Because of all the amazing feedback I got from this video, I made a meditation for ADHD course and have gotten amazing feedback from that as well. You can read reviews and watch the first module for free here: beingintegrated.thinkific.com/courses/meditation-for-adhd You can also sign up for my newsletter/substack and get a free guided ADHD meditation here: beingintegrated.net/newsletter-signup/
"My mind was so active because my body was so restless and uncomfortable." This clicked. So much of this mental stress seems to stem from a physical discomfort and a CONSTANT ache to raise those dopamine levels. It seems that the letting be-the sitting with the feelings of discomfort while choosing not to act on them-is the work needed to slowly re-tune the body/mind to find and shift that dopamine baseline. Thanks Jude!!
Definitely felt this during the practice, especially on the second half, when my brain was SCREAMING at me to MOVE and do SOMETHING, but I had to persevere and gently let my brain go back to focusing on the body and finding the tense parts to try and relax. When I opened my eyes in the end I felt more awake and calm. Thank you this video was so helpful!
It really made sense to me. My husband ask, "what are you thinking about?" I told him am not thinking about anything and just restless and jumping from one thing to the other.
I can’t fully explain it, but out of the literal thousands of guided meditations I have listened to, as someone who has discovered they might have adhd and is in the process of getting diagnosed, it feels genuinely strange for each point he made to just hit home and relate to me so much. That in itself was such a relief. I felt like it was addressing the thousands of elephants in the room in my brain that other meditations either gloss over or ignore entirely. I hope this made sense. Essentially this meditation is fantastic.
As someone who also just discovered I have ADHD, it's "strange" because we've become accustomed to seeing/feeling differently from most people. For me suddenly ALLLL the pieces fit, and yes, definitely a sense of relief! I'm sure you're well past a diagnosis now but I just wanted to affirm your comments for anyone else that might come along in a similar place.
I literally felt like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I’ve been exploring the mind and never knew the way to explain how I feel. This video explains point for point exactly how I feel. Your video has answered questions that I’ve struggled to understand or locate myself. Thank you so much for this video!
Fellow restless ADHD peeps, meditation starts here: 6:31 - transmuting ADHD restlessness through acceptance is such an important lesson to learn, thank you for making your content!
3.5 years of meditation later.... where I've listened to countless recordings telling me to return to my breath and observe my thoughts. I don't get to observe my thoughts, like a "train coming into the station", rather, I get constantly hit with a machine gun of random thoughts / fantasies /stories. The body discomfort thing surely makes sense, like fidgeting, touching your face, changing position. But it seems to me I do have an overactive mind, which then leads to the body discomfort. Then again I am more in the inattentive side. Thanks for this, made much sense, more than dozens of others. The life advices too, like stability, income and routine. Oh and PS guys: PRIORITIZE SLEEP WHATEVER IT TAKES 💤
Hey man, I was the EXACT SAME with the thoughts. To the point typical mindfulness meditation would stress me out. How could I "identify, acknowledge, and let go of a thought" if it's a cacaphony. I can't label it planning, worrying, or whatever because it's like an entire movie sometimes. (I call them reels, but it's the same as the fantasies/stories). So every thought would stress me out, also I have a perfectionism streak so that didn't help. If you don't mind, what ended up working for you? I am gonna give this guy a shot, and I have a Trancendental Meditation training lined up too.
Whether this "worked" for my symptoms or not is irrelevant to me right now. You brought me ten minutes of peace today and I hugely grateful for that. Thank you.
Who else is multitasking while watching this video because ADHD?? As a fellow therapist with ADHD (inattentive subtype), I find this so validating. This mirrors my experiences with meditation & medication. This craving & avoiding body discomfort really hits home. I enjoy using mudras during meditation, giving permission to have my mind wander, using hypnosis, and doing mindful movement BEFORE meditation does wonders. New subscriber here & would love to connect with a like minded therapist. 💗Dr. Liz
It is NOT DUE ADHD. People why you neglect the current times DEMAND people to be a MULTITASKER??? Have you noticed the speed of information exchange continiuosly accelerating? Wake up! It is new age life!
I can't explain properly but after 11 years of my spiritual journey, after trying thousand types of meditation, after diagnosing my ADHD.... THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I FELT UNDERSTOOD, SEEN, FELT. Sooo very grateful to you. I was searching ADHD meditation and accidentally stumbled upon on your video. Feeling safe and sound 🥺🥺🥺 Beautiful meditation, tons of gratitude, love and blessings sweet soul🌼🌻🌷
Adhd here How I do it is close to mindfullness, there is no need to focus during meditation, only accepting whatever thought or feeling going through, without judgement or holding on to any. It might take a while, but we can find a center of balance or groundness inside (for me it is my heart. Then I use a visualisation, last time it was swimming on a lake, and instead of trying to stay afloat, I would let myself sink, then realise that I can't drown. It can be like wearing thoughts like hair going off your mind. Anything. At that point, I try to radiate as much light as possible from my center and try to stay there as long as possible. Eventually, silence. And the dopamine boost ;)
I've put myself in very stressful/anxiety raising situations my entire life. And not like extreme sports type stuff, which may have been productive - but rather things like not trying at all in school and seeing my grades plummet and my relationships with my parents deteriorate, or saying vulgar things to people and looking at their reactions and getting a very powerful, very negative stimulus from that. In all of these things, my actions always seemed automatic and out of my control. And in all of these things, I hated myself for behaving so. One thing for sure, though, is that I have always had a deep, unrelenting sense of restlessness in my body. For me, it has mostly been in my chest, and the feeling is unbearable. What you said kind of affirmed my thoughts about my past and, honestly, still current, behavior being based around giving me a strong stimulus to distract me from this restlessness. I'll give the meditation a go and see where I end up. It sucks, though... having to had ever dealt with this stuff. Trials and tribulations, baby.
THIS. THIS... is EXACTLY my story as well. I have ruined so many relationships and feel shameful and uncomfortable every single day. I just want some relief.
Discomfort in your body keeping your mind from meditation hits home as an ADHD individual with chronic pain. And the grrrr... angry restlessness it brings on when the more I try to calm my mind the more it jumps around always made me feel inadequate.
Wow… following this meditation dissolved the anxiety in my stomach for the first time. When you said “maybe invite it”, something clicked. Instead of pushing back against it or seeing it as the enemy and immediately disassociating or going down a thought spiral like I usually do, I was actually able just to sit with it, embrace it. By the end, I couldn’t even feel it anymore. Thank you so much.
I don’t usually comment on anything. But this brought really good value to me. I have been trying to meditate for years but never succeeding for even 3 minutes at a time. This worked!
I looked this up on a whim and it was the first video I clicked. when you asked us to identify where the energy was, I put one hand on my chest and one hand on my stomach and almost immediately started crying but I breathed through it. I legitimately felt the energy so fast and when you reminded us to go back into our mind I felt it moved through my body. When you brought it back to The body again I felt the energy but it was so much less and I never ended up crying!! this was crazy!! I have ADHD and normal meditation is torture so this is so helpful and I can’t wait to check out more videos!!!!
I could feel tingles in my feet. And then eventually I was thinking about other things, then fell asleep and wokeup realizing the videos still playing.
Thanks for your video. I've been in and out of meditation for years, always having that restlessness and uncomfortable feeling when I sit to meditate, and I only realized it is ADHD recently. I read some books from cover to cover, I sought help and advice, but I always stumbled upon that strange stone and a bit of external stress kicked me out of meditation for months. I learned to get around that stone from thinking that my mind is a house, and I have to leave the doors open to any sensation and thought. Do not suppress anything, don't try to sink uncomfortable thoughts or embarrassing accusative memories, don't try to fight against it, but neither should you encourage them or give them your energy. There is a third alternative. You just let things come and go as they please, but you keep watching the breath. You can give uncomfortable feelings and emotions some attention when they arise, but once they calm down you can go back to your breath, without pressuring you, without punishing yourself for having distracted, without insulting yourself internally, without generating suffering for being unable to focus on your breath and having wasted 30 minutes of meditation zooning out or wandering. This video helped me to see ADHD as a problem of lack of dopamine, rather than excess energy. No matter what meditation gurus say, the neurochemical approach to meditation is much more effective for me than the spirituality and parables traditional approach.
I can't believe your channel doesn't have more subscribers, this is the most valuable video I have found in my whole meditation journey, or my adhd research to be honest. Thank you for making these videos, I'm so happy i found this channel!
Aww thank you Amy this comment means a lot. You’ll be happy to know I’m devoting the next few months to making more content here, so lots more to come! :)
I have been struggling for so long with making real progress in anything because of this restlessness. I've been meditating for 4 years and I still cannot go to the state of total calmness. I've been stuck also in my spiritual journey and I knew that the one thing that was holding me back was this big thorn in my soul. I searched for it but I couldn't ever find the core of it I could only see symptoms of it's working. And then you came with this video only 20 minutes long video. And you changed everything in me. I've finally realised that it was this restlessness and shaking inside my body that is responsible for stopping me from further spiritual growth. Thank you.
@@BeingIntegrated I'm happy too that you are helping others on such a large scale. In my opinion taking care of others and really helping them is one of the best things you can do with your life here on earth. Not everybody is dessigned to do it, not everybody is capable of doing it. So please be proud and happy about yourself because the universe has assigned such a beautiful role for you!
I just wanted to say that when you said “we aren’t trying to change” that restless feeling, I got so emotional. I’ve never tried a therapy or meditation that was ok with me just as I am. Thank you. 🙏🏼 Please do more ADHD meditation. People like me are desperate for something to supplement our treatment plan to possibly stay on lower doses of a stimulant.
The thing that you should take away from this is that trying to change that feeling is the problem. The discomfort comes from trying to change things that are better off left alone. Your body and brain are great at regulating feelings if you let it and don’t get involved. :)
Finally. Thank you so much for this. Many of us with ADHD loathe ourselves because we feel like failures at everything. For me, the self-loathing has manifested as chronic anxiety. I'm so distracted by fear, that I can't get my act together enough to do or plan anything. Never mind the difficulty that ADHD brings to the table. This type of meditation helped me understand that my runaway, frantic feelings are ultimately my body's way of coping with deep grief and childhood trauma. I realized that I'm locked in the body of an hysterical and terrified 4-year-old. The simple observation and noting you walked us through help me replace my self-loathing with self love. Thank you for posting this, I'll be sure to watch this over and over ❤️.
Oh wow this is a very clear and articulate comment, and it really resonated with me. This is why I do what I do. I also just put out a video on trauma which goes over how people heal, and you touched on some of the themes in this comment. Thanks for your comment and hoping you continue to explore the channel, I have lots more relevant content (like my videos on equanimity, self-love, inner critic, shame, working with feelings…)
Thank you for this. This was the most present I've felt in some time. When I opened my eyes I opened them up to my cats cuddling on the other side of my bed and I can't fully describe it but to be do so aware of something I love so much was a beautiful experience that I hadn't realized I hadn't had in some time. I know it's such a small thing but it meant everything
Oh man, I had to stop 3 minutes just so I could comment! You are so right about the discomfort! The restlessness, the frustration, almost like there's a part going off inside me that's inconsolable. I'll try and think about what I need. "Do you need food? Do you want exercise? Do you want to participate in a hobby?" But the discomfort is so overwhelming, I sometimes become paralyzed. Then I get more frustrated and restless -- the cycle never ends! Thank you for providing this video and I'm looking forward to the practices!
Hey thanks for your comment and over the next few weeks I’m releasing practices that will help a lot with what’s coming up. I’m doing a whole module on nervous system health that will have many practices to help so stay tuned :)
Thank you for this gentle and compassionate video. It has truly tapped into my own personal experience of living with ADHD. That level of restlessness that you talk about is a really interesting point of focus for this meditation. Just learning to just sit with what is happening in our bodies without judgement is absolutely essential advice, and not often talked about in much of the literature on this condition.
I have tried meditation at many points in my life and none of them have ever worked. I even shared an office with someone who taught meditation for two years and I just couldn't get into it, despite being exposed to it constantly. Used some apps too, no success. Apparently I've been googling how to meditate incorrectly for years. I should have added the ADHD thing to the search from the beginning. Today I was able to keep my mind on the exercise without feeling like it was pointless. The hand thing was oddly grounding. I REALLY hope this means there's hope for me because the benefits seem fantastic. This not only seems doable, but something I can already see helping me immensely. Thank you so much for this video. From the introduction on ADHD in relation to my body to the practice itself, I feel like I have a missing link I've been searching for.
This was so helpful! I was feeling so fidgety and couldn’t sit still before and my mind was racing, and now I feel so much more relaxed and calm. I think the part where you said doing what’s comfortable for you really helped because sometimes shaking like a chihuahua is what my brain wants me to do lmao.
i BAWLED. i never knew how much hatred and resentment i had towards my symptoms, and it really helped me understand they are a part of me. its what makes me, me. it truly shifted my perspective on my symptoms. im definitely coming back!!
This is so true. I discovered watching the breath doesn't work for me many years ago, long before I found out I had ADHD. If I think about autonomic processes, I stop breathing regularly/disrupt them. I instead do a kind of body scan. I say to myself - "go where you must not look" - and I have to go "into" the discomfort in my body and merge with it, which feels like a cluster of energy/aversion. I then get various spontaneous shivers and releases - in the form of movement, that feel bissful, and automatically generate a clarity of mind. I never realised other people didn't feel like their body was about to take off or explode when they tried to meditate.
I came here to try a mindfulness exercise before I started on my homework for a college course, but now I’m profusely crying in the library parking lot. I genuinely needed to let that out and this video was so validating. Thank you.
This video caused such a profound emotional response for me I found myself crying as I went through it. I have never felt so understood and accepted. Thank you!!!
Thank you. I have ADHD and despite knowing the amazing benefits of mindfulness and meditation, and trying over and over again to find a mindfulness practice, this is the first time I have been able to stay present through an entire meditation. It was also the best simplest description of ADHD I have ever heard! 😮
this has been so illuminating thank you so much. I always connected this restless feeling with anxiety, since i do have pretty bad social anxiety, but when searching online I couldnt find anyone who really related to me just because i get the feeling literally every time i sit down. its been bothering me for so long, and ive been torturing myself with breathing meditation for over a year, just to get frustrated each time because it rarely affected my restlessness. from this day forward, this will be my main meditation, thank you.
I totally relate. Social anxiety is higher than ever now that I am sober. This meditation is great because it allows me to open up and relax with the discomfort of anxiety.
As someone recently diagnosed with ADHD at age 34 and never been able to meditate, you changed my life. This is one of the only mindful practice that I can focus on and it makes a big difference on my day. Thank you for being awesome.
@@BeingIntegrated Wow, and you reply comments?! What a great human being you are. I've been starting my days with your videos now and it helps me to focus better on my tasks and to connect with myself. The saying that the restless is our body telling us something and trying to connect mind and body is something that was never easy to me and I finally feel that there's a path I can follow to get there. Thanks again
Thank you for this. I’m undiagnosed but this video makes me feel understood. I love to meditate but only certain kinds and the focus on breathing absolutely doesn’t work for me. I thought it was because I have asthma.
I have asthma as well, and also undiagnosed :( I’m on a 10000 year long waiting list. I legit feel there is no help in the meantime and the struggle is getting bad :( how do you cope? Would love to speak to someone about coping mechanisms xxx
just recently got officially diagnosed with adhd,, and so many people have recommended meditation but it has NEVER worked for me. it always has the exact opposite effect from what’s intended, so eventually i just gave up on trying. until THIS this is the first video that’s effectively brought me peace of mind through meditation. all the points you stated at the beginning of this video too resonated so deeply,, and knowing you have adhd yourself made me really trust the process. this genuinely helped me so much and i’m gonna keep coming back to this video when i need it!!!
Ever since childhood, I’ve always been so ashamed by my inability to focus. My mom would take me to see classical music or dance performances and I loved the performances but felt like I was going to explode in my seat and scream and and rip out all my hair. Talk about “restlessness and discomfort in the body!!” I was finally diagnosed with adhd this year at age 49. I tried meds and while they definitely helped me focus, I hated how they made me feel so I stopped taking them and continued struggling. Discovered this video this morning and I felt so understood and validated and the tears started streaming down my face. Thank you so much, I can’t wait to explore more of your materials and carry on down this path, which I’m optimistic about actually being able to help me. ❤
Loved this! First time I've done a meditation as an ADHDer where I felt "part" of the practice - rather an exception, because I knew I wouldn't be able to stay in my body/focus. By working with the restlessness as a focal point I was able to really engage with it, not resist! Thank you so much! I've meditated for years and this was a game-changer!
Jude, I just came across your video, and related with many things you said, especially the feelings of being “stuck.” This has been a familiar feeling for me, going back to grade school. Now I’m in my early 50’s and the feeling is still alive. My biggest challenge is that, up until 2005 I was going through life looking for the perfect career, soulmate and place to call home that would finally scratch all of life’s itches, while providing me everything I thought happiness “should” look like. So in 2005 I found myself in a very exciting career that allowed me to eventually travel by motorhome to nearly every state in the country as well as visit many parts of the world. I also met my wife during that time and together we have a beautiful son. The novelty of the career eventually wore off, the dynamics of our marriage had shifted and finding interest in life had significantly decreased. One again, I’m back the point of feeling “stuck,” more so than ever before. The biggest challenge I’m faced with is the feelings of not being able to duplicate the excitement and interest I had from 05’ - 20’. Logic tells me to attain happiness inwardly rather than outwardly. However, I feel emotionally drained, impatient and distracted by disinterest. The part of me that’s reaching out to you is the same part that is being met with resistance by another part of me that I’m trying to identify so I can experience true fulfillment rather than fleeting moments of happiness combined with despair. Thank you again for posting your video and allowing others to share their experiences in hopes of finding lifelong learning skills for true happiness. Appreciative…🙏🏻
Hey I’ll do my best to help with the limited information here. Us adhd types love novelty, new experiences, etc. when you had that, you felt better. But now you’re maybe romanticizing the past hoping to get back there. But we can never go back, and fixating on the past is never helpful. In my view you have 2 options. One is to find a new lifestyle of novelty and new experiences, but there’s a good chance it will start to feel hollow if you don’t actually find the experiences meaningful. The other option is to dig deeper and look at what needs could be met beyond the dopamine boost of novelty. I’d recommend a James Hollis book (there’s a few good ones) to help you contemplate what’s really meaningful to you. And continuing to do practices like the one in this video to help to relax and tune into the more subtle feelings, the ones we often don’t notice underneath the excitement and restlessness of life. The more subtle feelings can help to figure out what you’re really yearning for. There’s no quick fix here but it can be a beautiful journey of discovery.
Jesus Christ I came to this video for some tips for meditation and instead he explained ADHD in a way that resonates with me 10x harder than any of the explanations I have heard before. I was diagnosed as an adult a few months ago and have been kind of skeptical because I've spent the last 20 years coping and therefore am very unsure of how different my experience really is from others since I never knew it was much until recently. The explanation you gave about it just being this general discomfort in the body causing you to seek out pleasurable things and especially the tendency to get into pleasurable thought loops is so incredibly spot on in a way that "lack of attention" and "restlessness" just never were for me. I haven't even watched more than the first 4 minutes of the video but I've already gotten a lot out of it and I'm not even at the main content.
i felt welcome to be myself during this meditation without needing to hold a specific pose or mindset. i was allowed to just be, which was remarkably meditative. thank you
Omg!!! I've been doing "regular" meditation and it truly is torture! Though I keep trying. I've always been fidgety and suspected I have adhd. My sister does have adhd and is on meditation. My restlessness is in my skin and this was wonderful to know that I can simply accept it and not fight it constantly. What a relief. THANK YOU SO MUCH. This was more than helpful, it was calming in an adhd sort of way. God bless.
That's what meditation means! Listening to all the sensations without judgement. You can't do it right or wrong. It's always a practise. You get distracted? It's ok, be aware of it and gently get back to your meditation when it feels right. Never fight it because that's torture.
Commenting much later than when this video was posted; I have done yoga and guided meditation before, but I don't think I've ever taken even a second of time to tune into my body and my restlessness. It was uncomfortable, and I actually cried realizing the weight of everything I've carried for almost 22 years. Late diagnosis of ADHD and I've desperately tried to push my brain away instead of loving it and accepting the way it is. I'll be coming back to this video and hopefully, with practice, I'll get better at mindfulness.
Hey amazing. Yes this is definitely the core practice. Keep coming back. Also you can check the other practices on my channel, especially the ones on equanimity. They will also help. Wishing you well ✨
This was so helpful. I haven't been diagnosed yet but I've been trying to understand what I've been feeling for years so that I can explain it to my therapist. I suspect it's iADD. Your explanation on the physical sensations really was spot on for what I feel when rested. Thank you for the explanation and meditation!
This helped me a lot. I can’t sit and do ANY other meditation. Practicing noticing my mind and body with no judgement instead of my breath is so much easier for my brain to do. Thank you!
I have ADHD and have always found meditation incredibly difficult. I don’t like to focus on my bodily sensations as I often feel scared and disconnected from my body, I often suffer with unpleasant symptoms and pain. This meditation was really beautiful, I found myself focusing on the tension in my abdomen which felt so intense at the beginning, but suddenly it began to shift. Then I was uncontrollably sobbing, it felt like a huge release and I felt much calmer after. Thank you for this gift. sending lots of love to everyone experiencing this x
Exactly as you say, this was EXTREMELY HELPFUL! I understand we all have different experiences and different things work for us, however, this meditation style put me into such a deep relaxation so quickly and seemlesly that I honestly CANT EVEN! Amazing! Thank you!
OMG. I immediately broke down crying and had overwhelming anxiety when I realized the feeling. I only recently became aware of my adhd and this is the first time I was made to realize the sense of restlessness in my body. It was very strong in my chest and shoulders. I think I am going to have to work on this slowly.
Yes take your time! Check out my practice on Distress Management and also the one on Posture and Attitude… those would be great starting points to you to get grounded before going back into this practice :)
I'm not sure if I have ADHD or not, I suspect I might. I've had a lot of trouble with other kinds of meditation because my mind keeps wandering or I guess trying to "win" the meditation, but this was the first kind of meditation where I didn't feel that pressure, and the first kind of meditation that actually made me feel at some sort of peace during the meditation. Thank you for that.
Amazing. I was looking for something to help with ADD and meditation o help me study. I did this and he was right, the mind was trying to escape my discomfort. Thank you
Eureka! I am so glad I found you. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. It is on my bucket list to be as mentally free from these "loops" as possible, as we know the toll that is taken by ADD & ADHD throughout our lives--especially childhood. You have a beautiful soul and are a gift to the world.
Thank you! Unexpectedly profoundly moving. I have tried many meditations, and never enjoyed it or felt like it helped. After hearing Amishi Jha talk about how regular meditation doesn't work as well for ADHD people, I searched for meditation for ADHD. This meditation brought me to relieving tears, I did not know how badly I needed to hear it's ok to accept the restlessness. To focus on it, to not try to be "normal". I have never felt like I had a breakthrough or accomplished anything through mediation until today. Thank you!!!
Eye opening every stresser in my life I understand now. My mid is so bad at try to force me towards my thoughts and out side stimuli to ignore my feelings. I'm going to try and start using this everytime I have issues. Start feeling the feelings in the moment instead of it keeping me up at might. Practice Practice Practice. I hope it'll help me truly feel more.
Thank you for this video, it was very helpful! I usually watch regular kind of mediation videos and I’m never truly present in the experience. I have undiagnosed Adhd and some days my thoughts are just racing and the breath type meditation doesn’t work at all. Today I thought of looking up adhd related meditation and found this video! I realize how much of a sensory person I am, in a way touch is actually a very stimulating thing for me. When I started touching parts of my shoulders and chest that felt restless, it immediately soothed me and calmed me down. Thanks also for the holistic tips, a change of lifestyle is something I recently implemented and it also helps to stay more grounded and focused !
I really want to work on this....I heard your voice yet kept thinking other thoughts and got very sleepy. Meditation has always been hard for me and I heard it can be very helpful for ADHD. I will keep practicing! Thanks for this!
I wish I watched this such a long time ago. I have struggled very much with the things you talk about and found some of it by trial and error (eg meditating on the feelings not ignoring them) Thankyou :)
thank you for this video. i have an overactive mind and do breath concentration meditation. As a session goes on, my mind becomes more and more active, and near the end of a sit my mind is so active that it seems like my mind even forgets what a breath is, so "coming back to the breath" becomes an exercise in remembering what a breath even is. I have noticed I have a problem with vipassana in that I will be overwhelmed by all the places I can scan, and am tempted to "get to them all" and I sometimes do so very quickly, very mindlessly. Anyway, I am commenting to say that this video was very helpful in getting me to concentrate on just one thing, and I will spend more time over the coming days poking and questioning and being with the feeling of restlessness. Thank you.
This channel is a gem! I have never felt so heard and understood. As a deeply spiritual person struggling with ADHD, this channel speaks to me personally. Thank you for putting these videos out.
Hello, I want to drop here because I just recently been diagnosed with ADHD and my therapist suggest mindfulness meditation but things rarely worked for me, moreover when my emotion is all over the place and I feel so restless. I found your channel and just applied this meditation technique. Instead of the chest and stomach, I feel like my restlessness is actually from my spine, so I tried to put my hand on my back and bam! I was hysterically sad one second and then I was not after I breathe with my hand on my center of restlessness. So thank you, thank you so much! I've been restless and anxious and sad for such a long time. My diagnosis and this video really helps me handling my most long lasting problem ever!
Amazing so glad to hear. We are all unique and hold our emotions differently. Amazing that you were able to find where the stuck emotion was and release it. ❤️✨🙏
Thank you for this. So many things you've said have made a lot of sense, like a jigsaw falling into place. I've suffered dreadfully for a long time and insights like yours really help on a road to more settled body and mind. 🙂
thanks for this, very helpful! I have been meditating for a year now as part of trying to recover from ME/CFS and Long Covid, and it's always been difficult. It's helped with changing my relationship to stressors and symptoms, but still difficult. I've only recently been diagnosed with ADHD, and now it becomes clear why the meditation has always been difficult.
This is brilliant! I experience the restlessness and pain in the body as a constant distraction that interferes with attention and focus. I find that this simple and gentle meditative approach of acceptance really helps to smooth things out. I say it’s brilliant because I have never seen any of the ADHD “experts” address any of this. Thank you, Jude, for sharing your beautiful work. Very helpful!
It depends on the person my adhd is very severe and hyperactive. I get it though I know a lot of people with ADHD who can just stop thinking completely
depends on how much adhd you have, sometimes, you wont even have adhd, the problem with all such mental things is that it is often over diagnosed and under diagnosed both at the same time. I am not able to sit still rt now.
@@commie_dog_boy ADHD by definition is a deficit of self regulation. If someone just naturally regulates their thought process without meds or deliberate strategies ....it's NOT ADHD. This disorder is over diagnosed and that's harmful for people who actually have it
Always wondered why it was so hard to 'connect to your breath' or why I'd end up tuning out of meditation. "Discomfort in my body that my mind was trying to escape" really explains a lot. Thank you for this video
THANK YOU! This was incredible. I actually would cry after trying breathing awareness meditations which of course increased the depth of my anxiety in ADHD.
What this practice is helping me realize is that at some point in my life, I started ignoring my bodily discomforts because they were too much and I was quite sensitive. It was at that time, that my mind started learning to distract me from bodily sensation to further help me. It's like my body and mind were never my enemies, they just cooperated in how I wanted them to be subconsciously. And this realization makes me cry everytime I do this meditation because every time I am learning to embrace my body and mind better and slowly we're starting to consciously sync together for a healthier approach to life, one that's based on awareness, not ignorance. 😇
It was quite overwhelming, I was feeling the restlessness in my stomach area but I was able to notice and pay attention to the discomfort properly that was the best thing . I have never been so engaged in mediation. Thank you 😊❤️
I'm not sure if I was doing it right, but I did feel good. I didn't really feel much in my body, I did find myself moving a lot but no sensations. For the most part, I felt it in my upper left side of the brain, I felt this happiness and I focused on it. Great video thank you.
Thank you! Until recently I hadn't understood all the repercussions of my ADHD. Mindfulness (as you explained) has been huge in not wounding myself with guilt in a addition to under performing basic life skills. Undiagnosed until adulthood left some scars and faulty imprinting. It gives me hope and motivation to learn positive methods to change my thinking about myself and others. Really... thanks.
My second time watching this one. As an adult with ADHD I’ve always wanted to meditate but can’t no matter how hard I try but through this vid, I’ve learned I can train my brain to meditate so I have hope. This exercise feels really calming to me but I’m having issues controlling my focus. I zoned out so many times during and saw weird visions like a prime rib being cut, it was rare. LoL..I don’t know why my mind sees pictures like that when I’m calming myself but it interrupts my meditation and makes my mind drift to these weird visions. I’m thankful for those moments you would bring me back and say, it’s okay just come back. I know if I keep it up, I’ll get there. Thanks for you vids they are very very helpful and instill hope for people like me.
Prime rib, hmm were you hungry? I Interesting I always have bizarre images popping up too especially when my mind is too hyped to sleep even if my body is exhausted. Your post was the first time I read something like that… I always thought it was maybe caused by something “weirder” than ADHD..
Because of all the amazing feedback I got from this video, I made a meditation for ADHD course and have gotten amazing feedback from that as well. You can read reviews and watch the first module for free here:
beingintegrated.thinkific.com/courses/meditation-for-adhd
You can also sign up for my newsletter/substack and get a free guided ADHD meditation here: beingintegrated.net/newsletter-signup/
"Don't try to feel good but try to be good at feeling "
Amazing I’m stealing this!
How many other people with ADHD, besides myself, found themselves distracted by reading the comments while he was talking?
Autismo here - I spent the entire video desperately wanting to write a comment. 😅
started reading one of the first things i saw
I don't have ADHD but I do this all the time
Get out of my head lol
Currently doing so! Lmao!😂
"My mind was so active because my body was so restless and uncomfortable."
This clicked. So much of this mental stress seems to stem from a physical discomfort and a CONSTANT ache to raise those dopamine levels. It seems that the letting be-the sitting with the feelings of discomfort while choosing not to act on them-is the work needed to slowly re-tune the body/mind to find and shift that dopamine baseline. Thanks Jude!!
I loved this too. I have recently been diagnosed with ADD in my sixties which explains so much of my struggles. It's a relief. Thanks so much!
so does anyone else feel the need to stand up and pace when they get too mentally active? which is like ... very often lol
What do you mean by dopamine?
Definitely felt this during the practice, especially on the second half, when my brain was SCREAMING at me to MOVE and do SOMETHING, but I had to persevere and gently let my brain go back to focusing on the body and finding the tense parts to try and relax. When I opened my eyes in the end I felt more awake and calm. Thank you this video was so helpful!
It really made sense to me. My husband ask, "what are you thinking about?" I told him am not thinking about anything and just restless and jumping from one thing to the other.
this was so, so so helpful. i didn't realize how much i disassociate and how much that restless part of me was waiting to be embraced and "seen"
I can’t fully explain it, but out of the literal thousands of guided meditations I have listened to, as someone who has discovered they might have adhd and is in the process of getting diagnosed, it feels genuinely strange for each point he made to just hit home and relate to me so much. That in itself was such a relief. I felt like it was addressing the thousands of elephants in the room in my brain that other meditations either gloss over or ignore entirely. I hope this made sense. Essentially this meditation is fantastic.
@@BeingIntegrated thank you. Will read the book
As someone who also just discovered I have ADHD, it's "strange" because we've become accustomed to seeing/feeling differently from most people. For me suddenly ALLLL the pieces fit, and yes, definitely a sense of relief! I'm sure you're well past a diagnosis now but I just wanted to affirm your comments for anyone else that might come along in a similar place.
Yup, u make all the sense in the world
I literally felt like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I’ve been exploring the mind and never knew the way to explain how I feel. This video explains point for point exactly how I feel. Your video has answered questions that I’ve struggled to understand or locate myself. Thank you so much for this video!
@Sirah Hudson This is exactly what I was thinking!!
Fellow restless ADHD peeps, meditation starts here: 6:31 - transmuting ADHD restlessness through acceptance is such an important lesson to learn, thank you for making your content!
Thank you!!!!!
😊 thanks
Thank you!
LOL!!!! Thanks!
You’re incredible 🙏
3.5 years of meditation later.... where I've listened to countless recordings telling me to return to my breath and observe my thoughts.
I don't get to observe my thoughts, like a "train coming into the station", rather, I get constantly hit with a machine gun of random thoughts / fantasies /stories.
The body discomfort thing surely makes sense, like fidgeting, touching your face, changing position.
But it seems to me I do have an overactive mind, which then leads to the body discomfort. Then again I am more in the inattentive side. Thanks for this, made much sense, more than dozens of others. The life advices too, like stability, income and routine.
Oh and PS guys: PRIORITIZE SLEEP WHATEVER IT TAKES 💤
Hey man, I was the EXACT SAME with the thoughts. To the point typical mindfulness meditation would stress me out. How could I "identify, acknowledge, and let go of a thought" if it's a cacaphony. I can't label it planning, worrying, or whatever because it's like an entire movie sometimes. (I call them reels, but it's the same as the fantasies/stories). So every thought would stress me out, also I have a perfectionism streak so that didn't help.
If you don't mind, what ended up working for you? I am gonna give this guy a shot, and I have a Trancendental Meditation training lined up too.
THIS!!! 💯🥺🥺 Resonated deeply!!!
Whether this "worked" for my symptoms or not is irrelevant to me right now. You brought me ten minutes of peace today and I hugely grateful for that. Thank you.
Who else is multitasking while watching this video because ADHD??
As a fellow therapist with ADHD (inattentive subtype), I find this so validating. This mirrors my experiences with meditation & medication. This craving & avoiding body discomfort really hits home. I enjoy using mudras during meditation, giving permission to have my mind wander, using hypnosis, and doing mindful movement BEFORE meditation does wonders. New subscriber here & would love to connect with a like minded therapist. 💗Dr. Liz
@@BeingIntegrated looking forward to learning & growing from each other! 🌱
Can I ask what medication helped with adhd-pi? Slow release Ritalin didn't help me
It is NOT DUE ADHD. People why you neglect the current times DEMAND people to be a MULTITASKER??? Have you noticed the speed of information exchange continiuosly accelerating? Wake up! It is new age life!
I am "absolutely not" answering you while watching and listening the video.
Same here! LOL Yes! This is what I found to be so helpful. The understanding more so than anything else.
I can't explain properly but after 11 years of my spiritual journey, after trying thousand types of meditation, after diagnosing my ADHD.... THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I FELT UNDERSTOOD, SEEN, FELT. Sooo very grateful to you. I was searching ADHD meditation and accidentally stumbled upon on your video. Feeling safe and sound 🥺🥺🥺 Beautiful meditation, tons of gratitude, love and blessings sweet soul🌼🌻🌷
Thank you so much for sharing ❤️❤️❤️
God bless you my friend having a pretty rough time if you could please pray 🙏🏻 for me
6:30 meditation start
Thank you so much! I hate anything that focuses on breathing. I get ANGRY when I have to do deep breaths. It makes me PISSED. I loved this. Thank you.
🙏🙏🙏
You are right! its so much discomfort in my body always feel like my body holds too tight to my soul or something i cant explain it.
Adhd here
How I do it is close to mindfullness, there is no need to focus during meditation, only accepting whatever thought or feeling going through, without judgement or holding on to any. It might take a while, but we can find a center of balance or groundness inside (for me it is my heart.
Then I use a visualisation, last time it was swimming on a lake, and instead of trying to stay afloat, I would let myself sink, then realise that I can't drown.
It can be like wearing thoughts like hair going off your mind.
Anything.
At that point, I try to radiate as much light as possible from my center and try to stay there as long as possible.
Eventually,
silence.
And the dopamine boost ;)
I've put myself in very stressful/anxiety raising situations my entire life. And not like extreme sports type stuff, which may have been productive - but rather things like not trying at all in school and seeing my grades plummet and my relationships with my parents deteriorate, or saying vulgar things to people and looking at their reactions and getting a very powerful, very negative stimulus from that. In all of these things, my actions always seemed automatic and out of my control. And in all of these things, I hated myself for behaving so. One thing for sure, though, is that I have always had a deep, unrelenting sense of restlessness in my body. For me, it has mostly been in my chest, and the feeling is unbearable. What you said kind of affirmed my thoughts about my past and, honestly, still current, behavior being based around giving me a strong stimulus to distract me from this restlessness. I'll give the meditation a go and see where I end up. It sucks, though... having to had ever dealt with this stuff. Trials and tribulations, baby.
THIS. THIS... is EXACTLY my story as well. I have ruined so many relationships and feel shameful and uncomfortable every single day. I just want some relief.
Discomfort in your body keeping your mind from meditation hits home as an ADHD individual with chronic pain. And the grrrr... angry restlessness it brings on when the more I try to calm my mind the more it jumps around always made me feel inadequate.
Oh you must watch this interview if you haven’t already:
th-cam.com/video/Q4tk0nIDjnA/w-d-xo.html
Wow… following this meditation dissolved the anxiety in my stomach for the first time. When you said “maybe invite it”, something clicked. Instead of pushing back against it or seeing it as the enemy and immediately disassociating or going down a thought spiral like I usually do, I was actually able just to sit with it, embrace it. By the end, I couldn’t even feel it anymore. Thank you so much.
Any pain I have is soothed and any stress transforms and is easier to handle so thank you.
I don’t usually comment on anything. But this brought really good value to me. I have been trying to meditate for years but never succeeding for even 3 minutes at a time. This worked!
So glad to hear! I just released a new video a min ago that may also be of help. :)
I looked this up on a whim and it was the first video I clicked. when you asked us to identify where the energy was, I put one hand on my chest and one hand on my stomach and almost immediately started crying but I breathed through it. I legitimately felt the energy so fast and when you reminded us to go back into our mind I felt it moved through my body. When you brought it back to The body again I felt the energy but it was so much less and I never ended up crying!! this was crazy!! I have ADHD and normal meditation is torture so this is so helpful and I can’t wait to check out more videos!!!!
Stop reading the comments, just watch ❤ you got this
I could feel tingles in my feet. And then eventually I was thinking about other things, then fell asleep and wokeup realizing the videos still playing.
Sometimes when we meditate we realize how tired we are, and we fall asleep. Sometimes we really need to catch up on sleep.
Thanks for your video. I've been in and out of meditation for years, always having that restlessness and uncomfortable feeling when I sit to meditate, and I only realized it is ADHD recently. I read some books from cover to cover, I sought help and advice, but I always stumbled upon that strange stone and a bit of external stress kicked me out of meditation for months. I learned to get around that stone from thinking that my mind is a house, and I have to leave the doors open to any sensation and thought. Do not suppress anything, don't try to sink uncomfortable thoughts or embarrassing accusative memories, don't try to fight against it, but neither should you encourage them or give them your energy. There is a third alternative. You just let things come and go as they please, but you keep watching the breath. You can give uncomfortable feelings and emotions some attention when they arise, but once they calm down you can go back to your breath, without pressuring you, without punishing yourself for having distracted, without insulting yourself internally, without generating suffering for being unable to focus on your breath and having wasted 30 minutes of meditation zooning out or wandering.
This video helped me to see ADHD as a problem of lack of dopamine, rather than excess energy. No matter what meditation gurus say, the neurochemical approach to meditation is much more effective for me than the spirituality and parables traditional approach.
Welcoming those uncomfortable feelings of wanting to think or run away is super helpful! I’m sick of fighting it , embracing it seems to help.
I can't believe your channel doesn't have more subscribers, this is the most valuable video I have found in my whole meditation journey, or my adhd research to be honest. Thank you for making these videos, I'm so happy i found this channel!
Aww thank you Amy this comment means a lot. You’ll be happy to know I’m devoting the next few months to making more content here, so lots more to come! :)
@@BeingIntegratedgt55r
fttf55
I was on the verge of tears after letting the restlessness go throughout my whole body.. what an indescribable feeling
Omg yes altho I all out wept
I have been struggling for so long with making real progress in anything because of this restlessness. I've been meditating for 4 years and I still cannot go to the state of total calmness. I've been stuck also in my spiritual journey and I knew that the one thing that was holding me back was this big thorn in my soul. I searched for it but I couldn't ever find the core of it I could only see symptoms of it's working. And then you came with this video only 20 minutes long video. And you changed everything in me. I've finally realised that it was this restlessness and shaking inside my body that is responsible for stopping me from further spiritual growth. Thank you.
@@BeingIntegrated
I'm happy too that you are helping others on such a large scale. In my opinion taking care of others and really helping them is one of the best things you can do with your life here on earth. Not everybody is dessigned to do it, not everybody is capable of doing it. So please be proud and happy about yourself because the universe has assigned such a beautiful role for you!
I am so glad I found this video. Traditional meditation is like torture for me.
this is the first time in my life that feels like someone understands what's going on in my head, thank you.
I just wanted to say that when you said “we aren’t trying to change” that restless feeling, I got so emotional. I’ve never tried a therapy or meditation that was ok with me just as I am. Thank you. 🙏🏼
Please do more ADHD meditation. People like me are desperate for something to supplement our treatment plan to possibly stay on lower doses of a stimulant.
I think so much of us just wants to be noticed. I nearly cried when I just observed the way my body felt. So many years of unchecked tension
Or not take the stimulate medication
The thing that you should take away from this is that trying to change that feeling is the problem. The discomfort comes from trying to change things that are better off left alone. Your body and brain are great at regulating feelings if you let it and don’t get involved. :)
Finally. Thank you so much for this.
Many of us with ADHD loathe ourselves because we feel like failures at everything. For me, the self-loathing has manifested as chronic anxiety. I'm so distracted by fear, that I can't get my act together enough to do or plan anything. Never mind the difficulty that ADHD brings to the table.
This type of meditation helped me understand that my runaway, frantic feelings are ultimately my body's way of coping with deep grief and childhood trauma. I realized that I'm locked in the body of an hysterical and terrified 4-year-old.
The simple observation and noting you walked us through help me replace my self-loathing with self love. Thank you for posting this, I'll be sure to watch this over and over ❤️.
Oh wow this is a very clear and articulate comment, and it really resonated with me. This is why I do what I do. I also just put out a video on trauma which goes over how people heal, and you touched on some of the themes in this comment. Thanks for your comment and hoping you continue to explore the channel, I have lots more relevant content (like my videos on equanimity, self-love, inner critic, shame, working with feelings…)
Thank you for this. This was the most present I've felt in some time. When I opened my eyes I opened them up to my cats cuddling on the other side of my bed and I can't fully describe it but to be do so aware of something I love so much was a beautiful experience that I hadn't realized I hadn't had in some time. I know it's such a small thing but it meant everything
Aww that's beautiful. I'm also a cat lover so I get it.
Oh man, I had to stop 3 minutes just so I could comment! You are so right about the discomfort! The restlessness, the frustration, almost like there's a part going off inside me that's inconsolable. I'll try and think about what I need. "Do you need food? Do you want exercise? Do you want to participate in a hobby?" But the discomfort is so overwhelming, I sometimes become paralyzed. Then I get more frustrated and restless -- the cycle never ends! Thank you for providing this video and I'm looking forward to the practices!
Hey thanks for your comment and over the next few weeks I’m releasing practices that will help a lot with what’s coming up. I’m doing a whole module on nervous system health that will have many practices to help so stay tuned :)
Thank you for this gentle and compassionate video. It has truly tapped into my own personal experience of living with ADHD. That level of restlessness that you talk about is a really interesting point of focus for this meditation. Just learning to just sit with what is happening in our bodies without judgement is absolutely essential advice, and not often talked about in much of the literature on this condition.
I have tried meditation at many points in my life and none of them have ever worked. I even shared an office with someone who taught meditation for two years and I just couldn't get into it, despite being exposed to it constantly. Used some apps too, no success. Apparently I've been googling how to meditate incorrectly for years. I should have added the ADHD thing to the search from the beginning. Today I was able to keep my mind on the exercise without feeling like it was pointless. The hand thing was oddly grounding. I REALLY hope this means there's hope for me because the benefits seem fantastic. This not only seems doable, but something I can already see helping me immensely. Thank you so much for this video. From the introduction on ADHD in relation to my body to the practice itself, I feel like I have a missing link I've been searching for.
I cried but I felt an ease in the process. It felt so good to live through the emotion that came up without any shame or guilt attached.
Wow. I never thought that accepting discomfort rather than trying to force concentration would be so helpful. Thank you!
All these years I thought ADHD is attention problem but now I understand it's actually dopamine efficiency. Thanks alot !
This was so helpful! I was feeling so fidgety and couldn’t sit still before and my mind was racing, and now I feel so much more relaxed and calm. I think the part where you said doing what’s comfortable for you really helped because sometimes shaking like a chihuahua is what my brain wants me to do lmao.
i BAWLED. i never knew how much hatred and resentment i had towards my symptoms, and it really helped me understand they are a part of me. its what makes me, me. it truly shifted my perspective on my symptoms. im definitely coming back!!
Beautiful 🙏🙏🙏
"The mind is often trying to distract us from what's happening in the body because it's uncomfortable" Genius
This is so true. I discovered watching the breath doesn't work for me many years ago, long before I found out I had ADHD. If I think about autonomic processes, I stop breathing regularly/disrupt them. I instead do a kind of body scan. I say to myself - "go where you must not look" - and I have to go "into" the discomfort in my body and merge with it, which feels like a cluster of energy/aversion. I then get various spontaneous shivers and releases - in the form of movement, that feel bissful, and automatically generate a clarity of mind. I never realised other people didn't feel like their body was about to take off or explode when they tried to meditate.
I came here to try a mindfulness exercise before I started on my homework for a college course, but now I’m profusely crying in the library parking lot.
I genuinely needed to let that out and this video was so validating. Thank you.
Ah amazing your focus will definitely be better after a good cry. Keep it up :)
This video caused such a profound emotional response for me I found myself crying as I went through it. I have never felt so understood and accepted. Thank you!!!
❤️🙏✨
Thank you. I have ADHD and despite knowing the amazing benefits of mindfulness and meditation, and trying over and over again to find a mindfulness practice, this is the first time I have been able to stay present through an entire meditation. It was also the best simplest description of ADHD I have ever heard! 😮
this has been so illuminating thank you so much. I always connected this restless feeling with anxiety, since i do have pretty bad social anxiety, but when searching online I couldnt find anyone who really related to me just because i get the feeling literally every time i sit down. its been bothering me for so long, and ive been torturing myself with breathing meditation for over a year, just to get frustrated each time because it rarely affected my restlessness. from this day forward, this will be my main meditation, thank you.
I totally relate. Social anxiety is higher than ever now that I am sober. This meditation is great because it allows me to open up and relax with the discomfort of anxiety.
best description of how I've felt every second of every day since I can remember being Me. Currently undiagnosed and 35. Really good thank you.
This has actually been how ive approached meditation with out knowing it for a while. Thank you and great guided med.
As someone recently diagnosed with ADHD at age 34 and never been able to meditate, you changed my life. This is one of the only mindful practice that I can focus on and it makes a big difference on my day. Thank you for being awesome.
@@BeingIntegrated Wow, and you reply comments?! What a great human being you are. I've been starting my days with your videos now and it helps me to focus better on my tasks and to connect with myself. The saying that the restless is our body telling us something and trying to connect mind and body is something that was never easy to me and I finally feel that there's a path I can follow to get there. Thanks again
Thank you for this. I’m undiagnosed but this video makes me feel understood. I love to meditate but only certain kinds and the focus on breathing absolutely doesn’t work for me. I thought it was because I have asthma.
I have asthma as well, and also undiagnosed :( I’m on a 10000 year long waiting list. I legit feel there is no help in the meantime and the struggle is getting bad :( how do you cope? Would love to speak to someone about coping mechanisms xxx
@@darkartsessions how are you doing?
This is s good. My figity mind kept wanting to change the video but you are so good , I managed to go through the whole 18 mins :)
just recently got officially diagnosed with adhd,, and so many people have recommended meditation but it has NEVER worked for me. it always has the exact opposite effect from what’s intended, so eventually i just gave up on trying.
until THIS
this is the first video that’s effectively brought me peace of mind through meditation. all the points you stated at the beginning of this video too resonated so deeply,, and knowing you have adhd yourself made me really trust the process. this genuinely helped me so much and i’m gonna keep coming back to this video when i need it!!!
Ever since childhood, I’ve always been so ashamed by my inability to focus. My mom would take me to see classical music or dance performances and I loved the performances but felt like I was going to explode in my seat and scream and and rip out all my hair. Talk about “restlessness and discomfort in the body!!” I was finally diagnosed with adhd this year at age 49. I tried meds and while they definitely helped me focus, I hated how they made me feel so I stopped taking them and continued struggling. Discovered this video this morning and I felt so understood and validated and the tears started streaming down my face. Thank you so much, I can’t wait to explore more of your materials and carry on down this path, which I’m optimistic about actually being able to help me. ❤
Amazing I’m so happy to hear this. And you’ll find many videos on my channel will be relevant ✨❤️🙏
Loved this! First time I've done a meditation as an ADHDer where I felt "part" of the practice - rather an exception, because I knew I wouldn't be able to stay in my body/focus. By working with the restlessness as a focal point I was able to really engage with it, not resist! Thank you so much! I've meditated for years and this was a game-changer!
Jude,
I just came across your video, and related with many things you said, especially the feelings of being “stuck.” This has been a familiar feeling for me, going back to grade school. Now I’m in my early 50’s and the feeling is still alive. My biggest challenge is that, up until 2005 I was going through life looking for the perfect career, soulmate and place to call home that would finally scratch all of life’s itches, while providing me everything I thought happiness “should” look like. So in 2005 I found myself in a very exciting career that allowed me to eventually travel by motorhome to nearly every state in the country as well as visit many parts of the world. I also met my wife during that time and together we have a beautiful son. The novelty of the career eventually wore off, the dynamics of our marriage had shifted and finding interest in life had significantly decreased. One again, I’m back the point of feeling “stuck,” more so than ever before. The biggest challenge I’m faced with is the feelings of not being able to duplicate the excitement and interest I had from 05’ - 20’. Logic tells me to attain happiness inwardly rather than outwardly. However, I feel emotionally drained, impatient and distracted by disinterest. The part of me that’s reaching out to you is the same part that is being met with resistance by another part of me that I’m trying to identify so I can experience true fulfillment rather than fleeting moments of happiness combined with despair. Thank you again for posting your video and allowing others to share their experiences in hopes of finding lifelong learning skills for true happiness.
Appreciative…🙏🏻
Hey I’ll do my best to help with the limited information here. Us adhd types love novelty, new experiences, etc. when you had that, you felt better. But now you’re maybe romanticizing the past hoping to get back there. But we can never go back, and fixating on the past is never helpful. In my view you have 2 options. One is to find a new lifestyle of novelty and new experiences, but there’s a good chance it will start to feel hollow if you don’t actually find the experiences meaningful. The other option is to dig deeper and look at what needs could be met beyond the dopamine boost of novelty. I’d recommend a James Hollis book (there’s a few good ones) to help you contemplate what’s really meaningful to you. And continuing to do practices like the one in this video to help to relax and tune into the more subtle feelings, the ones we often don’t notice underneath the excitement and restlessness of life. The more subtle feelings can help to figure out what you’re really yearning for. There’s no quick fix here but it can be a beautiful journey of discovery.
Jesus Christ I came to this video for some tips for meditation and instead he explained ADHD in a way that resonates with me 10x harder than any of the explanations I have heard before. I was diagnosed as an adult a few months ago and have been kind of skeptical because I've spent the last 20 years coping and therefore am very unsure of how different my experience really is from others since I never knew it was much until recently. The explanation you gave about it just being this general discomfort in the body causing you to seek out pleasurable things and especially the tendency to get into pleasurable thought loops is so incredibly spot on in a way that "lack of attention" and "restlessness" just never were for me. I haven't even watched more than the first 4 minutes of the video but I've already gotten a lot out of it and I'm not even at the main content.
i felt welcome to be myself during this meditation without needing to hold a specific pose or mindset. i was allowed to just be, which was remarkably meditative. thank you
🙏
Omg!!! I've been doing "regular" meditation and it truly is torture! Though I keep trying. I've always been fidgety and suspected I have adhd. My sister does have adhd and is on meditation. My restlessness is in my skin and this was wonderful to know that I can simply accept it and not fight it constantly. What a relief. THANK YOU SO MUCH. This was more than helpful, it was calming in an adhd sort of way. God bless.
That's what meditation means! Listening to all the sensations without judgement. You can't do it right or wrong. It's always a practise. You get distracted? It's ok, be aware of it and gently get back to your meditation when it feels right. Never fight it because that's torture.
I really enjoyed this practice. I started to feel lighter in the body and a bit more accepting of what I was feeling in the present moment. Thank you.
Perfect! ❤️✨🙏
Commenting much later than when this video was posted; I have done yoga and guided meditation before, but I don't think I've ever taken even a second of time to tune into my body and my restlessness. It was uncomfortable, and I actually cried realizing the weight of everything I've carried for almost 22 years. Late diagnosis of ADHD and I've desperately tried to push my brain away instead of loving it and accepting the way it is. I'll be coming back to this video and hopefully, with practice, I'll get better at mindfulness.
Hey amazing. Yes this is definitely the core practice. Keep coming back. Also you can check the other practices on my channel, especially the ones on equanimity. They will also help. Wishing you well ✨
This was so helpful. I haven't been diagnosed yet but I've been trying to understand what I've been feeling for years so that I can explain it to my therapist. I suspect it's iADD. Your explanation on the physical sensations really was spot on for what I feel when rested.
Thank you for the explanation and meditation!
So lucky I came across this. I’ve always struggled with mindfulness of breathing and this video explains why.
This helped me a lot. I can’t sit and do ANY other meditation. Practicing noticing my mind and body with no judgement instead of my breath is so much easier for my brain to do. Thank you!
I have ADHD and have always found meditation incredibly difficult. I don’t like to focus on my bodily sensations as I often feel scared and disconnected from my body, I often suffer with unpleasant symptoms and pain. This meditation was really beautiful, I found myself focusing on the tension in my abdomen which felt so intense at the beginning, but suddenly it began to shift. Then I was uncontrollably sobbing, it felt like a huge release and I felt much calmer after. Thank you for this gift. sending lots of love to everyone experiencing this x
Thanks for this. My partner has ADHD and meditating has been difficult for him, so this will come in handy. We will give it a go tonight. Thank you!
Exactly as you say, this was EXTREMELY HELPFUL! I understand we all have different experiences and different things work for us, however, this meditation style put me into such a deep relaxation so quickly and seemlesly that I honestly CANT EVEN! Amazing! Thank you!
Oh man these comments still hit every time. Really happy this video can continue to have impact 🙏
OMG. I immediately broke down crying and had overwhelming anxiety when I realized the feeling. I only recently became aware of my adhd and this is the first time I was made to realize the sense of restlessness in my body. It was very strong in my chest and shoulders. I think I am going to have to work on this slowly.
Yes take your time! Check out my practice on Distress Management and also the one on Posture and Attitude… those would be great starting points to you to get grounded before going back into this practice :)
@@BeingIntegrated Thank you! I will definitely do that!
Loved the meditation! The discomfort disappeared as I moved through the discomfort with acceptance and love. Thank you!
Man, this is the most „make sense” video I’ve seen so far on the internet on adhd. Very clear and spot on definition of adhd!
Thank you! 🙏
I didn't even realize how restless I was before I set and did that thing. Thank you kindly.
I'm not sure if I have ADHD or not, I suspect I might. I've had a lot of trouble with other kinds of meditation because my mind keeps wandering or I guess trying to "win" the meditation, but this was the first kind of meditation where I didn't feel that pressure, and the first kind of meditation that actually made me feel at some sort of peace during the meditation. Thank you for that.
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Amazing. I was looking for something to help with ADD and meditation o help me study. I did this and he was right, the mind was trying to escape my discomfort. Thank you
Eureka! I am so glad I found you. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. It is on my bucket list to be as mentally free from these "loops" as possible, as we know the toll that is taken by ADD & ADHD throughout our lives--especially childhood. You have a beautiful soul and are a gift to the world.
Thank you! Unexpectedly profoundly moving.
I have tried many meditations, and never enjoyed it or felt like it helped. After hearing Amishi Jha talk about how regular meditation doesn't work as well for ADHD people, I searched for meditation for ADHD. This meditation brought me to relieving tears, I did not know how badly I needed to hear it's ok to accept the restlessness. To focus on it, to not try to be "normal". I have never felt like I had a breakthrough or accomplished anything through mediation until today. Thank you!!!
Oh wow this comment made my day ❤️
Eye opening every stresser in my life I understand now. My mid is so bad at try to force me towards my thoughts and out side stimuli to ignore my feelings. I'm going to try and start using this everytime I have issues. Start feeling the feelings in the moment instead of it keeping me up at might. Practice Practice Practice. I hope it'll help me truly feel more.
Thank you for this video, it was very helpful! I usually watch regular kind of mediation videos and I’m never truly present in the experience. I have undiagnosed Adhd and some days my thoughts are just racing and the breath type meditation doesn’t work at all.
Today I thought of looking up adhd related meditation and found this video!
I realize how much of a sensory person I am, in a way touch is actually a very stimulating thing for me. When I started touching parts of my shoulders and chest that felt restless, it immediately soothed me and calmed me down.
Thanks also for the holistic tips, a change of lifestyle is something I recently implemented and it also helps to stay more grounded and focused !
I really want to work on this....I heard your voice yet kept thinking other thoughts and got very sleepy. Meditation has always been hard for me and I heard it can be very helpful for ADHD. I will keep practicing! Thanks for this!
I wish I watched this such a long time ago. I have struggled very much with the things you talk about and found some of it by trial and error (eg meditating on the feelings not ignoring them) Thankyou :)
thank you for this video. i have an overactive mind and do breath concentration meditation. As a session goes on, my mind becomes more and more active, and near the end of a sit my mind is so active that it seems like my mind even forgets what a breath is, so "coming back to the breath" becomes an exercise in remembering what a breath even is.
I have noticed I have a problem with vipassana in that I will be overwhelmed by all the places I can scan, and am tempted to "get to them all" and I sometimes do so very quickly, very mindlessly.
Anyway, I am commenting to say that this video was very helpful in getting me to concentrate on just one thing, and I will spend more time over the coming days poking and questioning and being with the feeling of restlessness. Thank you.
This channel is a gem! I have never felt so heard and understood. As a deeply spiritual person struggling with ADHD, this channel speaks to me personally.
Thank you for putting these videos out.
Hey amazing so glad you found me :)
Hello, I want to drop here because I just recently been diagnosed with ADHD and my therapist suggest mindfulness meditation but things rarely worked for me, moreover when my emotion is all over the place and I feel so restless. I found your channel and just applied this meditation technique. Instead of the chest and stomach, I feel like my restlessness is actually from my spine, so I tried to put my hand on my back and bam! I was hysterically sad one second and then I was not after I breathe with my hand on my center of restlessness. So thank you, thank you so much! I've been restless and anxious and sad for such a long time. My diagnosis and this video really helps me handling my most long lasting problem ever!
Amazing so glad to hear. We are all unique and hold our emotions differently. Amazing that you were able to find where the stuck emotion was and release it. ❤️✨🙏
Thank you for this. So many things you've said have made a lot of sense, like a jigsaw falling into place. I've suffered dreadfully for a long time and insights like yours really help on a road to more settled body and mind. 🙂
What a joy to find something like this. An absolute sense of relief. Looking forward to exploring your channel!
I just started “trying “ to meditate- wow 😮 what a difference doing it this way! Thank you 💜
The dopamine discomfort element is game changing information
This is the only kind of meditation that actually helps with the acceptance of my ADHD. I love it.
thanks for this, very helpful! I have been meditating for a year now as part of trying to recover from ME/CFS and Long Covid, and it's always been difficult. It's helped with changing my relationship to stressors and symptoms, but still difficult. I've only recently been diagnosed with ADHD, and now it becomes clear why the meditation has always been difficult.
This is brilliant! I experience the restlessness and pain in the body as a constant distraction that interferes with attention and focus. I find that this simple and gentle meditative approach of acceptance really helps to smooth things out. I say it’s brilliant because I have never seen any of the ADHD “experts” address any of this. Thank you, Jude, for sharing your beautiful work. Very helpful!
Thank you I really appreciate this comment!
Underrated channel
I appreciate you and your effort
Never had any struggles with meditation and I have ADHD. I'm glad though that you present good methods for ADHD meditation practitioners.
no way you have adhd
@@braidzslatt Why?
It depends on the person my adhd is very severe and hyperactive. I get it though I know a lot of people with ADHD who can just stop thinking completely
depends on how much adhd you have, sometimes, you wont even have adhd, the problem with all such mental things is that it is often over diagnosed and under diagnosed both at the same time. I am not able to sit still rt now.
@@commie_dog_boy ADHD by definition is a deficit of self regulation. If someone just naturally regulates their thought process without meds or deliberate strategies ....it's NOT ADHD. This disorder is over diagnosed and that's harmful for people who actually have it
Always wondered why it was so hard to 'connect to your breath' or why I'd end up tuning out of meditation. "Discomfort in my body that my mind was trying to escape" really explains a lot. Thank you for this video
THANK YOU! This was incredible. I actually would cry after trying breathing awareness meditations which of course increased the depth of my anxiety in ADHD.
My ADHD is so severe it just controls my life. Thank you for all the helpful advice.
This is very well explained. Mindfulness has especially worked for me and my ADHD, as well as yoga. It certainly is my medicine.
What this practice is helping me realize is that at some point in my life, I started ignoring my bodily discomforts because they were too much and I was quite sensitive. It was at that time, that my mind started learning to distract me from bodily sensation to further help me.
It's like my body and mind were never my enemies, they just cooperated in how I wanted them to be subconsciously.
And this realization makes me cry everytime I do this meditation because every time I am learning to embrace my body and mind better and slowly we're starting to consciously sync together for a healthier approach to life, one that's based on awareness, not ignorance.
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Thought it was just me that gets emotional.
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It was quite overwhelming, I was feeling the restlessness in my stomach area but I was able to notice and pay attention to the discomfort properly that was the best thing .
I have never been so engaged in mediation.
Thank you 😊❤️
I agree and had a similar experience. I notice the discomfort lasts a little while, too, largely in my emotions.
I'm not sure if I was doing it right, but I did feel good. I didn't really feel much in my body, I did find myself moving a lot but no sensations. For the most part, I felt it in my upper left side of the brain, I felt this happiness and I focused on it. Great video thank you.
Thank you!
Until recently I hadn't understood all the repercussions of my ADHD.
Mindfulness (as you explained) has been huge in not wounding myself with guilt in a addition to under performing basic life skills. Undiagnosed until adulthood left some scars and faulty imprinting.
It gives me hope and motivation to learn positive methods to change my thinking about myself and others. Really... thanks.
My second time watching this one. As an adult with ADHD I’ve always wanted to meditate but can’t no matter how hard I try but through this vid, I’ve learned I can train my brain to meditate so I have hope. This exercise feels really calming to me but I’m having issues controlling my focus. I zoned out so many times during and saw weird visions like a prime rib being cut, it was rare. LoL..I don’t know why my mind sees pictures like that when I’m calming myself but it interrupts my meditation and makes my mind drift to these weird visions. I’m thankful for those moments you would bring me back and say, it’s okay just come back. I know if I keep it up, I’ll get there. Thanks for you vids they are very very helpful and instill hope for people like me.
Prime rib, hmm were you hungry? I Interesting I always have bizarre images popping up too especially when my mind is too hyped to sleep even if my body is exhausted. Your post was the first time I read something like that… I always thought it was maybe caused by something “weirder” than ADHD..