The ADHD experience is overwhelming for the sufferer, so developing tools that can help the affected individual cope with its symptoms can be a big convenience for them. One such tool is called ADHD Bingo. Even a day with ADHD Bingo does something special for the sufferer and has been known to help with ADHD-related symptoms, so why not read our introduction about it and some other things, so you can also use it for yourself or for someone you hold dear. Let’s start:
What is ADHD?
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder is a mental condition that is characterized by behavior that has the affected individual being hyperactive, extremely excitable, impulsive, and has poor attention span, which all together create hindrances for their everyday lives. But we have something that can help with these symptoms: ADHD Bingo. Let’s finally see what it is and how it can help people with ADHD.
Defining ADHD Bingo
ADHD Bingo builds positive habits through game-playing that focuses on positive feedback. Its main goal is to focus on creating positive behavior through a reward enforcement system. Not having ADHD does not mean that others cannot join this game as everyone is allowed to join this game. There is only one snag to it: that you should have no shame in playing this game!
How Do We Play It?
In ADHD bingo, you create a card with 25 boxes on top of each other. Each square of the ADHD bingo is supposed to have an action or behavior that is supposed to make you happy, something you are interested in doing, or is generally a good habit. If players are more than one, then obviously each player will have their own ADHD bingo card. Although families or groups can use a single ADHD bingo card too, each individual player in them will focus on their own separate behavioral squares.
Once the ADHD bingo card has been made, you will essentially encircle everything that is under your control. You can also check off the things that will make you feel good about yourself, for example, say “I exercised today.” Ensure that you will at least encircle one of the boxes and the goal is to feel good about yourself no matter what. It also doesn’t matter if you mark the circles horizontally or vertically. Again, the goal is to feel good about yourself! Whosoever encircles all the boxes and is able to spell the word BINGO, by completing each column to spell each of the alphabets, wins!
Standard Operating Procedures
People can come up with all types of behaviors and actions. Somebody can think of, as we have mentioned before, “I will exercise today” and encircle that on the ADHD bingo card. One should specifically focus on good habits like these when writing something on the ADHD bingo chart. It can especially help with ADHD-related symptoms like poor time management, so write something that improves it. Say, for example, writing, “I will reach the office on time tomorrow”. For improving memory it can be something like “Will try to remember the grocery list by heart” or can even be something related to self-care. Place the ADHD bingo board somewhere you will easily be able to see, for example, in the office or somewhere up in the kitchen, say, the refrigerator. This way you or the people you are playing with can use the ADHD bingo to easily mark the circles.
And One More Thing!
As someone who has ADHD, you should keep in mind that your bar should be low for which kind of behaviors you can participate in. By doing that you can essentially ensure you are going to get rewarded with good feelings, regardless of what type of action you end up completing.
How Can Individuals Affected With ADHD Use ADHD Bingo?
ADHD-affected individuals tend to be preoccupied with thoughts, feelings, and sensory overload that focuses on what to do and what not to do. They tend to be stuck there and therefore cannot make a choice. It does not help that they also tend to have a low attention span. Basically, you cannot have their interest for long and that can put the everyday lives of the affected individuals on a pedestal. ADHD bingo can steadfastly help children or even adults affected with ADHD to learn more about the ailment. Additionally, people who know them, for example, their family members can also understand what exactly ADHD is and how to adjust to the symptoms displayed by their loved one. This game can also be discreet as you don’t have to encircle in front of everyone. You can do it on your own time. This ensures that as an ADHD person, you will not have any problem completing tasks that are not high on the reward system of the ADHD bingo board.
Pay Attention to What You’re Doing Well
There will be no benefit of the ADHD bingo if you or your loved one with ADHD is not feeling good in the end. This game shows your progress along the way, so you should be focusing on the good you have done rather than focusing on the bad that is circled on the ADHD bingo board, even though we know people who have ADHD tend to predominantly focus on the bad parts.
Final Words on ADHD Bingo
ADHD bingo is a good way to deal with and adjust to ADHD-related symptoms. But sometimes a game like this is not enough and one has to complement things like these with actual treatment like psychotherapy or medication for ADHD symptoms that are obviously not treatable with ADHD bingo alone even though sometimes a day with ADHD bingo can decrease the symptoms. For that, Inland Empire Behavioral Group is more than happy to help as it is a provider of mental health services that focuses on different mental issues such as Anxiety, OCD, or PTSD.
