What I am currently struck by — from my position as both an observer and a participant here in late-stage capitalism — is the contrast between wellness as an ideal and an industry, and wellbeing as a felt experience and a way of living.

At first glance, practicing mindfulness may seem completely incompatible with a diagnosis of ADHD: the practice of paying attention vs. the struggle to pay attention. But this is exactly why it can help: ADHD is a disorder of attention and self-regulation, and mindfulness is training for attention and self-regulation.

By living and working together in a group, our primate and early hominid ancestors were each better protected and enjoyed a greater chance of survival. Alternatively, an individual on their own was doomed. If losing connection to the group means death, then we must be vigilant about safeguarding our belonging. Shame warns us when a threat to our belonging may be near.

Instead of moving through grief in stages and facing the full force of our difficult feelings, many of us may feel that we are constantly zigzagging between focusing on our loss, building a new life post-loss, and dealing with regularly, day-to-day demands. This is the dual process model of grief.

Why we stay stuck in our current patterns, and practical suggestions to interrupt them. Reset your relationship with your phone to one that better serves you.

Much of the time we end up spending on our phones feels unconscious, uncontrolled, even involuntary.

From childhood, we’re taught that our anger is not welcome, But rather than fear anger as a way of losing our connection to others, let’s honor it as a way to reconnect with ourselves.

In the midst of wrenching loss, many of us get the message from our culture or from those around us that we’re doing it wrong. Ambiguous loss and disenfranchised grief are both ways that social and cultural expectations add complexity to our grief experiences. 

Sleep is indisputably a cornerstone of good mental health. If you have the core aspects of sleep hygiene all dialed in and you’re still struggling to fall asleep, there are a few more things you can try.

As estrogen levels (and therefore dopamine levels) fluctuate throughout a woman’s life, the symptoms and severity of her ADHD may change as well. Instead of a “set it and forget it” approach to their ADHD, women may need more awareness of what’s going on in their bodies, more tools, and more proactive ADHD management.