Kids with low dopamine (ADHD) have a hard time moderating their actions. Its very Yoda like, “Do or Do not!”
You wish they’d think before they act which suggests there’s a period of time between the thought and action to do it.
In the impulsive brain the thought of punching their brother and the action of punching feel like a single event.
By the time you realize what you thought, you’ve already done it.
We need to build in the capacity to pause here. Then you have a better chance of hesitating instead of acting impulsively.
A good place to start is with your body. Knowing what a pause feels like makes it easier to remember and stronger the more you practice it.
Start by noticing the natural pause between your out breath and in breath.
On your out breath, relax your body as much as you can.
See if you can make your exhalations longer.
Allow yourself to experience how calming this pause in between breaths feels.
Lastly, say this to yourself in your mind as you exhale, “I’m pausing for a moment before choosing what to do next.”
Enjoy this exercise 🙏
