This week there was an opinion piece in the New York Times (January 29, 2012) “Ritalin Gone Wrong” by Alan Sroufe, PhD. It set off a flurry of concerns between professionals and parents, pushing the hot-button topic of medicating children for ADHD. The very next day the New York Times ran a rebuttal point of view and my inbox held a response by Edward Hallowell, MD, a best-selling author on ADHD and an expert on attention deficit disorder.
Stepping aside from the long term value of medications, I found it interesting that they seemed to be agreeing that medication doesn’t “fix” having ADHD. No one I know believes that it does. Its purpose is to enable the brain of an ADHD person to “pause” long enough to control impulsive behavior. That pause makes it possible for them to make wise behavior choices, make good time management decisions, focus, and reach goals, IF they have some guidance.
When you blow away all of the smoke what you end up with is people talking about executive functions. I know from my work teaching the Sklar Process™, that some of my clients do indeed need medication. They find it very helpful, if not critical. However, in terms of truly changing behavior and thus their life, they need to be educated about their executive functions. They have to be taught specific external strategies along with the use of external tools to compensate for what their ADHD brain lacks. That is whole point of the Sklar Process™. It is honest help for students and adults who are struggling, especially those with ADHD. It doesn’t “fix” them either, but improved self-awareness and understanding brings about the hope for real improvement in their lives. Being able to help these folks, whether on medication or not, is one of the joys of my work.
What does losing weight have to do with executive functioning? Lots.
For me, executive functioning is all about understanding my brain’s needs so that I have maximum control over my time and productivity. I want time for both work and fun. Time for myself. Time for my family. Time for giving to the community.
To do all of that takes energy. Carrying around extra weight saps energy. I know. I have been overweight in my life. I also realize how hard it is to lose weight. It requires incredible metacognition to make the necessary choices to lose weight. What can you do? Learn more about your brain.
I recently brought home an interesting book, The Amen Solution. Dr. Amen is a psychiatrist whose passion is understanding the connection between the brain and behavior. His clinics have scanned more than 50,000 brains. He has found that our excess weight shows up in the pictures of our brains! And, it turns out, the brain of an overweight person is not a pretty picture to contemplate. Lose weight, and your brain gets healthier!
While not overweight at this point in my life, reading Amen’s book was a wake-up call. I have lots of plans for the rest of my life and I need a brain and body in maximum shape to be able to live those dreams. After reading Amen’s book I did “little” things like starting to measure the sugar I use (and consequently cutting back). I make sure my breakfast choices are eaten out of very small bowls. I record my weight every morning. I’m using metacognition to notice my portion sizes, choosing not to fill up my plate to overflowing or having seconds.
The result? Without any particular effort, beyond my usual exercise (CRITICAL!), little by little, I have lost 5 pounds over 3 months!
Amen has discovered that different brain types need to use different solutions to lose weight. Check out his book at the library or investigate his web site. He may just inspire you to improve your executive functioning by understanding the connection between your brain and your weight.
