ADHD Challenged By Stress

To say that everyone is stressed lately is an understatement. The ADHD turbo thinking brain tends to be challenged by stress even more so because of its inability to regulate emotions. Developing the awareness and the ability to observe yourself without judgement is the first step to calming yourself down. When stress takes over, the amygdala hijacks the prefrontal cortex and your brain cannot produce rational thoughts or make wise decisions.

How can you pause in the moment and redirect your attention from the fight, flight or freeze mode?
How can you get out of the flood of emotions and back to a state of calm and composure so that you can focus on the task at hand?

A neurotypical brain can easily flip back and forth between the default mode network (DMN) and the task performance network (TPN). While the DMN is the mind wandering network, the TPN is for task related alertness. A turbo thinking brain struggles with not getting stuck in the DMN and staying in the TPN. Yes, the DMN is crucial for creativity and innovation, but it can also lead to rumination, rejection sensitive dysphoria and eventually depression. We all know that proper diet, sleep, exercise and mindfulness reduce stress. For turbo thinkers, it is even more essential to have tried and true personal stress reducing strategies that you enjoy. How can you keep these strategies fresh and fun? A core part of coaching is figuring out how to get comfortable with discomfort. It’s not about willpower and incessant suffering, but rather identifying original ways to generate more novelty and interest for your brain. We all want joy this holiday season, so how can you devise methods to enjoy every single day, no matter how the day unfolds? How can you confidently create calm, and comfort? With the right skills, you can choose to turn your stress into a smile. And a smile is the best kind of contagion.