The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the view of the American Council of Hypnotist Examiners.

by Zoilita Grant

Jason had always been told he had ADD, by teachers, friends and even his parents, but had no idea that most of the challenges he faced were indeed ADD related. When he came to me, he was a struggling young business man who wanted improve his self esteem and productivity. He had good ideas and was very creative in his business, but lacked the skills he needed to succeed.

A large percentage of adults with ADD go through life underachieving with low self esteem, and never understand the source of their problems. Adults with ADD are apt to think of themselves as lazy, stupid or even crazy. Many pick up the “soft” addiction (alcohol and marijuana) as coping mechanisms.  On the plus side, ADD adults are frequently above average in intelligence and often creative, original thinkers.

Hypnosis creates an ideal way of working with Adult ADD. It is possible for the individuals to develop the self management skills necessary to improve their life. Your work with clients involves teaching skills conscious level as well as using hypnosis to improve focus, self esteem and self management skills.

Jason had tried traditional psychotherapy and even done a couple of hypnotherapy sessions in the past, but he still had the same challenges. He was frustrated but desperate to improve so he could make his painting business successful. During our first few sessions he was able to improve his confidence and his belief in his ability to focus, end procrastination and become successful. He learned to practice Mindfulness and to do daily self hypnosis. Using a combination of clearing techniques and then building new habits he made rapid success.

There are many adults with ADD who are facing the same types of challenges as Jason. Many children with ADD continue to have problems as adolescents and adults. In fact, 50% of those diagnosed as children carry the full symptoms into their adult life. Some, like Jason, were never actually diagnosed but clearly have the symptoms.

Adults with ADD may be unusually impatient and restless and may become bored before finishing a task. They may constantly arrive late for appointments, lose things, change jobs often, fail to organize their time or set priorities, and have difficulty maintaining friendships and other relationships. Studies suggest they are more likely than others to develop other mental or emotional issues such as anxiety and depression, as well as substance-abuse problems such as alcoholism and drug dependence. Here are some of the problems of ADD adults:

1. A sense of underachievement, of not meeting one’s goals (regardless of how much one has actually accomplished). This is the most common reason that adults with ADD come for help. “I just can’t get my act together” is the frequent refrain. The person may be highly accomplished in other people’s eyes or may be floundering, stuck with a sense of being lost in a maze, unable to use their potential.
2. Difficulty getting organized. This is major problem for most adults with ADD. Without the structure of school, without parents around to get things organized for him or her, the adult may stagger under the organizational demands of everyday life. The supposed “little things” may mount up to create huge obstacles. Their lives are filled with missed appointments, lost checks, and forgotten deadlines
3. Chronic procrastination or trouble getting started. Adults with ADD associate so much anxiety with beginning a task, due to their fears that they won’t do it right, that they put it off, and off, which, of course, only adds to the anxiety around the task.

Jason continued to work with me for about six months. Learning to do daily self hypnosis was incredibly beneficial for him. He improved his self esteem and self confidence, developed the ability to follow through, and improved self management skills. Last year his business did a quarter of a million dollars in sales.

Hypnosis has been very successful in the treatment of ADD. Unlike the side effects of medications that are used for ADD there are no adverse side effects with hypnosis. Children and teens, as well as adults, are able to experience the relaxed state of hypnosis. All of the “chatter” that normally is going on in the conscious mind, quiets down. Hypnosis for ADD can help children as young as five and can create incredible positive changes for adults.

Zoilita is teaching a two-hour workshop at the 28th Hypnotherapy Conference. Register here: https://hypnotistexaminers.org/conference-registration/

Zolita Grant is an internationally known hypnotic-coach.  She has dedicated her life to teaching people to use the power of their mind to create successful lives for over 40 years, 35 of those years as a psychotherapist specializing in hypnosis, and the last five as a life and business hypnotic-coach.