I got diagnosed with ADHD at 28. Before that I just thought I was bad at being a person. The constant mental noise, the inability to just sit and exist without fidgeting or reaching for my phone – it’s exhausting in a way that’s hard to explain to people who don’t have it.

Medication helps with the focus stuff but it doesn’t really touch the internal restlessness. My psychiatrist suggested I try breathwork as a “grounding exercise” and I literally rolled my eyes in the appointment. But she was pretty insistent, so I gave it a shot.

I started doing box breathing for just 4 minutes a day. That’s it. Four minutes. And tbh? Those four minutes are now the calmest my brain gets all day. It’s not a cure, it’s not replacing my meds, but it’s like pressing a soft reset button. The mental chatter dims for a bit and I can actually feel my body instead of just living in my head.

I use Lunair to guide me through it because left to my own devices I’ll forget where I am in the count (thanks, ADHD). Having the visual guide is the only reason I can actually do it without getting distracted.

Does anyone else with ADHD do breathwork? I’m curious if the effect builds over time or if it’s always going to be a temporary calm.

  • ℕ𝕖𝕞𝕠@slrpnk.net
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    2 days ago

    I’ve been doing breathwork since I fist read about box breathing a year ago. I’ve integrated it into my meditative practices. I’ve been doing meditation in one form or another for about thirty years, and it’s a lifesaver.