach which is eating better

not a lot of sugar or complex carbs like you want

just a lot of vegetables and proteins a little bit of

exercise every day and generally finding more stability

in life if possible whatever that means to you whatever will make you feel more

safe in life and this will absolutely have a big impact on your adhd symptoms

but this mindfulness stuff is also hugely important too so

i hope you get a lot out of it so thanks so much for tuning in if you're not

already subscribed that would be great if you're

do so and please like the video it helps i appreciate all that thank you so much

and i'll see you again soon