Exercise Helps To Lessen The Symptoms Of ADD/ADHD
Along with traditional talk therapy, pharmacological treatment and the critical assistance of an ADD coach, exercise, it appears, is a great way to lessen the effects of ADD/ADHD. Attention-Deficit Disorder is most often found in kids, although it’s clear that 50 percent or more of children who are diagnosed with the condition carry it into their adult years. There are three subtypes of the illness:
- Predominantly inattentive, where concentration, organization and the ability to complete projects are impacted. Although once simply referred to as ADD, this term is not used anymore.
- Predominantly hyperactive-impulsive, with high energy, restlessness and impulsivity as the main characteristics.
- Combined type, used to describe people who exhibit characteristics from both subtypes.
Historically, ADHD treatment consisted of therapy combined with stimulant medication, typically Ritalin or Adderall. When dependent exclusively on prescription medication, the side effects have proven, in many cases, to be as detrimental as the condition itself, causing many mental health professionals to seek alternative treatment options.
This is where physical exercise has proven so valuable. By increasing dopamine and serotonin levels – naturally occurring brain chemicals that are known to be in lower supply in children and adults afflicted with ADHD – exercise actually works as a natural type of medication, and most importantly, one without side effects. As brain chemical levels reach a natural balance through exercise, individuals who have ADHD experience enhanced focus and attention span, and often discover they sleep better, too. Except in rare cases where stimulants are no longer needed, exercise works best when combined with medication to help regulate brain function.
Simply walking for a half hour several times a week can help individuals enormously. Some other beneficial physical activities include yoga, swimming, running, gymnastics, martial arts and even team sports such as soccer. Just about any sport or activity that requires people to focus on their body’s movement tends to be a good workout for their attention system. This, say experts, is great for anyone struggling with ADHD.
As far as learning goes, the same natural chemicals that help to control mood and emotions help people behave in a more steady, regular manner. This can beneficially affect learning, for the constant desire for new stimuli is reduced, while alertness is enhanced. With frequent exercise, people become less tense or fidgety, and they’ll find they are usually more motivated as well. Exercise also boosts Neurogenesis, or the creation of brand new neurons in the brain, which is directly linked to learning. The more connections the brain can make, the more a person can learn and retain.
With an ADHD coach encouraging them, talking to them and helping them focus, ADD/ADHD patients not only have a helper, they have an advocate. Coaches talk about problems and provide resolutions. Add exercise to this beneficial, interpersonal exchange, and people can begin to see real change for the better. It takes hard work, resolve and the development of good exercise habits, but ADHD can be treated in ways other than the immediate prescription of stimulants. Though necessary in many cases, it’s good to know there are alternatives.
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