Teenage Mindfulness and ADHD – Care it

Last Updated on October 21, 2025 by

Assisting teens to focus, become balanced & acquire peace of mind – Mindfulness and ADHD

As the world is rapidly developing, adolescents have to endure numerous problems that influence their mental health. These problems may be even more pressing to the teenagers living with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). It influences attention, self control as well as time management. Mindfulness is becoming a very strong, viable method that can take teens with ADHD to new levels of focus, emotional control and self-discovery.

So, what does ADHD mean? 

ADHD is the neuro-developmental disorder with childhood onset and common persistence through childhood to adolescence and adulthood. They might find it hard to remain committed, sit at the same location or complete tasks, they also might not be able to control their emotions. It is not the matter of laziness or un-motivated attitude, it is the brain problem that influences the executive functioning abilities. 

The symptoms may be: 

• Inattention (careless or unable to complete tasks or work) 
• Reckless (thoughtless) behavior — With or without a sense of freedom or license to do as they please (being free to do anything) 
• Hyperactivity (surplus energy or inability to sit down and keep still) 

These symptoms may disrupt the school performance and association and self-esteem. 

What is the Mindfulness? 

Mindfulness refers to an ability of focusing on the present moment being non judgmental. It is considered as a fully conscious way of being in touch with your thoughts, feelings, body sensations and the world around you thoroughly and calmly and acceptingly. 

It teaches the brain to take its time, pay attention and act wisely instead of being reactive. It is not the process of coming to be in a perfectly calm and centered state of mind in a night but learning to observe and accept whatever one is going through at a particular moment.

Why the ADHD Mindfulness Works?

Mindfulness focuses on the main zones of difficulties of teenagers with ADHD: 

• Better Attention: Mindfulness exercise enhances the power of the brain to pay attention and ignore distractions. 
• Emotional Regulation: Teens will learn to be aware of their emotions and be able to identify their feelings which will enable a teen respond less emotionally to frustration, anxiety or anger. 
• Impulse Control: Mindfulness works like a time out that helps to take actions better. 
• Less Stress: The practice of mindful breathing as well as the concept of getting grounded means that there is a reduced stress factor that may cause or exacerbate the ADHD symptoms.
• Self-Acceptance: Being mindful leads to the feeling of self-compassion, which eliminates growling.

The following are some of the easy and productive mindfulness exercises: 

1. Mindful Breathing:

The teenagers are able to lie down or sit and easily concentrate on their breathing, the ebbing of the air in and out through the nose or the stomach. And when thoughts appear (thought they will) considerately bring the mind back to the breath. 

It is recommended to begin with 1–3 minutes and slowly work your way to ten minutes.

2. Body Scan:

• You can lie, sit or stand in a way that is most comfortable.
• Pay attention to each and every part of your body, the head to the toes. 
• Take note of any tightness or pains, push or do not force any part of your body. 
• Scan about several times a day.

3. Mindful Movement:

• Activities like walking, stretching or yoga should be selected. 
• Perform them slowly and with a proper considerations to the respective feelings of your body. 
• Repeat often.

4. Five senses practice:

 To help the teen become attentive, tell him/her to stop and observe: 

• Five things which they can behold 
• Four things that they can touch 
• Three things that can be heard 
• Two things which they can smell 
• One thing which they can taste 

This impulsive game makes them live in the present.

5. Gratitude Journaling:

Journaling about one to three things they are grateful about day after day diverts their minds to think positively and not about stress. It enhances contemplation and introspection as well.

6. Usage of Apps and Tool:

Examples of mediations apps with mindfulness include: Headspace, Calm, Smiling Mind and Insight Timer, which were designed specifically to work with teens and individuals with ADHD.

These are the points to consider to include mindfulness into your daily plans:

• Start with small period of time. Take some 2–3 minutes. 
• Decide on a specific time in a day. Associate it with what a teen is already doing such as waking up or going to sleep. 
• Make use of visual reminder. They can be assisted by sticky notes, phone apps or calendar entries. 
• It is up to the teenager to choose the mindfulness methods that he or she feels good about. 
• Be patient. New habits are not made in one day. Celebrate on the way the incremental success.

Mindfulness can be taught to teens by their parents and other people in charge of them. 

These are some of the uses: 

• Do it yourself and inform your teen about it. 
• Prepare a relaxed environment in which your adolescent would train. 
• Stress that the positive outcomes are possible with mindfulness due to the ability to decrease stress, concentrate attention and control emotions. 
• Praise and give positive comments and not only results.

Giving attention and awareness to schools:

Mindfulness has become part of the regular lessons in quite a number of schools. Mind UP, Inner Explorer and Mindful Schools are just some of the programs that provide clear step-by-step strategies that allow students to manage stress, become focused and be good at handling their emotions. 

In the situations where teachers and school counselors are dealing with students with ADHD they can: 

• Provide mindfulness breaks through out the day 
• Recommend body and mind activities, such as walking or stretching
• Design sensory-friendly rooms.
• Choose a couple of quiet areas or rooms which are less sensory-friendly. The areas can be used when one is over-stimulated.

Obstacles You can Encounter (and How to Deal with Them) 

Becoming mindful may be a challenging experience at the initial stages once you have ADHD. These are four typical challenges and the ways of overcoming them: 

1. Restlessness — Do any kind of mindfulness you can: move your arms, stretch or walk. 
2. Boredom — Sessions should not be long and need to be interesting. Watch mindfulness video or apps. 
3. Forgetfulness — Apply reminders and visual reminders (notes, alarms on the phone, sticky notes). 
4. Resistance — Normalize their emotions and concentrate on increment. It is alright not to do so well. 

It is not about getting it right but making it better.

Eventually, teenagers with the ADHD condition can be assisted by mindfulness: 

• Increase the grades and school performance. 
• Enhance friendship relationships and family ties. 
• Reduces the level of anxiety and depression. 
• Become powerful and self confident. 

Mindfulness is not a magic cure but rather an additional aid that allows adolescents to learn more about themselves and their brains and treat them in a more appropriate manner.

Adolescents having ADHD usually become anxious. The other way is to be mindful: this enables them to know themselves better, remain calm and in control. Mindfulness calls upon them to act in response to action instead of reaction, to accept the status quo before proceeding further and to refrain in criticizing themselves. 

It gives them a chance to listen, not only to other people but also to themselves, to the inner voices. 

Reference from Harvard Health : https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd-a-to-z

Thanks and Regards.

About the Author – “Mr. Bibhu Ranjan Mund”, Master in Public Health (MPH) from IIHMR University, Jaipur (Rajasthan) has experience of 18 years in Public Health activities. Through “Lovely Health Tips-2025”, we share the evidence & experienced based health & wellness guides with solutions for every day well-being. More from Author

Disclaimer

This information is suggestive only and not a replacement for medical advice. For more detail, please visit to my website as mentioned below:

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