Read & Plunge. Research and then just do it. You'll thank yourself for trying it.

[FocusAndFlow]

After about a year and eight months since my diagnosis, which was about two weeks before my 50th birthday, I've tried it all; you name it. The reading up on ADHD, exercising, nutritional biochemistry with supplementation and vitamins, meditation, journaling, etc. The lot. I just came across TWO gamechangers and I HIGHLY, HIGHLY recommend them to anyone, whether they have ADHD or not, but as an Adult ADHDer, I can tell you that this is finally opening the floodgates for all the other components of my regimen to work better, faster and with less cognitive load.

Here it is:

First, I wake up in the mornings and I read Stoic philosophy for 20-25 minutes in my backyard with the morning sun hitting the bottom of my eyes as I drink my (exactly) two cups of coffee. This dispels the horrible stress of waking up and gets me over that initial 'wall of awful' like clockwork.

Second, as I ponder how to put into practice what I just learned from Stoic Philosophy, which is incredibly helpful for ADHD, though no one talks about that, I dump about 120 lbs of ice with some water into my cold plunge tub and I get in for about 15 minutes. I got it down to 36oF this morning and it got up to about 42oF by the time I got out. Obviously, I started at about 56oF for 3 minutes about a month and a half ago and I felt like I was going to die. Now, I hardly bat an eye. It's the strangest thing.

What is the result, day after day, after a couple of weeks or months?

I. CANNOT. TELL. YOU. how incredible it is to do that as a routine. I feel calmer the rest of the day, and I do mean much, much calmer and I do mean for a good 8-12 hours every single day. I've been reading the Stoics for about two months now and it's like having the therapist right there, but it's you and you're much better able to call BS on yourself and just move forward, unassisted, so you save on therapists, and I, for one, no longer call anyone to 'share', as I compulsively did, which is what drove everyone away, as they don't understand anyway. Quiet is good and feels good. Being in control of oneself is the ultimate prize and I have finally learned a better way to be completely alone and be in incredibly good company.

The cold plunge bit is a bit of a physiological marvel, as it acts as a completely natural anti-depressant, anti-inflammatory, it lowers blood sugar levels, turns white fat to brown fat, helps you lose weight, sharpens memory, focus and executive functioning like nothing else, etc. (the benefits are simply too many to list out and they are HUGE for those us with ADHD).

As excited as I am about sharing this, make no mistake, It's a very mellow calm the rest of the day and I remember things much better, I prioritize, organize, set goals, complete tasks, document, check items off the list, etc. 400% better than I did before the cold plunges. If I ever start going the way of feeling a bit like a victim or getting upset in any way about anything, the recall on the Stoics and the underlined verses I'm putting into daily practice RIGHT THEN AND THERE, and I just keep moving forward. No additional steps on the list, no extra broken down steps; simply better, more efficient and effective execution. Don't get me started on time management... 500% better.

Yes, I still take my ritalin, eat a lot of protein, swim several times per week, take supplements/vitamins, stay on top of my sleep, etc. All of it, yes. But these are serious game-changers and I can see myself doing this for the rest of my life. All my physical aches and pains are gone and I just don't get upset like I used to, so my 'emotional aches and pains' are gone as well, or at least 95% (I'm still human). Speaking as an Adult ADHDer, the RSD is down to almost nothing and, dare I say it, I feel increasingly 'normal', like I did 20 years ago, or perhaps even better, because I simply DO NOT get upset about things anymore. Back then I did; it just had not become 'debilitatingly' bad, as it has in the past few years. It's that potent and that good.

I imagine that journaling more would help as well, and I'm doing tiny bit of that, but I can assure you that a solid month after reading the stoics to feed the intellect and doing cold plunges to feed the brain, you will likely get a lot more out of your journaling, and everything else in your routine.

BONUS: Those do not come in a pill and they are completely other-agnostic and fully-independent: It's you against you both on the written page, and in some seriously cold water.

Fine...

DISCLAIMER - DISCLAIMER - DISCLAIMER!!!

Look into 'Deliberate Cold Exposure' first, research it for a week or two, get comfortable with the research, let it 'make sense' in your head for a bit, and start slow and not too cold. At the extreme, it can in fact be dangerous and you should not do it if you have a cardiac condition, as it can lead to serious problems in that regard. Other than than, be your own selves, full-grown adults and take the plunge if you want to start feeling much, much better. Yes, it is supremely uncomfortable and feels scare every day before you get in, but for me at least, I hardly have a reaction getting in now, aside from awareness of the cold and some fast breathing for about 30 seconds. It did take me a couple of weeks of doing it daily to get there, though.

Be well. Godspeed.

[CloudsRlovely]

I agree that the freezing water is a game changer. When I go back out west I will reestablish that routine. It feels amazing during and after....once you get used to it.

[FocusAndFlow in reply to CloudsRlovely]

Maybe I'm a bit of a freak in this specific way, but I've been doing it daily only for just over two weeks and I hit the limit. I got in this morning at 34f and got out 15 minutes later at 36f, and I have to say, my hands were burning, which is evidence that it was just too cold.

My sweet spot is 38-37f, I think. That said, I cannot believe how quickly my body acclimated to it, firstly, and secondly, the discomfort and stress of getting in has mostly gone away as well, which I was not expecting. This is a very densely positively-skewed physiological behavioral tool that is staying in my daily routine for as long as physical health will allow.

I love it. My mind is getting clearer and clearer every day and I remember things better, prioritize tasks (and complete them) better, and my days are becoming increasingly productive with less cognitive load and better results increasing every day.

I'm guessing that after 30-60 days I'll hit a plateau and stay there. If that plateau is like I've felt the last few days or better, bring it on!!

Be well. Godspeed.

[Mamamichl]

Hi again friend! Could you clarify this “stoic philosophy”? Is it the title of a book, or something else? Do you have a link by chance?

[CloudsRlovely in reply to Mamamichl]

It's a type of philosophy that you can look into on YouTube. I've done it before in the past when I was using my Calm app one of the speakers recommended it. I don't think I was entirely into it cuz other stuff in my life was going on but I'd be willing to revisit it. Plus there's always going to be stuff going on ...so no better time than now.

[FocusAndFlow in reply to Mamamichl]

Hey, friend.

Stoicism is a particular school in Philosophy that is concerned with living a good, moral life through virtue, self-discipline and self-sufficiency. The main thing I've learned so far is that it really focuses on reason and NOT emotion. The man (person) who controls himself and his emotions, regardless of his circumstances, is truly free; bottom line.

Oddly enough, it has proven to be a huge antidote to, of all things, my RSD. I just don't get angry like I used to anymore. I'm taking something totally external to Adult ADHD and expressing how I've found a directly applicable way that it improves my life as an ADHDer. I've heard no one talk about it, but I really thing we should. I'm sure it won't work for everyone, or to a lesser degree, etc., but I'd be remiss if I didn't mention it for others' benefit.

As far as the second half of your question, I'm about 360 pages into my 550 page book of 'Seneca's Letters From a Stoic'. This is a collection of letters he wrote to an apprentice / colleague throughout his older years, imparting his wisdom in this philosophical realm. It's been put into this book. He has other writings, but this one is the most famous and read worldwide.

In addition, other Stoic Philosophers include Epectitus, Marcus Aurelius (the Caesar), and I found and bought a book that has multiple works from both of them, including Marcus Aurelius's 'Meditations', which are, along with Seneca's letters, probably the most influential Stoic writings. There are others, but I'm working my way through Seneca's Letters first as a matter of self-discipline, not letting myself get into others until I finish this one. Both Stoicism and the cold plunges are helping me focus to get it done. Beautiful.

I hope this helps. A quick search on Stoicism and main Stoic philosophers will take you through this. I admit I'm a neophyte, so I'm not an expert on any of them nor this kind of philosophy just yet, but I'm very happy that I looked into it, and I look forward to becoming an expert on the subject over the years to come. Yes, especially as an ADHDer. This is not merely academically rewarding from an intellectual curiosity point of view; it is practical advice on how to manage ourselves to live a much better life for ourselves and those around us. If that doesn't sound like a hefty tool for the management of Adult ADHD symptoms, I don't know what does.

Be well. Godspeed.