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5 Intention-setting Ideas for Expand Awareness of ADHD

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October is ADHD Awareness Month!

When you hear the acronym PDA, what do you think of?  Up until recently, I would have said ‘public display of affection’.  Well this acronym has more recently taken center stage in the world of neurodiversity as a new symptom of Pathological Demand Avoidance.

What is that you might ask?  Well, it is estimated that 30% of individuals diagnosed with ADHD may have PDA.  Symptoms of PDA may include, among others, resistance to demands, refusal to follow rules, and a tendency to be argumentative. People with PDA may have sensory processing issues, such as intolerance to certain noises or textures, and exhibit obsessive behavior, often focused on people.

If this is all new to you, or perhaps you identify with some of these symptoms, this is a great month to get involved!  The theme for this year is “Awareness is Key!“.

Below are some intention-setting ideas for participating in ADHD Awareness month:

  1. Educate Yourself.   Consider setting aside some time to learn about ADHD, including it’s symptoms, diagnosis and treatment options.  You might start here.
  2. Share Information.  If you are active on social media, perhaps use your platforms to share facts, stories, and resources about ADHD using #ADHDAwarenessMonth.
  3. Support ADHD Organizations. If you have the time and/or the money, consider volunteering with or contributing to organizations dedicated to ADHD awareness and advocacy!
  4. Advocate for Education.  Perhaps, if you have a loved one who has been diagnosed with ADHD, consider becoming an advocate for better understanding and accommodations for individuals with ADHD in schools and workplaces.
  5. Connect.  Consider connecting with the ADHD Community by joining or supporting local and online ADHD support groups and communities.

Is direct neurofeedback a viable non-drug treatment option for ADHD?

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As the most common neurodevelopmental disorder, Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder impacts an estimated 11% of children in school, with symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity and various cognitive dysfunctions often persisting into adolescence and adulthood.  And thanks to modern neuroimaging technology, relatively distinct brain regions within the prefrontal cortex have been identified as having altered activity, accounting for the symptoms of ADHD.  These disturbances in the networks of the brain have begun to come under further study when considering therapeutic interventions.  Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), aka direct neurofeedback, has shown promising effectiveness in both neuropsychological and neurodevelopmental disorders, especially ADHD.

Symptoms of inattention or being easily distracted is very common, as it is the mind’s natural tendency or default mode.  It is actually wired for continuous distraction and a culture that values multi-tasking reinforces this wiring.  Mindfulness, or the practice of narrowing our focus to a single-task or giving our undivided attention to the task at hand, is one way to train the mind to ‘pay attention’.  However, this is sometimes easier said than actually done.

Now add trauma to this default mode of distraction.  When the mind is overwhelmed by strong, and often uncomfortable emotions, the use of the natural, default distraction wiring of our brains can actually be of benefit as it provides relief from those emotions, albeit temporary, brief and fleeting.  In fact, using conscious distraction techniques can actually keep us be safe from harm in the moment by moving us away from more unhealthy reactions to such powerful emotions, such as self-harming thoughts and behaviors including substance use.

The go-to approach to ADHD has been medication and behavioral modification therapy, yet the lack of long-term effects for both has been disappointing to those who suffer from the symptoms of this neurodevelopmental disorder.  Such lack of long-term effects has generated renewed interest in neurofeedback in recent years as a promising method for improving neuropsychological and cognitive deficits in ADHD.  Although more research may be required to determine the length of initial treatment along with the need for ongoing intermittent treatment to assess how long the benefits last, this non-invasive brain wave modulation intervention may just be a better approach while eliminating any medication side-effects!

If you would like to read more about the current state of the research on using direct neurofeedback for ADHD, click the link below:

Further Support for Direct Neurofeedback in the Treatment of ADHD