It has been stated that one of the fastest growing areas of concern for educators today is both children and adults struggling with issues of sustained mental effort. The truth is that whether it’s a child, a teenager, or an adult, both Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) can make just getting through the activities of the day a discouraging challenge.
Of course many children have a hard time in the traditional classroom, but this problem is can be greatly magnified in those with attention deficits as these children can become easily distracted by stimuli not connected to the task at hand. This difficulty in sustaining mental effort can result in a variety of problems such as completing assignments in a timely manner, quitting when the work is challenging or unfamiliar, and it also creates a high risk situation for making careless mistakes. To put it in perspective, some with ADD might say trying to complete an assignment in the classroom as being similar to trying to read a book in a Las Vegas casino, or like trying to do long division while sitting on the free throw line during a high school basketball game. As neurological functions may run around three years behind for those with ADD, others may say the classroom experience is like expecting a Kindergarten student to sit and pay attention for the same period of time as a Third Grader.
Some ADD children have the added challenge of needing perpetual motion. They like to stand-up, fidget, tap their pencil and bounce up and down. Many of these children have poor impulse control and may shout out or pester the students next to them. The diminished social skills exhibited in these instances are not necessarily because they are not picking up social cues, but are likely because they don’t stop themselves from grabbing, “cutting in line”, pushing, or waiting their turn. Additionally many children with attention issues have a low tolerance for stress and frustration.
Adults with ADD may reflect on a lifetime of self-esteem issues because they were labeled as “stupid,” or “lazy” in their formative years. A lifetime of parent-teacher conferences may have yielded comments from the teacher stating that the child was wasn’t performing to his or her full potential. Report cards may have had hand written notes that said, “Very bright, but doesn’t apply him/herself.”
In their now grown up life, adults may have trouble staying on task at work, staying organized at home, and may even have trouble in their relationships because their impulsivity is perceived as insensitivity. In addition, having trouble completing projects or remembering what to do next can put a burden on other members in the family or group and incite complaints such as the ADD adult is not pulling his or her weight in the relationship.
The good news is that properly diagnosed and treated ADD/ADHD can be managed very effectively today. People with ADD/ADHD can do very well in prestigious professions and in fact they can even learn to apply their natural ability to multitask and high energy levels in ways that work for them.
Hypnotherapy cannot cure ADD or ADHD, but when used as an adjunct to treatment being prescribed by your doctor or psychotherapist, it may help with areas that can be challenging such as:
- Organization
- Executive Function
- Concentration and Focus
- Beginning, Executing, and Completing Tasks
- Self Regulation
- Impulse Control
- Classroom, Work, and Home Behavioral Problems
- Peer, Work, and Personal Relationships
Please note that hypnotherapy is not meant to serve as a method to “self treat" and only a licensed physician or psychotherapist is qualified diagnose a medical or psychological disorder. Therefore a referral is required for hypnotherapy sessions relating to ADD/ADHD.
If you would like more information regarding hypnotherapy for ADD or ADHD, contact us online, or call the office at 469-225-9040.
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William Carpenter holds a certification in Hypnosis for ADD-ADHD from the American Hypnosis Association. |
References
Machenberg, L. R. (2010). Hypnosis and attention deficit disorder. Tarzana California: American Hypnosis Association.
