YORK, Pa. — Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, used to be thought of as a childhood disorder, but it's now viewed as a lifespan disorder. Since the pandemic, more and more adults have become aware they were struggling.
ADHD can significantly impact attention, organization, stress management and even, relationships. There are medications out there that can help, but what if you don't want to take them?
Dr. Rebecca Jackson has been with the Brain Balance Center for 12 years. They offer a non-medical training program for kids and now adults that they say exercises the pathways in the brain involved with ADHD. "The more we learn about the brain, the more we know the brain can change at any age," Dr. Jackson said. Think of it like a brain gym experience, working out your brain, body and sensory system at the same time, because that's how you use your brain in real life. "You have to be able to take in auditory information and visual information while you're thinking and planning and organizing and block our distractions," she said.
The 3-month program can be done either in a center or from the comfort of your own home. "You're gonna be playing some brain games and activities, doing eye exercises and listening exercises, combined with physical, and so it's active and moving and it meets you where you're at currently and builds progressively from there," Dr. Jackson explained about the program. She also said there's also a nutritional aspect to the program, because what we eat has a huge impact on how our brains function.
Like anything else, the brain needs to be challenged to grow. However, Dr. Jackson says just because there's a challenge, doesn't mean you have to live with it for the rest of your life.
Improved brain function can lead to better performance at work, improved relationships, less anxiety and greater happiness.
If you identify with any of these scenarios, you may be struggling with adult ADHD:
- You find it hard to focus or execute at work/school and want to improve your performance.
- You grew up with a learning challenge (diagnosed or undiagnosed) and are seeking ways to improve.
- You are looking for a drug-free solution to improving cognitive performance or alleviating anxiety.
- Just like exercising your muscles, you want to exercise your brain and gain the benefits that come along with that investment in yourself.
- You want to improve your family or social relationships and find the root cause to your challenges.
- You want to improve your quality of life and unleash your untapped potential.
Brain Balance has nearly 100 centers across the country, including one in Shiloh, York County.