The Downside to Living with ADHD and How to Improve Focus

You can be successful even if your brain functions differently.

Every Saturday evening, my trading buddies and I will hang out to analyze our trades for the following week. One of us, let’s call him Thomas, a jolly guy, had winning trades last week, so we decided he take us out for a treat. The rest of us, Lawrence, Vicky, Tom, and I, lost in most trades.

Thomas is a smart and shy person. We often tease him when he spaces out during a conversation or forgets to bring his journal to our meet. Sometimes, he comes in shabby clothes because he’s always in a hurry.

Thomas has excellent skills with reading charts. He wins most of his trades and would tip us when a trend begins or ends. For someone who often forgets basic things as brushing his hair, one would be surprised how he manages to stay on top of his games.

When I learned he had Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, I got intrigued. The reason is that despite being forgetful, Thomas is also organized. I have been to his house a couple of times. I see how he organizes his schedule. He is so dedicated to his career.

He hardly lost his cool, at least not in front of any of us. Even when we tease him, he doesn’t get offended. In fact, I can say he practically forgets any critic or expensive jokes that hurt him. It seems he has learned how to navigate his life to minimize the downside to ADHD.

Spending time with Thomas made me realize that people living with ADHD aren’t weird at all. They are not lazy or selfish. They are simply people struggling to function with a brain that is unable to stimulate neurotransmitters like neurotypical brains.

How to recognize ADHD

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is neurological disorder children are born with. A recent study shows that 9.5% of children in the United States have ADHD.

These children are very creative, intelligent, and compassionate. Although ADHD affects mostly children, more than 50 percent of adults are living with ADHD.

Symptoms of ADHD can be different for everyone. It’s not just about getting distracted. Having Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder can make you feel like a loser. You see yourself lagging behind while your peers are advancing in their careers and academics.

It affects your executive functions like planning, organizing, prioritizing, and the ability to regulate your emotions, sleep, and behavior. It also affects your ability to sustain substantial goals. It’s like having 20 Tv series play in your brain at the same time with someone else holding the remote.

Sometimes you have trouble focusing; other times, you can’t control how your brain regulates activities. People with ADHD hardly remember things, so they have to repeat or rehearse information more than once before they can remember things when needed in a short time.

How to improve focus

People with ADHD can be hyperactive towards something they are passionate about. If they love something, they have the ability to work under pressure. But if they are not passionate about something, they will lose track of time or procrastinate.

The common treatment for improving concentration, memory, motivation, and mood is through regular exercise. Doing physical activities helps release energy that leads to involuntary attention.

Involuntary attention is the ability to notice a slight movement in your environment. For example, when you notice the color of ripe fruits behind leaves or catch a glimpse of distant prey before they disappear over the horizon.

Unlike ADHD medication, exercise doesn’t require a prescription, and it has no side effects. You don’t have to go to the gym. A 30-minute walk four times a week is enough to stimulate the brain’s norepinephrine and serotonin levels, affecting focus and attention.

An alternative to walking is to massage the acupoints in your palm, neck, shoulders, and back of your feet responsible for cognitive functions. Acupressure therapy helps balance your body and promotes its natural ability to heal itself.

Most people have had success with an electric acupressure because it detects acupoints at the touch of a button and then stimulates neuromotor.

These exercises can increase attention and focus and decrease impulsive behavior, mood swings, anxiety, and depression when practiced consistently.

When you feel overwhelmed or out of control, do a 20-minute breathing exercise to refresh your mind and put you back in mental balance.

Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only. It will be wise to seek professional support if you have any health related illness.

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