What Helps with ADHD? —ADD Tip o the Day 801

Lots of things help with ADHD

Some are a little complicated: medications, strategies, tools, coaching, therapy, mindfulness, yoga, education.

They can be extremely helpful.

But there are some basic simple things that help.

  1. exercise
  2. healthy eating
  3. good sleep
  4. get outside

I’m going fishing tomorrow.  Yea!  First time this year.  And only a few times last year.  I used to go twice a week during the season.

What happened?

My ADHD snuck up on me.  I got into the attitude of “too busy”, “too much to do.”  Ugh!  I hate that.

Strategies:

  1. Make getting outdoors – in this case, fishing – a priority.
  2.  Realize and keep reminding myself – that attitude of busy, pressure, is only an attitude.  It is not a reality.  This can be hard to believe, but it’s true.
  3.  Schedule one task a day, the most important one, and count the day a success when I get it done. I will probably get more done, but one a day will cover seven things in a week.  Except:
  4. I have started taking Sunday off.  This is partly religious, but it is also a part of healthy living.  Will probably blog on this soon.  Probably.  So anyway, it’s getting six things done a week. 

doug

Personal Note O the Day:  Hoping to catch some fish tomorrow, but it’ll be a great day anyway.  It’s beautiful out there.  But I really do like to catch some.

Links:

Ratan Shetty on close to nature clik here

ADHD and fishing

Vitamin N

@addstrategies  #adhd  #add  @dougmkpdp

 

 

About doug with ADHD

I am a psychiatric physician. I learned I have ADHD at age 64, and then wrote four ADHD books for adults, focusing on strategies for making your life better. I also published a novel, Alma Means Soul. The books are available at amazon.com (soft cover or E book), or smashwords.com (only E books). The prices are as low as they are allowed to be. Managing Your ADHD Your Life Can Be Better; strategies for adults with ADD/ADHD Living Daily With Adult ADD or ADHD: 365 Tips O the Day ( e-book). This is one tip at a time, one page at a time, at your own pace. It's meant to last a year.
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9 Responses to What Helps with ADHD? —ADD Tip o the Day 801

  1. holdthatthought says:

    hi Doug. I’ve got a question: why is exercise important? other than the main physiological health benefits everybody knows about, what is it about exercise that helps with ADHD?

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    • hold –
      exercise releases not only endorphins, but the neurotransmitters we are short of, and it seems to improve the deficient network connections. So it is beneficial both immediately and in the longer term. Of course, it also reduces stress, anxiety, and depression. Good stuff.
      thank you for contributing. and I think I’m getting the hang of the images.
      thank you
      doug

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  2. rammkatze says:

    Hi, Doug! Glad to hear you enjoyed fishing! I tried it a couple of times last year in Norway, but I didn’t catch anything for dinner. We had plan B anyway, and I had lots of fun doing it 🙂
    I’ve been doing a lot of the stuff on the list for ADHD, even though the medication part is stressfull – they’re very particular about it in Germany and every time I get a prescription, the rules are different or the pharmacist comes up with a new problem – but I have to say, it’s been working!
    Recently I mentally made a list of what I’ve achieved this year and I’m very happy! It looks like I got my ADHD under control and it’s been the best year in my life so far! I still have the same job I had last year and I’m not thinking of looking for a new one (nor does it look like I’m getting fired). I’ve visited my best friend, got visited by my sis and her boyfriend – whom I love both very much – and I also had a blast with my family back in Portugal – I went to the beach for the first time in a decade and went snorkeling for the first time! I bonded again with my mom, who was almost estranged for me, and for the first time in many years, I’m going home for Christmas 🙂 I also recently picked up guitar lessons and have a very nice and funny teacher. All in all, a very successful, peaceful year. And what have I been doing about my ADHD? Taking the meds, riding my bike to and from the train on my work commute (makes for about 8 miles a day) and I’ve been watching what I eat – I plan my meals around the vegetables so I make sure I eat enough, and I pack a lunchbox with two diced carrots, one apple, and one extra piece of fruit and a slice of bread for work, so I’m sure to be eating at least 3 of my daily fruit and vegetable portions. And the result is an amazing year. Coincidence? I think not 🙂
    Always thankful for the great impact your blog and your books had on my life! I’m not a religious person, but if I were, you’d be on my thank-you prayers for a long time now 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    • ram
      how wonderful. lots of hard work and progress on your part. glad I could be of some help. human nature is to quit doing what’s working, so I encourage you to keep on. I wonder if prayers might work even if we’re not religious?
      thank you for you uplifting update and kind comments
      doug

      Liked by 1 person

  3. holdthatthought says:

    catch any fish?

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  4. Scott Marckx says:

    Hey Doug!
    I hope you have a great day fishing! I finally got out sailing in my boat some toward the end of the summer. What a blessing. Thank you for the reminder and permission to get outside!
    All the best, Scott

    Like

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