Aug 21

Written by:
Friday, August 21, 2009 

Having ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) as an adult has been compared to having a whirlwind in your mind. Imagine everything swirling and blowing around while you try to grab on to something. Just when you think you have a handle on something, things change. Having this brain disorder can be extremely frustrating and challenging.

Adult ADHD presents with symptoms such as having problems getting organized, having difficulty maintaining focus, especially with reading, having trouble keeping alert and motivated, trying to keep anger from getting out of control, and memory issue such as trying to hold some information in your mind while doing something else or trying to remember something.. Now you may say that you have all of these symptoms at one time or another. I know I do. While that is true, adults with ADHD deal with these problems constantly, which significantly interfere with all of their activities of daily living. Add stress to that equation and these symptoms will definitely intensify.

While contributing factors have been identified, research has been unable to provide a definitive cause for ADHD. Heredity and genetics may play a role as ADHD tends to run in families. Also, scientists have determined that the areas of the brain that control attention are less active in adults with ADHD than in people without ADHD. There is also a possibility that people with ADHD may not be able to produce enough chemicals in the area of the brain that are responsible for organizing thoughts.

Massage therapy can be an important tool for adults with ADHD. Stress reduction is a major benefit of massage therapy. For adults with ADHD relieving stress can invaluable in helping to minimize symptoms. Massage can help focus more on tasks so that productivity increases. Studies have also documented significant changes in depression and anxiety after massage therapy. Other studies have shown that massage reduces levels of cortisol in the body. Cortisol is a hormone that is secreted by your adrenal gland during periods of stress or fear and is helpful during the body's fight-or-flight response. However, it is important that the body return to normal after a fearful or stressful event. If not, chronic stress is the result. Therefore, massage therapy, in conjunction with other modalities, is extremely beneficial in dealing with stressors experienced by adult sufferers of ADHD.