For centuries, archers used bows and arrows to fight in wars. They wielded these weapons as a means to defend and kill, to fight for home and country. But slowly these weapons died out as guns became more widely used as a means of fighting and it seemed a though the ancient art had been lost--until recently. Archery has quickly become a well-respected sport in today's society, made popular by books such as "The Hunger Games," films such as Disney's "Brave" and characters such as Marvel's Hawkeye. The once weapon is now viewed as a recreational toy that one can play with in the backyard, use to hunt for food, or even compete in competition. But the bow can do more than give one a hobby. It can help them heal.
ADHD, or Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, is a mental disorder that is common in children but can also affect them later in life and into adulthood. Those affected tend to have an inability to remain still, to stay focused, and have short attention span. This can cause difficulty in school and even normal, every day life. Many parents struggle to find an activity that their children can actually stick with due to the disorder. I, as someone who suffers from ADHD, was lucky enough to find one.
I begin to partake in recreational archery when I was around 10 years old and, at first, I struggled. It was hard for me to focus on just what I was doing as well as to stand still so that I might correct my stance or how I held the bow. My mind would race and eyes going every which way but the target. Eventually, it got so frustrated, that I ended up quitting for almost a year. But when I returned and tried to put my fast tracked mind back to the test. After developing much discipline thanks to the sport, I soon began to reap the benefits of it. I found myself able to be patient as well as able to focus more in class. Though I still struggled with my ADHD, archery did help to lessen the effects and taught me many lessons.
When holding and aiming a bow, one must stand still. The bow must be held steady in once place or the shot will end up going anywhere but your target. There are long periods of time where, on occasion, you must stand still for several minutes to perfect your stance or wait for your target to come around (should it be a moving target). Concentration comes from the need to keep eyes upon one's target, to focus on it and ignore the surrounding areas. It helps to teach that, even though the world around you is moving and crazy, your attention needs to be on that one spot in that one moment. Even ADDitude Mag states that it is one of the top 10 sports for children with ADD/ADHD and that it can help improve concentration as well as focus.
While many parents are not too eager to wield their child with a weapon that could easily injure someone, the benefits that the sport can provide are exceptional. It had help ease a child's mind and teach them valuable lessons that can help them overcome or learn to live with their disorder.
