When it comes to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), most connect the condition with children and their inability to focus and stay grounded. That said, a Harvard study recently reported that approximately 4.4 percent of adults suffer from ADHD, and of that number, 40 percent are women. And while many turn to medication to alleviate the condition, some are considering whether or not meditation might offer a viable solution.
Norman E. Rosenthal, MD pens this recent Huffington Post about ADHD in the female adult population and how Transcendental Meditation could potentially offer women suffering from ADHD a respite from the chaos. He directs his thoughts to mothers of school aged children.
According to Rosenthal, although his initial focus is on treating the child with ADHD, he’s found that it’s the mothers that he ends up focusing on. Unfortunately, between commitments to children, a husband, and a household, many mothers suffer from tremendous amounts of stress, possibly fueling the already undiagnosed condition. Says Rosenthal, Transcendental Meditation can provide the opportunity for these women to de-stress and refocus.
To this mix of medications and coaching, I would respectfully like to suggest a third component to the treatment program — some form of stress reduction. One of the most potent forms of stress reduction that I know is the Transcendental Meditation (TM) technique. So potent is TM as a stress reducer that it has reliably been shown to reduce blood pressure, can reverse early stage blood vessel disease, and can actually boost longevity, according to two controlled studies. I suggest that the same de-stressing powers may be invaluable to an adult (or child) struggling with both ADHD and a lifestyle of rushing, running and juggling that is conductive to ADHD.
Read more from Rosenthal on using Transcendental Meditation to treat mothers suffering from ADHD here.
