Spirituality and AD/HD

The next meeting of the Adult AD/HD support group will be on the 16^th May at 8pm.

Topic notes below. Email for details and location: Stephanie.Clark@pandora.be

Questions and Notes for meeting on AD/HD and Spirituality

What is spirituality?

Something to do with-

-seeking a path through life. a sense of purpose.

-Values

- transcending everyday life/stress connecting with self nature, beauty even scientific wonder.

Why connect AD/HD and spirituality?

-Subjective observation many AD/HD-ers (especially in this group) interested in Spirituality.

- Arguably, There exists a popular perceived connection between AD/HDers and spirituality, witness-:

-Thom Hartmann’s story of Old Souls

- Indigo child movement which gives Adhd-ers a very positive image as prophets of the New Age. So very unfortunate, therefore, that it is quite mad. You can click on this link here to see more sceptic Indigo

-Can we use spirituality to help cope with AD/HD?

to strengthen motivation and discipline weaknesses, perhaps:

To enable us to follow a course of behavioural therapy, coaching or self coaching/ To stick to a mundane programme of organisation/ To curb impulsive behaviours

-Do you have any spiritual practices that help you?

K. A missionary with ADHD, will speak briefly from his perspective .

And S will talk about a spiritual approach to the treatment of Stress-AD/HD

- the mindfulness programme of cognitive behavioural therapy at Middelheim hospital in Antwerp. It incorporates Dharmic concepts of mindfulness (staying present, focussing on the present task) with meditation to combat stress and depression. Other countries have developed the technique specifically for ADHD cognitive behavioural therapy.

A little more on the mindfulness course from S:

It was given in Dutch by a heavy-accented though extremely competent, even
brilliant Canadian lady who is a neurologist, Dr. Barbara Pickut.

Info on the course http://www.levenindemaalstroom.be was first designed in the USA by Jon Kabat-Zinn, if that rings a bell...> I found the course very valuable and it had positive effects on my ADD issues almost right from the start.

And that even though I thought the exercises seemed too basic, "standard"
exercises. In fact, when done in the right spirit, they can be a fantastic
clutch for ADD and other people, I believe. It takes some will though.
Always that chicken-and-the-egg question... You need to get around to do the
exercises that make you better at getting around to do things. But not an
irremediably insurmountable obstacle, not even for me.