Blowing Off Steam

Related to “space out” time, you also need time to blow off some steam.  This is also outside of your regular workout routine.  Your exercise program is definitely a way to deal with excess energy and redirecting stress, but remember that it’s also a structured component of your day with its own plans and goals.  You need something each week that will allow you a healthy release.

For me, it’s watching football.  If my pro or college team is available to watch on TV, great, if not, I’ll pick another exciting matchup to watch.  I get really into football…I yell, I jump around, I get into the uncertainty and “good stress”.  It’s a lot of fun, and I usually feel energized and content when I’m done (unless my college team loses…).

It’s important to blow off steam for a couple of reasons.  As I mentioned before, it’s a healthy outlet for extra energy and pent-up stress.  Also, having a healthy outlet keeps you from self-medicating with unhealthy things.  We as ADHDers tend to have addictive personalities and hyperactive types tend to seek stimulation from stressful or high-risk activities.  If you plan ahead and make a list of healthy alternatives, you can avoid dangerous behavior.

Good ideas: 

·         Watching a high-action sports game (football, hockey, etc)

·         Blasting music

·         Adrenaline-pumping activities that can be planned in a relatively controlled environment (skiing, riding a roller-coaster, etc)

·         Pigging out with your family (within reason)

·         Going to a comedy show

Bad ideas:

·         Drinking excessively

·         Doing drugs

·         Adrenaline-pumping activities that cannot be planned and are not carried out in a controlled environment (i.e. weaving in and out of traffic on your motorcycle at high speeds)

·         Looking for a fight

Parents, this is extremely important for your ADHD kids.  And make sure you put a solid structure in place that includes this blow-out time.  This will keep your kids sane and it will ensure that you know they’re engaging in healthy behaviors.  If you don’t keep tabs, your child may well end up doing something like trying to jump on moving trains out of boredom (I’ve actually witnessed this), or doing drugs.  We ADHDers are impulsive, especially if we have hyperactive tendencies.  We need a healthy outlet for all that curiosity, energy and excitement.  Obviously, you can’t be a “helicopter” parent either, you need to let your child make his/her own decisions from time to time, but help steer him/her in the right direction by encouraging and enabling productive time to release.  Encourage a game of ultimate Frisbee or flag football at the park.  Take them to a waterpark or amusement park.  Let them go to the paintball range with their friends.  Go bowling or skating.  Have them invite their friends over and have a silly dance contest.  There are plenty of fun (and relatively safe) ways to let your ADHD child “let loose”.  Make sure they get “release” time every week in addition to any structured physical activity.