this post was submitted on 25 Jan 2026
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I have always struggled with meditation. I don't think I've ever been able to successfully meditate and the advice that people give me does not work.

I have ADHD (Inattentive), autism and OCD/CPTSD and I can't stop the constant stream of thoughts, it's like my brain has a problem with authority and is like "oh, you don't want me to think? I'm just gonna think even harder" so folks advice of "just quiet your mind!" does not work at all.

The other advice I was given was "just let your mind wander" and that's not an option either. If I let my mind wander, it pivots fast to dark, traumatic, intrusive thoughts and/or replaying every cringe and embarrassing moment of my life, so up to this point, all of my attempts to meditate have never worked out.

If there's anyone with similar issues to mine that has been able to meditate with success, I'd very much appreciate some advice to help me along.

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[–] FoxyFerengi@startrek.website 6 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I can't meditate in the way that everyone describes. I have a similar combination of brain traits, so I'll share what helps me. One small caveat, I also have c-ptsd and my experience is that even my choice for meditation analog isn't going to be helpful until you're able to use therapeutic skills to protect yourself (like acknowledgment and redirection).

I have been told this counts as a "ritual" which might give you a keyword to find something for yourself that you'd prefer. But what I do is I make tea or coffee in a methodical and intentional way. Everything from choosing my beans, tea or herbal ingredients to the method of brewing gives me a chance to center myself and work out things that may be troubling me. I use a hand grinder and gooseneck kettle to make pour-over coffee. I harvest my own herbs or put together my own blend for tea and use a blooming pot. It's very sense-driven but routine, which is important for my ADHD and autism to sit happily together for a few minutes.

Some people go for a run and find that meditative, I can see it because I feel similarly when I go for a hike to collect plant specimens. Really, with ADHD you may find that getting your body senses involved (yes even with primary inattentive) helps your brain loosen up and hit that meditative point. I don't think I've ever had a silent brain, and I think that's a sticking point for a lot of people when it comes to meditation. You can still have the benefits with a loud brain :)

[–] Blackfeathr@lemmy.world 3 points 2 months ago (1 children)

That's something I had not thought about is using activities to meditate. I figured it was all just sitting as still as possible. But I like riding my bike a lot... I'm gonna try to incorporate that this spring/summer. Thanks for the suggestion!

[–] SlurpingPus@lemmy.world 2 points 2 months ago

Long walks helped me a lot when I had bad anxiety. Like, it was two hours for me to really notice a benefit. A side effect is that the overall health and posture improved too.