ADHD Kids May Not Be Doing Alright These Days…

…particularly if they have a phone, access to screens, the news, or are basically aware of the world. Why? Let’s begin with a reminder about ADHD brains.

First, ADHD brains are not like neurotypical brains and in fact are known to be more “justice sensitive” (have intense cognitive, behavioral, and emotional reactions to injustice), which can make people with ADHD particularly vulnerable, especially when injustice issues abound. Second, we also know their brains are perpetually hungry for both dopamine and norepinephrine–two brain chemicals which are often lower than in neurotypical brains. As a result, they crave experiences which may boost either. Dopamine hits result from triggers to our brain’s reward system (like the novelty of quick-changing stories and reels on social media channels) and help us feel pleasure. Norepinephrine is produced from dopamine but plays a role in mood stabilization and alertness. Now combine these facts with justice sensitivity when those stories cause anxiety and feelings of powerlessness, and you have a recipe for why ADHD kids (and ADHD adults) might not be doing so well right now.

“Doomscrolling,” the process of reading or watching one news story, Instagram story, TikTok, or other social media post endlessly, feeds into everything an ADHD brain needs and, at the same time, is vulnerable to. Short, endless, dramatic stories can provide quick dopamine hits that stimulate the reward center after every read, and because most stories these days lean to the unjust, to the unfair, to disasters, to world problems of epic proportions, they can hit people with ADHD especially hard. People with ADHD have passionate thoughts and feelings which are more intensely felt than their neurotypical counterparts and play into their “justice sensitivity.” As a result, doomscrolling, hyperfocused ADHD brains can become trapped in non-stop, painful issues of injustice. Their suffering is not hyperbole. They feel actual pain.

So what can we do?

–Talk about their brain: If your child is old enough to begin to have these conversations about their brain, how it works, and what is going on, start there. They need the owner’s manual for their own brain so they can understand how their brain is different (different is different; different is not bad; all brains are different) and learn how to manage it. Teach them to recognize their own patterns and when they begin to feel “distress” so they can interrupt their own behaviors.

–Work with your child to identify opportunities for making a difference: Help them find (even small ways) to get involved with helping others in areas they feel passionately about. Helping others prevents feelings of powerlessness, builds self-esteem and confidence, and can make a difference in how they feel and combat the effects of “doomscrolling.”

–Limit screen time, especially at night before bed if possible. Wind down with books, stories which come to a conclusion and are not going to “rev them up” and leave them hanging when you want them to go to sleep.

–Offer balance: News stories abound with doom and gloom–climate, politics, social issues. Our kids cannot escape what they are hearing and seeing. Be open to talking about what is on their mind, but also discuss what is going well in your world. There are often many sides to every story, but the more dramatic, negative sides get the air time. Present issues in balance whenever possible. In doing so, you are also laying the groundwork for critical thinking.

Nationally-recognized visionary in the areas of educational system improvement and innovation, educational consultant Marja Brandon has been a teacher, head of school, and founder of Seattle Girls School. She volunteers to offer advice and writes articles for TeensParentsTeachers.

Like most of the pictures on TeensParentsTeachers, the picture posted with this article is courtesy of a free download from Pixabay.com.