As a Martial Arts Instructor of such a complicated system as Jiu Jitsu, focus is important. Growing up I took Ritalin to control my ADHD. I remember the daily trips to my school's principle office. Not all of them were to take the Ritalin. I was met with frustration for something I was not in control of. I was unable to articulate what I was experiencing because I just believed it was normal. The negative reactions I received only broke me down further and destroyed my already low self esteem. My mom took me to a psychiatrist weekly and at the end of it all, I am medication free and living a normal and happy life. Wrestling was my jiu jitsu back in the 80s because there was no jiu jitsu in Richmond, Virginia. Today I still struggle with ADD but jiu jitsu is my medicine to a healthier life.
We have quite a number of students at our academy who struggle with ADHD or some version of it. Braden is one of these talented students. He's fidgety and even hums trying to control his excess energy. He doesn't want to get in trouble and sometimes is willing to quit to avoid the episode. He even considered quitting several times that I know of. With the support of his parents Braden stuck it out and the results today are amazing.
"I was barely a teenager, and I’d already given up – on school, on happiness, on myself. Then I finally got the right diagnosis, and a second chance to success through jiu jitsu. Here’s how the right sport at the right time can turn a life around."
