24. Where does ADHD come from? Part 2
Photo by James Wheeler
I used to see addicts and homeless people in the same ways some see ADHD but to a less drastic extent. I'd think to myself, why don't they just get a job, or they should've never started doing drugs? It seems pretty logical, doesn't it?
It's likely the treatment you experience with ADHD. People judge you from their perspectives and their reality. Just proofread, double-checking isn't hard to do, just watch what you're doing. They have no idea what it feels like, though.
And I know I just compared the struggles of being a homeless drug addict to having ADHD and being scolded for being forgetful, or spacey. I know that they are vastly different, and one is more severe than the other.
Where there's a big similarity to me though, is that they both generate frustration. A frustration that is born from an assumption that someone's circumstances are a result of their choices, and that having the capacity to recognize the difference between a good choice and a bad one, means you are going to make wise decisions in life.
These types of problems are the only kinds of sickness people are allowed to be angry at you for having.
Jessa Reed, a second look
A perfect example of how people like Jessa grow up to be addicted meth all look similar.
If you met her walking around on the street while she was an addict you may not wonder why she was that way. You'd just pray she didn't notice you and try to talk to you. But it's guaranteed that if you sit down with anyone like her and listen to her story, you'll find they've reached low states in poor attempts to manage their hidden emotional problems.
Jessa Reed has shared in interviews and comedy routines that she grew up in a trailer with her mother, who struggled with addiction and worked as a sex worker. Reed has described her childhood as chaotic and unstable, with her mother's addiction and sex work creating an unpredictable and dangerous environment.
Reed also spoke about the impact that her mother's lifestyle had on her own development and mental health. She has shared that she experienced abuse and neglect and that her mother's addiction contributed to her struggles with addiction and mental health issues later in life.
In a podcast I heard, she explained how she saw her mother taking clients into her bedroom for sex work, an act that she could hear. You can't hide things like that in a trailer. It's probably no surprise, that to cope with the trauma she was experiencing, she started using drugs and alcohol when she was just 12 years old.
Now she's clean, she's a professional comedian; looking at her, at least from a TV screen, I wouldn't guess there was such a dark past behind her. She looks healthy, she doesn't have the build of a person wandering around without food while peering into the matrix. She's lucid, a great storyteller, her timing is impeccable, and she's funny as hell; if you're into dark comedy.
Click on the pic below to see a YouTube clip of the storytelling event called "This is not happening", where she recounts the story of her meth-pee experience way better than I could.
Are you not entertained?
Is this not fascinating? I am doing my best to paint the picture. Jessa's story isn't about someone with ADHD explicitly. After learning about this idea of not a bunch of different mood disorders, but, one encompassing spectrum, of one condition. A condition that isn't as much a disease, as it is a cultural adaptation responding to demands of modern life.
I'll call it, New World Dis-order, to be overly cheesy. At the end of the day, the world is indifferent to individual problems. It doesn't matter if a public school curriculum doesn't fit your learning style, it's hard to focus on your job because you can't get your ADHD medication, etcetera. Parenthood prepares you for that world, but the idea is, that's a lousy way to grow up.
Unlike with our current model for identifying mood disorders like ADHD, with New World Disorder the question turns from what disorder you have to, what extent are you affected by your environment. All of the conditions result from the same place physiologically but express to different degrees.
All the symptoms of ADHD actually have a corresponding root trauma:
Inattention: difficulty focusing or sustaining attention
Root trauma: Neglect or emotional abandonment during childhood.
Explanation: Children who experience neglect or emotional abandonment may not receive consistent attention or validation from their caregivers, leading them to feel ignored, unimportant, or unworthy. This can cause them to disengage from the world around them. They may develop a habit of tuning out or daydreaming to cope with feelings of emptiness or isolation. As a result, they may struggle to focus on tasks or relationships.
Associated conditions: Depression, anxiety disorders.
Explanation: Children who experience neglect or emotional abandonment may develop feelings of depression or anxiety as they struggle to make sense of their experiences and cope with the sense of disconnection from their caregivers. They may also struggle with self-esteem and have difficulty forming healthy relationships, leading to social anxiety and other anxiety disorders.
Hyperactivity: fidgeting, restlessness, excessive talking
Root trauma: Chronic stress or exposure to chaotic or unpredictable environments during childhood. Moving a lot, parents who fight, etc.
Explanation: Children may develop a hypervigilant state of arousal as a way of coping with the constant threat of danger or unpredictability. They may develop a habit of restlessness, fidgeting, or excessive talking as a way of expending nervous energy or trying to regulate their arousal levels. As a result, they may exhibit symptoms of hyperactivity.
Associated conditions: Conduct disorder, substance use disorders.
Explanation: Children who experience chronic stress or exposure to chaotic or unpredictable environments may struggle with impulse control and may act out in ways that are aggressive or antisocial. They may also turn to substance use as a way of coping with their feelings of stress or anxiety.
Impulsivity: acting without thinking, difficulty waiting or delaying gratification, interrupting or blurting out inappropriate comments
Root trauma: Physical, emotional, or sexual abuse during childhood.
Explanation: Children who experience physical, emotional, or sexual abuse may develop a sense of powerlessness or loss of control over their own bodies and lives. They may also learn to rely on their instincts and act impulsively in order to protect themselves or respond to threats. As a result, they may struggle with impulse control and exhibit symptoms of impulsivity.
Associated conditions: Oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder.
Explanation: Children who experience these types of abuse may develop oppositional or defiant behaviors as a way of asserting control over their own lives. They may also act out in ways that are aggressive or antisocial to protect themselves or respond to perceived threats.
Executive dysfunction: It may be hard to plan, organize, initiate, and complete tasks, this also includes difficulty regulating emotions.
Root trauma: Chronic stress or exposure to traumatic events during childhood.
Explanation: Children who experience exposure to these types of traumatic events may develop a hypervigilant state of arousal as a way of coping with the constant threat of danger or unpredictability. They may also have difficulty regulating their emotions, leading to a sense of overwhelm or becoming flustered. As a result, they may struggle with executive functioning tasks such as planning, organization, time management, and working memory.
Associated conditions: Learning disabilities, like ADHD and anxiety disorders.
Explanation: Children who experience chronic stress or exposure to traumatic events may have difficulty with learning and may struggle with cognitive tasks such as memory and attention. They may also develop anxiety disorders as they struggle to cope with feelings of overwhelm or unpredictability in their environment.
That being said, if you have ADHD and you're reading this, can you recall what type of environment you grew up in? Does anything on that list correlate with childhood experience?
There are medications we use to treat these symptoms, but Dr. Mate' claims we can treat them so that they heal. The fundamental step is to address the root causes of your illness.
Identifying the root causes
I've been writing broadly in this post, but I don't want to forget that this is a podcast about ADHD. Finally, I want to discuss ways to manage and heal ADHD, according to the beliefs of Dr. Gabor Mate.
He believes that ADHD can be managed holistically by addressing the underlying causes of the disorder, which he believes are often related to early childhood experiences and disrupted attachment to our caregivers and peers. He argues that a comprehensive approach to ADHD treatment in particular should include these 5 things:
Strong relationships: developing strong, supportive relationships is essential for addressing ADHD. This includes building healthy attachments with parents, teachers, and peers, as well as engaging in social activities that promote connection and belonging.
In a way, I think that was my subconscious draw to creating this blog. As it grows and I get to interact with more people, I undoubtedly feel good.
Addressing emotional issues: Many people with ADHD struggle with emotional regulation, anxiety, and depression. Addressing these emotional issues through therapy, mindfulness practices, and other techniques can help individuals with ADHD manage their symptoms more effectively.
Mindfulness is a vague term because it gets thrown around these days. It's not hard to do, it's just that once you get past the mysticism of it all, it's work and practice like everything else. Ways to be mindful are:
Breathing: Take a few deep breaths, focusing on the sensation of air entering and leaving your body. Pay attention to the rise and fall of your belly and the feeling of your breath in your nostrils.
Body Scanning: It doesn't involve any expensive equipment, even though it sounds like it. All you have to do is sit or lie in a comfortable position and observe your body from head to toe. Notice any areas of tension or discomfort. Focus on relaxing each area by breathing into that spot and exhaling the tension.
Walking: Take a walk and focus on the sensation of your feet on the ground. Notice the sounds, smells, and sights around you.
Enjoy your meals: Take the time to savor and enjoy each bite of your meal, paying attention to the taste, texture, and aroma of the food. Chew your food thoroughly and carefully.
Listening carefully: Give your full attention to someone speaking to you. Don't interrupt or think about what you'll say next. Try to understand their perspective and respond with empathy. Imagine yourself from their standpoint.
Journaling: Take a few minutes to write down your thoughts and feelings, without judgment or self-criticism. This could be poems, lyrics, monologues, or anything you want. I would include most forms of creative expression in the journaling category if your inspiration comes from the right place.
Gratitude: Take a moment to focus on the things in your life that you are grateful for, big or small. Acknowledge the positive things in your life and express gratitude for them. Saying grace is something we think of as religious but try it. Before you eat just think of all the people in the world who would trade their first-born for a sniff of the food you're so sick of eating. If you live in a bigger city, you don't have to imagine some person in an underdeveloped country. You probably drive past less-fortunate people all the time. When it's freezing outside and you wake up in the morning and feel down, think about how hard it was for someone to sleep outside when it's 15 degrees out. You may not have a memory foam mattress with NASA cooling gel in one of three bedrooms in your, 3,000 sq. ft. condo, but your toes won't fall off from frostbite. And your bed isn't made of rocks and syringes.
Nutrition: Eating a healthy, whole-food diet that includes plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein sources, as well as supplementing with critical vitamins and minerals that support brain health, such as omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, and magnesium.
Managing stress: Stress can exacerbate ADHD symptoms, so developing effective stress-management techniques, such as meditation, yoga, or regular exercise.
Practicing mindfulness: This step is what it's called when you do all the things I just mentions, but cohesively. Developing greater awareness of your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors and cultivating greater self-regulation and self-awareness.
While Dr. Mate does not believe these approaches can completely cure ADHD, he argues that they can help individuals manage their symptoms more effectively and lead happier, more fulfilling lives.
One notable study published in the journal Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging in 2011 found that mindfulness meditation was associated with increased gray matter density in the hippocampus, a brain region involved in memory and learning.
Other studies have suggested that aerobic exercise, learning a new skill, and cognitive behavioral therapy can also increase gray matter volume in various brain regions.
And with that, I'm going to start putting this one to bed.
Sign-Off
Isn't all of that interesting? I hope you think so. If you'd like to add to the conversation, don't forget to interact with me in the comments below or on the Spotify comment thread for this episode. Lindsey likely saved lives today with her info about nicotine lozenges. Thanks again, for those who commented.
Do you have any ideas for an upcoming subjects? What do you want to hear about next?
Don't forget to like, share, and subscribe to the podcast version of this blog. Until next time, much love, D.C. out!