Inhoudsopgave van April 2026 - ADHDEFG

If you live with ADHD, you already know the feeling. Your mind can be a busy highway at rush hour. Thoughts racing, ideas popping up like popcorn, attention jumping from one shiny thing to the next. For years many people believed mindfulness meant sitting quietly, emptying your mind, and somehow becoming perfectly calm. Honestly, that image scares off a lot of ADHD brains. The good news, mindfulness is not about forcing your brain to be quiet. It is about learning how to guide it. Think of it as learning how to hold the steering wheel of your own attention. In this issue we explore simple ADHD friendly mindfulness tools that help bring small pockets of calm into a busy day. A slow breath before answering a message. Feeling your feet…

Q: Dear Dr. Alex, I like my clothes but sometimes the tag on the back of my shirt feels super scratchy. My friends say they do not even notice their tags. Why does this happen to me. Is something wrong with my skin. A: Great question, and first let me say this, nothing is wrong with you. Many kids with ADHD have something called sensory sensitivity. That means your brain notices touch and textures very strongly. I like to call it a super feeler power. Your brain and skin work together like a super detector that can notice tiny details that other people might ignore. Most of the time this can be a cool strength. You might notice when something feels cozy, soft, or just right. But sometimes the signal…

If you have ADHD and someone tells you to sit still, empty your mind, and meditate for twenty minutes, your brain might instantly say, nope. That reaction is completely normal. Many teens think meditation means forcing your brain to stop thinking, which honestly sounds impossible. The real idea behind mindfulness is much simpler. It is about noticing what is happening in your mind and body without judging it. ADHD brains are naturally active and curious, so the goal is not to shut down your thoughts. The goal is to notice them and gently let them pass. Psychologists who study ADHD and mindfulness say this skill can improve focus, emotional regulation, and stress management. One helpful idea is the phrase noticing and letting go. When a thought pops up, maybe about…

Many parents of children with ADHD have faced this moment. A sudden outburst in the grocery store, tears during homework, or a complete shutdown after a long school day. In those stressful seconds it can be hard to know what is actually happening. Is it a willful tantrum, sensory overload, or emotional dysregulation. Understanding the difference can help parents respond more effectively. A tantrum usually has a clear goal. A child may want something specific like a toy, extra screen time, or a different snack. If the goal is reached, the behavior often stops quickly. Sensory overload looks different. A child may cover their ears, avoid bright lights, or appear panicked in busy environments. The brain is reacting to too much sensory input, not trying to gain control of a…

Parenting a child with ADHD can be incredibly rewarding, but it can also stretch a parent's emotional bandwidth on some days. Many caregivers focus so much on helping their child regulate that they forget something important. A dysregulated adult nervous system cannot effectively calm a dysregulated child. Children are surprisingly skilled at sensing the emotional state of the adults around them. If a parent feels tense, rushed, or overwhelmed, the child's brain may mirror that energy. This is why experts in ADHD parenting often talk about parent self regulation as the first step in supporting children. When you notice your stress rising, start with a small pause. Place both feet on the ground and take a slow breath in through your nose, then breathe out slowly through your mouth. This…

Making your own textured stress balls is a fun DIY activity that also supports sensory regulation and ADHD focus. The best part is that you can experiment with different textures to discover what feels most calming for your hands. To begin, gather a few simple materials. You will need sturdy balloons, a small funnel, and a few filling options such as flour, rice, or soft play dough. Start by stretching the balloon gently with your fingers so it becomes easier to fill. Next place the funnel inside the balloon opening. Carefully pour your chosen filling into the balloon. Flour creates a smooth and soft squeeze, rice gives a slightly gritty texture, and play dough adds thicker resistance that many people find satisfying for stress relief and fidgeting. Once the balloon…

If you have ADHD, you probably already know that sound can change everything. The right music can make homework feel easier, while random noise in a classroom or busy cafe can make focus disappear in seconds. Scientists who study ADHD and sensory processing explain that the brain often reacts strongly to sound. This is not a weakness. It simply means your brain is very responsive to audio signals. Instead of fighting that, you can use sound as a tool for self regulation and focus. Think of it like building your own soundscape, a personal mix of music and calming audio that helps your brain stay balanced. Many teens with ADHD notice that when the right background sound is playing, their attention improves and distractions feel less intense. One popular strategy…

Many teens with ADHD know the feeling of hyperfocus. It is that moment when you start working on something you love and suddenly time disappears. Hours pass and you are still completely locked in. This deep concentration is often called a flow state. The ADHD brain can be very good at entering this zone, especially when the task is interesting or creative. The challenge is that hyperfocus sometimes appears randomly and disappears just as fast. Mindfulness can help make this process more intentional. Instead of waiting for focus to magically appear, you can train your brain to ease into it. Start by creating a small focus ritual before you begin a task. Take a slow breath, notice how your body feels, and clear your workspace. This simple moment of awareness…

Parents of children with ADHD often notice that the environment at home can strongly affect mood, focus, and emotional regulation. Some spaces naturally calm the nervous system, while others can quietly add to sensory overload. Creating a sensory smart home does not mean expensive renovations or perfectly designed rooms. It simply means adjusting everyday spaces so they support the brain instead of overwhelming it. One of the easiest places to start is lighting. Bright overhead lights can feel harsh for some children with sensory sensitivity. Softer lamps, natural daylight, or warm light bulbs can make a room feel calmer and easier to relax in. Another helpful idea is reducing visual clutter. Too many objects in one place can make it harder for an ADHD brain to focus. Simple storage bins,…

Q: My child is always on the move. They jump on furniture, crash into cushions, spin around, and seem to look for noise and excitement all day. It feels chaotic and sometimes exhausting for the whole family. I keep wondering if they are overstimulated or just trying to get attention. How can I help them calm down without constantly saying stop or slow down.? A: What you are describing is often called sensory seeking, and it is very common in children with ADHD and sensory processing differences. The behavior can look chaotic from the outside, but in many cases the child's brain is actually trying to regulate itself. Think of it as the nervous system searching for the right kind of input to feel balanced. Movement, pressure, and rhythm can…

Q: Why did the brain take a deep breath before starting homework? A: Because it wanted to focus one thought at a time. Q: What did the calm cloud say to the busy brain? A: Relax, just drift with the breeze. Q: Why did the pencil stop worrying during the test? A: It decided to just stay sharp and take it one question at a time. Q: What did the mindful turtle say to the rushing rabbit? A: Slow down buddy, the calm path is easier to follow. Q: Why did the student listen to the rain while studying? A: Because the quiet pitter patter helped their thoughts settle down. Q: What did the curious brain say during a breathing break? A: Wow, I feel lighter already. Q: Why did…

Sometimes an ADHD brain feels like a race car that forgot where the brakes are. Thoughts zoom in, noises pop up, and focus runs off chasing the next interesting thing. That is completely normal for kids with ADHD. The good news is that your brain can learn a cool trick called mindfulness. Think of it like pressing a tiny pause button in your mind so you can reset your focus and calm your senses. The fun part, it does not have to feel serious or boring. It can actually be a game. Brain games help improve ADHD focus, attention, and emotional regulation, and many kids say they feel calmer after only a minute or two. The trick is simple, use your senses to bring your attention back to the present…

If starting a task feels physically impossible sometimes, it is not just you. Many people with ADHD describe task initiation as hitting an invisible wall. You know what needs to be done, you care about it, yet your body refuses to move. This is not laziness. It is a brain based delay in shifting from intention to action. Kids feel it before homework, teens before studying, adults before emails or chores. Naming this wall matters because it replaces shame with understanding. That wall forms when the brain sees a task as too big, unclear, or emotionally loaded. The nervous system freezes instead of moving forward. One way to climb over is the five second rule. Count down slowly from five and move before your brain argues back. This interrupts overthinking…

When a child with ADHD becomes overwhelmed, the moment can feel intense for everyone in the room. Voices rise, emotions spike, and it may seem like logic has completely left the building. This is where co regulation becomes powerful. Co regulation means using your own calm nervous system to help your child's nervous system settle. Children often mirror the emotional tone of the adults around them, especially during stressful moments. If a parent's voice becomes louder or more urgent, the child's brain may interpret that as danger and react even more strongly. Instead, begin with your own body. Take one slow breath and relax your shoulders before speaking. Lower your voice and keep your tone steady and gentle. Body language matters too. Standing close with open posture and soft eye…