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It's NUTS - Taming Your Worries
The ADD brain is always looking for stimulation - an interesting topic, exercise, adventure, love, and even worry can help grab the attention and focus the brain. Folks with ADD sometimes have a lot to worry about between forgotten appointments, late work, and lost keys. When you feel like your thoughts and worries are caught in a loop, remembering "It's NUTS" can help! This is adapted from the four steps for treating OCD listed in book Brain Lock.
N - Name it ("It's not me - it's my ADD!")
U - Understand it ("I use worry to stimulate and focus my brain - it's turned into a habit.")
T - Trade it (Engage in positive activity - exercise, helping others, music, or time with friends)
S - Shrink it ("This is a concern but I'm taking action to handle it.")
Hitting the Mark of a Balanced Life
One day while playing "Drop the Peanut on the Bullseye" with my children, I discovered that by taking a fistful of peanuts and dropping them over the target, I was much more likely to hit the center. Filling your fists with lots of options for targeting your goal also increases your likelihood of success. I'd like to suggest a few practical principles that I've found useful for hitting the mark and achieving a balanced fulfulling life with ADHD.
| Practical Principle's
- Psychotherapy and Professional Coaching -- get help from someone who knows the ropes. It will save you a lot of time and energy exploring dead ends.
- Pills and Prescriptions -- find out whether medication, Omega III fatty acids, or other supplement helps your ADD. Be sure and work with your doctor on this.
- PE and Pantry - utilize exercise and the right foods to enhance your brain's store of dopamine and seratonin. Dr. Ratey states that exercise is like taking a dose of Adderall and Prozac holistically.
- Petition and Pardon -- learning to forgive yourself and others will free up a lot of energy reserves. Learning to ask for help will allow you to capitlize on your strengths rather than being bogged down by your weaknesses.
- Patterns and Priorities - learn to put first things first. Look at your patterns and see which one work and which ones need to be changes. This is one place professional help can be a real asset.
- Practice and Patience - it takes time to learn new patterns and a lot of practice, especially if you have ADD. Give yourself that time and be patient with yourself as you integrate new approaches.
If you'd like to learn more about applying these principles to your life, contact me at building-stones@hotmail.com.
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Copyright Ronda Stone 2007
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