Living the faith with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) does not seem a particularly difficult challenge, but it is good to know how to take into account some considerations that can help develop a healthy spiritual life.
Some ADHD symptoms such as inconstancy, impulsivity, difficulty concentrating or maintaining routines seem to be enemies of prayer and interior recollection. However, believers with ADHD may discover that their limitations can also be a unique way of encountering God.
Dr. Carlos Chiclana has elaborated a free PDF guide with recommendations for people with ADHD. This resource online is designed specifically for them, using a graphic design that makes it very easy to read.
The book includes advice such as the following:
A path of acceptance and trust
People with ADHD may discover that their own way of being - restless, changeable, sensitive - may reflect something of the dynamism of the Holy Spirit. The spiritual journey is not about eliminating distraction, but about learning to love God out of distraction.
In the end, it is a matter of returning to the words of the initial testimony: “I sit in a pew and say to the Lord: here I am, how good we are, aren't we? Perhaps there, in that simple abandonment, is the heart of all spiritual life.
Shorter times
Prayer does not need to last an hour to be profound. In the case of ADHD, it is better to pray little and well, than a lot and badly. Fractions of 10 or 15 minutes, spread throughout the day, can be much more fruitful. The important thing is to be faithful, not perfect.
Treat each other kindly
The first rule is compassion for oneself. “You can't see yourself as a sick being,” explains one of the testimonials. ADHD is not a moral defect, but a different way of perceiving, feeling and reacting. From the point of view of faith, it is a matter of looking at oneself through the eyes of God, who “could not have created me imperfect, because He is perfect”.
Those who live with ADHD must learn to be grateful rather than to be sorry, to discover the grace hidden in every failed attempt. Changing self-criticism for gratitude is already an act of profound humility. “One day I realized that there are more reasons to give thanks than to ask for forgiveness, and that helped me to focus the struggle in a positive way.”.
Develop awareness of one's own difficulties
Self-awareness is not resignation, but an exercise of spiritual lucidity. Knowing that inconstancy, disorganization or impulsiveness are not sins, but part of one's own condition, allows one to stop punishing oneself and start growing.
“Being diagnosed was a tool for understanding,” says another person. It helped me stop blaming myself and understand why I had such a hard time maintaining habits or concentrating on prayer."
The advice is clear: identify, accept and redirect. Being aware of patterns allows you to refocus attention and avoid the “snowball” of frustration and guilt.
Making difficulties the subject of prayer
Distractions, tiredness or anxiety should not be excluded from the dialogue with God, but become a matter of prayer. “I converse with the Lord about how I am and try to see things through his eyes,” writes someone with ADHD. To pray is not to achieve perfect calm, but to present oneself to God as one is.
Sometimes listening to spiritual music, praying with an audio or writing down thoughts can help to sustain the inner dialogue. The important thing is not the method, but to keep the heart open.
Moments of reflection and restarting
ADHD tends to disperse attention and break routines, so it is key to introduce small “checkpoints”: five minutes at the end of the day to review how the day went, what has been accomplished and what can be restarted.
This habit, so simple, allows us to live daily forgiveness and hope. No matter how many times you get distracted, you can always pay attention again, without frustration: “If I try to live in the here and now, I have already won a lot”.
Supporting concrete tasks during prayer
People with ADHD pray better when prayer becomes active: writing a letter to Jesus or Our Lady, drawing a meditation, reading biographies of saints, listening to music that helps to connect with the divine. These are tools that channel energy and emotion and turn creativity into prayer.
Order and routine
External order can sustain inner peace. Therefore, establishing realistic routines is vital: getting up early, attending mass, getting some exercise, eating at regular hours.
Order is not rigidity, but a support that frees the mind from chaos. “I try to set realistic goals,” says one testimonial, "and focus on making every effort out of love, not out of feeling like I'm making progress."
Support from others
No one can sustain his spiritual life alone. Community, spiritual direction or psychological and pastoral accompaniment are fundamental anchors. Talking to a priest, participating in a community or praying with others helps to stay the course when fatigue or demotivation sets in. “Spiritual direction helps me a lot with guilt and worry,” confesses one participant.
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