Meditation practitioners have been writing for thousands of years about the problem of "quieting the monkey mind" which reads just like your typical description of ADHD, only in the specific setting of a meditation retreat (which is typically an intentionally challenging, spartan, uncomfortable environment - hence one where pretty much everyone is enticed to get fidgety and hyper). It's difficult for everyone at first!
Next time Please state that upfront: you don’t know anyone with ADHD that this has been effective for and you dont have ADHD yourself.
“Have you tried” comments from people without firsthand experience is basically asking others to be your guinea pig. I didn’t say “hard” I said “pain” as in a physical reaction. If you don’t have the same pathology I don’t think you can truly empathize or understand what you’re asking me to do (even if you think you do).
I’m glad you found meditation and that it’s helpful for you. I’m asking that you modify your evangelism in the future to give people maximum context on where your suggestions are coming from (and associated limitations).
There is a lot of data that meditation is beneficial for people with ADHD and potentially even more so since they “need it more”. Yes it is extremely challenging which is why in my parent I stated that according to what I have read, it takes someone with ADHD potentially twice as long to see the benefits of practice in comparison to healthy controls. I have ADHD and have learned to meditate; my mind was out of control, and I feel as though I have control of it now, without stimulant medication. I encourage you to look into the data if this is something you find interesting.
I've only tried mindfulness meditation, but as others have chimed in in the thread, other types may be easier depending on your circumstance. As I started, even being able to focus for 5-10s uninterrupted by thought was a huge win. It may be slow, but eventually you will be able to extend these periods and get to a point where it's actually 'working'.
Also, I don't think using stimulants or other adhd meds (like atomoxetine), if they're part of your routine is necessarily cheating. I like to think of them as 'training wheels', which will help you focus internally and less on your thoughts. It will still be difficult (like it is even for those who don't have ADHD), but it may help your brain start shaping those neural important pathways a bit sooner and more easily than it'd otherwise come unmedicated.
There’s a nut bar on Reddit who talks about the dangers of “quietism” and I have to grudgingly agree with some of his points. I did quiet my monkey mind, but then discovered that without my constant, rapid fire internal monologue, I had difficulty engaging in other self improvement activities. I would later discover I was working predominantly from Fast thinking (Thinking Fast and Slow) which has trouble moralizing on your actions.
Mindfulness is not the same thing, but I’m not sure it’s a solution for us either.
