I read an interesting blog post about how yoga can work as well as medication to treat ADD and ADHD, but instead of working as a quick fix, it teaches kids lifelong skills to help them concentrate. This is my response to Yoga for ADD/ADHD:
Isn't it fascinating how much meditation impacts how your brain functions? I thought the paragraph about proprioception was really interesting. I didn’t realize we even had a mechanism for knowing where we are in space, although I suppose it would be really important. I’d like to find out how this mechanism works physiologically, and how yoga enhances this process. Is the effect of yoga on this part of the brain related to its effect on awareness and balance in general?
I am really into finding alternatives to drugs for psychological disorders. I used to strongly oppose Ritalin and other ADD/ADHD medications because the idea of putting kids on drugs seems so wrong. It's a quick fix, and they learn that it is OK to depend on drugs to function. I understand that ADD has neurological causes, so mere discipline is not going to help them focus. So what other option is there? I have been looking up ways that meditation has been used to treat mental disorders and bring about psychological health, but I hadn't considered using meditation in place of ADD meds. I would be interested to know how effective it is though. I can't imagine being able to persuade children to go through a session of yoga, which requires so much self control and concentration. It's hard enough to get an energetic kid (without ADD) to sit still for 10 minutes. How challenging would it be for a medically-diagnosed hyperactive child to sit still and follow directions for a 20 minute sesh!
No comments:
Post a Comment