I have ADHD. Sometimes when it becomes challenging to focus on what I am trying to do, I turn on a movie or something I can look at periodically while working. Sometimes I need a little more. One memorable time my daughter came into the kitchen while I had a computer set up on the table; I also had an iPod playing a book, and I was playing a game on the tablet next to me. “ADHD under control, Mom?” was all she asked as she walked through the room. I realized that, yes, I did have things under control and was getting quite a few things done.

The flip side is when my surroundings overwhelm me, making me feel irritable and frustrated. At that point, I go into a quiet room where there is no noise or people talking to me. I am more overwhelmed by people than by the noises or distractions I create. I thought about this feeling of overwhelm, and how long I have been trying to mitigate my response to things. As far as I can remember, this has always been something I have experienced.

The ADHD parts have also always been there. But the way I respond to it is very different. I tend to whistle, tap my feet, or do any manner of stimming when I start to feel like I have started to lose my focus. Sometimes I feel out of control with the need to take everything in and notice everything happening around me.

All of this brings me to meditation. For many years I have been using the Calm app for my meditation. The app offers various things, from seep stories, guided meditations, movement, and other resources. The Daily Trip is my go-to meditation; Jeff Warren writes and guides the meditations. He has created a series of meditations for people with ADHD. The first time I did one of them, my brain felt more peaceful than it usually did after meditation. When I described it to my daughter, she said it sounded exactly how my brain works.

Sometimes the anxiety and depression become a little too much, and having a meditation to fall back on, even if it is just someone’s calm voice in my ears while I try to refocus and breathe, is worth so much to me. Meditation is part of my morning routine. I wake up, do the Wordle, mini crossword, read some spiritual writings, and then I meditate. Then, after all that, I get out of bed. I call it waking up my brain before I engage with the world. The whole thing takes about 30 to 40 minutes.

I have been trying to find a way to connect with my ADHD and work through the frantic maneuvers of my mind. These meditations help me focus on the things around me, making everything a little less frantic. If you need a good resource for meditation, I highly recommend the Calm app.

Things get hectic all on their own. It is nice to have a safe place to go. Be well.