Can Mindfulness Help My ADD? - August 11, 2011

Dear Dr. Kelly,

I have realized over the past few years that I have ADD. I am in my 40s now. I used to think that my attention problems were caused by depression. Now I know that there is more to it than depression because I have had treatment and my depression is much better. I want to cope better with my ADD symptoms and I do not want to take medication. Would mindfulness meditation training be helpful for me?

-T. R.

Dear T.R.,

Thanks for your question. It is fairly common that people not to realize that they have Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) until they are adults. The good news is that you can learn to control how you pay attention. Training for this can help you to stay focused better and help you overcome some of the limitations caused by ADD. There is a lot that you can learn to do that will be helpful without taking medication. Mindfulness meditation training could help you to improve your attention skills. This book will be published soon and it can give you some useful advice: The Mindfulness Prescription for Adult ADHD: An 8-Step Program for Strengthening Attention, Managing Emotions, and Achieving Your Goals by Lidia Zylowska.

Mindfulness training can be challenging for people with ADD but the training would help you feel more in control and be more productive.