Edward Hallowell is a psychiatrist and writer specialising in ADHD who also has ADHD himself.
In one of his books, Delivered from Distraction, one of the themes he tackles is not just the drawbacks of mental ill health but also how diagnosis should look at every individual’s strengths so that as far as possible they can thrive in their future life after diagnosis.
I have found that many of his ideas apply not just to ADHD but potentially to other forms of mental ill health as well.
I thought I would therefore describe here Hallowell’s “five steps that lead to lasting joy” in case they chime with you, and could provide some potential basis for moving forward in what is currently a difficult time for everyone.
Connect
The starting point that Hallowell describes is to develop a feeling of connectedness. He argues that “There is no more significant single step you could take to make your life healthier and more joyful than to develop a connected life.” This included connections with family and friends, at school or work, through activities, nature and in many other spheres as well. He argues that such connectedness builds resilience to get you through difficult times, what he describes as a “sturdy kind of joy”.
Play
Step 2 is play – “something deeply and profoundly formative – any activity in which you become imaginatively involved…When you play your brain lights up. This is where you could find joy for the rest of your life.”
He argues that the more activities you try, the more likely you are to find something that will lead to the lasting joy he talks about. The key is that when you find it, you will want to do it over and over again.
Practice
The next step is to practice the above activity. “Practice that emerges out of play is practice you want to do. As you practice, you naturally achieve mastery of your playful activity.”
Mastery
The mastery of the activity, which does not necessarily mean you are the best at it, will nevertheless mean that you are getting better at it in an enjoyable and fulfilling fashion. This improvement will lead to greater self-esteem and confidence.
Recognition
The final step is that people notice and value what you are doing. This in turn will enhance your confidence and self-esteem and improve your connections with people, giving scope to continuously repeat the above cycle in a joyful fashion.
I hope the above is of interest to some of you. When I was reading about it it got me thinking about the activities I like the most and how to cultivate those in connection with others to make life more enjoyable. With lockdown restrictions planned to be reduced over the next few months, now might be a good time to think ahead and work towards doing something that is enjoyable and fulfilling.
If interested, you can find more of Hallowell’s ideas in:-
Delivered from Distraction:-
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Delivered-Distraction-Getting-Attention-Disorder/dp/0345442318
ADHD 2.0:-