Overcoming Adult ADHD with Positive Visualization

One very important technique for overcoming adult ADHD is Positive Visualization. For adults with ADHD years of negative outcomes and self-defeating thoughts build up to become giant roadblocks that lead to procrastination. When people with ADHD are confronted with negative or overwhelming thoughts about a project or task, it causes all other stimulus in the environment to become very distracting and even enticing. Often, people will find themselves doing things that they like even less than the task they need to be doing. For example, doing dishes or cleaning the bathroom, rather than sending a quick email to their boss.

One way to begin overcoming this, is to integrate Positive Visualization at the beginning or at the scheduled time to work on a given task or project. Positive Visualization involves thinking about the rewards that will come from completing the task. These may be things like material success, praise from others, or even intrinsic factors like the feeling of accomplishment. By doing this, it tends to excite the brain and bolster the production of dopamine,  making it more likely that you will engage and complete the task.

This is just a brief overview of a very powerful tool for managing procrastination. There are more complex techniques to practice with this and bring about real change in your life. However, by starting with this very simple application, you will likely start to find some success.

3 Easy Steps to Declutter Your Life

Clutter tends to plague people in ways they are not even aware of. If you are interested in 3 easy steps to declutter your life then please read on. If you are under the belief that clutter is your friend, then definitely READ ON!

If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk a sign? -Albert Einstein

Many creative types, adults with ADHD, and eccentrics alike, tend to take pride in having a cluttered, messy, or a seemingly disorganized space. Unfortunately, the science behind clutter shows that it actually hinders the ability to focus and process information due to competing stimulus in the visual field.  This means that the 3 foot high pile of art books, science articles, bills, and magazine clippings strewn about, are actually dragging you down. In fairness, I am an artist, a writer, therapist, and researcher who dabbles in clutter. However, by following these three steps I have been able to slay the clutter dragon and increase performance.

1. Give it a home and expect it to live there. When we make a clear effort to assign a place for things to be kept we are more likely to keep them their when not in use. This step is also the back bone of the next 2 steps. This will also help adults with ADHD avoid heated arguments with family and roommates.

2. Don’t shove! If you are opening your desk drawer to put your notebook away and find that it doesn’t fit easily and with mindful placement, then pause and decide what can be thrown away, donated, or recycled to make room. Do it right then. Use this acronym to help you do it then and there: Only Handle It Once (O.H.I.O.)

3. Put one thing away a day. Although your Type-A parter may nearly have a coronary thinking about “chipping away” at things, or having to look at your piles for one more minute, it will help. One of the reasons that things don’t ever get put away and contribute to the massive piles on your desk, is that the act of cleaning up or putting things away seems daunting. Well, make it small and before you know it, you will be free of clutter.

Unleash your true mental performance by breaking the chains of clutter for good.

Done is better than perfect! -Phil Boissiere, MFT

 

Success and Focus for Entrepreneurs with ADHD

What makes an adult with ADHD like Richard Branson so successful? Why do some adults with ADHD struggle to succeed in their career? There are many factors to this complex question. However, there is one overriding principal that allows entrepreneurs with ADHD to find success, and it is called focus. Focus is a big word for adults battling ADHD. The good news is that focus can be greatly improved through treatments like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), skills coaching, exercise, and medication management.

CBT specifically, is focused on treating ADHD by teaching skills that improve executive functioning, decrease anxiety, and help provide direction. For many entrepreneurs it can mean the difference between an office full of half finished projects and a handful of very successful ventures. The process and techniques work to activate the brain in a way that helps boost an individuals ability to focus and execute their innovative ideas. San Francisco and the Silicon Valley are full of incredible people doing amazing things. Unfortunately, there are many standing on sidelines struggling to break through due to their Adult ADHD. With the right help, most of these people can make the changes they need to treat their ADHD and find the success they deserve. If this article resonates with you, then reach out, find support, and take control of your Adult ADHD and your career.

 

ADD, ADHD, or AD/HD, Which is it and Why So Many Names?

When looking for information related to Adult ADHD, one will quickly find considerable information using terms such as ADD, ADHD, or even AD/HD. This creates a lot of confusion about the correct terminology and name of the disorder. The correct name is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). There are three subtypes of ADHD, primarily inattentive type, primarily hyperactive type, or combined type. Even using the term “Adult ADHD” is a bit misleading as it is not an actual disorder name, but more of a casual classification to highlight adults with the disorder.

One reason that there is so much use of incorrect terms like “ADD” by prominent people, is that the disorder is actually poorly named to begin with. Anyone dealing with ADHD as an adult or a child will tell you that it is much more than having trouble focusing. The core neurological issue behind ADHD is an under functioning of the Prefrontal Cortex, mainly an underproduction of the neurotransmitter Dopamine. This leads to trouble with stimulus selection (i.e. focusing one’s attention) and/or trouble selecting responses to stimuli (i.e. behaviors). When someone’s Prefrontal Cortex is functioning properly they are able to create a very important “pause” that allows them to have a choice in what to focus on and how to respond. Further compounding these issues are the social and psychological stressors that accompany repeated failures to perform. These stressors (i.e. problems with friends/family, occupational struggles, etc.) lead to engrained emotional responses and thought patterns that foster shame, guilt, and lack of confidence. When anyone (with ADHD or not) is feeling shameful and lacking self confidence, they are less apt to perform well in social and occupational settings.

If we are going to move the field of treating adults with ADHD forward, we may want to think about broadening the scope of the name of the disorder. Something that incorporates terms like executive functioning, stimulus selection, motivation, or performance, may help. However, we are very far away from the DSM team coming up with a fresh new name for this disorder. Until then, we must expect/demand that leaders in the field use the correct terminology. For example, Daniel Amen’s new product is called Healing ADD at Home in 30 Days. There are a multitude of problems with this title, from the fact that he uses the term ADD to making a claim that it can be “healed” in 30 days. ADHD is life long disorder that when treated appropriately can be managed tremendously well. However, saying things like “healed” can create false expectations that ultimately lead to unattainable goals.

There are no examples of someone telling a diabetic that they have a “sugar problem” and that they can “get over it” in a few weeks. Adults and children with ADHD deserve the same level of respect when talking about their disorder.

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Phil Boissiere, MFT specializes in the treatment of ADHD in adults and couples in San Francisco, Menlo Park, and the Silicon Valley. He is available for interviews and article contributions on the topics of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Adult ADHD, Group Psychotherapy, or Teen Drug Prevention.

Overview of CBT for Adult ADHD

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy approaches for the treatment of Adult ADHD are designed to help people overcome deficits in executive functioning. Executive functions are critical for effective time management, organization, and planning. CBT also improves stress management, emotional regulation, and impulse control.

CBT has been established as an effective treatment for adults with ADHD who suffer from co-existing anxiety and depressive disorders. A major national study showed that 51% of adults with ADHD suffer from anxiety and 32% suffer from depression. This means treatments that incorporate CBT for anxiety and depression may be helpful to many adults with ADHD, even though they are not designed specifically to address the symptoms and impairment associated with ADHD. However, the skills training associated with specific CBT programs for ADHD adults, tend to show the greatest results.

Treatments that address executive dysfunctions aid adults in developing more adaptive thought patterns about how to go about planning, organizing, and gain more effective skills. For example an adaptive technique that utilizes CBT is to break down long or unpleasant tasks into manageable parts, while utilizing positive visualization. Positive cognitions(thoughts) and positive behaviors tend to reinforce one another. In other words, as a person becomes better at managing time, they also come to have more positive beliefs and thoughts about themselves. This pattern acts like a generator of positive/adaptive thinking and effective skill development.

Adult ADHD Relationships

There is considerable information out there about adult ADHD relationships. Unfortunately, the bulk of this information focuses on the negative effects adult ADHD has on relationships. I think it is of equal importance to give some attention to how adult ADHD can actually prevent the person with ADHD from being empowered in their relationship. This lack of empowerment can limit one’s ability to change or even get out of a bad relationship.

I see this often with clients who “come out of the ADHD fog” as I have named it. When adults are too distracted, forgetful, or struggling to maintain work or school performance, they often don’t have the psychological resources to address their romantic relationships. Something that also makes this problem worse, is that most adults with ADHD have considerable shame and self-doubt, which leads them to believe that any relationship struggles they face, are their own fault. It is true that adult ADHD can wreak havoc on relationships. However, this does not give clemency to the non-ADHD partner, nor does it mean that issues unrelated to adult ADHD also plague some relationships.

It is an honor to accompany my clients on their journey towards change. We all deserve healthy, symbiotic, and supportive relationships. Those people challenged by adult ADHD need to know and believe that also, so they may advocate for themselves and shape their lives in a positive way. There are many people walking around San Francisco that I have worked with around adult ADHD relationships through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), skills training, and relationship work. To know that there are people who are out of the fog and living life to it’s fullest, and know that I touched their lives, gives me a great big smile inside.

CBT and Adult ADHD

There are a multitude of treatment approaches for adult ADHD. However, research has shown that a combination of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Skills Training is most effective in the treatment of adult ADHD. It is important to note that ADHD is caused by an under stimulated portion of the brain, that in-turn leads to an underproduction of Dopamine. In order to adequately address this under stimulation, most adults with ADHD will need to explore medication with a trained psychiatrist.

When stimulant medication, CBT, and Skills Training are combined to address adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, people tend to have the best results. San Francisco and the Silicon Valley at large (Menlo Park, Palo Alto, Cupertino, Sunnyvale etc.) are full of people trying to reach optimal productivity and success. Unfortunately, the majority of psychologists, psychotherapists, and even medical doctors do not have this same dedication to productivity and results. In fact most do not adhere to effective treatments, backed by research when treating ADHD in adults. This can lead to tremendous frustration as life seems to continue to pass people by while in treatment.

I partner with only a handful of psychiatrists who have the knowledge, experience, and careful approach needed to work with ADHD. When a psychotherapist partners closely with a patients doctor, the results tend to be achieved more quickly and tend to last.

I welcome your questions and about adult ADHD and if I cannot meet with you due to scheduling etc., I will work to help you find an ADHD specialist in the San Francisco Bay Area to meet your needs.

Effective Treatments for Adult ADHD Fact Sheet

The media, internet and popular cultural, are full of bad information about the treatment of adult ADHD. I have prepared an easy to read and share PDF to help you or someone you care about, find accurate information about treatments for adult ADHD.Please download this informative information sheet on the most effective treatments for adult ADHD, based on current research.

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Adult ADHD Treatment Information Sheet

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Phil Boissiere, MFT is a specialist in the treatment and assessment of ADHD / ADD in San Francisco, Menlo Park, Palo Alto, and the Silicon Valley.