ReportWire

Tag: anxiety

  • “ADHD and OCD: My Codependent Frenemies”

    “ADHD and OCD: My Codependent Frenemies”

    On the surface, ADHD and OCD are seemingly impossible bedfellows. “Messy,” “hyperactive,” and “scatterbrained” are just a few common synonyms for the former, while the latter is frequently associated with being exceedingly clean, uptight, and meticulous. (While some of these assumptions about these disorders are accurate for some people, they cannot be generalized or applied to everyone.)

    Yet, that’s precisely the combination I have. Research shows that up to 30% of people with ADHD also have OCD.

    In my reality, ADHD and OCD are codependent frenemies that sometimes help balance each other, even as they egg on one another.

    OCD and ADHD Feed Off Each Other

    My OCD diagnosis came first, and it never quite felt like the whole picture. I had trouble focusing, which is a common struggle in OCD that stems from difficulty managing compulsive symptoms. Still, it didn’t explain the day-to-day distractibility I experienced. It also didn’t explain my childhood issues with school or my impulsivity. When my psychiatrist added the ADHD diagnosis, it all suddenly made sense.

    OCD and ADHD both think they are helpful. ADHD knows you need more dopamine, but it fails to differentiate between healthy and unhealthy sources. OCD wants to relieve anxiety; it just tends to do so in maladaptive ways.

    [Get This Free Download: How Are Symptoms of OCD Different from ADHD?]

    Converse to its stereotype, ADHD also brings hyperfocus – a curious combination with OCD, as “obsessive” is right in the name. For ADHD brains, obsessions are a way to get the stimulation your brain thinks it needs. For OCD, obsessions are a catalyst for the compulsion part of the disorder. The two frequently exacerbate each other for me; this was especially true before I understood that I have both.

    The interplay might go something like this: I have an obsessive thought that creates anxiety. So I perform a compulsive action or thought to make it better. Making it better gives relief, and relief makes dopamine. Therefore, the compulsion not only relieves the anxiety temporarily but also activates my brain. Trying to avoid a compulsion, on the other hand, produces a hefty dose of adrenaline while dopamine and serotonin perform an endless dance in my brain.

    OCD exploits the poor impulse control of ADHD. It is so much easier to “give in” to a compulsion for that quick relief.

    As a kid, ADHD contributed to feelings of shame. I felt like I was lazy and could not do anything right. I felt like a failure and understood that I was not “living up to my potential.” OCD feeds on shame; its what-ifs led me farther into this spiral. What if my obsessions and intrusive thoughts meant that I was a terrible person? And what if, as a horrible person, I was truly lazy?

    [Read: The Truth About Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder]

    While “I have OCD” is accurate, it doesn’t mean that the disorder rules everything that I think about and do. For instance, I am not neat and orderly, and germs don’t bother me beyond what feels rational. Those aren’t my particular flavors of OCD. So while it’s true that OCD and ADHD have functional and physiological differences, there is room in my brain for both.

    OCD tends to resemble a game of whack-a-mole, with new worries and obsessions popping up just as others begin to feel manageable. ADHD means I can always find new ideas to turn into intrusive thoughts.

    Uncertainty fuels OCD, and ADHD produces a lot of uncertainty. For example, it’s challenging to reassure yourself that you locked the car when you have forgotten to do so many times before.

    OCD and ADHD: Too Intertwined to Tease Apart

    However, I suspect ADHD works to keep OCD in check in some ways. For example, people with comorbid ADHD and OCD are more likely to experience mainly thought-based compulsions, which I find less disruptive than any physical compulsions I experience. Sometimes, the distractability of ADHD smooths the roughest edges of my OCD.

    I also think ADHD makes OCD therapy more successful for me. Having a breakthrough, figuring something out, and relieving shame all bring the jolt of dopamine my brain craves. So, in some ways, their coexistence led me to more effective treatment.

    It would be great if neurodivergence and symptoms of mental conditions could fit nicely into individual columns. If only we could say, “this compulsion clangs around in the OCD bucket,” “that quirk lines the bottom of the ADHD basket,” and “that neurosis fits in the wider anxiety container.” But it’s rarely that easy. While OCD and ADHD are opposites in some ways, they are also too intertwined to tease apart.

    OCD and ADHD Together: Next Steps

    CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF ADDITUDE
    Since 1998, ADDitude has worked to provide ADHD education and guidance through webinars, newsletters, community engagement, and its groundbreaking magazine. To support ADDitude’s mission, please consider subscribing. Your readership and support help make our content and outreach possible. Thank you.

    Nathaly Pesantez

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  • How To Stop Ruminating For Good With 13 Expert-Backed Tips

    How To Stop Ruminating For Good With 13 Expert-Backed Tips

    Of course, reflective and/or deliberate rumination are not always bad, and can even help you learn from the things you’ve experienced. But as licensed psychotherapist Babita Spinelli, L.P. tells mindbodygreen, when rumination turns intrusive or brooding, you can think of it like “being on a hamster wheel of a negative thought patterns, creating anxiety, phobias, OCD, and depression.”

    And from there, according to neuroscientist Tara Swart, M.D., Ph.D., rumination can actually lead to self-fulfilling prophecies, in which we subconsciously confirm and repeat the same negative thoughts and feelings over and over again. “The more we ruminate on these thoughts, the more we embed brain pathways that hold these as true,” Swart previously told mindbodygreen.

    As you might imagine, a nasty rumination habit can take a major toll on your mental health. One 2020 analysis2 of existing rumination research has shown that ruminating can lead to worsened mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, psychosis, insomnia, and impulsive behaviors.

    It’s also been found to magnify and prolong both bad moods and the body’s stress response, negatively impact problem-solving, and even interfere with therapy and psychological interventions.

    Sarah Regan

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  • Aaron Rodgers is set to speak at a psychedelics conference

    Aaron Rodgers is set to speak at a psychedelics conference

    DENVER — Months after Colorado’s voters decided to join Oregon in decriminalizing psychedelic mushrooms, Denver will host a conference this week put on by a psychedelic advocacy group bringing together an unlikely cohort of speakers — including an NFL star, a former Republican governor and a rapper.

    The conference and the thousands expected to attend it is an indication of the creep, or perhaps leap, of cultural acceptance for psychedelic substances that proponents say may offer benefits for things like post-traumatic stress disorder and alcoholism. Still, medical experts caution that more research is needed on the drugs’ efficacy and the extent of the risks.

    NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who’ll soon debut with the New York Jets after years with the Green Bay Packers, has been open about his use of ayahuasca in the past and is slated to speak Wednesday. Rapper Jaden Smith, the son of Will Smith who has publicly shared the “ego dissolution” he felt when using psychedelics, will be speaking in Denver, too, as will former Texas Republican Gov. Rick Perry, who is an advocate for researching psychedelics’ potential benefits for veterans experiencing PTSD.

    The hosting organization, the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies, is the largest U.S. advocacy group. It has strategized to reach the full political spectrum, said Nicolas Langlitz, a historian of science who’s researched the boom and bust of psychedelic movements.

    “Overall, this strategy has been tremendously successful,” he said. “At the time when any topic gets politically polarized, ironically these super polarizing substances now get bipartisan support.”

    Still, Langlitz said, this conference is “purely designed to promote the hype,” which can exaggerate the potential benefits but can also drive further funding.

    “Any kind of overselling is not good for science because science should be accurate rather than pushing things,” he said. “It’s a tradeoff. (The conference) generates interest, it generates ultimately more research, even though the research might be skewed toward positive results.”

    Psychedelics are illegal at the federal level, though acceptance and interest in studying their potential benefits has grown. For example, some researchers believe psilocybin, the compound in psychedelic mushrooms, changes the way the brain organizes itself and can help users overcome things like depression and alcoholism.

    The drugs themselves — and the interest in them — are not new. Mid-last century, authors Aldous Huxley and Ken Kesey helped spur the use of psychedelics during the counterculture movement, and optimism brimmed among some psychologists over the drugs’ potential to augment the human psyche.

    But the Nixon administration criminalized psychedelics, pushing them underground.

    “In both cases you have this upwelling of exuberance that may or may not be irrational,” said author Michael Pollan, who wrote a book on psychedelics and will be speaking at the conference. “But I think a big difference (now) is that the enthusiasm for the potential of psychedelics cuts across a much more representative slice of the population — it’s not about a counterculture.”

    Republican strongholds, including Utah and Missouri, have or are considering commissioning studies into the drugs, partly inspired by veterans’ poignant stories. That’s why, though he stops short of promoting recreational use, Perry has become an unlikely flagbearer and helped get a bill passed in the Texas legislature in 2021 to fund a study of psilocybin for treating PTSD.

    In Congress, successful proposals to fund psychedelic research for PTSD in veterans brought progressive Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez from New York and far-right Rep. Matt Gaetz from Florida into an unlikely alignment.

    Public interest also appears to be growing. Just six years ago in Oakland, California, the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies held a conference with roughly 3,000 attendees and a smattering of lesser-known speakers and die-hard proponents.

    This time, organizers estimate at least 10,000 attendees. Other famous speakers will include former NHL player Daniel Carcillo, who owns a company specializing in psychedelic therapies; Olympic silver-medal figure skater Sasha Cohen; comedians Reggie Watts and Eric Andre, top-10 podcaster Andrew Huberman; and Carl Hart, the chair of Columbia University’s psychology department.

    The American Psychiatric Association has not endorsed the use of psychedelics in treatment, noting the Federal Drug Administration has yet to offer a final determination. The FDA did designate psilocybin as a “breakthrough therapy” in 2018, a label that’s designed to speed the development and review of drugs to treat a serious condition. MDMA, often called ecstasy, also has that designation for PTSD treatment.

    Both Pollan and Langlitz believe further research is key — especially as the nation faces an unprecedented mental health crisis and people struggle to find adequate treatment. But, Langlitz said, it’s important to let research shape the narrative.

    “I would just try to keep my mind open to the possibility that in retrospect we will tell a very different story from the one that the protagonists of psychedelic therapies are currently predicting,” he said.

    ____

    Bedayn is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

    Source link

  • Aaron Rodgers is set to speak at a psychedelics conference

    Aaron Rodgers is set to speak at a psychedelics conference

    DENVER — Months after Colorado’s voters decided to join Oregon in decriminalizing psychedelic mushrooms, Denver will host a conference this week put on by a psychedelic advocacy group bringing together an unlikely cohort of speakers — including an NFL star, a former Republican governor and a rapper.

    The conference and the thousands expected to attend it is an indication of the creep, or perhaps leap, of cultural acceptance for psychedelic substances that proponents say may offer benefits for things like post-traumatic stress disorder and alcoholism. Still, medical experts caution that more research is needed on the drugs’ efficacy and the extent of the risks.

    NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who’ll soon debut with the New York Jets after years with the Green Bay Packers, has been open about his use of ayahuasca in the past and is slated to speak Wednesday. Rapper Jaden Smith, the son of Will Smith who has publicly shared the “ego dissolution” he felt when using psychedelics, will be speaking in Denver, too, as will former Texas Republican Gov. Rick Perry, who is an advocate for researching psychedelics’ potential benefits for veterans experiencing PTSD.

    The hosting organization, the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies, is the largest U.S. advocacy group. It has strategized to reach the full political spectrum, said Nicolas Langlitz, a historian of science who’s researched the boom and bust of psychedelic movements.

    “Overall, this strategy has been tremendously successful,” he said. “At the time when any topic gets politically polarized, ironically these super polarizing substances now get bipartisan support.”

    Still, Langlitz said, this conference is “purely designed to promote the hype,” which can exaggerate the potential benefits but can also drive further funding.

    “Any kind of overselling is not good for science because science should be accurate rather than pushing things,” he said. “It’s a tradeoff. (The conference) generates interest, it generates ultimately more research, even though the research might be skewed toward positive results.”

    Psychedelics are illegal at the federal level, though acceptance and interest in studying their potential benefits has grown. For example, some researchers believe psilocybin, the compound in psychedelic mushrooms, changes the way the brain organizes itself and can help users overcome things like depression and alcoholism.

    The drugs themselves — and the interest in them — are not new. Mid-last century, authors Aldous Huxley and Ken Kesey helped spur the use of psychedelics during the counterculture movement, and optimism brimmed among some psychologists over the drugs’ potential to augment the human psyche.

    But the Nixon administration criminalized psychedelics, pushing them underground.

    “In both cases you have this upwelling of exuberance that may or may not be irrational,” said author Michael Pollan, who wrote a book on psychedelics and will be speaking at the conference. “But I think a big difference (now) is that the enthusiasm for the potential of psychedelics cuts across a much more representative slice of the population — it’s not about a counterculture.”

    Republican strongholds, including Utah and Missouri, have or are considering commissioning studies into the drugs, partly inspired by veterans’ poignant stories. That’s why, though he stops short of promoting recreational use, Perry has become an unlikely flagbearer and helped get a bill passed in the Texas legislature in 2021 to fund a study of psilocybin for treating PTSD.

    In Congress, successful proposals to fund psychedelic research for PTSD in veterans brought progressive Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez from New York and far-right Rep. Matt Gaetz from Florida into an unlikely alignment.

    Public interest also appears to be growing. Just six years ago in Oakland, California, the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies held a conference with roughly 3,000 attendees and a smattering of lesser-known speakers and die-hard proponents.

    This time, organizers estimate at least 10,000 attendees. Other famous speakers will include former NHL player Daniel Carcillo, who owns a company specializing in psychedelic therapies; Olympic silver-medal figure skater Sasha Cohen; comedians Reggie Watts and Eric Andre, top-10 podcaster Andrew Huberman; and Carl Hart, the chair of Columbia University’s psychology department.

    The American Psychiatric Association has not endorsed the use of psychedelics in treatment, noting the Federal Drug Administration has yet to offer a final determination. The FDA did designate psilocybin as a “breakthrough therapy” in 2018, a label that’s designed to speed the development and review of drugs to treat a serious condition. MDMA, often called ecstasy, also has that designation for PTSD treatment.

    Both Pollan and Langlitz believe further research is key — especially as the nation faces an unprecedented mental health crisis and people struggle to find adequate treatment. But, Langlitz said, it’s important to let research shape the narrative.

    “I would just try to keep my mind open to the possibility that in retrospect we will tell a very different story from the one that the protagonists of psychedelic therapies are currently predicting,” he said.

    ____

    Bedayn is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

    Source link

  • Aaron Rodgers is set to speak at a psychedelics conference

    Aaron Rodgers is set to speak at a psychedelics conference

    DENVER — Months after Colorado’s voters decided to join Oregon in decriminalizing psychedelic mushrooms, Denver will host a conference this week put on by a psychedelic advocacy group bringing together an unlikely cohort of speakers — including an NFL star, a former Republican governor and a rapper.

    The conference and the thousands expected to attend it is an indication of the creep, or perhaps leap, of cultural acceptance for psychedelic substances that proponents say may offer benefits for things like post-traumatic stress disorder and alcoholism. Still, medical experts caution that more research is needed on the drugs’ efficacy and the extent of the risks.

    NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who’ll soon debut with the New York Jets after years with the Green Bay Packers, has been open about his use of ayahuasca in the past and is slated to speak Wednesday. Rapper Jaden Smith, the son of Will Smith who has publicly shared the “ego dissolution” he felt when using psychedelics, will be speaking in Denver, too, as will former Texas Republican Gov. Rick Perry, who is an advocate for researching psychedelics’ potential benefits for veterans experiencing PTSD.

    The hosting organization, the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies, is the largest U.S. advocacy group. It has strategized to reach the full political spectrum, said Nicolas Langlitz, a historian of science who’s researched the boom and bust of psychedelic movements.

    “Overall, this strategy has been tremendously successful,” he said. “At the time when any topic gets politically polarized, ironically these super polarizing substances now get bipartisan support.”

    Still, Langlitz said, this conference is “purely designed to promote the hype,” which can exaggerate the potential benefits but can also drive further funding.

    “Any kind of overselling is not good for science because science should be accurate rather than pushing things,” he said. “It’s a tradeoff. (The conference) generates interest, it generates ultimately more research, even though the research might be skewed toward positive results.”

    Psychedelics are illegal at the federal level, though acceptance and interest in studying their potential benefits has grown. For example, some researchers believe psilocybin, the compound in psychedelic mushrooms, changes the way the brain organizes itself and can help users overcome things like depression and alcoholism.

    The drugs themselves — and the interest in them — are not new. Mid-last century, authors Aldous Huxley and Ken Kesey helped spur the use of psychedelics during the counterculture movement, and optimism brimmed among some psychologists over the drugs’ potential to augment the human psyche.

    But the Nixon administration criminalized psychedelics, pushing them underground.

    “In both cases you have this upwelling of exuberance that may or may not be irrational,” said author Michael Pollan, who wrote a book on psychedelics and will be speaking at the conference. “But I think a big difference (now) is that the enthusiasm for the potential of psychedelics cuts across a much more representative slice of the population — it’s not about a counterculture.”

    Republican strongholds, including Utah and Missouri, have or are considering commissioning studies into the drugs, partly inspired by veterans’ poignant stories. That’s why, though he stops short of promoting recreational use, Perry has become an unlikely flagbearer and helped get a bill passed in the Texas legislature in 2021 to fund a study of psilocybin for treating PTSD.

    In Congress, successful proposals to fund psychedelic research for PTSD in veterans brought progressive Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez from New York and far-right Rep. Matt Gaetz from Florida into an unlikely alignment.

    Public interest also appears to be growing. Just six years ago in Oakland, California, the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies held a conference with roughly 3,000 attendees and a smattering of lesser-known speakers and die-hard proponents.

    This time, organizers estimate at least 10,000 attendees. Other famous speakers will include former NHL player Daniel Carcillo, who owns a company specializing in psychedelic therapies; Olympic silver-medal figure skater Sasha Cohen; comedians Reggie Watts and Eric Andre, top-10 podcaster Andrew Huberman; and Carl Hart, the chair of Columbia University’s psychology department.

    The American Psychiatric Association has not endorsed the use of psychedelics in treatment, noting the Federal Drug Administration has yet to offer a final determination. The FDA did designate psilocybin as a “breakthrough therapy” in 2018, a label that’s designed to speed the development and review of drugs to treat a serious condition. MDMA, often called ecstasy, also has that designation for PTSD treatment.

    Both Pollan and Langlitz believe further research is key — especially as the nation faces an unprecedented mental health crisis and people struggle to find adequate treatment. But, Langlitz said, it’s important to let research shape the narrative.

    “I would just try to keep my mind open to the possibility that in retrospect we will tell a very different story from the one that the protagonists of psychedelic therapies are currently predicting,” he said.

    ____

    Bedayn is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

    Source link

  • Austin Pets Alive! | How APA! Gives Behavior Dogs a Second Lease on…

    Austin Pets Alive! | How APA! Gives Behavior Dogs a Second Lease on…

    Jun 15, 2023

    Dogs are social animals. Typically they love the company of other dogs, are comfortable around people, adapt readily to various situations and eagerly await at the door to welcome us home.

    These social skills are learned and dogs benefit from practicing them. Unlike people, pups only have body language and barking to communicate how they are feeling and misreading these cues can lead to serious misunderstandings of what the animal is trying to tell us, often resulting in pups being deemed “Behavior Dogs.”

    Austin Pets Alive! Is leading the charge to save this vulnerable subset of the shelter population from euthanasia by providing behavioral modification training, dog socialization playgroups, and adoption follow-up services to help place these pups in loving homes.

    Understanding a dog’s body language is paramount to supporting their behaviors — whether, correcting a behavior, enhancing a behavior or simply letting the dog know that you’re on their side. Reading these behavioral cues are critical to understanding a pet’s needs and in the shelter environment, can be the difference between life and death.

    Ruthie is a great example of a life saved thanks to APA!’s Behavior team taking a moment to read between the lines. The 5-year-old black mouth cur mix, originally came to APA! as a puppy, ill with parvovirus. She was treated and adopted, but four years later she was returned to APA! due to some developed behavioral quirks such as displaying some pretty severe separation anxiety and resource guarding.

    That’s when former Dog Behavior Team member and current APA! Data Engineer, Ellis Avallone took her on as their “special project.” Initially, staff members had trouble determining if Ruthie was showing signs of aggression. She can be a tough “read” in her kennel — throwing “very large and jarring tantrums. She is a big dog with a big bark,” Ellis recalls “She doesn’t have a bite history (but when she doesn’t get what she wants), she’ll bark, show teeth, and lunge.”

    Putting their dog language know how to use, Ellis leaned in to “hear” what Ruthie was trying to communicate.“The biggest misunderstanding about her behavior is that she isn’t trying to hurt anyone when she throws her tantrums. She’s just upset and doesn’t know how to express it.” Taking Ruthie to their home for a sleepover allowed Ruthie’s BFF the opportunity to get a better understanding of exactly what her separation anxiety looked like. While working on separation anxiety can be a bit difficult while a dog is in shelter, this first hand experience allows our team the ability to have more productive and knowledgeable conversations with future fosters or potential adopters on what to expect and ways they can begin addressing the behavior.

    With the support of the dog behavior team, APA!’s Flight Path Program, a program that utilizes volunteers to support a pet’s mental wellness and behavioral progress, and Ellis’ faithful friendship, Ruthie continues to show great improvement, such as a displaying reduced resource guarding. She primarily guards “high-value” treats such as bully sticks or peanut butter. Ellis has worked to lessen this behavior of Ruthie’s with a specialized feeding program in which Ruthie is receiving positive reinforcement as food is being tossed to her bowl and conditioned to feel calm built through respectful trust.

    “Being friends with Ruthie has been the best part of working and volunteering at APA!. I love how excited she gets when she sees me and how she instantly turns into a wiggle machine when we leave for campus field trips. If you need a dog to pick up on emotions, she’s your girl.”

    Our staff is keenly aware that each dog is an individual and that some pups may not be ready for placement initially but through training, behavior modification, and taking the time to understand what an animal is communicating, we can help a misunderstood dog like Ruthie, realize their full potential!

    Source link

  • Austin Pets Alive! | APA! Gives Behavior Dogs a Second Lease on Life:…

    Austin Pets Alive! | APA! Gives Behavior Dogs a Second Lease on Life:…

    Jun 15, 2023

    Dogs are social animals. Typically they love the company of other dogs, are comfortable around people, adapt readily to various situations and eagerly await at the door to welcome us home.

    These social skills are learned and dogs benefit from practicing them. Unlike people, pups only have body language and barking to communicate how they are feeling and misreading these cues can lead to serious misunderstandings of what the animal is trying to tell us, often resulting in pups being deemed “Behavior Dogs.”

    Austin Pets Alive! Is leading the charge to save this vulnerable subset of the shelter population from euthanasia by providing behavioral modification training, dog socialization playgroups, and adoption follow-up services to help place these pups in loving homes.

    Understanding a dog’s body language is paramount to supporting their behaviors — whether, correcting a behavior, enhancing a behavior or simply letting the dog know that you’re on their side. Reading these behavioral cues are critical to understanding a pet’s needs and in the shelter environment, can be the difference between life and death.

    Ruthie is a great example of a life saved thanks to APA!’s Behavior team taking a moment to read between the lines. The 5-year-old black mouth cur mix, originally came to APA! as a puppy, ill with parvovirus. She was treated and adopted, but four years later she was returned to APA! due to some developed behavioral quirks such as displaying some pretty severe separation anxiety and resource guarding.

    That’s when former Dog Behavior Team member and current APA! Data Engineer, Ellis Avallone took her on as their “special project.” Initially, staff members had trouble determining if Ruthie was showing signs of aggression. She can be a tough “read” in her kennel — throwing “very large and jarring tantrums. She is a big dog with a big bark,” Ellis recalls “She doesn’t have a bite history (but when she doesn’t get what she wants), she’ll bark, show teeth, and lunge.”

    Putting their dog language know how to use, Ellis leaned in to “hear” what Ruthie was trying to communicate.“The biggest misunderstanding about her behavior is that she isn’t trying to hurt anyone when she throws her tantrums. She’s just upset and doesn’t know how to express it.” Taking Ruthie to their home for a sleepover allowed Ruthie’s BFF the opportunity to get a better understanding of exactly what her separation anxiety looked like. While working on separation anxiety can be a bit difficult while a dog is in shelter, this first hand experience allows our team the ability to have more productive and knowledgeable conversations with future fosters or potential adopters on what to expect and ways they can begin addressing the behavior.

    With the support of the dog behavior team, APA!’s Flight Path Program, a program that utilizes volunteers to support a pet’s mental wellness and behavioral progress, and Ellis’ faithful friendship, Ruthie continues to show great improvement, such as a displaying reduced resource guarding. She primarily guards “high-value” treats such as bully sticks or peanut butter. Ellis has worked to lessen this behavior of Ruthie’s with a specialized feeding program in which Ruthie is receiving positive reinforcement as food is being tossed to her bowl and conditioned to feel calm built through respectful trust.

    “Being friends with Ruthie has been the best part of working and volunteering at APA!. I love how excited she gets when she sees me and how she instantly turns into a wiggle machine when we leave for campus field trips. If you need a dog to pick up on emotions, she’s your girl.”

    Our staff is keenly aware that each dog is an individual and that some pups may not be ready for placement initially but through training, behavior modification, and taking the time to understand what an animal is communicating, we can help a misunderstood dog like Ruthie, realize their full potential!

    Source link

  • The Real Reason ADHD Medication Supply Is Lagging Demand

    The Real Reason ADHD Medication Supply Is Lagging Demand

    June 13, 2023

    Whoever says the Adderall shortage is over is living on a different planet. I have dozens of patients who rely on Adderall and who panic every month. Whenever it’s time to refill their prescriptions, the drama begins: Where can I find the medication I need?

    This uncertainty is causing extreme hardship for many of my patients. While stimulant medication is not exactly like insulin (you won’t likely die without it), it is like eyeglasses. Without your glasses, your execution of everything suffers. You go about your day making mistakes, bumping into things, risking getting fired because suddenly you’re incompetent. I wish the Adderall shortage were over, but up here in the Boston area at least, it is as bad as it’s ever been.

    I can’t figure out why. It’s not as if Adderall is like truffles; we don’t need special pigs to root it out from the ground. Production is not limited by the availability of its components. It’s easily synthesized. So why is there a limit on how much stimulant medication can be produced and marketed? Why are my patients suffering unnecessarily?

    [Read: Adderall Shortage Persists as Opioid Settlement Triggers Pharmacy Constraints]

    Why Are We Punishing ADHD Patients?

    If limiting the production of Adderall is part of an effort to reduce or prevent the reselling or other misuse of the drug, that simply makes no sense. It’s just plain stupid. It’s like trying to reduce car theft by limiting the manufacture of cars.

    It’s difficult for me not to believe this is a misguided attempt to avoid another oxycontin debacle. But limiting the manufacture of Adderall to prevent Adderall abuse only succeeds in punishing the patients who really need the drug.

    To blame the Adderall shortage, as the FDA commissioner recently did, on improper or aggressive diagnosis of ADHD and improper or aggressive prescription of stimulant medication is to penalize the many for the mistakes of a few. Unless a doctor is intentionally over-diagnosing to make a profit — which does happen, unfortunately, but not nearly often enough to create a shortage of Adderall — then we ought to have enough of a supply to meet the needs of all people diagnosed with ADHD.

    [Download: ADHD Medications – Comparison Chart of Stimulants & Nonstimulants]

    There is a shortage of Adderall because, for some reason, the manufacturing quotas set by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) are not keeping up with demand. It’s good news that the demand is high because that means more people are getting diagnosed. Not too long ago, it was hard to find a doctor who knew enough to diagnose and treat ADHD.

    Now that we’re diagnosing and treating more people with ADHD, especially adults, we ought to be able to prescribe for them the medications they need to live more productive, fulfilled lives.

    ADHD Medication Shortage: Next Steps

    CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF ADDITUDE
    Since 1998, ADDitude has worked to provide ADHD education and guidance through webinars, newsletters, community engagement, and its groundbreaking magazine. To support ADDitude’s mission, please consider subscribing. Your readership and support help make our content and outreach possible. Thank you.

    Nicole Kear

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  • Florida center says ‘Grey Team’ technology, exercise help veterans overcome PTSD and other ailments

    Florida center says ‘Grey Team’ technology, exercise help veterans overcome PTSD and other ailments

    BOCA RATON, Fla. — Before Fred Kalfon began exercising at the Grey Team veterans center a couple months ago, the 81-year-old rarely left his Florida home.

    Parkinson’s disease, an inner ear disorder and other neurological problems, all likely caused by the Vietnam vet’s exposure to the infamous defoliant Agent Orange, made it difficult for him to move. His post-traumatic stress disorder, centering on the execution of a woman who helped his platoon, was at its worst.

    Treatment through the federal Department of Veterans Affairs didn’t work, he said.

    “I felt stupid the way I walk around and stumble,” said Kalfon, who led a medical aid unit as a first lieutenant in 1964-65. “I was depressed.”

    But after months in a veteran-specialized gym and recovery program, the retired pharmaceutical researcher and sales manager is socializing and has thrown aside his walker for a cane.

    He’s among the latest of 700 veterans of all ages working with the Grey Team, a 7-year-old organization combining personalized workouts, camaraderie, community outings and an array of machines in a 90-day program targeted at improving physical and mental health.

    “It’s the machines, sure. It’s the therapy you are taking. It’s the (staff’s) encouragement — they are there all the time for you. They are caring. Caring makes a difference,” Kalfon said.

    The nonprofit center, located in a converted warehouse in Boca Raton, Florida, gets its name, in part, from the brain’s nickname: “gray matter.” Many of the vets who apply and are accepted into the free program suffered head trauma in battle or have PTSD.

    “What we have created here is really magical,” said Grey Team co-founder Cary Reichbach, 62, a physical trainer and former Army police officer. The goal, he said, is to get the vets off medications for their mental and physical ailments when possible. Even after completing the program, participants can still workout, hang out and participate in outings.

    With the government saying vets are 50% more likely to kill themselves than non-veterans, Reichbach is proud the center helps combat that statistic.

    “We want to tackle the suicidal ideation before it even starts,” he said.

    He concedes suicide prevention is easier because the center doesn’t accept clients who are homeless or have uncontrolled addictions.

    “I wish we had the funding to tackle” those issues, he said.

    The Grey Team’s program features an array of machines using infrared light, lasers and sound waves meant to relieve stress, heal mental and physical wounds and help the vets sleep without the use of pharmaceuticals. The program is run by a primary team of seven, including a medical director.

    Drugs are overutilized in other veteran programs, such as those in VA hospitals, often because “they have a budget and they have to spend it,” Reichbach said.

    Ohio State University psychologist Craig Bryan, a former executive director of the National Center for Veterans Studies, said the successes of the Grey Team program are not surprising given the selective participant pool.

    “They are selecting from a subgroup with less severe problems,” said Bryan, a former Air Force captain who now works with the VA.

    His skepticism also extends to the effectiveness of the machines.

    “To my knowledge, they’ve never been rigorously studied so it’s hard to know if they have any benefit at all and/or if they have side effects or cause harms,” Bryan said. “Exercise is a common feature of many therapies and treatments that have demonstrated efficacy for PTSD, depression and suicide risk.”

    University researchers are collecting data that Reichbach said he believes will show his program’s treatments work.

    Reichbach’s 93-year-old father, Ed, offers hugs and back slaps to everyone entering the Grey Team lobby. Sometimes the Army vet and former university professor drops to give 10 rapid-fire pushups — a demonstration to give older vets a jolt on their first visit.

    “We have to get them in here, that’s the difficult part,” he said.

    Upstairs in the center’s “safe space” community area, Navy vet Bill Tolle discussed his service as a meteorologist and oceanographer from 1983 to 1990. As a petty officer second-class stationed in Puerto Rico, Hawaii and Antarctica, he never experienced combat.

    But in 1988, Tolle witnessed a plane crash at his Antarctic base that killed two people. A year later, he sustained a back injury in a helicopter crash. The back-to-back traumas left him with PTSD. He worked as a firefighter and then a registered nurse in an inner-city emergency room. His PTSD led to alcoholism.

    “I really wasn’t familiar with what PTSD was. I always thought it was combat-related,” Tolle said. “For years I went untreated and it got progressively worse.”

    He finally was diagnosed in 2016 but didn’t get treatment until 2020 through a residential VA program. He then lived at the Salvation Army, which introduced him to the Grey Team.

    Tolle is a believer in the center’s machines.

    “My thinking was foggy, at best. A lot of short-term memory stuff. I would forget. I can now think things through, resolve things,” he said. “My whole cognitive function is sharper.”

    In the center’s gym, Kalfon talked about walking through Vietnam jungles still wet with Agent Orange, the herbicide sprayed by the U.S. from planes to kill the brush where enemy soldiers hid. It has been linked to veterans’ health problems.

    His health began failing about seven years ago. First, a heart attack and quintuple bypass. Then the neurological problems. His health insurance agent told him about the Grey Team and he applied, seeing it as a last hope.

    For about two months, Kalfon has been coming to the center three times weekly. He can now walk up stairs and has set a goal to jog 3 miles (5 kilometers).

    “When I can do that,” he said, “I think I will have accomplished everything I need.”

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  • “I’m Still Recovering from ‘Hyperfocus Burnout.’ It’s Been Six Years.”

    “I’m Still Recovering from ‘Hyperfocus Burnout.’ It’s Been Six Years.”

    In my first full-time job after finishing my master’s degree, I was put in charge a long-running project that was already years behind schedule. With strict, unrealistic timelines and insufficient resources, the project was mine to save.

    I’ve always been a high achiever, so I dove right in. Despite the pressure and all the givens, I found the work highly engaging and rewarding – the perfect combination for hyperfocus.

    Intense weeks turned into months. The longer I hyperfocused on the project and the more I accomplished, the more important my work became to me. It was all or nothing.

    I kept up the pace for a year and a half. Then, with almost no warning, I broke.

    I know what you’re thinking; it’s a classic case of burnout, right? Not exactly. You see, that burnout episode happened six years ago — and I’m still recovering from it.

    Burnout by Another Name

    Years after that episode, with a new job and an objectively manageable workload, I am still only able to work about 20 hours a week. I’m also highly sensitive to day-to-day work stress; some hard days can trigger depressive episodes and significant fatigue.

    [Read: Rising from the Burnout — an ADHD Recovery Kit]

    I finally sought help recently, and I found a therapist who specializes in ADHD. I told her my story and, I read what I could on burnout between our sessions to try to make sense of what I went through (and the effects I’m still experiencing). The more I learned, and the more I explored my burnout during therapy, the more I realized that traditional, commonly understood concepts of burnout failed to capture my experience.

    What I went through, I realized, was a form of burnout that I believe affects many of us with ADHD: I call it “hyperfocus burnout.”

    Digging Deeper on Hyperfocus Burnout

    The World Health Organization (WHO) describes burnout as the result of chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. Here’s how the dimensions of burnout match up to my burnout experience:

    • feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion (Yep)
    • increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job (Not really)
    • a sense of ineffectiveness and lack of accomplishment (Nope)

    As stressful and demanding as leading that project was, I kept going back every day, eager to see it through. I wasn’t mentally distant from my stressor — I was engaged with it. It was all I thought about, day and night. I didn’t feel a sense of ineffectiveness or a lack of accomplishment on the job. It was just the opposite; my job was its own reward, and my productivity and effectiveness increased over time, fueling a positive feedback loop.

    [Read: Hyperfocus — a Blessing and a Curse]

    In my mind, there was nothing to escape or recover from. Sure, I wanted things to calm down, but burnout never showed up on my radar (though others in my life could see it). That’s why it’s typical approaches — like taking breaks, reframing, and increasing rewards – wouldn’t have worked on me.

    A dimension of my experience that I didn’t see reflected in my research was my intense and increasing fear of falling short on my job. As time went on, my perceived consequences for failure worsened and became unrealistic. By the end, what started as “it will be a bad look” turned into the existential “this project could end my career and leave my wife and I destitute.” I won’t deny that these irrational fears also kept me hyperfocused on my work.

    Day to day, when I wasn’t working, I just felt exhausted. I’d have trouble focusing, I was forgetful, and I found it almost impossible to muster the energy required to start day-to-day tasks like cooking and cleaning. All other aspects of my life, including things I truly enjoyed, started to fade away.  Once I started working again, that exhaustion faded away, or at least I didn’t notice it.

    When I did break, it was sudden — as if the branch that I had been perched on all this time had suddenly snapped, leaving me broken on the ground. From one day to the next, I could barely get out of bed. My mind was foggy, my memory was non-existent, and I couldn’t make coherent sentences, let alone work. That extreme state lasted for the next five weeks. I then spent the next five years clawing my way back, only to still be half of my former self; I worked part time and struggled to keep up with the demands of life. The effects of traditional burnout, meanwhile, apparently resolve after a few months.

    Hyperfocus Burnout vs. Traditional Burnout

    With the help of my therapist, here’s where I landed: Traditional burnout is triggered by a mismatch between time, demands, resources, and rewards. Symptoms occur on a spectrum and increase over time as pressure and lack of reward increase.

    Hyperfocus burnout, on the other hand, is triggered only by an overabundance of pressure or demands, particularly on a high-focus activity.

    In traditional burnout, there are efforts to detach and turn away from an unsustainable situation. In hyperfocus burnout, we engage and turn into the unsustainable situation. We push through until the situation ends or we break.

    My therapist, who has seen her fair share of clients with ADHD who have burned out like I have, says those who reach their hyperfocus breaking point push themselves past their limits due to a strong sense of responsibility and a failure to recognize the mental and physiological strain that is accumulating to an inevitable peak.

    Hyperfocus, ultimately, is just another problem with attentional shifting that characterizes ADHD. It’s why many of us will forget to eat or go the bathroom when absorbed in a task. When unchecked, hyperfocus can cause us to sacrifice many life functions in the pursuit of a particularly salient goal.

    Traditional burnout, it seems, is a protective mechanism that helps a person recognize when they’re reaching their limit and are close to breaking. That mechanism failed, in my case, because of my ADHD and attention regulation challenges.

    Recovering from Hyperfocus Burnout

    There is another element to my story: Though I was diagnosed with ADHD as a child, I had gone without treatment for most of my adult life, as I had enough strategies to keep the “traditional” inattentive symptoms at bay. My therapist strongly encouraged me to start taking ADHD medication, and I’m glad she did. Medication has reduced my emotional ADHD symptoms (symptoms I hadn’t even been aware were part of ADHD). My existential fear of failure disappeared almost overnight. Stimulant medication reduced my anxiety and increased my resilience to stress; it was much more effective than the SSRI I had previously been prescribed.

    All in all, starting medication allowed me to increase my working hours longer than I have in years, without sacrificing the rest of my life. Now I’m also better able to recognize instances of unhelpful hyperfocus, and I’m much more likely to disengage and use coping strategies — something I struggled to do before. Still, medication is not a fail-safe; I have to be careful about slipping back into old patterns.

    I wish I knew then what I know about extreme hyperfocus. I wish I knew that it could turn into a positive feedback cycle that gets harder to escape the longer you’re in it. I wish I knew that relentless hyperfocus would break me and result in a very long and painful recovery. Maybe if I had this information, I would have listened to my wife and friends; maybe I could have helped my manager realize that I was in serious trouble, even though I was still very effective at my job and not showing the traditional (dare I say, neurotypical) signs of burnout. Maybe I could have prevented my hyperfocus burnout.

    Extreme Burnout and ADHD Hyperfocus: Next Steps

    This piece was a joint effort between Matt and his psychologist, Dr. Petra Hoggarth. Based in Christchurch, New Zealand, Dr. Hoggarth specializes in adult ADHD assessment and therapy.

    CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF ADDITUDE
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    Nathaly Pesantez

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  • A Leader’s Guide to Managing Anxiety | Entrepreneur

    A Leader’s Guide to Managing Anxiety | Entrepreneur

    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Anxiety is something many of us don’t believe we have ever experienced. We often think anxiety means being nervous or scared, when in fact it can show up in so many ways! Believe it or not, anxiety can sneak into our experiences as a leader more often than we realize. It’s not uncommon for the weight of responsibility to bring forth a whirlwind of emotions. As someone who has answered numerous questions and interacted with individuals facing similar challenges, I understand the impact of anxiety in leadership positions. So, let’s unpack together how anxiety manifests in leadership roles and discover the steps to overcome it.

    In my professional career, I have helped my clients both identify and conquer anxiety in all its shapes and forms. The number one presentation of anxiety I have seen that is so often not acknowledged is self-doubt. The weight of making critical decisions and guiding a team can really weigh on many great leaders. However, anxiety is not the be-all and end-all. I believe any leader can learn how to get anxiety’s grips under control. Today, I want to share with you the insights I’ve gained to empower you to lead with confidence yourself!

    Related: 3 Ways to Lead Effectively While Dealing with Anxiety

    How anxiety manifests in leadership roles

    Imposter syndrome:

    Leaders often experience imposter syndrome, and they might not even realize it. Imposter syndrome is based on fear, and it essentially comes down to the individual not believing they are good enough for their role. This self-doubt can undermine your confidence and hinder your ability to make decisions. Remember, you are in your leadership role for a reason. Reflect on your achievements, skills and unique perspectives that brought you here. Go back to the real you and acknowledge that you have what it takes to lead.

    Mentors are great resources to help guide your perspective on yourself toward a more fulfilling framework. Additionally, look out for clues on how you are exactly the right person for the role. Any wins, big or small, are evidence of this. Tip: Don’t overlook the small stuff! Often, this is what creates the larger picture of all your capabilities and skills.

    Fear of failure:

    Anxiety in leadership often stems from a fear of failure (also related to imposter syndrome). The pressure to meet expectations and deliver results can create a constant sense of unease. Instead of viewing failure as a reflection of your worth, reframe it as an opportunity for growth. Embrace a mindset that sees failure as a stepping stone toward success. Ask yourself, “What can I learn from this experience? How can I improve?”

    Again, failure can make us feel uneasy because it might seem unpredictable. Why did I fail? Was it me or an external reason? Reflect on where you feel you didn’t perform, and locate how you can avoid this next time. Certainty and direction are easy ways to start mitigating those anxious feelings.

    Overwhelm and decision paralysis:

    Leadership positions come with a multitude of responsibilities and decisions. Anxiety can leave you feeling overwhelmed, leading to decision paralysis. Interestingly, procrastination can start to creep up when we enter this zone. Very related to fear of failure, we avoid taking action because we fear the negative feelings that failure might bring. So, how can we go about dealing with this? Break tasks into manageable steps and prioritize effectively. Seek input from your team and trusted advisors. Remember, you don’t have to shoulder the burden alone. Delegate when necessary, and trust in the collective wisdom of your team.

    Effective communication challenges:

    Anxiety can hinder effective communication in leadership roles, too. The fear of being judged or misunderstood can prevent you from expressing your thoughts clearly. This might make us engage in indirect communication, where we don’t really express our needs or how we really feel. Awareness is the key here. Often, we aren’t even aware that we are doubling down on what we say or not expressing ourselves clearly. Start small, and reach out with the help of a mentor as well. Sometimes a bit of practice is all that it takes to get us on the right path again.

    Work-life balance struggles:

    As leaders, we often find it challenging to strike a balance between work and personal life. The constant demands and pressures can consume your thoughts, leading to burnout and heightened anxiety. Set boundaries, and prioritize self-care. Remember that taking care of yourself is essential to leading effectively. Delegate tasks, seek support when needed, and engage in activities that recharge your energy. Also, book it in! Schedule this time for you in your calendar. Make it a priority in your life. Taking these steps will mean you will return back to your role with more energy and vitality than before.

    Related: 5 Tips for Dealing With Anxiety as a Business Owner Right Now

    How to conquer anxiety in leadership

    With all this in mind, here are some extra bonuses on how to conquer anxiety every day.

    Embrace vulnerability:

    Acknowledge and embrace your vulnerability as a leader. Understand that it is okay to ask for help and show vulnerability. By doing so, you create an environment where others feel safe to do the same. Vulnerability fosters trust, authenticity and collaboration!

    Seek support:

    Don’t hesitate to seek support from mentors, coaches or trusted colleagues who have navigated similar challenges. They can provide guidance, perspective and reassurance. Remember, you are not alone in your journey, and seeking support is a sign of strength (you will also inspire those around you to do the same).

    Practice mindfulness:

    Engage in mindfulness practices to cultivate self-awareness and manage anxiety. Mindfulness techniques such as meditation, deep breathing exercises and visualization can help you stay present, manage stress and maintain a clear focus. Take it easy, too! Studies have shown even just three minutes of mindfulness practice can help your brain ground itself and enter the present moment.

    Celebrate successes:

    Acknowledge and celebrate your successes, no matter how small. Take time to reflect on your achievements and milestones. Celebrating success boosts your confidence, reaffirms your capabilities and motivates you to tackle future challenges with a positive mindset. Also, celebrate these with your team. This truly gets everyone’s energy going!

    Continuous learning and growth:

    Embrace a mindset of continuous learning and growth. Seek opportunities to expand your knowledge, skills and leadership abilities. Engage in professional development, attend workshops or conferences, and connect with like-minded individuals. By investing in your growth, you build confidence and enhance your leadership capabilities. There is always more to learn, and with knowledge comes power in yourself and your abilities!

    Related: How to Overcome Entrepreneurial Anxiety, Banish Stress, and Crush Your Goals

    Anxiety can manifest in leadership roles, but it doesn’t have to define your journey. By understanding its challenges and implementing effective strategies, you can lead with confidence, authenticity and resilience. Embrace your unique abilities, seek support, practice mindfulness, celebrate successes, and commit to continuous learning. Remember, the path to overcoming anxiety begins with self-belief and a commitment to personal growth. Are you ready to embark on this transformative journey? Embrace the challenges, unlock your true leadership potential, and inspire greatness within yourself and your team. The future of your leadership begins now!

    Mikey Lucas

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  • “The Personal Mottos That Transformed My ADHD Life”

    “The Personal Mottos That Transformed My ADHD Life”

    I never thought I’d have a life-changing revelation in the cereal aisle at Walmart, but that’s exactly what happened. As I tried to decide which breakfast option to buy, my thoughts went something like this:

    I don’t know what to get.

    I really want Cinnamon Toast Crunch.

    But I can’t get that. I should get the Special K.

    Shoulds and musts are instilled in us from the time we are very little. Some of these rules are valuable. Others are more arbitrary, but they still end up governing our lives as rules. In this case, I had made a rule dictating which cereals I can and can’t buy.

    That’s when it hit me.

    Wait, there are no rules! I can buy what I want. I can do what I want!

    ADHD Motto #1: There Are No Rules

    My Walmart moment may not seem like a big deal, but it was an epiphany to me. You see, growing up, my parents taught me very specific ways of doing just about everything. From folding towels to emptying the dishwasher, everything had to be completed a certain way, which was both helpful and harmful. It wasn’t until I was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult that I understood why I struggled so much to keep up with my everyone else’s rules and norms.

    [Read: My 25 Rules for Life — a Practical Cure for ADHD Shame and Stagnation]

    Living — or trying to live — by rules set by neurotypical brains is one of the most frustrating aspects of living with ADHD. Worse than that, we don’t always recognize what’s happening — that we’re beating ourselves up for stumbling over rules that don’t work for our neurodivergent brains.

    After that Walmart moment, and with an understanding of how my brain works, I constantly remind myself that there are no rules. There is no “right” way to do a thing. There’s only the way that works for me.

    How many trash cans should I have in my office? There are no rules — as many as I need. Do I have to fold my clothes before putting them away? No. There are no rules.

    ADHD Motto #2: Anything Worth Doing is Worth Doing Poorly

    Hold on, perfectionists — stay with me here.

    My second motto came from a post I saw on social media, which reads in part: “Anything worth doing is worth doing poorly… because doing it poorly is better than not doing it.”

    [Read: Intention Deficit Disorder — Why ADHD Minds Struggle to Meet Goals with Action]

    I don’t have to tell you that getting things started is immensely difficult for ADHD brains. There’s overwhelm, for one, and then there’s fear of failure, all of which can keep us at a standstill, perpetuating the cycle of exhaustion we tend to create.

    But this motto gave me permission to do what I can and forget about the big finish line. To me, this motto helped me see that getting 10% of a task done is better than getting none of it done.

    Maybe I absolutely cannot bring myself to do all the dishes — but I can do the glasses, only. Laundry is exhausting — but I can focus on folding just my shorts. No, I cannot write a 40-page paper right now, but I can jot down some ideas. By giving myself permission to do a little at a time, I actually reduced my stress and increased my productivity.

    Adopting the Two Mottos for Your Life

    These mottos have helped me practice self-compassion and affirm my own neurodiversity.

    Embracing the fact there are no rules, and that anything worth doing is worth doing poorly, helped me adapt and learn to accept things as they happen, not as someone else says they should.

    But in my own work helping adults with ADHD, I hear a few concerns when I share these mottos with my clients. Mostly, my clients worry that they’ll spin out of control if they become too self-compassionate — that being hard on themselves is the only thing keeping their lives in check. I’ve been there, and I know that this black-and-white form of thinking keeps us trapped.

    Start with these four steps to work toward living with more self-compassion. Perhaps you’ll use these mottos or develop a few of your own:

    1. Watch for patterns. Which tasks do you frequently struggle to get done? Where do you find the most resistance and hot spots in your life?
    2. Troubleshoot with your brain in mind. Time to get creative. Do you struggle to put away your clothes? I’ve seen some people replace their hangers with S-hooks, or even install a pegboard in their Does trash pile up on your desk? Move your trash can within arm’s reach.
    3. Break down daunting tasks. Think smaller steps and remember my second motto. If breaking down a big task is difficult in itself, use a tool like Magic ToDo – GoblinTools to break it down for you. (Seriously, it’s fantastic.)
    4. Remember, there’s always tomorrow. There will be days when we can’t get everything (or anything) done. Those are the days when we need to talk to ourselves as we would to our best friend. We didn’t get everything done that we wanted to, and that’s OK — we can try again

    Personal Mottos for ADHD: Next Steps

    SUPPORT ADDITUDE
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    Nathaly Pesantez

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  • 3 Scalp Massage Tips To Reduce Anxiety & Encourage Hair Growth

    3 Scalp Massage Tips To Reduce Anxiety & Encourage Hair Growth

    After your scalp massage, you’ll want to thoroughly rinse out the lingering product—that’s why many choose to massage with a pre-shampoo treatment, like a rich, luxurious oil. Feel free to shampoo and condition your hair as usual, but Reed recommends topping off your shower with a shot of cold water, if you can.  

    Not only does cool water help the scalp retain its moisture, but it also seals down the hair cuticles and helps lock moisture into the strands themselves. The result? Smoother, shinier, less frizzy hair. 

    But according to Reed, the cold water rinse also provides some rejuvenating, stimulating properties for your scalp. “Lift your shower head away, so the water is running through your hair,” he notes. (Think of it like a DIY rain shower, as opposed to spraying directly on the back of your head.) “The water helps to massage, and with cold water, it’s really nice.”

    Jamie Schneider

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  • How Ginger Helps Ease Anxiety & Creative Ways To Cook With It

    How Ginger Helps Ease Anxiety & Creative Ways To Cook With It

    Ginger is a root vegetable that is well-recognized as a form of herbal medicine. It is a member of the same plant family as cardamom and turmeric.

    Ginger has benefits beyond flavoring your favorite stir-fry recipe or easing an upset stomach. In fact, ginger is purported to have a variety of powerful therapeutic and preventive benefits. There is clear evidence of the effectiveness of ginger as an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory agent2. It also may be helpful for treating nausea. Ginger is known to decrease markers of age-related oxidative stress3, such as inflammation, swelling, and pain, and has been used for thousands of years for the treatment of hundreds of ailments like these.

    Animal studies have indicated that it can raise serotonin levels4 and, therefore, may reduce anxiety.

    With its delightfully tangy and invigorating scent and flavor, ginger is one of the most commonly consumed dietary condiments in the world. The resin from its rhizomes (roots) contains many bioactive components, which is why this pungent ingredient is believed to produce a variety of remarkable pharmacological and physiological effects.

    Interest in ginger has increased significantly in recent years. From scientific studies, we now know that ginger exerts its anti-inflammatory power by suppressing the action of COX-2, the enzyme responsible for swelling and pain, and inhibiting the biosynthesis of the inflammatory mediators prostaglandin and leukotriene5.

    According to several valid and reliable studies that date back to the 1990s, the anxiolytic (anti-anxiety) activity of ginger is very real6.

    Liana Werner-Gray

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  • Do One Scary Thing a Day | LoveAndLifeToolBox

    Do One Scary Thing a Day | LoveAndLifeToolBox

    Linda Graham, MFT looks at the benefits of doing something scary every day which can build the brain’s capacity for resilience.

    The scary things we could choose to do each day could vary quite a bit from person to person or even for ourselves from one day to the next. Choosing to go through our records to prepare for an IRS audit would feel pretty scary on any day, but some days just checking our bank account to see if we have enough money to go to the grocery store is plenty scary for that day. Some days we’re scared but determined to ask the boss anyway for extra time off around a holiday; other days just checking voice mail to see who called (or if no one called!) is the scary thing.

    Why would deliberately choosing to do one scary thing a day be good for you?

    • There’s an immediate benefit when you do one scary thing a day. You get to check one more thing a day off the To Do list, scary or not. For those of us who relax a bit when we see ourselves getting through a list, that relaxation can be very real. We return to a state of calm equilibrium in the body-brain, which in turn makes it possible to reduce our fears further about anything else scary.  Even more precious than feeling good about ourselves for getting through the list is feeling wholesomely proud of ourselves when we’ve faced a fear and walked right through it. We get a hit of self-approval that can be very useful to us as we continue to face the rest of our day.
    • In the short term, by chunking down a big task that really scares you into smaller, more manageable chunks that scare you a little bit, and doing those little scary things every day, you might actually get the bigger, scarier task done. A client of mine wanted to go to law school – a big decision to commit to three years of hard work, only to graduate $100,000 in debt and then search for a job to commit to working even harder. By chunking the task down – talking to a brother-in-law who had made a similar move three years ago, looking at one potential law school brochure a day for 15 days/schools worth, researching dates to take the LSAT, choosing a date to take the LSAT, etc – over two months time he managed to apply; continuing the practice for the next six months, he began his law school classes with far more confidence and trust in himself than when he had started.
    • In the intermediate term, we can begin to make headway against old automatic habits of procrastination, avoidance, distraction, denial, which carry their own cascading costs down the line. We begin to re-wire the habits of our brains so that it become more natural (this can truly happen!) to show up, give it a try even if we don’t exactly know what we’re doing or what might happen if we make a mistake. Creating a new habit of “learning to find ease in risk,” as the poet John O’Donohue would say, can become the new “unconscious competence.”
    • Over the longer term, every time we succeed at doing one scary thing today, we are creating a bank of “memories for the future” in our brain’s explicit memory system. “I’ve done scary things before; I can do them again now.” We can then intentionally draw on those memories to help us get through the next scary thing today. That is building out the brain’s capacity for resilience.
    • Over the long haul, doing one scary thing a day is a path to cultivate feeling better about ourselves for the rest of our lives. The nag at our sense of self when we know we’re blocked by fear really does erode our sense of self-esteem over time, and not so subtly either. Our sense of competence begins to shrink; a healthy sense of pride begins to disappear.

    When we choose to do one scary thing a day, every day, no matter what, our sense of pride and self-esteem begins to recover and fill out. It’s not the size of the thing we choose to do that matters so much, or whether it’s scary to anybody else. It’s that we choose to face a fear and do what needs to be done anyway. Deeply in our brains, we’re re-wiring a sense of ourselves as competent, as courageous, as resilient. The practice creates the experiences which, over time, gel into a conviction that we are a noble, worthy, valuable human being.

    Linda Graham, MFT

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  • “The 3 Vital Keys of Our Happy ADHD Marriage”

    “The 3 Vital Keys of Our Happy ADHD Marriage”

    The day before our wedding, the entire city of Sydney became blanketed by heavy red dust. I woke up coughing, I could taste dirt in my mouth, and my bedroom was filled with a rusty glow.“Of course the bloody apocalypse would happen the day before my wedding,” I thought to myself. “I bet my fiancé has been raptured while I was left behind!”

    Catastrophizing is normal for me. It’s part anxiety, part comedic coping mechanism. When my fiancé woke to the dust, he just wondered where it came from and thought about washing the car.Though we both have ADHD and had been diagnosed as adults, our general outlook and ways of functioning are wildly different. We are chalk and cheese; I’m the hyperactive type and he’s the inattentive type, which makes for an interesting union, to say the least. But we continue to make it work after all these years (14 and counting at the time of writing). It all comes down to three vital keys.

    Key #1: Never Go to Sleep Angry

    A lot happens when two adults share a life — and a condition that causes countless frustrations. We’re both forgetful, albeit in different ways. He immediately forgets about his keys if he sets them down. While I can remember where my keys are, I don’t always remember what time it is, even if I’ve just checked, or where I am when I’m driving, even on a familiar route.

    [Get This Free Download: Manage ADHD’s Impact on Your Relationship]

    We also struggle in social settings. In our early days especially, my husband — who had lots of trouble reading facial expressions, keeping up with fast-paced conversation, and even stringing a sentence together — would often withdraw from others. While he was unable to tell when people were making fun of him, I was acutely aware of others’ mocking undertones and uncomfortable shifts in the conversation, all of which set my rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD) and anxiety into overdrive. I felt the need to overcompensate during lulls in conversation and fill the silence with inappropriate babbling and outrageous antics. I’d drink alcohol to try to manage my intense social anxiety, but all it did was make me even more intense, hyperactive, and hypersensitive.

    It can be tempting to cast blame when our individual challenges invariably come up and affect both of us. But no matter what our day has been like, we agreed from the very beginning of our marriage that we would never go to sleep angry at each other.

    This doesn’t mean that we have long conversations into the night to reach resolve. It simply means that we’ve made the choice to push past shame and blame to say we love each other, no matter what. All hurts and misunderstandings do not change how much we love one another.

    Key #2: Always Be Willing to Learn — and to Let Things Go

    Learning about our unique ways of functioning has been so helpful in our marriage. We do our best to help each other in our respective trouble spots in day-to-day living. That has meant learning to let the little things go.

    [Read: Yeah, We Both Have ADHD — and It’s a Marriage Made in Heaven!?]

    There is one clutter-free, easy-access key holder in our home. Sometimes, my husband’s keys don’t make it to the took and land on a nearby table — where they’re bound to end up under a pile of mail. If I see his keys on the table, I put them in the key hook rather than give him a hard time for forgetting. And life runs a little more smoothly for both of us that day.

    In social settings, my husband has worked hard to pick up on signs that my social anxiety is kicking in. He checks in with me and firmly puts his hand on my shoulder or back to ground me. He reminds me to take a walk or remove myself from the stressful situation. More often than not, these strategies ease me back to present. When they don’t work, he doesn’t push it. But later, we reflect on what happened and how we can both try to do things differently next time. Then, we move on.

    Key #3: Never Stop Laughing Together

    The benefits of laughter and of having a sense of humor are well-known. Somehow, throughout our marriage, we’ve had an innate ability to find joy in the hardest of circumstances. Laughter is our reset button. (That’s why it’s hard for us to go to bed angry at each other.) We have literally laughed in the middle of heated arguments (usually at how ridiculous we are behaving), the result being instant tension and stress relief.

    Our Personal Key: Don’t Say The ‘D’ Word

    Many Ds have been unearthed in our relationship: diagnosis, depression, deficit, disorder, dysfunction, dysregulation, dyscalculia, and the list goes on. But we decided from the beginning that one particular ‘D’ word was never going to be on the table: Divorce.

    That word is not hidden up the back of the junk drawer, waiting to be pulled out and thrown into an argument like a gaslit weapon. Sure, there are painful spaces in our relationship that cause us to withdraw, defend, attack, or drag up the muddy waters of the past. But we vowed until death — not diagnosis — do us part.

    With both of us wired as fighters, we are willing to “never say die.” We’ll do everything to fight for our marriage, including holding firm to our keys (the kind we’ll never lose) and even looking for new ones. It’s hard work, but we know that our diagnoses are not a marriage death sentence. They do not define us negatively. They are what make us so strong and loving.

    Happy Marriage Rules for ADHD Couples: Next Steps

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    Nathaly Pesantez

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  • Personal Hygiene Tips for ADHD Brains (and Bodies)

    Personal Hygiene Tips for ADHD Brains (and Bodies)

    Three years ago, I launched the @domesticblisters TikTok channel to serve a neurodiverse audience. Short videos on the channel present strategies for accomplishing daily care tasks. For all the ADHD information swirling around social media, very little addresses how the simple tasks of living are sometimes the hardest for us. Cleaning, doing dishes, folding piles of laundry — these tasks are simple for most people but tend to paralyze some of us with executive functioning problems. Perhaps more difficult than the struggle to stay on top of these tasks is the immense shame we feel when we’re unable to do the things we see our peers accomplish with ease.

    In my experience, this kind of shame tends to spike when we struggle with personal hygiene. How could we be so incapable? Our differences in executive functioning can create significant hurdles when it comes to the daily demands of living. And that makes hygiene routines our common kryptonite.

    [Download: Free Guide to Health & Fitness: Lifestyle Changes for Adults with ADHD]

    The ADHD brain often struggles to transform multiple mundane steps into a routine that works. So instead of forcing on yourself neurotypical routines that are doomed from the start, try adapting your daily hygiene rituals with the following four approaches:

    Personal Hygiene Hacks for ADHD Brains

    1. Rather than trying to adhere to a strict schedule and setting for brushing your teeth, build in flexibility so that you can care for your teeth whenever the thought strikes you. Place a toothbrush and toothpaste in multiple locations: by your kitchen sink, in your shower, in your guest bathroom, and even in your car. Because of the way ADHD motivation systems work, you are most likely to think about brushing your teeth while headed out the door (Oh no! My breath stinks!) or when randomly prompted by the sight of your toothbrush (I’m already here, so I might as well!). You might also consider keeping deodorant and a hairbrush or comb in these places.
    2. If showering is too boring, try getting a waterproof speaker. A good podcast or audiobook that you save for the shower can suddenly transform an onerous chore into a decadent treat. Also, a fancy hair towel or a high-powered blow dryer can reduce time spent on your wet hair.
    3. If showering aggravates your sensory aversion, consider changing your environment to mitigate this. For instance, turning on a space heater before a shower will prevent that awful cold shock you feel when exiting the tub or shower. Using a soft and gentle towel also typically helps.
    4. Create a hygiene kit for the days you skip a shower or bath. You deserve to be clean and comfortable; there is more than one way to get that done. A little bag with deodorant, dry shampoo, body wipes, and mouthwash can be kept in multiple locations in your home and car.

    Maintaining good hygiene is important to your health, so get creative and find what works for your unique brain.

    How to Keep House While Drowning – with ADHD: Next Steps

    KC Davis, LPC, is a licensed professional therapist and the author of How to Keep House While Drowning.

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    Melanie Wachsman

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  • “Stop Chasing Others’ Approval: On Twice Exceptionality and Living Life for Me”

    “Stop Chasing Others’ Approval: On Twice Exceptionality and Living Life for Me”

    “You’re going to do great things!”
    “You have so much potential!”
    “You’re so talented. I see great things in your future!”
    So many people in my life have directed various versions of these well-meaning yet anxiety-inducing, expectation-laden comments to me during every phase of my academic career. As a gifted child, I felt as though I could succeed and, at the same time, as if I had to… or I would be letting everyone down.This black-and-white way of thinking did get me to check off a list of great accomplishments:

    • first in my family to graduate college, go on to complete a masters, and start a doctoral program
    • a successful career
    • financially independent since age 18

    But hidden in these accomplishments are the many, many struggles and failures I encountered along the way:

    • flunking out my freshman year of college
    • being asked to resign from a job for an error in judgment I made
    • flunking out of my Ph.D. program due to being unable to complete assignments
    • piling on credit card debt

    I eventually learned that my setbacks — so confusing and contrary to my successes — were actually due to undiagnosed and unmanaged ADHD. I was twice exceptional (or 2e) all this time, and I had no idea.

    [Read: I Grew Up Gifted and Autistic — and Suffered the Burnout of Twice Exceptionality]

    My undergraduate transcript is a wonderful example of my interest-based nervous system. I had As and Bs in classes within my major, but failed yoga (which likely had to do with my impulsive, oppositional streak).

    Perspective Shift: From Never Enough to Good Enough

    At the age of 29, I came to the realization that my life is my own, and while the approval of others is nice, I would never feel content if I continued to chase it. I made the conscious decision to let go of “greatness” as defined by others and to start experiencing life as it came to me.

    Letting go of greatness freed me up to be content with where I am currently, instead of always trying to do more or be better. I still have personal and professional goals, but these goals are now based on my values rather than the values of other people.

    My shift from “not good enough” to “good enough” has changed my self-view from lazy, unmotivated, and stubborn to efficient, understanding, and passionate.

    [Read: “Twice Exceptional Is a Cruel Double-Edged Sword”]

    Now I am:

    • enrolled in a doctoral program to advance MY learning and knowledge
    • in a job I can see myself in long-term, with opportunities to advance or switch it up, if I choose
    • writing this blog from a house that I own after paying down my debt

    I don’t believe any of this would’ve been possible if I hadn’t made the choice to live life for me, instead of an image I could never realistically attain. I’ve found a specialty I love and a life that finally feels sustainable.

    How to Live for Yourself

    If you are 2e like me, or if you see yourself in my story, start living life for you with these steps:

    1. Clearly identify your current values. Your personal values will come to define and frame everything else you do in life.
    2. Set at least one goal for each value. They can be as broad or as specific as you like. For example, if you value family, how will you commit to spending more time with them?
    3. Let go of the constant pursuit of greatness. If you are always thinking of where you could or should be, it only robs you of the ability to appreciate who and where you are now.
    4. Foster self-compassion. You are a multi-faceted person. Your worth is not directly measured by your productivity or your achievements.

    2e and How to Live for Yourself: Next Steps

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    Nathaly Pesantez

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  • Popular Breakfast Foods That Actually Rev Up Your Stress Response

    Popular Breakfast Foods That Actually Rev Up Your Stress Response

    I love low-glycemic fruits, such as berries, for their fiber and polyphenol benefits, as well as the gut-microbiome supporting features of whole milk Greek yogurt (or a dairy-free alternative). However, fruit-flavored yogurt is another surreptitious source of sugar masquerading as a balanced breakfast.

    It’s important to check your nutrition labels: 4g of sugar is 1 teaspoon—so be careful you’re not consuming 6 or 8 teaspoons of sugar in your supposedly “healthy” breakfast yogurt. I always recommend starting with whole, unsweetened yogurt, adding in chopped fruit of choice, and topping it with cinnamon and a drop of honey.

    Uma Naidoo, M.D.

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  • Talkspace Vs. Betterhelp: Our Experience With Both, Medically Reviewed

    Talkspace Vs. Betterhelp: Our Experience With Both, Medically Reviewed

    After testing both online therapy apps, we discovered a few important things to consider when choosing between Betterhelp and Talkspace. 

    First, consider the services each company offers. If you seek psychiatric services in addition to talk therapy, Talkspace is the better option for you, since Betterhelp doesn’t offer psychiatry and therefore can’t diagnose or prescribe medication. That said, Betterhelp’s sister might be a better choice for those looking for more focused care, such as therapy services for the LGBTQ+ community or teens. For couples, both companies offer relationship support, though Talkspace is the only one that offers it within the same app. If you wish to receive couples therapy from Betterhelp, you’ll need to go through its sister site, Regain.

    Cost is another important factor to consider when deciding which online therapy app is best for you. Out-of-pocket, Talkspace costs slightly more than Betterhelp. Keep in mind, Talkspace is also the only therapy provider (at least, of the two) that accepts insurance, making it entirely possible to receive therapy sessions for the price of your insurance co-pay fee, depending on your provider. Before choosing Talkspace over Betterhelp, first check to see if Talkspace accepts your insurance and how much each session costs with your coverage.

    The subscription plans are also worth looking at, especially since they both have different offerings. With Betterhelp, your subscription includes messaging, video, and phone therapy sessions and the cost is based on your location, preferences, and therapist availability. Talkspace has three subscription offerings, each offering a set price point. As outlined above, the cheapest option gives you access to a therapist through messages, the mid-range plan gets you therapy through messaging and four video calls per month, and the top-tier option gets you messaging, video, and workshop access. 

    If you wish to complete your therapy sessions over the phone, or to have more options depending on how you feel, Betterhelp might be the better option, since every user has access to messaging, phone, and video calls.

    Jessie Quinn

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