Category: Well-Being

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, commonly referred to as ADHD, is a neurodevelopment condition that affects behavior. And while most ADHD treatments typically involve medication, psychotherapy can be a more effective solution.

Here’s where behavioral therapy comes into play. Different symptoms of ADHD react to medication differently. Behavioral therapy manages ADHD symptoms by encouraging positive characters and behaviors and improving self-esteem and self-control. When used effectively, behavioral therapy can develop a wide range of skills to help ADHD patients to manage behavior-related challenges.

The effectiveness of behavioral therapy also varies from one person to another, and many doctors recommend medication to get the best results.

This post will discuss what behavioral therapy is, how effective it is for treating ADHD, and the different behavioral therapy techniques. Read on:

What is Behavioral Therapy? How It Alleviates Symptoms of ADHD

Behavioral therapy is basically an umbrella term used for different forms of therapy that focus on the patient’s behavior. The primary aim of this psychotherapy treatment is to help the patient identify harmful or unhealthy behaviors and change them by adopting more helpful behaviors.

That’s to say, behavioral therapy is based on the idea that a patient can learn behavioral patterns. As such, you can learn new behaviors through therapy, although learning and reinforcing them can take time.

Some common forms of behavioral therapy that have proved to be very effective include:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
• Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT)

We will discuss more about these therapy treatment options later on in the article.

How Effective is Behavioral Therapy for Treating ADHD?

Symptoms of ADHD can be quite severe, depending on the stage of the condition. Similarly, certain behaviors associated with ADHD can be very disruptive and quite challenging. And while medication may help control most of its core symptoms, behavioral therapy can be more effective in helping patients learn helpful coping skills and strategies.

On a similar note, it is important to know which behavioral therapy is most suited and will be the most effective for each patient. Different behavioral therapy forms can help:

• Reduce procrastination
• Stay focused for longer
• Avoid hyperactivity when it’s inappropriate
• Organize thoughts and tasks
• Identify and correct impulsive actions

All these are evidence that behavioral therapy is effective and plays a critical role in treating ADHD. The CDC also cites that patient training and behavioral therapy can help alleviate symptoms of ADHD, especially in young children. However, this may require caregivers, therapists, and teachers to establish the rules and define positive behaviors jointly.

Another study found CBT to be a more effective behavioral therapy treatment option for adolescents with ADHD who haven’t responded well to medication. The study found that college students who participated in the study experienced less severe symptoms of ADHD and improved “executive functioning,” which helped them manage time, complete tasks, and control behavior and emotions.

Several studies also show that adults with ADHD respond well to CBT. There’s already mounting evidence that this behavioral therapy treatment may help reduce symptoms of ADHD in adults. CBT can also address anxiety and depression symptoms, which is common in adults.

Does Behavioral Therapy Work for All Ages?

As the above study suggests, some behavioral therapy forms may benefit people with ADHD of certain ages more than others. For example, the report by the CDC shows that basic behavioral therapy and training may be more useful for children under 12 with ADHD.

This form of training can help parents and caregivers to provide their children with the structure and support they need to develop positive and helpful behaviors.

Can Behavioral Therapy Help Kids with ADHD?

Yes! Behavioral therapy has already proved to be very effective in helping kids (and adults) with symptoms of ADHD. However, studies show that it is even more effective for kids than adults.

Most kids with ADHD struggle with anger and self-control, which can lead to other problem behaviors. It is also not uncommon for these kids to lie frequently, especially on matters related to chores and other everyday tasks.

Behavior therapy takes a more businesslike approach to help kids with ADHD change their behaviors and responses to situations. One of its main goals is to eliminate arguing and give them the motivation to change without involving parents.

The point of introducing behavior therapy is to replace your kid’s negative behaviors with positive ones. That’s why its system of rewards and consequences plays a very critical role in molding kids.

Whatever the reward is, it should also be coupled with praise for good behavior. You can also make your child’s teachers aware of this plan, so they can reinforce it at school too. At home parents will be able to better help their child with ADHD successfully study at home.

Equally important is verbal recognition and praise for each time your child completes a task. Praise words like “you did a great job” and “I’m really pleased with you” can go a long way towards helping your child.

Consequently, as you can praise and reward your child for positive behaviors, you can also teach them to expect consequences for negative behaviors. For example, you can deny them points or take away their screentime each time they misbehave, lie, or get involved in fights.

Behavioral Therapy Forms for ADHD

There are different forms of behavioral therapy that you can use to alleviate your symptoms of ADHD. Some are more effective than others, depending on your condition, age, and other factors.

Some forms of behavioral therapy you might consider trying include:

• CBT

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) focuses on the patient’s thoughts and behaviors. CBT can help change your negative thoughts to positive ones by changing how you view challenges. It will also help you find more effective approaches to organization, planning, time management, and impulse control.

Some studies also show that CBT can help patients to manage stress and emotions.

• DBT

Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) can help you to tolerate and regulate your emotions by teaching you different techniques to help you understand your emotions better. It also teaches you applicable ways to manage your emotions and change your behavior. DBT is effective at preventing impulsive or self-destructive behavior patterns in ADHD patients.

• Coaching

Coaching is a practical intervention strategy that targets specific areas of difficulty for people with ADHD. These may include planning, goal-setting, time management, problem-, and organization-solving. Coaches help you solve practical skills and teach you how to overcome challenges associated with ADHD.

• Neurofeedback

Neurofeedback involves measuring brain activity and trying to alter it to minimize the symptoms of ADHD. Most ADHD patients typically show less activity in certain areas of the brain associated with behavior, learning, and personality. Neurofeedback attempts to increase activity in these sections of the brain.

Which Form of Behavioral Therapy is Effective?

While each behavioral therapy form is different, they overlap in using classical and operant conditioning techniques.

In classical conditioning, the ADHD patient is associated with two stimuli to determine which effect it brings. For example, associating a specific sound with sleep can help the patient feel sleepy whenever he/she hears that sound.

On the other hand, operant conditioning focuses on reinforcing certain learning activities and consequences. For example, you can teach your ADHD child to expect rewards and praise after performing certain activities.

After identifying a problematic behavior, you can formulate a plan that addresses it and substitute it with positive behavior. This may involve a reward or praise for switching to a more helpful behavior. Or, it could mean facing the consequences for continuing with the problematic behavior.

Demonstrating positive behavior can also move your child a step closer to his/her reward, while negative behavior sets him/her back. That’s why some doctors suggest having a goal chart for your children to let them see their progress and have some sense of accomplishment whenever they complete a task. You’ll basically be guiding your child toward his/her goal.

When to Expect Results

Like most medicines and therapy treatments, behavioral therapy isn’t a quick solution. Instead, it takes time and a lot of discipline before you can start seeing results.

Changing someone’s thoughts and patterns of behavior needs a lot of consistent effort. The pace of progress differs from one person to another, depending on factors specific to each individual and how effective their treatment is.

By working closely with your therapist, you will start seeing improvements from your symptoms of ADHD and have more control over your behaviors. But even after seeing improvements, you should stay consistent with the rewards and consequences system so you don’t backslide.

Combining Behavioral Therapy with Medication

Many doctors often recommend behavioral therapy treatments alongside other treatments, like medication. Stimulant and non-stimulant drugs may also address the neurological component of ADHD.

Behavioral therapy complements medication well and can be very effective, especially when medication alone does not help.

In Sum

Behavioral therapy involves identifying negative behaviors and working on substituting them with positive ones. Several studies already suggest that behavioral therapy is effective in helping manage your symptoms of ADHD.

Your doctor may also suggest that you take medication alongside your behavioral therapy treatments for the most effective results. It is worth considering if you haven’t tried it before.

Read about ADHD stimming and it’s effects on the body.

“Life is more fun if you play games”. As individuals belonging to the 21^st century, we live in a world that is fairly different from the one that used to exist at the time of our parents or elder siblings. Today, the concept of playing games for mental strength is foreign to us as we’re addicted to the world of social media and Netflix.

Do you recall playing different games on the computer back as a kid when you had fixed screen timings? We’re sure you used to have a lot of fun. If you would like to cherish and re-visit those memories again, then we have a solution for you.

Mentioned below are top ten memory games which you can try out with your friends, just for fun, to keep a check on your mental strength:

1. Word Finder

How about we start with an easy yet fun game that we used to play in our childhood as well? Do you remember those weekend magazines with word finders that you used to solve with a pencil, all in one go?

If you’re good with words and have the skill of spotting them quickly, you’ll love this word finder game at Unlimited Gamez MO Word finder games help you improve your memory along with language learning. If you want to feel smart, then you should definitely give this game a try. You can start playing at the most manageable level and then move up to medium and hard levels as soon as you get the knack for it.

2. Sudoku

When you were young, did you ever come across a weird game that included numbers, and you couldn’t figure out what kind of game it was? Well, that’s Sudoku for you.

Sudoku is a popular number placement game that helps improve short-term memory. You have to keep in mind a sequence of numbers to complete the Sudoku puzzle while mentally calculating the following number in the box.

This game requires heavy concentration, which is why many people give up in the end. If you’re interested in playing, we recommend you try out the easiest levels of this game. Then, you can always look for the difficult Sudoku puzzle levels.  If you’re looking for a way to introduce kids to a word games that are more simple in nature, introduce them to Wordle.

3. Crosswords

Crosswords are one of the most popular games. Trying out different crossword puzzles is always a delight as they are a classic brain trainer and improve your vocabulary.

Were you aware that around 50 million people solve crossword puzzles every day? Sounds fascinating, right?

Crosswords puzzles are a great invention to keep your brain and mental strength active and sharp all the time. They help boost your memory and are an excellent solution for people who have dementia and Alzheimer’s.

If you love crossword puzzles and could spend all day solving them, you’ll be happy to know that there are many ways to do crosswords. You can download an application on your phone or tablet and choose the crossword topics that are gripping and challenging to solve.  If you’re ever stumped, CrosswordZone provides offers answers to daily crossword puzzles.

4. Scrabble

Are you spending most of your time playing action games like the call of duty? If the answer is affirmative, you need to try out a new game to enhance your mental strength.

We’re sure that you must be aware of scrabble; after all, it is one of the most well-known games that many people play all around the globe. If you’re looking for ways to improve and keep a check on your mental strength and memory, then Scrabble is a classic option.

It enhances your brain development and vocabulary by encouraging you to compete with players and create unique words. The better words you come up with, the higher your score will be.  If you are stumped or want to become better at coming up with words, use a word unscrambler to see the multiple possibilities available from any group of letters.

You’ll be astonished to know that playing a game like scrabble increases the size of your brain, delays brain degeneration in the elderly, and makes you more competent and competitive.

5. Chess

One of the most intellectual and analytical games around; you wouldn’t want to miss out on chess. When playing chess, many new players hesitate to take part as it seems complicated and demanding.

Chess is all about relying on your memory and carefully picking your next move. If you know how to do that, then you’re good to go.

You’ll see that with time and experience, you will become a pro at chess, and all the strategies and tricks will be at your fingertips.

Moreover, chess improves brain function, cognitive abilities, deepens focus, and boosts the planning skills of a person. Aren’t these benefits enough for you to put aside your fears and at least give the game a try?

6. Card Games

Card games with numbers and patterns are exercise for your brain.  Uno is one of those popular games.  Let’s be honest. How many times did you forget to yell out “Uno” when you had one card left, and then everyone forced you to pick another one?  One of the most common card games amongst adults and children, it is a great game for the brain as it pushes you to remember every rule at each step of the game.

If you’re looking for something unique, the golf card game is a fun way to pass the time with in a new way using a standard deck of poker cards.  As per golf card game rules you can increase the level of difficulty and challenge by playing with four, six, eight, nine, or ten cards.

Just like chess, card games help develop strategic thinking and emotional intelligence. It is a good option for mental stimuli and promotes brain health.

7. The Tray Game

We’re already excited as this one’s a personal favorite for many of us. If you can’t recall it, then no need to worry as we’re getting right into the details.

The tray game is a classic memory game that is all over the Internet for the past few years. It includes a setting where there are a bunch of things, and you have some seconds to peak at them. Once the time is over, you’re supposed to guess all of the present items in the tray.

Does it sound stressful? Yes, it’s de-stressing and a lot of fun to play once you are smitten with the game. Trust us when we say that it’s the opposite of stressful.

8. Jigsaw Puzzles

Do you remember dragging your parents or siblings to the nearest stationary or toys shop so you could get your hands on the latest puzzle pieces?

No matter your age, completing Jigsaw puzzles is always fun, especially if you have someone to compete with. They are a fantastic option for improving and strengthening your mind along with sharpening your memory.

Thanks to the Internet, there are multiple types of Jigsaw puzzles that you can choose from, along with the difficulty levels. If you have trouble concentrating, you can start with the smaller and easier puzzles, and once you get the hang of them, you can move onto bigger ones.

9. Solitaire

Another prominent card game, Solitaire, is a one-person game known as a card puzzle. It helps increase the mental activity in your brain and promotes brain sharpness. The objective of the game is to use all of the cards in a particular sequence and arrangement.

While many people are confused about Solitaire rules, all you need is some skills and patience, which many people lack when playing games.

Playing Solitaire for an extended period helps develop cognitive function, memory improvement, and good mental strength.

10. Brain Teasers

Brain teaser games include different puzzles that get you thinking about what the answer might be. To solve these games and get the answer, you need to develop different strategies and think differently than you usually do.

Brain teasers can be like a riddle which means that they develop your learning ability and problem-solving skills. If you include brain teaser games in your everyday routine, you’ll notice how your thinking process and mental capacity have improved and expanded.

Final Thoughts

With the years passing so rapidly right in front of our eyes, it’s vital that we take some time to remain sane and healthy. At such a time, playing memory games can be a wonderful opportunity to spend time, relax, improve your mental strength, and memory skills also help students study.

Do you think playing memory games is important for brain health? If you play any memory games, don’t forget to share your experience with us in the comments below.

Author Bio:
About Michelle Joe: Michelle Joe is a blogger by choice. She loves to discover the world around her. She likes to share her discoveries, experiences, and express herself through her blogs. You can find her on Twitter.

After your child is diagnosed with a type of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), you might feel like you cannot do enough to help them. However, your presence and support as a caregiver can do a lot to keep your child in a positive mindset while succeeding in life.

One of the things that parents of children with ADHD should consider is increasing the amount of playtime, outdoor play, exercise play, and play therapy in your child’s life. All around, play can make huge differences in your child’s ability to think, process emotions, and better handle their life.

Why is play so important to children diagnosed with ADHD?

Here are some of the primary reasons that adding more play and activity to your child’s days may help them to cope with symptoms of ADHD more effectively.

Reason #1: Helps Them Sleep

One of the primary symptoms of ADHD for children is over activeness, which is part of the condition that many parents with ADHD are familiar with. Setting your child up to use more of their energy during the day can help them to sleep better. Sleep is vital to children in general and maybe even more important to children diagnosed with ADHD.

Not getting enough sleep makes most people inattentive; those with ADHD suffer this effect even more severely. Overstimulation and too much energy at nighttime can lead to many problems with falling asleep. When children get more exercise, this improves the brain’s ability to sleep at night, even encouraging more deep sleep.

By giving children play exercise time during the day before a set bedtime, you may be able to help them develop a routine that encourages more consistent sleep.

Reason #2: Provides Exercise

Physical exercise is very important for children with ADHD for several reasons.

One of the most fundamental reasons is that children diagnosed with ADHD are more likely to suffer from obesity which can lead to additional health problems later in life. By incorporating play from a young age, this risk can be reduced drastically.

Additionally, exercise and play give children with ADHD a chance to burn off more energy. Things like organized sports and playtime on the playground give children a healthy way to let out their energy. They can hyperfocus on play and exercise.

Adding playtime outdoors, even in the winter, can be particularly beneficial for children with ADHD. “Green time” spent in a natural setting rather than a concrete jungle gym has been shown to reduce ADHD symptoms more.  These activities have big benefits for children:

• Better concentration
• Lowered risk of depression and anxiety
• Improve brain growth
• Improves ability to sleep

Overall, children that struggle with hyperactivity and focus will benefit from adding play and exercise to their lives.

Reason #3: Improves Focus

Some research suggested that children with ADHD may have decreased focus and difficulty planning or controlling emotions due to reduced blood flow in specific parts of the brain.

The Montessori method of education believes that both free and structured forms of play can help to increase blood flow in these brain areas. Active play helps the brain identify structure in the world around them and do a better job of focusing than when play is not encouraged. Riding bikes is one good way for children with ADHD to play; their brain is engaged in unique ways while doing this activity.

Inevitably, children with ADHD will be able to focus on their studies during the day and at home.

Reason #4: Teaches Better Control

One symptom of ADHD often seen in children is the inability to control impulses. Depending on the exact type of ADHD and how it affects your child, their impulsivity can be a major issue in their daily lives.

Play can help children engage with the world in different ways to learn better control of such impulses and their behavior in general. Play gives children a chance to learn about consequences and improve specific areas of their brains without the stress of a classroom environment.

Once those skills are learned, they can be brought into the classroom environment and an improvement in how ADHD symptoms affect a child’s daily life.

Reason #5: Introduces Social Skills

Finally, consider how adding play to a child’s life can improve their social skills. Children that present many symptoms of ADHD can have trouble creating positive social interaction in their daily life.

Playtime, however, creates situations where even children with ADHD can have positive social relationships with other children. Small playgroups, recess, or joining a sports team can be good ways to introduce social skills to a child’s life in a non-threatening way. This opportunity can then allow the child to develop these skills further.

Get Serious About Playtime

Children with or without ADHD can see major benefits from having more playtime in their life. It’s time to make sure that children are allowed this benefit so that they can develop with the world around them more successfully!

Our society has had a tense relationship with media consumption for some time now. Since the dawn of television facets of the community have raised concerns about what influence the media has. Sometimes this has been from a physiological and mental health perspective, at others from the standpoint of intellectual or moral development.

In our digital age, this has taken on new dimensions as online media plays a more central role in our lives.

This is especially present when it comes to our children.  Our variety of digital media tools influences a young age. There are certainly positives in embracing technology, but there’s also a lot of discussion about the negatives. Indeed, a recent study found that 61% of parents polled sought advice regarding their children’s screen time from a medical professional. As such, this constant media presence in the lives of children is worthy of serious consideration.

We’re going to take a moment to look at what the relative positives and negatives are regarding children’s media consumption.

As a Source of Information

Whether the media your children consume is screen time as a distance learner,  entertaining, or social, it is all providing them with information.  This is, of course, essential to their ability to understand the world. Global and local news alike are at their fingertips, as are rich and varied stories in movies and TV shows.

That said, a wealth of information at their disposal does not automatically equate to trustworthy knowledge. The open-source nature of our digital landscape means that the information your children consume may well be colored by more negative influences and agendas. Misinformation and discrimination are rife across the media today. When children’s consumption is left unaddressed, these influences may well be inadvertently given as much weight in their minds as credible sources, affecting their opinions and decisions accordingly.

While there may be some benefit to reducing screen time in a more general sense, the answer is not necessarily censorship. Depending on your child’s age, removing their ability to consume less trustworthy forms of information reduces the opportunity to engage critical thinking skills. Rather, as a parent, it is important to support your child’s viewing with discussions. Talk to them about the context of the information they’re seeing — the biases and the influences. Follow this up with exercises in information reviews and how to identify credible resources. Provide them with the knowledge of how to more effectively process the information they’re receiving.

As a Cultural Touchstone

Digital media has become a key part of our contemporary culture. More importantly, though, it is a conduit to share and learn about more diverse cultures. This is perhaps the true value of an open, globally-connected media ecosystem — your children have the opportunity to engage with different ideas from exposure to their media. Not just professional media, either, but the content made by citizens through YouTube, Twitch streams, and TikTok.

Additionally, it’s important to understand that media as a cultural touchstone is a positive tool for representation. The media available today is becoming more diverse — particularly on streaming services, which are making efforts to feature not just actors and characters but also creators from traditionally marginalized backgrounds. Television, podcasts, music, even video game streaming can help demonstrate to children with diverse identities that their cultural perspectives and identities have an important place in the global community. These media provide them with positive, relatable role models, too.

But is there a negative side to media content as a cultural focus? Only when as a parent you rely too heavily upon it. Media is a tool for knowledge, but it doesn’t give your kids valuable life experience. Combine their consumption of media from other cultures with encouragement to also engage with them. Demonstrate the patronage of minority-owned businesses and just reaching out to start conversations and build relationships. Allow the media to inform their impressions, but provide experience to build their sense of empathy and community responsibility.

As Part of a Social Development

It can’t have escaped your notice that media consumption comprises a core part of your child’s social development. They are among the first generation of true digital natives, and both they and their peers will not just use media to consume information and culture, but also to communicate with one another and form social bonds.

By empowering your children to grow socially through media consumption — learning from TV shows, communicating (with safety elements in place) through social media — they can develop practices for the responsible use of these on their own terms. Indeed, we’ve already seen how this engagement is developing Generation Z into more socially and environmentally conscious citizens. Let’s not forget that Fridays for Future is a social media-led campaign. Rather than just dictate the use of their media tools, this is an opportunity to give them ownership of these. They can understand the responsibilities involved, and the social limitations and challenges they may face. The key is to be communicative and supportive throughout.

Of course, it’s not healthy to have them entirely focused on social development through screen media. It’s important to introduce other sources of information. Comic books are a helpful tool here, and also have in-built social credibility, even sparking discussion points among peers. Importantly, there are efforts to improve diversity in comic books, moving away from the harmful minority stereotypes of years past and providing positive and empowering representation. This extends beyond the characters and includes creative teams composed of and led by Black, neurodivergent, LGBTQ+, and Asian American creators. This expands their media toolkit, and also provides sources of social connection with their peers.

Conclusion

Media consumption tends to get a bad rap when it comes to our children. Yet, as a parent, you need to be cognizant of the various positive and negative roles it can play in their lives. This in turn empowers both you and them to make more informed decisions about usage and how to support them.