If you have ADHD, you may find it challenging to manage your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, leading to difficulties in various aspects of life.
By incorporating ACT techniques into your daily routine, you can learn to manage yourADHD symptomsmore effectively and cultivate a sense of self-compassion and resilience.
By learning to accept their challenges and focus on what matters most, people with ADHD can improve their overall well-being and quality of life.
Whilemedicationand traditional cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) are commontreatments for ADHD, there is growing interest in alternative approaches like Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).
ACT is a form of psychotherapy that focuses on helping individuals accept their thoughts and feelings while committing to actions that align with their personal values.
The main goals of ACT include increasing psychological flexibility, reducing experiential avoidance, and promoting value-driven behaviors.
How can ACT help with ADHD?
These aspects of ACT could potentially help individuals with ADHD in several ways:
How ACT can be applied to ADHD
There are 6 core components of ACT: acceptance, cognitive defusion, being present, self as context, values, and committed action. Each of these can be applied to ADHD:
Acceptance
Acceptance in ACT involves acknowledging and embracing thoughts, feelings, and experiences without trying to change or suppress them. For individuals with ADHD, this could mean accepting their neurodiversity and the challenges that come with it, rather than constantly fighting against them.
Strategies to cultivate acceptance may include:
They might say to themselves, “It’s okay that I’m struggling to focus right now. This is a part of my ADHD, and it doesn’t make me any less valuable as a person.”
Cognitive Defusion
Cognitive defusion refers to the process of detaching from thoughts and recognizing that they are just mental events, not necessarily reality. People with ADHD often struggle with negative self-talk and self-criticism, which can exacerbate their difficulties.
ACT techniques for cognitive defusion include:
An individual with ADHD might have the thought, “I’m lazy because I can’t finish this project on time.” Using cognitive defusion, they could rephrase this thought as, “I’m having the thought that I’m lazy because I can’t finish this project on time.”
This helps create distance from the thought and reduces its emotional impact, allowing the person to recognize that it’s just a thought, not a fact.
Being Present
Mindfulness exercises that can help bring attention back to the present moment and improve focus include:
They might then take a moment to notice their surroundings, such as the feeling of their feet on the ground or the sounds in the room, without judging or trying to change anything. This can help them feel more grounded and better able to tackle the task of organizing their space.
Self as Context
Self as context refers to the idea that we are not our thoughts, feelings, or experiences, but rather the observer of these internal events. For people with ADHD, this perspective can help them detach from self-limiting beliefs and see themselves as more than their diagnosis.
Activities that can help cultivate this sense of self include:
An adult with ADHD might struggle with the belief that they are “broken” or “incapable” because of their diagnosis.
To practice self as context, they could imagine themselves as the sky, with their thoughts, feelings, and experiences related to ADHD as passing clouds. This helps them see that their identity is separate from their challenges and that they are more than their diagnosis.
Values
Values are the personal qualities and ideals that give meaning and direction to our lives. Individuals with ADHD may struggle with setting and pursuing goals that align with their values. ACT encourages exploring and clarifying one’s values and using them as a guide for decision-making and action.
Strategies for identifying and connecting with values include:
A student with ADHD who values learning and personal growth might set a goal to read one chapter of a textbook each day, even though they find it challenging to focus on reading.
By connecting this goal to their value of learning, they can maintain motivation and a sense of purpose, even when faced with difficulties related to their ADHD.
Committed Action
Committed action involves taking steps towards value-driven goals, even in the face of challenges or discomfort. For individuals with ADHD, this may mean persisting with tasks despite distractions or engaging in behaviors that support their well-being, such as regular exercise or social connection.
ACT strategies for facilitating committed action include:
An employee with ADHD who values contributing to their team at work might commit to breaking down a large project into smaller, manageable tasks and setting deadlines for each step. Despite distractions or discomfort, they continue to take action towards completing the project, knowing that it aligns with their value of being a reliable team member.
When they find themselves getting sidetracked, they gently redirect their attention back to the task at hand, celebrating small victories along the way.
How effective is ACT for ADHD?
Conclusions
While ACT shows promise as a potential approach for managing ADHD, it is essential to remember that what works for one person may not work for another.
Individuals with ADHD should consult with a qualified mental health professional to determine the most appropriate treatment plan for their specific needs and circumstances. This article is only meant as a brief introduction to ACT for ADHD and should not be taken as an alternative to professional advice.
Alternative ADHD management options, such as medication, CBT, andcoaching, should also be considered and discussed with a healthcare provider.
Additionally, it is worth noting that ACT may be particularly helpful for addressing co-existing conditions, such as anxiety and depression, which are common among individuals with ADHD. You may find that ACT targets those conditions better than they do the actual ADHD traits.
Ultimately, the goal is to find a management approach that empowers individuals with ADHD to lead fulfilling lives in alignment with their personal values and aspirations.
References
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Saul McLeod, PhD
BSc (Hons) Psychology, MRes, PhD, University of Manchester
Saul McLeod, PhD., is a qualified psychology teacher with over 18 years of experience in further and higher education. He has been published in peer-reviewed journals, including the Journal of Clinical Psychology.
Olivia Guy-Evans, MSc
BSc (Hons) Psychology, MSc Psychology of Education
Olivia Guy-Evans is a writer and associate editor for Simply Psychology. She has previously worked in healthcare and educational sectors.
