ADHD Collective Scotland

08/03/2026

Do you ever read the same sentence five times and still not take it in?” 🧠

Or start listening to someone speak…
only to realise your brain drifted somewhere else halfway through the conversation?

For many people with ADHD, the brain can feel like it’s constantly racing.

Thoughts jump from one idea to the next.
Your mind starts planning tomorrow, remembering something embarrassing from five years ago, and wondering what to have for dinner all at the same time.

At night it can be even worse.

You finally lie down to sleep and suddenly your brain decides it’s the perfect time to replay conversations, solve problems, and think about everything you forgot to do that day.

It’s exhausting.

And it’s not about willpower.
It’s how ADHD brains process stimulation and attention.

Why traditional meditation can feel impossible

A lot of meditation advice says:

“Sit still, focus on your breath, and clear your mind.”

But for many ADHD brains, that can sometimes make things harder.

Instead of calming down, your mind might:
• wander constantly
• notice every small distraction
• feel restless trying to stay still

That’s why many ADHD specialists recommend movement-based mindfulness rather than completely still meditation.

A tapping meditation that can help

One technique some people find helpful is Kirtan Kriya, often called the “Sa Ta Na Ma” meditation.

This practice combines finger tapping and chanting, which can make meditation easier for busy or racing minds.

You repeat the sounds:

Sa – Ta – Na – Ma

While tapping your fingers in sequence:
• Sa – thumb to index finger
• Ta – thumb to middle finger
• Na – thumb to ring finger
• Ma – thumb to little finger

Then repeat the pattern.

The reason this can work well for ADHD brains is that it engages several senses at once:
• movement (finger tapping)
• sound (chanting)
• rhythm and repetition

The chanting gives the mind something simple to focus on, which can help distract from racing thoughts and mental noise. Instead of trying to “stop thinking”, your brain is gently guided toward a steady rhythm and pattern.

For many people this can help the mind feel calmer, slower, and more focused.

Where to try it

You can find guided versions on:

YouTube
Search:
• “Sa Ta Na Ma meditation”
• “Kirtan Kriya meditation 12 minutes”

Spotify
Search:
• “Sa Ta Na Ma meditation”
• “Kirtan Kriya guided meditation”

Meditation apps like Insight Timer also have guided sessions using this technique.

Many people start with a 10–12 minute version, but even a few minutes can help slow a busy mind.

08/03/2026

Free webinar

Tired of unpredictable nights? This sleep webinar is for parents and carers who:

1️⃣ Have neurodivergent children struggling to sleep
2️⃣ Feel like bedtime isn’t working
3️⃣ Want straightforward strategies to improve sleep

What are you waiting for? Sign up today: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0rTwpb0

08/03/2026

🌿 Spring is starting to show itself. Longer days, a bit more light, and that feeling that things might slowly begin to open up again.

For many ADHD women though, this time of year can also bring pressure — more expectations, more social plans, more things we feel we should be doing.

This month in Mindful Mornings we’re exploring Boundaries, Energy & Capacity.

Understanding:
• how much energy we actually have
• why boundaries can feel difficult
• how to protect our nervous system without guilt

It’s a gentle space with grounding practices, ADHD understanding and reflection.

🌿 A few spaces remain for Saturday’s session

If you’ve been meaning to come along, you’d be very welcome.

📍 Greentree Remedies
🎟 Booking: https://bookwhen.com/mindfulmornings

08/03/2026

07/03/2026

After serving a prison sentence and finally receiving her ADHD diagnosis on release, Jersey’s Charlie Herd has gone on to share her story in the UK Parliament, urging better screening and support for women with ADHD in the criminal justice system.

She says understanding her condition transformed her life, and wants other women to get the help she never had.

Full story 🔗👇

04/03/2026

✨ Healthy Minds ✨
Healthy Minds program is a course of 6 sessions on every Wednesday 10am - 11.30am from March 4th until 8th April in Stepping Stones Office - Social Economy Centre, Kilbowie Road.
If interested and wanting to book a place on this course, please contact us on 0141 941 2929 or speak to your Support Worker.

04/03/2026

Sometimes research doesn't give you the result you expect. But its good news for parents who may be tempted to purchase non drug interventions and treatments. Devices approved by the FDA in America are approved because they are safe and not necessarily because they are effective.

03/03/2026

What’s New in ADHD?

Our understanding of ADHD has evolved significantly in recent years.

ADHD is now widely recognised as a lifelong condition not something children simply “grow out of”. More adults are being diagnosed, particularly women who may have masked their symptoms for years. Guidance from the American Psychiatric Association reflects how symptoms present differently across the lifespan.

There is also growing awareness of how hormones including puberty, pregnancy and perimenopause can influence symptoms, especially for women with inattentive or internalised traits.

One of the most important shifts in conversation is around emotional dysregulation. Although not formally listed as a core diagnostic criterion, many clinicians recognise it as central to ADHD. This isn’t about being “too sensitive” it’s about difficulty regulating the intensity and duration of emotional responses.

It can show up as:
• Big emotional reactions
• Rejection sensitivity
• Frustration that escalates quickly
• Struggling to calm down once upset
• Shame spirals after small mistakes

Experts such as Dr. Russell Barkley describe ADHD as a disorder of self-regulation not simply attention. The same executive function systems that regulate focus also regulate emotion, which helps explain why emotions can sometimes feel immediate and overwhelming.

Another growing conversation is around ADHD and burnout.

Many adults with ADHD experience chronic burnout not just from workload, but from years of masking, overcompensating and trying to meet neurotypical expectations. Burnout can look like loss of functioning, increased emotional sensitivity, task paralysis, and exhaustion that doesn’t resolve with rest.

It is often misinterpreted as laziness, depression or lack of resilience, when it may actually be the nervous system reaching capacity.

The language around ADHD is shifting away from blame and towards understanding it as a regulation difference, particularly linked to dopamine pathways and executive function.

The more we understand ADHD properly, the more we reduce shame and increase meaningful support.

03/03/2026

ADHD support group in Spectrum Coffee

Reminder ☕️

ADHD Coffee & Chat starts tomorrow at 1:30pm at Spectrum Coffee

You can book your place here 👇
https://bookwhen.com/lomondadhdservices⁠

And if you forget (because… ADHD 😅) you’re very welcome to just pop in.
See you there 💛

21/02/2026

What a great thing to do well done spectrum coffee

We are keen to pair up with ASN schools or units within schools, support groups and community groups to offer a closed to the public, welcoming and inclusive space on a Wednesday. If you think this is something you could make use of the please message me and we can chat!

21/02/2026

20/02/2026