ADHD (and all other neuro-diversities) and hypnotherapy
May 26, 2024
Many studies acknowledge the benefits of hypnotherapy in helping with the symptoms of ADHD that come along with this often-debilitating so-called disorder. There is so much out there that claims to help with neuro-diversities. But how effective and long term are they?
I read something recently where an autistic person was explaining how she really didn’t like it when people referred to her autism as a super-power. And the reason she gave was that it felt undermining; thinking or assuming that it is great to “have” or “be” neuro diverse. Sidenote here – I prefer the term “I am” ADHD/ADD, opposed to "I have" etc. I have often heard ADHD referred to as a super-power and what this woman said really rang true. I also believe there are many of us with ADHD that have never been diagnosed and at times mistaken as foolish or over reactive. Having ADHD means you live in a different field of sensitivity, as do all neuro-divergencies, but what it really can mean, is that trauma is involved.
That “t” word. This word has much implication to it. Trauma is a word that has many different levels within levels, planes and intensities. None of these levels have more importance than others, they are all multi-dimensional. Purely from the nature of ADHD and other neuro diversities, that level of sensitivity and feelings of anxiousness and confusion of our place within the world, all add to the trauma or living within society. We can be misunderstood, not heard, and simply bogged down with depression and anxiety that can come from these things. It can be traumatic living in society where expectation to do those things that are expected of us all, can make it so uncomfortable that that is traumatic in itself.
All aspects of life can cause feelings of rejection, misunderstanding, and not being listened to, plus so much more. And because of the different ways our brains are wired, the rejection part of our brain becomes super active, looking for something or someone to be rejected by or from. And the result of this can then hang about getting into the bones of you leaving you worrying, self-criticising, feeling pretty crappy about one particular occurrence that may have happened hours, days, weeks, or years ago. And this can be a difficult thing to get rid of.
HOWEVER! I have a solution…. creating space, time and understanding to how our brains work, can really help. Hypnotherapy does not change people, it doesn't even stop you feeling the pain of rejection or worrying about what someone thinks of you, it simply makes it so much easier to cope with these things. Brings about some rationality. I have/had clients either with or without a diagnosis, who have found hypnotherapy allows them to do just that.
I thought this would be fun – so, things that ADHD peeps do which I have since discovered aren’t “normal” – really really REALLY using that word with circumspect. Brains are junkies, they love a bit of dopamine. You may or may not agree….
- WORD SALAD AND TANGENTS ... this is something that is massive for me. Not being able to think of a word in the middle of a sentence and then thinking about something else because while trying to think of said word, brain has decided to go off on a tangent in the quest for more dopamine and something else the brain can remember.
- WALKABOUT ... getting up to grab a glass of water, and immediately doing something else like cooking a meal, going to the shop or hanging out washing. Walking from one room to another not knowing why or for what reason.
- PROCRASTINATION ... doing anything else on your to-do list other than what is meant to be done.
- OVER-EXPLAINING ... having to explain details of details due to the absolute need to ensure that all and sundry fully understands all the details your super active brain has picked up.
- BUTTERFLYING ... not sticking to the subject in a conversation plus interrupting often or having zero ability to keep your mouth firmly shut. Even interrupting to say sorry.
- MASKING ... well this is a big one because of how detrimental the effects of masking can be both physiologically and emotionally. Neuro divergency often goes hand in hand with masking which is actually very sad – we can’t be ourselves.
Not speaking on the phone, or sending that email because it’s excruciating to even think of saying no. - BIG SPENDER ... buying things. Not going say anymore on that subject.
- REPEATER ... having the unstoppable urge to express what is going on in your brain more than twice to the same person.
- THE DO-NOT-MOVE PILES ... not in the medical sense. These can manifest in many ways. I have piles to sort and piles to throw away. These are not to be touched by man, woman or dog.
- INTERRUPTION RAGE ... well, when one is focusing fully on something, one must NEVER EVER BE SPOKEN TO, ACKNOWLEDGED, THOUGHT OF or in any way looked at to which one would be the tiniest bit knocked off the intense path of focus.
The point is, it's exhausting, plus, it can be the best thing and the worst thing. But if the brain doesn’t have the space to breathe and or to re-group, then neither does the rest of the body. It has a multi-functional effect on everything. I sometimes think I’m going batshit crazy but I’m not, I am just in need of taking a breath. And the one thing I can swear by is that hypnotherapy is the number one thing that can give space. if nothing else, space is created, and that my friends, is a winner. Ooh, is that a squirrel?
