Drs. Edward M. Hallowell, M.D., and John J. Ratey, M.D., experts on the management of ADD wrote, Exercise is positively one of the best treatments for ADD. It helps work off excess energy and aggression in a positive way, it allows for noise-reduction within the mind, it stimulates the hormonal and neurochemical systems in a most therapeutic way, and it soothes and calms the body.
The slow mindful movements of Tai Chi have much to offer people who suffer from ADD. The following table explains why Tai Chi may be a perfect ADD therapy.
Tai Chi and ADD
What Experts Suggest What T'ai Chi Offers
Set aside time for recharging batteries,
something calm and restful, like meditation.
Tai Chi is a mini-vacation.
Daily exercise that is readily available and
needs little preparation can help with the
blahs that occur and with overall outlook.
Tai Chi is easy, requires no preparation,
and is a daily mood elevator.
Observe mood swings; learn to accept
them by realizing they will pass. Learn
strategies that might help bad moods
pass sooner.
Tai Chi is a tool for self-observation of
feelings and for letting those feelings go.
Use time-outs when you are upset or overstimulated; take a time-out; go away,
calm down. Tai Chi can be performed in the bathroom
at school or work, giving you a break from
the stress.
Let go of the urgency to always finish things quickly by learning to enjoy the process. Tai Chi's slow flowing routine is about
letting go of outcome and learning to love
the process.
ADD usually includes a tendency to overfocusor hyperfocus at times, to obsess or ruminate over
some imagined problem without being able
to let it go.
T'ai Chi teaches the practice of letting
go on a mental, emotional, and physical
level with each exhale.
Sage Sifu Says
T'ai Chi teachers should realize
that Tai Chi for kids with ADD
will not look like Tai Chi for
adults. It will be faster
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