| There is growing concern about negative side | | | | Scientists have found that this improved brain |
| effects and long-term health outcomes associated | | | | functioning through daily TM practice |
| with ADHD medications. Groundbreaking research | | | | ry and academic performance. People practicing |
| is showing the effectiveness of the | | | | the TM technique commonly report immediate |
| Transcendental Meditation technique as a non-drug | | | | relief from anxiety and hyperactivity, and |
| approach to treating ADHD. | | | | greater ability to concentrate and focus in their |
| | | | daily life. Under supervision of their doctors, |
| ADHD and the brain | | | | patients with ADHD are often able to reduce or |
| Neuroscientists and researchers tell us that an | | | | eliminate their medications within 3-6 months. |
| imbalance in brain functioning can cause ADHD | | | | How the TM technique is different |
| symptoms. The the brain is made up of millions of | | | | The TM technique is unique—unlike all other |
| cells that continually talk to each other, sending | | | | forms of meditation, distinguished by its |
| signals across the gaps between brain cells. The | | | | effortlessness, naturalness, and profound |
| messenger molecules that carry these signals are | | | | effectiveness. The technique is practiced for |
| called neurotransmitters. The neurotransmitters | | | | 15-20 minutes twice a day, while sitting |
| dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin regulate | | | | comfortably with eyes closed. It doesn't take |
| thinking, hyperactivity, impulsivity, inattentiveness, | | | | years to master and can be easily learned by |
| memory, emotions, and depression. | | | | anyone, even children, in just a few days. The |
| How medications work | | | | technique is non-religious and requires no change in |
| The active ingredients in the most commonly | | | | lifestyle or belief—one doesn't even have to |
| used ADHD medications are amphetamines. As | | | | believe in it for it to work. Because the practice is |
| powerful stimulants, these amphetamines | | | | effortless, you don't have to be able to |
| artificially increase the amount of certain | | | | concentrate or even sit still. |
| neurotransmitters in the brain, speeding up brain | | | | The TM technique allows awareness to naturally |
| activity. This is of great concern to medical | | | | settle inward, transcending the busy activity of |
| researchers, doctors and parents. According to | | | | the mind, to a state of restful alertness. During |
| researchers, when the drugs flood the brain with | | | | the practice, the body gains deep |
| these artificially produced neurotransmitters, the | | | | relaxation—much deeper than ordinary |
| brain's ability to produce these neurotransmitters | | | | relaxation or other meditation practices. Over 350 |
| by itself is diminished. This can potentially cause | | | | peer-reviewed scientific research studies have |
| the brain to suppress the natural growth and | | | | shown the TM technique to be the most |
| development of the brain cells that create the | | | | effective mind-body practice for |
| neural networks. The young brain isn’t given | | | | decreasing anxiety and depression and |
| the chance to develop on its own and mature in | | | | promoting self-actualization. |
| its own functioning. 1 | | | | People with ADHD and other learning disorders |
| How meditation works | | | | are turning to the TM technique in growing |
| | | | numbers and finding relief from tension and |
| Unlike drugs, the Transcendental Meditation | | | | restlessness within just a few days. Many of |
| technique doesn’t just treat the symptoms, it | | | | these people have tried counseling and other |
| influences the cause of the disorder. This means | | | | forms of meditation, without desired results, |
| that the technique doesn’t create just a | | | | and with regular practice have been able to end |
| temporary effect, but can improve the condition | | | | their dependence on medications while thriving in |
| permanently by reducing stress and creating | | | | school or work for the first time in their lives. |
| more efficient and orderly brain functioning. | | | | As concern for the long-term side effects of |
| Scientific research studies published in such | | | | medication grows, it is worthwhile to become |
| prestigious journals as the International Journal of | | | | more informed about this healthy and practical |
| Neuroscience[2], Psychophysiologyand | | | | alternative for managing ADHD. To view ABC, |
| others [3] have shown that the TM technique | | | | NBC and PBS video news clips on the use of the |
| creates widespread "EEG coherence " throughout | | | | TM technique for treating students with |
| all areas of the brain. Everything good about the | | | | ADHD, click here . |
| brain depends on its efficient, orderly functioning. | | | | |