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@billd – You said it bro! And it’s the round pegs that can change the world!
Yes, awesome name.
REPORT ABUSE@ADHDORNUTS – your nickname reminds me of a sign I saw on the Christmas buffet: Warning! This family contains nuts.
I agree – There’s room in this world for a few more square pegs!
REPORT ABUSEWhat a lovely story! I too have a list of stuff that I don’t want to forget, but I don’t make a new one for each trip. Part of it is trusting that whatever you end up forgetting, you’ll find a way to cope. After all, you’re a creative, resourceful person!
REPORT ABUSE@notpoppin – sorry for the acronym – CBT = cognitive behavioral therapy
*loved* that joke!
REPORT ABUSEIn another post, Dr. J. said, “I believe the core treatment agenda is to build your self esteem. That is why we try to inject so much humor into this site. People need to laugh more and realize, hey, [ I ] can get through this. There is a reason why ADHD is often so intertwined with depression and anxiety.”
My experience with hypnotherapy has been that it hasn’t changed my basic nature (i.e. the ADHD is still there), but it has done a lot to address self esteem issues (i.e. the feeling that I’m constantly fighting with/criticizing myself), so that I am free to figure out what works instead of obsessing over what’s failing. I remember saying to a CBT therapist that I felt like I had a “self-destructive gene.” Hypnotherapy helped me release the negative emotions and left me with a tool I can use to still my mind, even standing in a crowded bus.
It is not the only way, but it has the advantage of being drug free, simple and comparatively cheap. It was also a fun way to explore how my mind works. I learned a lot from the experience.
REPORT ABUSEHas anyone tried online to-do lists – the kind that will send reminders to your cell phone etc? Are there any that don’t suck . . . um . . . are suitable for highly creative, talented and intelligent individuals?
REPORT ABUSERick – I know you have been called many things — please add “genius” to the list! Focusing on one thing actually allowed me to get a bunch of things done.
REPORT ABUSEThanks Rick – that’s exactly the sort of creative approach we need!
REPORT ABUSEKazuo – that’s AWESOME! I agree about getting high on learning.
Has anyone else had that AWESOME feeling when you help someone by getting them to see a problem in a whole new light? Sometimes it even happens by accident. You’re creatively playing with something they said and suddenly their eyes light up and they say something like, “Hey, I never thought about it that way! Thanks,”
REPORT ABUSEHands up anyone who has found To Do Lists effective? Nobody? That’s what I thought. I have the same problem.
So . . . we’re creative . . . let’s come up with a creative approach.
What would an ADHD To Do List have to look like in order to be effective?
I took a look back to projects where I had been successful. There was one theme that kept coming up. I was a lot more successful when working for an organization or person I cared about. For example, while I might procrastinate on my own tax return, if an old friend came to me, anxious that he hadn’t filed a tax return for himself or his home business in the last 5 years, I’d dive right in. If I feel that my work is going to help someone, I find I have a lot more energy to do the work.
Do others feel the same way? If so, then add a little reminder of who you’re helping to each line on your To Do List and see how much your success rate improves.
REPORT ABUSE@ Dennis
Thank you for your well reasoned response. I agree with most of what you are saying. Unfortunately, hypnotherapy is an unregulated profession, so there is a wide range of claims. KNOW YOUR THERAPIST is an important piece of advice regardless of the treatment modality. I used Wendi Friesen as an example only to help someone who said they found that the slow, monotonous approach didn’t work for them. Wendi is a high energy, rapid fire hypnotist. I agree that Wendi can’t cure cancer or increase the size of someone’s breasts.
“Comparing CBT to hypnosis is ridiculous to me.” is where we obviously disagree. I have the advantage that I have used both. In the hands of a skilled, sensitive practitioner they both provide a framework for positive change. They are not as different as you might think. CBT, which uses conscious tools to affect change in the subconscious, can include guided visualization, and Hypnotherapy, which uses subconscious tools to affect changes in conscious behavior, often includes coaching to help the person implement the changes they imagined.
I have spoken about my experience with CBT elsewhere on this site. It was helpful in adding structure to my understanding and giving me a framework to analyze the thoughts I was experiencing. Hypnotherapy helped me stop feeling like a loser. One particular session stands out for me. I don’t know if you’ve ever felt as though different “parts” of you were battling each other. In my case, it was a hyper-critical inner voice that kept pointing out my failings and mistakes. I remember describing it to a therapist as the feeling that I had a “self-destructive gene.” Hypnotherapy helped me imagine a conversation between those two parts, leading to mutual understanding and re-integration. There are other ways of achieving the same result. Hypnotherapy happens to be the way that allowed me to stop fighting myself. I’m not saying it’s the only way. I just object to it being dismissed.
Let me finish with some practical advice from Gerard Egan in the basic psychology text, _The Skilled Helper_. He points out on page 45 that as many as 40% of therapists report that they follow an “eclectic” approach – a combination of various models, rather than a strict adherence to one. They balance their theoretical training with their professional experience. The key to success is finding a good fit with a therapist, regardless of their model. Don’t let labels, like “CBT,” “Hypnotherapy” or even “ADHD” box you in.
REPORT ABUSE@Dennis – If I read you right, you are saying that anything that can be achieved being guided can be achieved alone. If you are a knowledgeable enough to guide yourself, then I agree, but don’t discount the skill of the hypnotherapist.
I also agree that ADHD starts as a matter of genetics influencing chemistry, but remember, there is a person involved. The way we FEEL about our chemistry also influences our chemistry. Would you agree that feeling hopeless and / or powerless in the face of ADHD will make the person’s experience of ADHD worse? There are people on this site who did not get a diagnosis (or an explanation for that matter) of what makes them tick (i.e. the ADHD) until well into adulthood. Some are dealing with a lifetime of what they perceive as failure or not living up to the creativity they feel inside. Hypnotherapy helps people deal with negative thoughts and behaviors quickly and easily. Of course there are other modalities. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a good alternative and I have known CBT therapists to employ guided visualization with clients in a relaxed state. Whatever you call it, this mode of relaxation has been proven effective at helping people change their thoughts, feelings and behavior.
The thing is, hypnosis involves two people talking – no drugs, no surgery, no expensive equipment, and no long term commitment. It isn’t a “cure” or a “treatment” for ADHD, but I think it should be seriously considered as a way to address the secondary emotional issues that often accompany ADHD.
REPORT ABUSEWrong_Writer – there’s nothing “wrong” with your writing. That’s a great story!
REPORT ABUSEAnyone else see a little of themselves here?
REPORT ABUSEHi Rainbow – if you can fall asleep elsewhere, but not in your bed, then what is it about your bedroom or bed that is affecting you? Get really curious about this. Experiment with sleeping in other parts of the house. If your spouse were to leave you asleep in front of the TV, what would happen.
Also, observe yourself as you go to bed. What thoughts come to your mind? What feelings or emotions are triggered as you go to bed? It could be something going on internally which is getting in the way of getting a good night’s sleep.
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