Amen University
Having attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), also called attention deficit disorder (ADD), can feel like a constant tug of war between your inattention, bad habits, impulsive behaviors, and emotional mood swings. Though medications can help, there are holistic ways to mitigate symptoms of ADHD that can minimize intense swings in mood and help you focus better.
Dr. Daniel Amen—a double board-certified psychiatrist, neuroscientist, and #1 New York Times bestselling author—shares a powerful concept from his Healing ADD course that provides a deeper path to wellness. His unique comprehensive ADHD treatment model goes far beyond symptom management and helps you take control of your brain and life.
You can learn to see through the lens of these “Four Circles of Health” of ADHD support:
· Biological
· Psychological
· Social
· Spiritual
By treating ADHD with these four circles, you can create a life-changing roadmap to build a truly integrative ADHD treatment plan for better focus, emotional balance, and inner peace.
1. Biological Circle: Healing from the Inside Out
The biological circle is the foundation of your brain and body health. This includes what affects your physical health like your genetics, physical health, nutrition, sleep, exercise, supplements, and medications.
ADHD is known to run in families. Some twin studies show there’s a heritability rate of 74% while others indicate that number is closer to 80% or 90%. Understanding these inherited patterns can be key to forming an effective, holistic ADHD treatment approach.
Dr. Amen emphasizes how essential it is to feed the brain what it needs to function well. Poor diet, low protein, and high sugar intake can worsen ADHD symptoms. Conversely, a nutrient-dense, high-protein, low-sugar diet with healthy fats can improve attention and emotional regulation.
To better support cognitive function in people with ADHD, you can include an ADD-friendly diet that includes a healthy amount of these vitamins and minerals:
● Vitamin D3
● Zinc
● Iron
● Magnesium
You can also introduce targeted supplementation personalized to your brain type to support your body’s natural functions. For instance, some people with ADHD benefit from stimulant medication, while others may thrive with natural supplements and behavioral changes.
Comprehensive ADHD treatment begins by addressing what your brain biologically needs to thrive so you can enhance the other circles.
2. Psychological Circle: Rewriting the Inner Narrative
The psychological circle is where deep healing of the mind begins. It takes into account your thoughts, emotional patterns, past traumas, and self-beliefs.
One of Dr. Amen’s key tools in combatting anxiety and ADHD symptoms is “killing the ANTs” (also known as Automatic Negative Thoughts). These ANTs can fuel feelings that keep you stuck in unhealthy patterns including:
❖ Shame
❖ Guilt
❖ Fear
❖ Hopelessness
For those with ADHD, negative self-talk is common:
“I’m lazy.”
“I can’t focus.”
“I always mess things up.”
These statements are distorted stories your brain repeats, but you can challenge those thoughts, identify your thinking traps, and replace them with healthier patterns. By changing the story, you change the brain.
A 2022 study found that cognitive-behavioral strategies—such as challenging negative thoughts—are highly effective in reducing ADHD-related emotional dysregulation.
That’s why a comprehensive ADHD treatment must include emotional healing and building healthier cognitive habits. Over time, this shift in mindset reduces anxiety, boosts self-esteem, and increases motivation.
3. Social Circle: The People and Environment That Shape You
The social circle focuses on your daily environment, relationships, and social stressors. You want to be intentional with who you spend time with, how you communicate, and the support you receive as this influences how ADHD manifests in your life.
When treating ADHD from a whole-person perspective, your relationships and surroundings matter just as much as your biological brain chemistry.
Isolation, toxic friendships, or unsupportive work environments can trigger emotional dysregulation, distractibility, and low self-worth. On the other hand, spending time with encouraging, patient, and understanding people creates a space where healing is not only possible, but likely.
According to the CDC, children with ADHD who had positive parent-child relationships and engaged in social skills training reported improved behaviors and attention at school.
Whether you're a student struggling in the classroom or a parent balancing work and home life, your integrative ADHD treatment plan needs to involve examining your social dynamics. ADHD doesn't just affect you—it ripples into your interactions with other people.
ADHD support becomes truly effective when you're surrounded by people who understand and uplift you. The Healing ADD online ADHD course teaches how to identify and reduce social stressors and build a stronger community around you.
4. Spiritual Circle: Finding Meaning and Purpose
ADHD can sometimes feel chaotic, like you're constantly reacting instead of living with intention. Enhancing your spiritual circle helps you find grounding with your “why.”
This isn’t necessarily about religion. Instead, it’s about discovering meaning, purpose, and connection to something bigger than yourself.
For many with ADHD, feeling lost, misunderstood, or "not enough" becomes an emotional undercurrent. ADHD healing across mind, body, and spirit includes developing a strong internal compass that deepens your connection to yourself and your environment.
When you begin to view ADHD not as a flaw but as a different way of experiencing the world, it can change everything. Spiritual practices like mindfulness, meditation, journaling, and service to others provide clarity and peace.
Research found that people with ADHD who practiced daily mindfulness and meditation reported reduced emotional reactivity and improved focus. It can help you stay anchored and reduce impulsive reactions.
When you start aligning your daily actions with your values—whether that’s being a good parent, a creative professional, or someone who helps others—you gain more clarity on your purpose and become less distracted by chaos.
5. Brain-Based Strategies for Managing ADHD
Dr. Amen’s revolutionary brain-imaging work using a technology called SPECT has shown that ADHD is not a one-size-fits-all condition. There are seven types of ADHD, each with distinct brain activity patterns.
That’s why using brain-based strategies for managing ADHD is essential to create an effective, long-term treatment plan. For example, someone with “overfocused ADD” may struggle with obsessive thinking and rigidity while someone with “inattentive ADD” may feel mentally scattered.
Each type requires a personalized, holistic ADHD treatment approach. Brain scans allow mental health professionals to see which parts of the brain are underactive or overactive to recommend the best interventions to help balance the ADD brain.
Research shows that SPECT scans can improve diagnostic accuracy and treatment outcomes in psychiatric care, especially for complex conditions like ADHD, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and more.
You have actionable tools, like brain-type specific exercises, nutritional advice, targeted supplements, and therapeutic strategies that are backed by neuroscience. With this knowledge, you're empowered to create a plan that works for your brain beyond the generic checklist of symptoms.
Take Control of Your ADHD Journey—One Circle at a Time
Healing ADHD doesn’t have to mean relying on medication alone. You can find an integrative ADHD treatment plan that works across every level of your life.
By treating the four circles of ADHD support—biological, psychological, social, and spiritual—you unlock a roadmap that supports not only your brain health but your relationships, emotions, and sense of purpose.
If you’re ready to start treating ADHD from a whole-person perspective, sign up for Amen University’s Healing ADD course.
