How Swimming Saved Michael Phelps: An ADHD Story

Michael Phelps is history’s most decorated Olympic athlete. He also has ADHD. Here, his mother explains how he overcame and harnessed his ADHD symptoms as a young swimmer and student. Likewise, the parents of “Extreme Makeover” star Ty Pennington and world record-breaking climber Danielle Fisher offer parenting advice, inspiration, and strategies.

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ADHD Paralysis

 13 Ways to Beat ADHD Analysis Paralysis

CREDITS TO ADDITUDE.COM

Are you frozen somewhere between, “There’s too much information to consider” and “I can’t make up my mind?” People with ADHD excel at making split-second decisions under high-pressure circumstances. What’s much tougher: weighing complex information to make an informed choice. These strategies can help.

What Is ADHD Paralysis?

Those with ADHD are often great at making “hot decisions” at urgent moments — a sudden household crisis or getting a friend to the emergency room. Fast-moving events light up the neurotransmitters of the ADHD brain and focus attention. We are not as good at making “cold decisions,” which are information-driven and require us to make up our minds after a lot of thought. We get stuck in ADHD paralysis.

Information Overload Drives ADHD Paralysis

“There’s just too much information, and I can’t seem to decide in time” is a common refrain heard from many of us with attention deficit who grapple with ADHD paralysis. Throw in problems enlisting our executive functions and a desire to get things over with, and we make a lot of decisions we wish we could take back. Here are some strategies for making smarter decisions we won’t regret.

Be Closed-Minded

Did you know the word “decide” comes from the Latin word “to cut off?” Limit your choices. My client Olivia, who has ADHD, found choosing a summer camp for her kid excruciating. We narrowed her choices by budget, application deadline, and proximity to home. Nothing beyond those criteria was given a glance. She was able to make the decision in record time, once she kicked her "ADHD paralysis" to the curb.

Pay Attention to Your Intuition

Studies show that long before your reasoning mind kicks in, your emotional brain has been sensing the way to go. Consult your heart. Good decisions are often a mix of logic and emotions.

Quiet Things Down

Noise, visual clutter, and too much hustle-bustle overload an ADHD brain, making it hard to make a decision. Find a quiet room or nook to think.

Set a Decision Deadline

Post your deadline on your calendar. Having a date to decide can help you prioritize by adding focus and motivation to a decision that has no time frame. People with ADHD love visual reminders.

Crowd-Source the Decision

Delegate the decision to people you trust in your social media network. They make the decision, but you assume the responsibility or accountability for it.

Put It On Paper

Write down the risks and benefits — the pros and cons — of a prospective decision on a piece of paper or a large erasable white board and evaluate them over several days. One of the pros or cons might leap out at you and trigger a decision.

Ask for More Time

Buying time counteracts knee-jerk (bad) decisions. When someone is forcing you to decide now, say, “Let me get back to you on that” or “Can I sleep on it?” or “Will you e-mail me next week for my decision?”

Pause and Reflect

After you gather a lot of information to make a decision, pull back to assess what you have. People with ADHD are often more captivated by gathering information than by deciding. You might already have enough information to decide, but unless you pause, you won’t know.

Just Say It

Saying the options of your choices out loud sometimes leads to making your decision. Externalizing thoughts cuts through the clutter of competing thoughts.

See the Silver Lining

Spend a minute thinking of what you’ll gain after making a decision. If you’re putting off organizing the top of your desk, say, think about how it will get people off your back, enable you to find that missing flash drive, and give you more surface to work on. Better yet, write the gains down.

Decide On Small Things Ahead of Time

Make as many small decisions ahead of time as you can. Freezing pre-made meals eliminates mealtime decisions. Putting outfits together on a hanger reduces what-to-wear decisions, and reading menus online can end the infernal “what to order at the restaurant” question.

Spend More Time On Important Things

Research a decision in proportion to the consequences or risks. A wrong decision about a backpack is less consequential than picking the wrong summer camp. Allot less time to thinking about the backpack.

Feel Good About Deciding

If you have lost your confidence in decision-making as mistakes in judgment of the past pile up, recall the good decisions you have made or the ones that were really tough. If you feel like a decision-maker failure, talk with a counselor to help you overcome it.

YOU CAN BE THE DECIDER

CREDITS TO ADDITUDE.COM

Could You Have Hoarding Disorder?

10 tips to boost all 7 executive functions -ADHD

 കാര്യ നിർവഹണ ഉപാധികളെ ശക്തിപ്പെടുത്തുക 

Boost Them 

One hallmark of ADHD is executive function trouble — problems planning,ആസൂത്രണം  organizing,സംഘാടനം  or self-regulating. സ്വയം ക്രമീകരണം .

And that can get very frustrating very quickly. Parents, follow these 10 tips to boost all 7 executive functions — and help your child gain more independence

Russell Barkley, Ph.D.Russell A. Barkley, Ph.D., 

now retired, was a clinical professor of psychiatry at the Virginia Treatment Center for Children and Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center, Richmond, Virginia. A clinical scientist, educator, and practitioner, Dr. Barkley has published 23 books, rating scales, and clinical manuals numbering 41 editions. He has also published more than 270 scientific articles and book chapters related to the nature, assessment, and treatment of ADHD and related disorders. He was also founder and editor of the bimonthly clinical newsletter, The ADHD Report. Dr. Barkley has presented more than 800 invited addresses internationally and appeared on nationally televised programs such as 60 Minutes, the Today Show, Good Morning America, CBS Sunday Morning, CNN, and many other programs on behalf of those with ADHD. His websites are www.russellbarkley.org and ADHDLectures.com.

Understanding Executive Dysfunction

1.self-awareness സ്വയംബോധം 

2.Inhibition ഉൾതടസ്സങ്ങൾ  

3.Non-verbal working memory വാചികേതര തൽക്കാല ഓർമ 

4.Verbal working memory വാചിക തൽക്കാല ഓർമ

5.Emotional self-regulation വൈകാരിക സ്വയം നിയന്ത്രണം 

6.Self-motivation സ്വയം പ്രചോദനം 

7.Planning and problem solving ആസൂത്രണവും പ്രശ്ന പരിഹാരവും 

Here's how you can help your child build up these muscles, gaining more control over their ADHD symptoms and taking strides toward independence along the way.

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1. Enforce Accountability .കൊച്ചിന്റെ ഓരോ പ്രവർത്തിയുടേയും ഉത്തരവാദിത്തം കൊച്ചിനു തന്നെയാണ് എന്ന് ബോധ്യപ്പെടുത്തുക 

A lot of parents wonder how much accountability is appropriate. If ADHD is a disability outside of my child’s control, should she be held accountable for her actions?

My answer is an unequivocal yes. The problem with ADHD is not with failure to understand consequences; it’s with timing. With the steps that follow, you can help your child bolster her executive functions — but the first step is to not excuse her from accountability. If anything, make her more accountable — show her you have faith in her abilities by expecting her to do what is needed.

2. Write It Down കുട്ടി ചെയ്യാനുള്ളത് എന്തൊക്കെ എന്ന് എഴുതി കാണിക്കുക .

Compensate for working memory deficits by making information visible, using notes cards, signs, sticky notes, lists, journals — anything at all! Once your child can see the information right in front of him, it’ll be easier to jog his executive functions and help him build his working memory.

[Download This Free Checklist: Common Executive Function Challenges — and Solutions]

3. Make Time External .സമയബോധം ഉണ്ടാക്കാൻ ക്ലോക്കുകൾ ,ടൈമറുകൾ , ആപ്പുകൾ ഇവ കൈകാര്യം ചെയ്യാൻ ശീലിപ്പിക്കുക 

Make time a physical, measurable thing by using clocks, timers, counters, or apps — there are tons of options! Helping your child see how much time has passed, how much is left, and how quickly it’s passing is a great way to beat that classic ADHD struggle, “time blindness.”

4. Offer Rewards.കുട്ടിയുടെ പ്രവർത്തനങ്ങളിൽ ചെറിയ നേട്ടങ്ങൾക്കു പോലും ഓരോ ഘട്ടത്തിലും നല്ല വാക്കും സമ്മാനവും നൽകികൊണ്ടിരിക്കുക . 

Use rewards to make motivation external. Someone who struggles with executive functions will have trouble motivating herself to complete tasks that don’t have immediate rewards. In these cases, it’s best to create artificial forms of motivation, like token systems or daily report cards. Reinforcing long- term goals with short-term rewards strengthens a child’s sense of self-motivation.

5. Make Learning Hands On.കാര്യങ്ങൾ /കണക്കുകൾ ഏറ്റവും ലഘുവായതു പോലും കൈ കൊണ്ട്ചെ യ്തു പഠിക്കാൻ അനുവദിക്കുക .

Put the problem in their hands! Making problems as physical as possible — like using jelly beans or colored blocks to teach simple adding and subtracting, or utilizing word magnets to work on sentence structure — helps children reconcile their verbal and non-verbal working memories, and build their executive functions in the process.

6. Stop to Refuel.3-10 മിനിറ്റുകൾക്കിടയിൽ ഇടവേളകൾ അനുവദിക്കുക 

Self-regulation and executive functions come in limited quantities. They can be depleted very quickly when your child works too hard over too short a time (like while taking a test). Give your child a chance to refuel by encouraging frequent breaks during tasks that stress the executive system. Breaks work best if they’re 3 to 10 minutes long, and can help your child get the fuel they need to tackle an assignment without getting distracted and losing track.

[Take This Test: Could Your Child Have an Executive Function Disorder?]

7. Practice Pep Talks.നിനക്കിത് ചെയ്യാൻ പറ്റും എന്നിങ്ങനെ ഓരോ പ്രവർത്തനത്തിനും മുൻപ് പ്രോത്സാഹന വാക്കുകൾ പറയുക .

You know that locker room pep talk before a big game? Your child needs one every day — sometimes more often. Teach your child to pump herself up by practising saying “You can do this!” Positive self-statements push kids to try harder and put them one step closer to accomplishing their goals. Visualizing success and talking themselves through the steps needed to achieve it is another great way to replenish the system and boost planning skills.

8. Get Physical -പതിവായി ശാരീരിക വ്യായാമങ്ങൾ ചെയ്യിക്കുക .

Physical exercise has tons of well-known benefits — including giving a boost to your child’s executive functioning! Routine physical exercise throughout the week can help refuel the tank (even make the tank bigger!) and help him cope better with his ADHD symptoms. Exercise can be found anywhere — try an organized sport, a bi-weekly park playdate, or a spur-of-the-moment run around the backyard!

9. Sip on Sugar (Yes, Really) .പരീക്ഷകൾക്കു തയ്യാറെടുക്കുമ്പോഴോ ,പരീക്ഷഎഴുതുമ്പോഴോ . അല്പം നീണ്ടു നിൽക്കുന്ന പ്രവർത്തന ങ്ങൾ ചെയ്യുമ്പോഴോ ചെറിയ ഇടവേളകളിൽ അല്പാൽപം മധുര പാനീയം(ഗ്ലുക്കോസ് ) നൽകാം .

Sugar has sometimes been known to exacerbate ADHD symptoms, but when your child is doing a lot of executive functioning (like taking an exam or finishing a big project), it may be a good idea to have her sip on some sugar-containing fluids, like lemonade or a sports drink. The glucose in these drinks fuels the frontal lobe, where the executive functions come from. The operative word here is “sip” — just a little should be able to keep your child’s blood glucose up enough to get the job done.

10. Show Compassion.കുട്ടിയോട് എല്ലായ്‌പോഴും  അനുതാപത്തോടെ വർത്തിക്കണം .കുറ്റപ്പെടുത്തരുത് .

This is a big one, folks. In most cases, individuals with ADHD are just as smart as their peers, but their executive function problems keep them from showing what they know. The key to treatment ischanging their environment to help them do that. So it’s important that the people in their lives — especially parents — show compassion and willingness to help them learn. When your child messes up, don’t go straight to yelling. Try to understand what went wrong — and how you can help him learn from his mistake.

The Educator’s Guide to Executive Functions: How to Understand and Support Students in Need

It’s Easy to Hover Over a Child with Executive Function Deficits. Don’t.

ADHD and Self-Sabotage

ADHD and Self-Sabotage

 ADHD and Self-Sabotage -by Jacqueline Sinfield | Untapped Brilliance Blog 

Sabotage means to ‘deliberately destroy.’ To self-sabotage, means doing things (actions, thought patterns, etc.) that stop us from achieving our goals. The tricky thing about self-sabotage is that we aren’t always aware that we are doing it. On the surface, self-sabotage can look like you are being rational or logical.

For example, if your goal is to lose weight you might buy a box of doughnuts ‘for guests’ and then keep them by the coffee machine where they are tempting you every time you walk by.

This article is about common self-sabotage thought patterns I see a lot.

Here is what happens.

A person (possibly you!) makes some positive lifestyle changes that help your ADHD symptoms. Perhaps you start exercising every day, taking an omega 3 supplement and going to bed before midnight.

You feel excited and proud of yourself for taking these consistent actions.

The new habits help your ADHD symptoms.

You feel less frazzled and able to focus and concentrate more. You also start to get positive feedback from friends and colleagues.

It would be great if that was The End. But it isn’t.

There is anotherj phase – the self-sabotage phase.

​Click Here to learn more about ADHD and Self-Sabotage

WHEN AND HOW SHOULD WE ADJUST MEDICATION IN ADHD

 CREDITS TO   https://www.additudemag.com/      By Chris A. Zeigler Dendy, M.S.

One of the problems with medication is that teenagers with ADHD don’t always remember to take it. As one psychiatrist said, “If a teen can remember to take his medicine consistently, he probably doesn’t have attention deficit.”

When our son, Alex, was in high school, he went through periods during which he stopped taking his medicine. His reasons varied: Sometimes he forgot, and other times he was frustrated by having to take medicine every day. Knowing that he could be impulsive and daring, we were worried until we got through those rough spots.

One thing we learned: Nagging your teen to take medication doesn’t work. Many teenagers don’t mind taking their medication because they know that it helps them succeed in school, sharpens focus, and improves their driving skills. The big challenge is to make it a consistent thing. Here are some strategies for how to get kids to take medicine.

Don’t assume the worst. “Medication refusal,” which sometimes occurs during adolescence, may be “medication forgetfulness.” If parents mistakenly assume the worst — that the teenager is willfully refusing to take the medication — it will set off a power struggle. A teen will tune you out or flush the pill down the toilet to get even.

Create a reminder system. We filled our son’s weekly medicine container and placed it by his breakfast plate. That way, we knew at a glance if he’d taken his medicine, and didn’t have to nag him about it. If he forgot, we handed him the container and said nothing. If we were away from home, we would text him a reminder.

[The Teens’ Guide to Making Meds Work]

Talk amongst yourselves. When Alex refused to take medication, we asked him why. We listened, discussed his concerns, and made adjustments. Sometimes giving him a sounding board was enough. When your teen ticks off his complaints about medication, you might say, “I know you get tired of taking it. It stinks that you need medicine every day. I know how you feel” — then give him a hug. “I’m in the same boat. I hate it that I have to take blood pressure medication all the time.”

Make your child an expert. Soon after Alex’s diagnosis, we educated him about medication and how it worked to improve his focus and impulsivity. He became an expert of sorts by participating in teen panel discussions about ADHD and medication. His expertise helped him understand how valuable meds were to his everyday success. Talk with your local CHADD group about setting up a teen panel on medication.

Connect him with other teens who have ADHD. Getting advice directly from other teens with the same challenges helps. Alex and I created a DVD, called Real Life ADHD (available at amazon.com and chrisdendy.com), in which teens explain that medication makes life easier. Emily explained, “My grades went from Ds to As and Bs when I started taking medicine.” Anthony adds that while “it stinks” to have to take meds, he couldn’t do college work without them. Max summed it up when he said, “Medicine brings out your whole potential.”

Go med-less for a while. On one occasion, when Alex was adamant about not taking medication, we permitted him to go med-less for a while. We said, “OK, Alex, we need to set up a scientific way to see how you do in school without meds. Let’s give it a six-week trial. You can tell us how you think you’re doing without medication in school each week. We’ll check with teachers for an update midway through the six weeks.” After a week, we asked Alex how things were going. He admitted that he was struggling and agreed to go back on medication.

[Get Inside Your Teen’s Head]

Lay down the law. The rule in our house was: If you’re driving, you have to take medicine. It wasn’t negotiable. Without the benefit of medication, Alex was likely to have an accident.

Involve your doctor or treatment professional. If the family can’t resolve the medication problems, set up an appointment with your doctor or treatment professional to discuss solutions.

How to Treat ADHD in Children: Next Questions

1. What ADHD medications are used to treat children?
2. Is ADHD medication right for my child?
3. What are common side effects associated with ADHD medication?
4. What natural treatments help kids with ADHD?
5. What if the medication stops working?
   • How long will it take to get the medication and dosage right?
   • How do we know the medication is working?
   • When is it time to switch medications?
   • How can we safely treat ADHD alongside its comorbid conditions?
   • What should I do if my child stops taking their medication?
   • How can we solve medication rebound problems?
6. How can I find an ADHD specialist near me?