Self-Care for Adults with ADD: Put On Your Oxygen Mask
- Date: 2007-07-04 - Word Count: 600
Share This!
Take a moment to think about what happens when you get on an airplane. Before the plane takes off, the flight attendants outline safety procedures and inform you that, should the oxygen masks drop down, you must put yours on before you help anyone else. This is an excellent metaphor for self-care.
Many adults with ADD skimp on self-care. It's not easy to balance the many demands of family, career, health, friends, and personal interests. Add ADD to that mix and you can get some very overwhelmed and overworked adults who sacrifice their own self-care in order to take care of everyone else -- and everything else -- around them.
Never feel guilty for putting on your oxygen mask and practicing self-care! When you take care of yourself, you function at a higher level. When you function at a higher level, you find yourself less overwhelmed and more prepared to deal with your ADD challenges, as well as the stresses of everyday life.
And when you are able to better manage and balance all the aspects of your life, there is much more 'quality you' available to the people around you.
There are many components of self-care that one must pay attention to. Here are 3 very important elements:
The Basics: On average, do you get the sleep, nutrients, and exercise that your body requires? Sometimes, too little sleep can make you sluggish, but too much sleep can make you groggy. Excess sugar and caffeine can make you moody and speedy. And too little or too much exercise may leave you feeling tired.
It's difficult for most adults (with and without ADD) to balance proper sleep, nutrition, and exercise at all times, but most people agree that the more time they spend paying attention to healthy habits, the better they feel.
Medical Care: Some people choose to take ADD medication, and some people don't. This aspect of self-care isn't about medication. It's about your doctors -- from your general practitioner to your dentist!
Do you like your doctors? Do you feel at ease with them? Do you feel comfortable asking questions? Doctors are experts in human care, and in order to practice good self-care, you must have some great doctors on your side. This doesn't always come easy. It can take some time to find a doctor with whom you are comfortable, but it's worth the effort. You are worth the effort.
Mental Care: The Most Important Part By now you may be thinking that while all these aspects of self-care seem like common sense, they are a lot easier said than done. When you live life feeling chronically overwhelmed, it's very difficult to find the time to put these ideas into action. Here's what you can do to set yourself up for success: take time out.
Schedule in "down time" every single day to help keep your batteries charged. Retreat from the chaos of daily life and allow yourself time to relax - alone. Even if you spend only five minutes a day meditating, walking, or just sitting quietly, it will allow you to slow your thoughts and will help you get centered.
Then, when you feel centered, take it a step further and express yourself! Journal, paint, sing, talk to your plants, or do whatever it is that allows you to express your feelings and emotions! Finding healthy ways of self-expression will help free your mind and allow you to spend more energy focusing on the other aspects of self-care.
The next time you find yourself cutting corners on your self-care to focus on the needs of others, remember that you can't be much help to anyone until you put on your oxygen mask!
Many adults with ADD skimp on self-care. It's not easy to balance the many demands of family, career, health, friends, and personal interests. Add ADD to that mix and you can get some very overwhelmed and overworked adults who sacrifice their own self-care in order to take care of everyone else -- and everything else -- around them.
Never feel guilty for putting on your oxygen mask and practicing self-care! When you take care of yourself, you function at a higher level. When you function at a higher level, you find yourself less overwhelmed and more prepared to deal with your ADD challenges, as well as the stresses of everyday life.
And when you are able to better manage and balance all the aspects of your life, there is much more 'quality you' available to the people around you.
There are many components of self-care that one must pay attention to. Here are 3 very important elements:
The Basics: On average, do you get the sleep, nutrients, and exercise that your body requires? Sometimes, too little sleep can make you sluggish, but too much sleep can make you groggy. Excess sugar and caffeine can make you moody and speedy. And too little or too much exercise may leave you feeling tired.
It's difficult for most adults (with and without ADD) to balance proper sleep, nutrition, and exercise at all times, but most people agree that the more time they spend paying attention to healthy habits, the better they feel.
Medical Care: Some people choose to take ADD medication, and some people don't. This aspect of self-care isn't about medication. It's about your doctors -- from your general practitioner to your dentist!
Do you like your doctors? Do you feel at ease with them? Do you feel comfortable asking questions? Doctors are experts in human care, and in order to practice good self-care, you must have some great doctors on your side. This doesn't always come easy. It can take some time to find a doctor with whom you are comfortable, but it's worth the effort. You are worth the effort.
Mental Care: The Most Important Part By now you may be thinking that while all these aspects of self-care seem like common sense, they are a lot easier said than done. When you live life feeling chronically overwhelmed, it's very difficult to find the time to put these ideas into action. Here's what you can do to set yourself up for success: take time out.
Schedule in "down time" every single day to help keep your batteries charged. Retreat from the chaos of daily life and allow yourself time to relax - alone. Even if you spend only five minutes a day meditating, walking, or just sitting quietly, it will allow you to slow your thoughts and will help you get centered.
Then, when you feel centered, take it a step further and express yourself! Journal, paint, sing, talk to your plants, or do whatever it is that allows you to express your feelings and emotions! Finding healthy ways of self-expression will help free your mind and allow you to spend more energy focusing on the other aspects of self-care.
The next time you find yourself cutting corners on your self-care to focus on the needs of others, remember that you can't be much help to anyone until you put on your oxygen mask!
Related Tags: adhd, add, self care, adult add
Jennifer Koretsky is the Founder and Chief Visionary Officer of the ADD Management Group, LLC. Jennifer and her team work with ADD adults who are overwhelmed with everyday life in order to help them simplify, focus, and succeed. For free resources and more information, visit http://www.ADDmanagement.com . Your Article Search Directory : Find in Articles
Recent articles in this category:
- Dental Insurance For Individual Can Be Of Help At Time
Dental problem may cost one a lot of money and pain. But, practicing a reasonable care could decreas - Personal Trainer For Perfect Health
There is a general misconception that need for a fitness trainer comes for novice or from those who - Varicose Veins - Causes, Symptoms, Treatment
The majority of people after thirty notice the changes that appear with the maturing. In this case t - Scenar Therapy - Self-treatment Or Healing Partnership
Do you want to learn about a device which will help you to ease your pain? If you get this kind of a - Scenar - 5 "no, Nos" Of Scenar
Are you fed up with the pain in your body? Various parts of our body seem to ache due to different r - Scenar Device - 5 Tips On Travelling With Your Scenar (skenar) Device
You might be aware of scenar which has become quite popular these days. This is actually the acronym - Scenar Therapy - How To Treat Your Pet With Scenar
There are many alternative methods of treatment that are being invented these days. Lots of people a - Your Options For The Treatment For Appendicitis
Appendicitis is considered to be a surgical illness. Due to its severe character, the treatment for - How To Choose The Right Copd Medication
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD does not have any cure. But with the help of medicines - Septic Arthritis: Infectious Agents Penetrate Joints' Spaces
Another major type of arthritis is septic arthritis, which is also known in various terms like: pyog
Most viewed articles in this category:
- Drugs - the Last Alternative for Adhd in Kids
Anyone over the age of thirty who has grown up with ADHD understands that there was not much help av - Foods To Eat To Gain Weight
Malnutrition has the same degree of problem as obesity. There are people who are too skinny, they fi - Understanding Postpartum Clothing
The same way most pregnant women dream of the day when they will begin showing for wearing maternity - Kegel Exercising for Bladder Control and Enhanced Sexual Pleasure
Kegel exercises strengthen the muscles of the pelvic floor, thereby improving the urethra and/or rec - The Use Of Weight Loss Herbs
Nothing has garnered more attention in today's world than the success or failures of weight loss pro - A Simple Acid Relux Cure
Many people today are afflicted with heartburn. If they eat food that is too spicy, they get heartbu - Five Effective Household Back Pain Treatments
Back pain treatment comes in lots of forms, from exercise to pain mediction. Standard and most wides - Herbal Remedies - Can They Cure What Ails You?
You've probably heard about herbal remedies before and how they can treat a variety of health proble - Natural Relief for Tinnitus - What are your Choices
Natural Relief For Tinnitus - Alternative Options Did you know that there are an estimated 50 t - Birthing Around the World
Since ancestral times, different cultures showed off different customs and beliefs around the miracl