Quote by Angel Chernoff – US Author
Peace is not to be in a place of no chaos, no trouble, or no hard realities to deal with. Peace means to be in the midst of all these things and still remain mentally, emotionally and physically centred.
Summary: A short description of alternative approaches in dealing with ADHD, touching on “diet”, conventional medication and complimentary treatments, like “Energy Healing (Reiki)”.
ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder) a disorder that causes people to be impulsive, hyperactive and inattentive. It can impact the sufferer’s life considerably and make focusing on important tasks in school or work difficult. In some cases, doctors will prescribe medicines following a diagnosis. It is often then very apparent to familiar others when the person is not on their chronic medication and although effective, the medication can become habit-forming and may cause significant side effects. For these reasons, people with ADHD often look for alternative treatments.
Read Time: 8 minutes
Reiki goes where it is needed and Reiki Practitioners are not medically trained to make such diagnoses as ADHD. But there is scientific research happening around the world in Reiki circles and these are becoming more and more accessible for us to make certain deductions on the benefits of Reiki therapy and that incudes ADHD. If you are reading this, you are probably doing your own research in trying to find additional help or on rare occasions, you may have been referred to investigate complementary therapies, like Reiki. Not every GP, Clinical Psychologist or Psychiatrist will have heard of Reiki Energy Healing and certainly not every medical practitioner will refer their patients for Reiki, or other holistic treatments, due to their own personal perceptions and beliefs. Often referrals come by word of mouth from someone who has had a positive experience (and may I say a positive “result”) from Reiki treatment/s, from reading an article or research on Reiki, or nowadays, more likely information may have been gleaned from social media. If any of these draw you to experience Reiki first hand, I would suggest you seek and then speak to a Reiki practitioner about your expectations and together decide on a treatment programme. Reiki is non-invasive and goes where it is needed and treats the whole person – you may get an ethereal answer from some practitioner as opposed to a definitive one. If you are looking for a specific prognosis… remember Reiki is a holistic treatment and treatments are very individual, with very individual responses. That said, I have met parents pulling their hair out, exhausted and frustrated, just wanting a little respite from the very intense behaviours from their “over-active” child that they have to cope with day in and day out… night in and night out! Treatment for both the child and the parent may bring relief or it could be that respite that draws the energy to build resilience. (Anyone under 18 years would need parental permission and young children would probably be seen with their parent present or very nearby.) Although I speak from a complimentary healing stance, there is always a place for conventional medicine and Reiki healers generally would not recommend totally avoiding this path… in fact, sometimes clients may be referred back to their GP by the Holistic healer and there is scope to have both medication and complimentary treatments working in tandem.
In some countries, ADHD has not been an official diagnosis. This is true in France (historically) and although I don’t have first hand experience of this, I stumbled across it doing some research and do believe this has been changing with younger psychiatrists over the past 20 years. Does it matter? Well, yes. This presents problems to parents, as without any diagnosis they can’t readily access help and then often have to “go it alone” to find their own strategies or fight for support. I am always a bit surprised when I learn about doctors not wanting to prescribe meds for children, although I understand their resistance, I can’t believe any medical practitioner could not have experienced at least one “hyperactive” child with severe challenging behaviour to the degree that it did not warrant some sort of professional intervention, and if not conventional medication, then some sort of alternative!
Research is becoming more prolific in Complimentary and Alternative Healthcare and Medical Practices (CAM) as the use of these alternatives in our choices of individual healthcare, including energy therapies like Reiki, increase. According to a study through the 90’s this increase has been evident and as is more so in the US than the UK. Although based on limited data, the UK seemed to have a high support and use of Complimentary and Alternative Medicine and was on the increase. (Pubmed: ncbi.nim.nih.gov). Sadly, warning on all natural products bear the caution that there “is no clear scientific evidence” that natural products, supplements or diet etc. is a remedy for any neurological (or for that matter any other) disorder or health issue.
ADHD is still a diagnosis that is fairly difficult to obtain in the EU and UK and it has to radically affect 2 areas of a child’s life (i.e. school and home). Dare I say that it is also one of those prickly areas where society often reacts harshly and judgementally by criticising and blaming parenting-skills. Those parents of autistic children sometimes face the same misplaced “disapproval” and it’s a tough parent that sails through this unscathed and unhurt. Currently in the UK, the waiting lists in all areas of the NHS must be affecting many in keeping a helping hand just out of reach!
As a teacher, I experienced what ADHD could look like in my very first year of teaching… actually even earlier as a student teacher. And although I was young, I had frazzled parents pulling their hair out at trying to deal with behaviours beyond their control, offloading and begging me for any advice. I took my responsibilities seriously then, as I did throughout my career as a teacher, and started researching “behaviour” in children and what might affect it, adversely and positively. Even then, I was drawn to “alternative” methods and I dived into diet-related remedies. I came across “The Feingold Cookbook”. Ben F. Feingold M.D. was, in my opinion, way ahead of his time in that he firmly drew a connection between artificial food colouring, artificial preservatives and natural salicylates. It remains a good read although the latter, natural salicylates, being contained in fruits, does not always sit well with parents if told to avoid… but, there are plenty of veggies out there if a plant-based diet is desired. Almost 50 years later, more and more we realise the adverse affects of synthetic foods… especially where so-called “healthy” diets may spill over into including some E numbers (preservatives) and artificial flavours to offer us the likes of “Vegan Southern Fried Chickenless Wings”. High protein diets, like Atkins, have come under fire as well and I won’t go into this as I am not a medical doctor, but for those interested, I’d refer you to a film based on a true story called “First Do No Harm” starring (a young) Meryl Streep. In this film diet is proposed above traditional interventions to address a child’s struggle with epilepsy – and it has a happy ending.
Why have I detoured around “diet”? Firstly, its impossible to separate the body and mind when looking to treat an issue. Secondly, I hope if you or your child needs support in dealing with ADHD, you will consider addressing both these through Reiki. I have had a special interest in ADHD since starting out as a Primary and Pre-Primary School teacher in South Africa and this has continued over the last 20 years through my teaching as a Special Needs teacher in the UK. When I started my Reiki journey in 2018, my immediate thought turned to ADHD and the possibilities that Reiki Treatments could calm those busy and over-stimulated minds. This journey of mine is only starting and I have found through further reading that there are other Reiki practitioners working in this specific field and researching the exciting prospects Reiki Natural Healing may bring.
Unfortunately one has to dig deep to find the successes in natural approaches. The big money backs “big pharma” – and we are talking BiG money. GPs tend to reach for their pads as their first “go-to” writing out prescriptions for statins when they see even a slight elevation of cholesterol… and yes, it will bring down cholesterol levels… and yes, research does gives statistics to prove this… BUT, the NHS has a pilot scheme promoting “social prescribing” and has even been funded to do so to promote weight-loss with exercise and diet. So commonly a patient sees a doctor with an ailment and a pill is prescribed to treat the symptom and the cause… ? well pardon my cynicism… often it never even goes down this route…. But, before I lose my track of thought, the NHS does have apps to address better wellbeing, including a MIND plan. Simplistically, these all promote forms of relaxation and have proven mind (and body) health benefits. Nicely fitting into this category, one can slot in Reiki Energy Healing.
The resultant deep relaxation one reaches in a Reiki Treatment is something without fail that is communicated by clients after treatments. Reiki is based on the idea that an individual’s lifeforce energy affects their physical and mental wellbeing. During a Reiki session, the practitioner typically places hands over or on the client in specific positions to encourage this energy to flow freely to promote the body’s natural ability to heal itself. This process may help reduce stress, anxiety and hyperactivity, while promoting focus and balance.
More and more scientific research is becoming available and I am incuding a link to an interveiw between
I have adopted the saying I came across recently that Reiki “is best experienced, rather than described” and I urge you to try it, even if just once… or rather twice as once could be confused with coincidental factors that may not confirm how Reiki could bring you just what you are looking for! Many practitioners will offer a taster session if you are unsure of the process. Take it! Reiki can do no harm. It may be the best thing you will ever do for your mental health and may calm those ADHD tendencies.
Resources:
https://www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters
“The Feingold Cookbook” by Ben F. Feingold ISBN:9780394412320
