Are ADD and ADHD Mistaken Interpretations of Skills? - An ExerciseWriten by Jack Elias
A belief in a poor concept or poor interpretation of circumstances, or of yourself, can cause you to think you are disabled. This example is specifically addressing someone's question about treating ADHD. The ADHD diagnosis may be an unhelpful interpretation of the person's behavior that blocks the appreciation of helpful possibilities. Here is a procedure that can help such a person connect with abilities they may be under-utilizing.
The process has application beyond ADHD to skillfully help yourself or another expand capabilities that may be limited just because you are being hypnotized by a poor interpretation.
What if you were to consider that ADD & ADHD were mistaken evaluations of skills and abilities?
According to the studies I have read (they tend to find faults, where I find strengths ) people diagnosed with these conditions are mostly above average intelligence, and very skilled in certain areas (often physical skills, such as sports, but some are good at conceptual ways of thinking as well).
Imagine that you were to ask the person what their favorite activities are and then get them to notice and how they are and how they feel when doing that activity.
1)In the case that the activity is a physical one, I ask them to stand up.
2)Then anchor the strong good feelings and self-appreciation that they experience at that time (use their words and ask them questions to elicit as many expressions of their skills in that area as possible.) Anchor this state with a physical anchor such as pressing their thumb and forefinger together -- their choice of hand.
3)Then have them shake like a dog getting out of the water, and,
4)Ask them to go to that place where IN THE PAST they have felt or BEEN TOLD that they have WHAT HAS BEEN CALLED ADHD.
5)While in that memory, create anchors associated with this egative state, (usually criticism from others, lack of confidence or understanding). The anchor can be just pressing the fingers of the other hand together.
6)Then put all the feelings of one state in one hand and all those of the other state in the other hand.
7)Merge the anchors by having them clasp their hands together tightly and speak about the strengths they have in one hand, and what is in that other hand? And the tighter they clasp their hands, the more the hands become as one as the strengths flow everywhere.
8)Ask how quickly they can feel the strengths flowing from the areas where they are most effective to the areas that can use those strengths in new ways. Feel the flow until you can search and find that same strength wherever you look or feel. Somehow you simply know that every cell has access to the strength whenever you need it.
If you have hypnotherapy or NLP training, you are probably familiar enough with this example to take yourself through this process with ADHD or with any lock. The secret is to find an ability you have, but just don't use in the blocked circumstances, and connect it to those circumstances by the piece of theater called merging anchors -- here done with clasping of hands.
Copyright, 2006, Jack Elias
http://www.FindingTrueMagic.com