5 Ways to Add Years to your Life - By: fin2000
Next time you're asked to choose between soup and salad, go for salad
+2 years
Italian researchers found that eating as little as one cup of raw vegetables daily can add two years to your life. Why raw? Cooking can deplete up to 30 percent of the antioxidants in vegetables. To eat your quota, fill a ziplock sandwich bag with chopped red and green peppers, broccoli and carrots. Toss the bag into your briefcase, along with a packet of salad dressing - the fat will boost your body's absorption of certain nutrients.
Learn the Law of Lard: the fat you carry today could kill you tomorrow
+3 years
Researchers at the University of Alabama, in the US, discovered that maintaining a body-mass index of 25 to 35 can shorten your life by up to three years (excess body fat raises your risk of diabetes, heart disease, stroke and colon cancer). If you're allergic to exercise, sweat with your significant other. A study by Duke University, in the US, shows that sedentary men are 50 percent more likely to work out three times a week if their partners participate.
Eat nuts and extend your expiry date
+3 years
When researchers at Loma Linda University, in the US, tracked the lifestyle habits of 34 000 Seventh-Day Adventists - Christian conservatives famous for their longevity - they discovered that those who munched nuts five days a week, earned an extra 2.9 years on the planet. Pick up a bag of mixed nuts that includes all five key nuts, including walnuts, which are usually left out. Aim to eat 60g a day.
Never forget that your buddies have your back - even when it's hunched over from osteoporosis
+7 years
In a study of seventy somethings, Australian researchers found that those with the largest network of friends had the longest lease on life. For the average guy, this could add up to seven additional years of existence. Yes, some buddies may encourage risky behavior from time to time but friendship ultimately provides more protection than peril. So try to learn a few new faces at work, trade training tips at the gym or simply say ‘hey’ to that neighbor you've never met. You can all thank each other later.
Repeat after us: ‘There is life after retirement’
+7 years
Or at least that's what you'd better believe if you want to live that long. In a Yale University study of older adults, people with a positive outlook on the ageing process lived more than seven-years longer than those who felt doomed to deteriorating mental and physical health. Already envisioning decades of decrepitude? Volunteer for a cause you're passionate about: selfless actions can put a positive spin on life and distract from unhealthy obsessing, reports a study in Psychosomatic Medicine.
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I Don’t Need To Have My Balance Checked, I’m Fine… - By: Dr. A. R Scopelliti
I just returned from my daily trip to the hospital, and today, a nurse’s station was setup in the foyer graciously screening blood pressures for passersby. It dawned upon me that I check blood pressure for patients all day long, but never have my own checked. So I decided to stop and participate, (incidentally, my pressure was on the low side of normal). As I sat in the chair it occurred to me how many individuals have high blood pressure that never stop to have it checked, and what an enormous mistake this is. Disorders of high blood pressure such as stroke, can be averted before they occur with simple management of their blood pressure before it becomes a problem. The real problem however is that most people don’t perceive that anything is wrong as high blood pressure is insidious with no real signs or symptoms, until something goes catastrophically wrong, such as a stroke, or aneurism. Well, then it occurred to me that the same thing occurs with balance loss and falls. Most people don’t know they have a balance problem because they don’t perceive it, (which is a big mistake), and then, suddenly, one day fall and end up in the hospital with a pelvic fracture or even worse. Not unlike high blood pressure, imbalance is insidious, you do not perceive that your balance is bad, until it gets sufficiently bad that you begin stumbling about. It is at this point that imbalance becomes notable. By the time that you realize that you have poor balance, or a balance problem, the cause has already long passed the point of early intervention. Much like blood pressure, individual’s need to be screened regularly for balance and fall risk to obtain the benefits of early intervention when there is a problem. Using specialized “computerized posturography” balance testing equipment, in twenty seconds we can determine your stability, your risk of fall, and whether or not you may have a potential neurologic problem that could easily be remedied with early intervention. My office performs this test free of charge as a community service. We offer each individual who chooses to take advantage of it four tests annually, all free of charge. As the test takes little time, it is cheap insurance to stop in once a season and get screened, pass, and get scheduled again for the following season. Additionally, it should be noted that balance loss is the first sign of a neurologic problem with disorders such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, etc. Please call our office at (732) 229-5250 to set up a free screening, or to discuss candidacy for treatment of a health concern.
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A Few Words About ADD ADHD - By: Dr. A. R Scopelliti
After having completed specialty postdoctoral neurology course work a few years back in the treatment of children as well as adults with neurobehavioral disorders such as ADD, ADHD, autism, etc, I did not incorporate a plan to attract these types of patients into my office immediately. Until recently, my office has largely focused in the management of patients with balance and movement disorder syndromes, such as vertigo, dizziness, dystonia, imbalance/fall risk, and patients with other brain injuries such as head traumas associated with accidents. Recently however, in light of the endemic problems in school systems associated with children with ADD ADHD and other learning disabilities, we decided to incorporate patients with neurobehavioral disorders into our daily practice. Since the inception of this program, we have taken in several patients with a diagnosis of ADD ADHD, most of whom have been children and most of whom had similar patterns exemplifying the disorder. Our findings have been congruent with the findings of similar programs in other states in that we have met with a very high level of success. These children no longer need to be medicated; their teachers have called us to see what we are doing as the children are notably improved, with demonstrable change in behavior and academia, etc. As a result of our successes here, we are increasing the number of children that we accept into our program. If you or someone you know is interested in our program, you can start by going to www.dcneuro.net/ADD.htm. From there, you can access a free informational report on the disorder, and also submit an electronic consultation form, which I personally will review. If we feel you are a candidate for our program, we will let you know, (we will let you know either way). Because we are currently limiting the number of children we accept into our program, even if we accept you, you may have to be placed on a waiting list, with which we appreciate your understanding. Our office invests a great deal of time into this program and we spend 30 minutes to an hour with each patient. As such, we must limit the number of participants. If you prefer, you may contact my office directly at (723) 229-5250, and ask for Debbie.
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Yoga for Children with Pediatric Conditions - By: April Merrilee
How Yoga benefits specific pediatric conditions
Time and time again, I have seen the implementation of SMILY children's yoga program add significant value and enjoyment to the lives of children with specific medical conditions, disorders or disabilities. Disorder evaluated below are: SI Dysfunction, ADD/ADHD, Down's Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Traumatic Brain Injury, Stroke, Spina Bifida, Autism, Spectrum Pervasive Development Disorder, PDD, Learning Disabilities, and Speech and Language Disorders.
To familiarize you with my experience, here is an overview of the issues and concerns that are successfully addressed by the SMILY children's yoga program, helping children to manage and minimize their challenges.
Sensory Integrative (S.I.) Dysfunction
-Teaches self-regulation techniques, including breathing and relaxation
-Effectively decreases the distraction that comes with sensory overload by improving the child's tolerance for sensory input
-Increases the child's range of adaptive responses to the environment by building a repertoire of functional behaviors
-Multi-sensory, music and movement combination uses stronger sensory systems to compensate for and enhance the less functional systems
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorders (ADD/ADHD)
-Provides effective movement strategies to calm the neurological system
-Breathing and relaxation techniques teach self-regulation skills
-Peer group interaction improves social skills and communication
-Yoga mat on floor gives physical boundary and sense of security
Down's Syndrome
-Vestibular input improves muscle tone, balance and coordination
-Sequencing skills develop naturally through music and movement routines
-Self-care strategies increase independence, function, safety, confidence and motivation
-Fine motor activities build bilateral skills, strength, dexterity and eye-hand coordination
-Includes precautions for cervical instability and heart issues
Cerebral Palsy / Traumatic Brain Injury / Stroke
-Easily adaptable to meet specific physical needs including balance skills
-Facilitation of vestibular system helps to regulate muscle tone throughout the body (hemiplegia, mixed tone, etc.)
-Helps focus the mind to manage cognitive concerns
-Builds fine motor and literacy skills
-Includes special precautions for the head and eyes
Spina Bifida
-Standing poses help increase symmetry in the legs and hips
-Improves dynamic balance skills and bilateral coordination
-Breathing and relaxation very effective for pain management
-Builds confidence for social interactions and self-care tasks
-Includes precautions for the head such as shunts
Autism/Spectrum/Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD)
-Language rich program improves listening and communication skills
-Specific sequencing of yoga poses improves body awareness in space
-Peer group activities increases team work, sharing and turn taking
-Fine motor tasks following gross motor movement increases attention for table top activities
Learning Disabilities/Speech & Language Disorders
-Connecting stories, songs, movement and fine motor tasks increases range of functional communication skills
-Targets specific vocabulary and grammatical goals
-Multi-sensory approach makes the development of handwriting and reading skills much more fun!
-Components of the program can be separated to ensure successful auditory processing, comprehension and expression
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Coping With Attention Deficit Disorder - By: Jona
Attention Deficit Disorder is often misdiagnosed in children and sometimes in adults. In recent years Attention Deficit Disorder or ADD has been found in more children and adults because it is finally being recognized in the medical community by more teachers and surrounding adults.
ADD used to be considered a childhood disorder that would fade with adulthood; however, this is not the case. As more research studies are being performed on ADD other causes are being found. This is not to say that every child suspected of being ADD is actually going to be positive for the disorder. There are some children who have a more hyperactive lifestyle. They tend not to be able to sit still or pay attention in class, but it has more to do with being an active individual than the typical child.
There are several thoughts as to what causes Attention Deficit Disorder. Researchers believe that it is caused by heredity or pregnancy habits. Researchers also believe it could be caused by a distorted brain function. In other words, with ADD patients brain scans have shown that neural paths can be interrupted so that the messages don’t get to the proper source which creates more impulsive, disorganized and lack of attention type behaviors.
Heredity is a consideration because one in every four children with the condition has at least one family member with ADD. It could be an older sibling and younger sibling shares the traits, or the mother or father. However, this research has largely been underdeveloped and there are no concrete answers.
Pregnancy habits have also been blamed for the Attention Deficit disorder in children. Smoking or alcohol is thought to be a cause during pregnancy for ADD. It could also be a childhood exposure. For example chemicals that a child is exposed to can be toxic. These chemicals then create an issue with the proper growth of cells in the body and create their own chemical imbalance.
As of yet the exact reasons or causes for Attention Deficit Disorder are not known. There are ways to work with ADD that can benefit a child or adult. As a person working with a sufferer of ADD it is also imperative that you understand what you may need to change to make their environment easier for them. In the past ADD sufferers have been placed in remedial classes because they are difficult to teach, but this is wrong and unnecessary.
Those with Attention Deficit Disorder do need to be reminded to stay on task more often than other children or adults. By understanding the disorder, it is easier to outline tasks for completion and make sure the student will stick to the assignment. Often breaking up tasks viewed as mundane, for these students such as reading with more active studies will help the individual stay on task. There are natural and medical remedies that can be sought as well to help. Medicines will usually calm the individual down and should only be used for severe cases of Attention Deficit Disorder.
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SomeTips to Manage ADD - By: Bertil B Hjert
ADD is an acronym for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. It is a condition where the patient is not able to maintain attention for a good period of time. Other symptoms of this disorder include impulsive behavior and motor restlessness. According to a research conducted, about 4.4% of all adults have ADD.
ADD is classified as a neurobiological disorder usually caused by problems in the dopamine neurotransmitter systems in the brain. Most cases of this disorder are inherited. It is proved that if a parent or a close blood relative has ADD then there is about 30% chance that a child will have ADD.
In case of twins, if one of the twins has developed ADD, then there is almost 50 percent chance that the other twin will also develop ADD. ADD is not a result of poor nutrition. It is a disease that develops due to parenting, allergies and drugs.
You need to go for a thorough analysis of your body in order to determine if the person has ADD and not any other health related problem.
When a person is unable to get adequate amount of neuro-chemicals, the brain is not stimulated properly. This makes it find different ways to increase their release. Things including physical activity, movement or anything related to stimulation are different ways. People with ADD stimulate their brains. In short, there is a good amount of reflex to their inadequate reception of neuro-chemicals. This makes people with ADD act in a particular way. They are literally unable to control their actions.
There are many problems this action causes to people with ADD when they face a situation that does not stimulate them such as school work. This results in poor performance in the classroom. Actually, a person or child with ADD cannot help indulging in a particular act. It is simply out of their control.
People with ADD cannot stay in a particular relationship or staying employed. These people with ADD may do things to stimulate themselves. This can be reckless and dangerous. This is the reason that results in complicating their live with legal problems.
Some steps to cope with and healing attention deficit disorder:
ADD is a serious disorder. It results in depression, relationship inattentiveness, and behavioral problems. These problems can eventually lead to drug abuse, suicide and alcoholism. Here are some important steps to follow in order to correct it:
a) Education
Understand that ADD is caused by abnormalities in the cortex region of the brain. These are mostly genetics.
b) Medical attention
Do not wait at all. Get medical aid on an immediate basis.
c) Nutrition
You should eat a well balanced diet. Try to take multivitamins and drink plenty of water. Multivitamins are a necessity as many of the foods we eat lack in nutritional value. Take omega’s supplements.
d) Hydration
You need to drink at least 8-10 glasses of water per day for proper mental functioning.
e) Plan
Use a day planner. Keep a track of things you need to do on a daily basis. This will eliminate stress and anxiety.
f) Learn
Believe in the art of memorization and studying. Exercise learning memory techniques like associations, linking, lists etc.
g) Meditate
Stress and anxiety can make the condition worse. Prayer and meditation can benefit ADD sufferers.
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Tips for Social Skills with ADD - By: Bertil B Hjert
Attention Deficit Disorder or ADD is a condition that’s characterized by behavioral & learning disorders. These are usually diagnosed in children. Sometimes, the disorder lingers on till adulthood.
It is very important to improve social skills if you want to treat the disease effectively.
Here are some effective tips to improve social skills of the child with ADD:
a) First, you need to provide a safe environment for the child. Here, the emphasis needs to be made on the development of friendship with the child.
b) Second, respect the child. You should never belittle him in front of his or her friends. The belittling attitude from the children will be seen as the green signal from the teacher to belittle the child.
c) You need to understand that students with a lot of attentional problems experience many difficulties socially. This is more common in maintaining peer relationships. Students experience a lot of trouble in acting impulsively. They tend to take other’s action’s as criticism & unable to understand positive feedback.
d) Children with ADD tend to play easy with older or younger children when their roles are clearly defined. However, they are unable to learn from experience. They ramble during conversation & tend to say things that may be embarrassing things to peers. Hence, it is important to enlist the support of peers in the classroom. This helps enhancing the self confidence & esteem of the students.
e) Another beneficial are can be cross-age tutoring with younger or older students. Adequate preparation of the paired student in conjunction with parental permission will be a great way to achieve success in this mission. It is important to know that pairing expectation & time-commitments should be limited to increase the opportunity for success.
f) Students having attentional problems usually do well in the cooperative group instructional format.
g) Make a friendship plan. This helps the students to enhance self esteem.
h) Using guided observations of the child’s peers on the playground is a great way to learn social skills. You can also break up the recess in to ten minutes of activity where there is a ten minute check-in & again a ten minute period activity.
i) Make sure that you meet with your student prior to his lunchroom or play period to analyze his overall plan for recess activity & who is his partner for lunch. You need to process the activity with your student after recess & then make suggestions for the coming day.
Here are the some other important tips to help students with ADD in your classroom:
a) Using highlighters will help ADD children as they are very right-brained & visual.
b) Encourage movement in the classroom. The learner will thrive.
c) The ADD child should be sent on errands. It increases the self esteem of the child.
d) Do not punish the ADD child by withholding sports or other school-related activities.
e) The child requires to stay active. If you have to punish the child, you may restrict TV viewing or computer time.
f) You need to discipline non-complaint behavior.
g) Interacting physically with ADD child will help. A slight touch on the arm or head can keep his or her focus on task.
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Strategies for Teaching ADD Children - By: Bertil B Hjert
There are certain behavior problems associated with ADD that results in other problems. Children who tend to show disruptive behavior in school are often labeled as bullies or trouble makers. Some people also label them as plain dumb.
Children suffering from other end of the disease are often termed as lazy or underachieving. In order to make things worse, these children face difficulty in understanding what’s wrong with their behavior. This explains the tendency to become shocked when things go wrong.
One of the biggest challenges is to improve the behavior of the ADD child & teaching him to recognize the consequences of the actions he indulges in. It is also difficult to let him see things from other people’s point of view.
Here are some important steps to take in order to help students managing the behavior in class with ADD.
- Identity problem behavior
You need to objectively identity what problem that’s interrupting the child’s learning. In this case, you may take help of some of the other instructors. Make a chart. List the behavior that occurs most frequently. Try to figure out what triggers it & what is the degree of disruption. You need to be as specific as possible. For each problem that you recognize, try to jot down at least one strategy that may eliminate or change the behavior.
- Identify the problem in class environment
You need to look at the way you & other instructions treat the child, think whether you are over harsh. You need to analyze whether you are expecting more than the required from your child. Try to change your behavior if you are in a habit to punish your child more than often.
-Healthy behavior
You should actually exhibit behaviors that you want the child to follow.
- Partner for difficult tasks
In case, a child is struggling to learn or remember a skill, assist him with a responsible older child or an instructor for providing help. The older child must know that his job is to act as a role model & a helper. This will let him understand the child with ADD better & behave accordingly.
- Feedback
You need to keep a track of the amount of positive & negative feedback you are giving to a child with ADD in class. You need to focus on areas where you can praise the child.
- Be specific
An ADD child needs specific action messages & instructions. Try to know the exact difficulty of the child such as what he can’t pay attention to or what makes him aggravate or behave in a particular problem.
- Use rewards
Look for appropriate rewards for the child. You can praise the child in front of the class to raise his or her confidence level. Go for stars or tickets for material award. This will encourage him to act well the next time.
- Never use ADD for an excuse
Never use ADD for an excuse for a child’s behavior. You need to make efforts to help the child improve his behavior. Take time, understand the child’s behavior & act accordingly.
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ADD – What are the Symptoms? - By: Bertil B Hjert
Attention deficit disorder is a condition that’s characterized by behavioral & learning disorders. This disease is generally diagnosed in children & mostly affects boys than the girls. This disease tends to linger on in adulthood in some cases.
Hyperactivity, distractibility & impulsivity are some of the most common characteristics found in children with ADD. This makes children difficult to perform a task assigned to them or concentrated on some of the important aspects of conversations.
ADD is a neurobiologically-based developmental disability that usually affects children.
The actual cause of this disease is not known. However, many researches have proved that the disease is caused due to the genetic transmission of the condition from parents to the children. This can be also a result of a type of chemical imbalance or deficiency of some important neurotransmitters.
Neurotransmitters are actually chemicals that help the brain regulate the behavior of an individual. According to a recent study, it has been proved that the rate at which the brain uses glucose, the main energy source is lower in people suffering from ADD as compared to individuals not suffering without ADD.
Some of the symptoms of inattention in this disease include inattention, hyperactivity & impulsivity. Some of these symptoms due to in attention include conditions such as facing difficulty in sustaining attention in certain tasks & activities, not able to listen when spoken to directly, indulging in careless mistakes in school activities & forgetting certain tasks in daily activities.
Some of the symptoms faced by patients with ADD due to hyperactivity include fidgets with hands, squirms in seat, fidgeting with feet, running about or climbing excessively in situation where it is not required.
Other symptoms include facing trouble in playing or engaging in leisure activities & excessive talking. Patients with ADD may also suffer from impulsivity that include blurting out answers way before the question are completed in tempting in a conversation & facing difficulty in waiting for their turn.
Some people even face difficulty in remaining seated for a long time. Here are some other symptoms of ADD:
a) Facing excessive difficulty in following instructions.
b) Shifting from one uncompleted task to another.
c) Facing difficulty in playing quickly.
d) Talking excessively.
e) Forgetting things that are important for tasks or activities
f) Eagerness in participating in dangerous activities without knowing consequences.
g) Easy distraction by extraneous stimuli.
h) Unable to follow daily tasks.
i) Difficulty in organizing activities.
j) Avoiding important tasks & assignments.
k) Feeling & acting restless.
Once it is confirmed that an individual is suffering from ADD & all the symptoms confirm this, it is important to take immediate medical attention.
Meet an expert medical practitioner & follow all the instructions provided by him or her. You also need to go for medication as prescribed by your health care practitioner. This will help you cure this disease promptly & effectively. It is also important to provide adequate social support to the patient to help him come out of this situation. Remember that it is a joint effort of the health care practitioner, the individual, people around him & medication that work towards the cure of this condition.
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ADD & Medication - By: Bertil B Hjert
Use of medication for ADD has always been a controversial debate. However, Experts feel that medical treatment benefits patient. Here, one needs to be very particular about the dosage and timing.
Ritalin is the most widely used medication for ADHD. There are many other types of useful medications available for curing this disorder. People who do not respond to a particular medication doctors prescribe another medication or combination that will help control symptoms. Secondary medications are also available. However, these require closer monitoring during the initial phase of treatment.
Most of the time medication fails due to lack of communication between patient & doctors. Here, the medical practitioner, family & patient should be very clear about exactly what symptoms they expect the medication to treat. Patients should ask certain questions & inform doctor about any side effects they observe. One should also inform the health care practitioner if the medication does not work.
If the medication doesn’t work even after all the possible trials, it is time to reevaluate the diagnosis. Individuals with ADHD may also suffer from other disorders at the same time.
For instance, anxiety & depression may superficially resemble ADHD.
Medication is not the only solution for recovery. One requires equal support from therapy, coaching & community. The individuals also require to practice determination.
You must undertake certain steps to increase the effectiveness of medication for ADD & minimize the side effects & risks. Here are certain steps to help you:
- Educate yourself
You must learn everything you can about medication, even potential side effects.
- Exercise patience
It takes a lot of time to develop an effective medication regimen. Remember that finding the right medication & dose is a trial process. It will take some time for experimenting. Go for an honest conversation with your doctor.
- Start gradually
You should always start with a low dose & work up from there. The main goal is to find out the lowest dose possible that may relieve you.
- Keep track of effects
You should pay close attention to your body, actions & emotions. Try to keep track of any side effects that you suffer from. Tell your doctor about all the side effects you suffer from. This will help the medical practitioner to provide you the adept treatment.
- Taper off slowly
If you find something wrong with the medication or it makes you feel or want to stop taking it. You need to get good instructions from your doctor. In order to avoid withdrawal symptoms, you need these drugs to be tapered off. They should never be stopped immediately.
Medication is provided to treat ADD in order to stimulate the production of two major neurotransmitters known as dopamine & norephinephrine. These neurotransmitters are required to carry a nerve impulse along a neuropath way. In case, one of these transmitters is under supplied the message is stopped prior to reaching its intended destination. This action thwarts the function assigned by circuit.
Some drugs used to treat ADD other than Ritalin are Dexedrine, Adderall, Desoxyn & Cylert. Some of the most common anti depressants are Desiprimine, Anafranil, Elavil, Tofranil, Wellbutrin, prozac, Zoloft & Paxil. The most common of these drugs are Haldol & Mellaril.
Remember that with proper diagnosis & testing, you can easily find the right drug in treating the disorder.
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ADD/ADHD: Differences, Not Deficits - By: Dr Kenny Handelman
The term for the diagnosis of ADD/ADHD has changed multiple times. In 1980, the term 'Attention Deficit Disorder' came to be. It has changed slightly since then ' but the field is relunctant to change it again because of how negative that would be (it could impact the advocacy and legislation that has been achieved through hard work...)
The question is: Are there really deficits?
Well, sometimes there are deficits. Like when people can't pay attention.
But what about the ability to hyperfocus?
People with ADD are often gifted with the ability to pay tremendous attention to things that are important to them. They have have a singular attention span which is far better than what 'non-ADDers' have ' if they use their natural gift of hyperfocus.
To us ' this suggests a 'difference' in attention ' not a 'deficit'.
The term deficit itself refers to pathology and lack. Differences refers to just that- differences.
Recognizing this difference is important as we advocate for a change in the paradigm of ADD ' toward a strength based diagnosis. One which focuses on the gifts and differences, and not the lack and deficits.
It's our contention that each and every ADD brain has genius in it. The definition of genius, as defined at Dictionary.com includes: gen-ius: - an exceptional natural capacity of intellect, especially as shown in creative and original work in science, art, music, etc.: the genius of Mozart. - natural ability or capacity; strong inclination: a special genius for leadership. - distinctive character or spirit By definition ' to be a genius ' one has to be different from others.
People with ADD are different...
...and we contend that there is genius in each and every one of them.
Now people who might take issue with this statement will say that ADD affects people with different levels of intelligence. So, there are some people with superior IQ with ADD, and there are people with average IQ who have ADD, and there are people with low IQ who have ADD.
Irrespective of the IQ level ' each person with ADD has genius inside.
The ADD brain has tremendous capacity for these aspects of genius:
- Being unique: People with ADD often 'march to the beat of their own drum'. They bring a unique perspective due to the fact that they are not 'programmed' to conform ' and their ability to maintain their unique nature can lead to many gifts throughout life (when it's nurtured appropriately)
- High levels of creativity: when the ADD mind receives information ' it manipulates that information differently. This leads to high levels of creativity.
- Insightful: When using information differently than non-ADD people, ADD'ers develop significant and useful insights
- Direct: people with ADD can be very direct, to the point and on target. This can be 'too much' for people without ADD to handle ' as they aren't used to information being presented so directly and accurately
- Quick to act: While many people suffer from 'paralysis of analysis', the ADD mind is quick to take action and experiment ' hence the belief that geniuses like Edison had ADD
- Can look at the same thing differently than others: As alluded to above ' someone with ADD can look at the same material as others and see very different things and draw very different conculsions
- Interpersonally intuitive: The powers of observation of those with ADD can be very strong, and their intuition particularly powerful. This can be a challenge for others who don't recognize this as a gift ' and it can be perceived as a lack of 'tact'.
These traits, and many others ' lead to the gifts of ADD, and the genius that's inside.
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The Three Stages of The History of ADD/ADHD - By: Dr Kenny Handelman
The history of ADD/ADHD has gone through two stages, and it needs to evolve into one more. The three stages are:
Stage 1: The Moral Diagnosis
Stage 2: The Medical Diagnosis
Stage 3: The Strength Based Diagnosis
Stage 1: The Moral Diagnosis: For most of the 20th century (and still in many parts of the world today), ADD was a 'moral diagnosis'. This refers to the fact that people with ADD were considered to just be 'bad'. They were judged as weak, inadequate, and they needed to try harder. This was a dark time for the understanding of ADD. This view of the diagnosis is restrictive, negative and perpetuates shame and guilt. Although the field of ADD has moved past the stage of the 'moral diagnosis', unfortunately it is still around today. The press frequently reports on how ADD is due to bad parenting, weakness of character or even music videos. There is no evidence to support these beliefs (or any social causes at all) and we strongly believe that everyone needs to get far past this view of ADD. The advent of new scientific research has led to a newer understanding of ADD, which brought out the second stage...
Stage 2: The Medical Diagnosis: The Medical Diagnosis of ADD refers to the newer research which documents that ADD is in fact a real medical condition. New research in brain imaging, genetics and neuropsychology clearly established that people with ADD have differences in their brains... and these are highly related to genetics. Thus, ADD has been recognized as a real medical condition.
This new stage in the evolution of the diagnosis of ADD has led to more scientific research, and more support for the medication treatment for ADD. This stage has largely led to significant progress in the field of ADD. It has generally improved options for medical and non medical treatments, and has led to improvements in functioning and the quality of life for those with ADD.
Ideally, this stage of 'medical diagnosis' would have eradicated the 'moral diagnosis'. Unfortunately, it hasn't completely eradicated this view ' as mentioned above. Almost everyone considers the evolution of the diagnosis from a moral one to a medical one to be significant progress in the field.
However, there is a 'dark side' to the medical diagnosis. The ultimate limitation of this stage of ADD is that the medical diagnosis stage establishes the belief that people with ADD are flawed, and they have a pathology which is negative. They have 'deficits'. This leads us to the direction that the field needs to move toward ' the natural evolution for ADD:
Stage 3: The Strength Based Diagnosis
This stage in the history of ADD as not yet taken hold. One could say that it is in fact a paradigm shift ' which we advocate the field to move toward. There are some practitioners and experts out there who are on the 'leading edge' and are already working in this paradigm. However, they are generally few and far between. The basics of the 'strength based diagnosis' include the fact that ADD has gifts within it. These are gifts which can be difficult to unwrap, and are based on the strengths that many people with ADD have.
While many medical diagnoses are considered to have no positive side (i.e. what is the 'gift' of arthritis, or heart disease?), when the diagnosis of ADD is made ' because it is in the mind ' it surprisingly does have gifts within it.
Right within and intermingled with the core symptoms of ADD are the gifts ' but you have to look for them (also nurture & unwrap them)... - An inattentive mind can be great at multi-tasking - A mind which moves rapidly from one topic to another seemingly 'inattentive' can see things in a way which others don't ' great for 'out of the box' thinking - An impulsive mind which isn't afraid of taking risks ' can be brave enough to innovate, and lead the world in new directions - The level of creativity in the ADD brain can be awe-inspiring - ...if it is nurtured properly - And there are many more gifts within ADD if they can be 'unwrapped'
In summary, the new paradigm for ADD is that there are strengths in it ' and we need to find those strengths, build on them, and change the lives of those touched by ADD and ADHD.
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ADD In Grown Ups - By: Bill Romanowski
ADD also called ADHD or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, (now just known as Attention Deficit Disorder) is a condition that has been commonly associated with children. Recent studies have revealed that the condition is also as widely prevalent in adults as it is in children. What are the characteristics of ADD, how does it start and how can it be eradicated? This and other issues are what we will discuss in this article.
What are the characteristics of ADD?
As in children, adults afflicted with ADD have a problem completing what they have started. ADD symptoms include hyperactivity and a general restlessness. Sufferers can be seen attempting a myriad of activities and not completing any of them. Quick motions also characterize them as they try to move from one task to another. ADD sufferers end up being very exhausted because of attempting a variety of tasks at the same time and having the general notion that they will successfully complete them.
People who have ADD are generally not very good listeners and have trouble patiently listening to things like seminars, and lectures. They also have a hard time concentrating when reading books or watching educational shows. Interestingly, sluggishness, daydreaming and drowsiness may also characterize ADD adults. Some people with the condition display general carelessness, make mistakes, and are inattentive when spoken to. They also have trouble following instructions, are disorganized and habitually lose things.
How does ADD start?
For adults with ADD, the condition is usually present by the age of seven and is caused by a dysfunction in the frontal brain matter that deals with judgment, problem solving, impulse control and critical thinking. This leads to the individual developing a very short attention span. The exact cause of ADD is still a mystery, but doctors have been able not only to isolate the part of the brain that causes ADD, but they have successfully characterized it into two groups: hyperactivity and inattentiveness.
Is there a cure?
Can ADD be eradicated if its cause is still unknown? A leading physician, Dr. Daniel Amen is a leading figure in the study of ADD and has conducted extensive studies.
Dr. Amen has conducted numerous tests on ADD, and has developed several paths of treatment. He suggests a combination of a high protein diet and coordinated aerobic exercises. Drugs such as Ritalin and L-Tyrosine are often used to treat ADD. It is also not uncommon for anti-depressants to be included.
Coping with ADD
Adults suffering from ADD can be useful members of society and depending on the severity of the condition most pass as perfectly normal. Cases of carelessness or drowsiness can easily be explained, as being "tired" and the person suffering from ADD may not even know he or she has the condition. The best way to know is to gauge one's behavior and measure it against acceptable norms. If one suspects they may have ADD, then it is recommended to seek the opinion of a doctor.
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ADD / ADHD -- 5 Tips for Job Effectiveness - By: Tony Sinclair
For a lot of people with ADD, work life can be complex. If your operational surroundings are not ADD responsive, then you may well find yourself feeling constantly disordered and hassled out at work. Whether or not you disclose your diagnosis to your employer, these approaches can help you become more efficient at work.
1. Look for a Profession that you are Zealous About:
People with ADD have the most accomplishment when doing something that they are fervently involved in. If you are in a profession or a job that you are not zealous about, odds are your ADD problems will exhibit themselves. The best way to keep away from this is to come across a job that you in fact take pleasure in and have faith in.
2. Build up Structure:
It is not unknown for ADDers to work well in a structured environment. If your job is short of structure, generate some.
If you are self employed, make up a timetable for yourself. Decide on what your working days will be, and what your days off will be. And abide them. In addition, plan out particular working hours for yourself.
If another person or company employs you, ask for particular time limits on projects you are handed over. In addition, you can ask for a weekly meeting with your manager in which you bring him or her up to date on all the things you have been doing. This will enable YOU to go through your development and stay conscious of all the jobs that you are coping with.
3. Pass on the Details:
I have on no account met an ADDer who takes pleasure in working with particulars. In general, people with ADD are the problem solvers, the innovative, and the organizers. A good number of ADDers will be exceptionally efficient when working with these stimulating and tricky features of the work.
If you are self-employed, take on an associate - even though you think you cannot manage to pay for it. Visualize how much more efficient - and beneficial - you may well be if you did not have to be bothered about rules and regulations.
If another person or company employs you, pass on work to executive associates and any person with whom you deal. If there is no one for you to pass on to, tell your manager you work best when you do not have to be slowed down with executive jobs. Draw attention to all your expertise, strong points, and achievements. Let your manager know you would be more productive if you had somebody lend you a hand with the particulars.
4. Plan the Time to Plan:
It is not sufficient to plan your day, you must also think out the time to plan. Prior to your leaving work at the end of the day, use up 15 minutes to have a look at your to-do list. See what you completed and what yet has to be done, and update the list. In addition use this time to update your calendars, and break big projects down into smaller, achievable steps. Using up the time to do this each work day will have you feeling more on top of things, and will also help you out to switch over out of work time and into personal time.
5. Get Over Fastidiousness:
Fastidiousness puts off growth. If you come across something that may well be enhanced every time you have a look at a paper or a report, it will never get off your table. There is a big distinction between "a good job" and "a perfect job." "A good job" is job done well; "a perfect job" does not happen. Nothing on this planet is perfect, so do yourself a favour and forget about it.
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Attention Deficit Disorder - By: Mitamins
It's a fact - poor nutrition is linked to ADD
Poor nutrition has been linked to ADD, learning disorders, memory problems, reduced IQ, behavior problems and depression. The vast majority of the U.S. population is deficient in at least one of the vitamins, minerals or essential fatty acids that impact behavior and mood. Modern foods do NOT contain all the nutrients you need due to modern farming techniques, processing, and extended shelf lives. Therefore, it makes sense to supplement your diet with the nutrients that you are missing.
Especially important in treating neurological problems like ADD are essential fatty acids (flax oil, fish oil, and primrose oil are variations). Other people say they are significantly helped by taking fatty acid supplements as natural ADD treatments.
Before natural ADD treatment, consider your allergies
Check for allergies/sensitivities: Allergies can reportedly cause serious hyperactivity, poor handwriting, hostile behavior, general poor health, and inability to concentrate. There are two general groupings of food allergies that need to be taken into consideration before natural ADD treatment. First there are general food allergies (milk, eggs, etc.). Then there are food additives, especially synthetic colors. The most likely food allergy is the food that is always craved. This subject is usually overlooked by adults who have ADD, but is often the key to the best natural treatment of ADD.
Natural treatment of ADD means taking everyone as individuals
Lots of studies show exercise helps mental health and increases the ability to concentrate and remember. It's hard to go wrong here. Alternative Education: For kids who are bright, bored or who have a different learning style. I've spoken with lots of people who tell me their child's ADD seemed to vanish when they began home schooling. And bright kids who are falling behind in school often pass their peers when taken out of the traditional school setting.
Meditation: An increasing number of studies are showing that meditation has real, tangible natural effects on the body, such as increased concentration and reduced stress. For people who become tired and depressed in the winter and who don't get exposure to strong sunlight each morning. Light units are now sold that are effective in combating this type of depression. I include it in my list because people diagnosed with ADD are more likely to be depressed, and depression can cause serious problems with concentration, memory and the ability to deal with ADD traits.
Attitude adjustment is an essential part of natural ADD treatment
It is especially common for people who have recently been diagnosed to have been bombarded by all kinds of really negative information from doctors, family, most websites, and other sources. Make sure you stay positive as optimism is an important part of naturally treating your ADD.
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ADD - Don't Wallow - By: Tellman H. Knudson
I have ADHD, and if you're a person who has ADD or ADHD, you know that life can be frustrating and hard at times. I mean, we can zone out at very important times or we might have clutter stacked to the ceiling or we forget something really important. Those things happen. But whether you're ADD or not, you're going to have issues and problems, and that's just how life works.
ADD just adds a layer of issues to the ones that linear-thinking people already have. But you can't let those irritations trap you. You need to figure out what your strengths and weaknesses are and make adjustments so that you're working with your strengths and not against them. For instance, I work online and have been very successful. I can hyperfocus on this because I love it and I know that it's making me successful. It's working with my ADD strengths.
I'm a creative person. I can come up with ideas very quickly, but I know I'm not a great finisher. So, I hired a staff of people who coordinate and finish these things for me, and it works! My business is growing and ADD doesn't get in the way at all. In fact, my company has made more than $1 million for a couple of years in a row now and we're growing. The system works out great. I'm the idea person, and though I do some of the work, when I'm bored with it, I move onto something else and the job still gets done.
If you know yourself, you can find a situation like this in which you'll thrive. Decide what it is you love to do and then, concentrate on it. If you're creative, you might want to try being an actor or singer or artist. If you're analytical and like to solve problems, you might want to be a detective or private investigator or even a systems analyst. You might make a great writer, too. The whole thing is to try and find out what you enjoy doing and concentrating on that.
You may be wondering how you figure that out. Well, try keeping a diary. Write down everything you do for two weeks. Highlight the events or activities that you enjoyed most every day, and in a couple of weeks, you should see a pattern begin to appear. If you need a bit longer, just keep writing in your diary until you do figure it all out, but you will. See what your strengths are and avoid the weaknesses.
Here's the thing... ADD doesn't have to slow you down. You can be successful and happy, but you have to figure out what you enjoy the most. You have special talents because of your ADD. You're creative, probably very intelligent, and you think at the speed of light. You just need to figure out what you like and where you abilities shine and then, set to work on them. You'll be amazed at how much this will transform your life.
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ADD - When Your Partner Doesn't Get You - By: Tellman H. Knudson
Are you dealing with your partner's unhappiness in your relationship? What are their complaints? Could they be that you can't remember things, that you're always distracted, or that you're lazy and leave things lying around everywhere? Does this sound like the arguments you've been having?
Consider that you might have adult attention deficit disorder. Your partners reactions to some of your behaviors are typical, especially when you aren't aware of your ADD and neither is your partner. First, take an online test to see if you might have attention deficit. Then, see a medical professional for an adequate and positive diagnosis. What may seem like ADD, could actually be something else, so you want to get that nailed down for sure. If you really are experiencing attention deficit, then to make your partner happy, you'll need to make some adjustments.
Once you have a proper diagnosis, set aside time to discuss it with your partner. Help them to understand why you do or don't do things that frustrate them. Together, you can work on setting up some ADD-friendly solutions for the issues that are bothering him or her.
But first, you need to decide exactly what those things are and make some definite plans to solve them. Attention deficit is tricky, though. It won't always let you see things through to completion, so you'll have to make special effort to get things under control. Set up a calendar or a white board where you can write things and be able to view them throughout the day. You may want to work on one ADD behavior each day, until your adjustment kicks in and becomes a regular part of life.
Linear-thinking people often accuse people with attention deficit of laziness because we have a tendency to just drop things and let them lie. Yet, it's important that your linear partner doesn't clean up after you. When they do that, they're just reinforcing your ADDness. Instead, ask them to remind you where the sweatshirt on the chair belongs, and get them to help you set up some ADD-friendly systems to help you with this issue.
Memory could be another issue. If your partner asks you to pick something up at the store or their cleaning at the dry cleaners, and it's really important, there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth when your ADD makes you forget. Write things down. Always keep a notepad by you and all over the house. Then, be sure to write down anything important that you just can't forget.
Also make time for your partner. You'll need to talk things over and find out what's working and what's not, and perhaps make some adjustments to the systems you set up. Don't judge the effectiveness of a plan over a single day, though. Allow your system to work for a week or two before making any changes.
Having attention deficit doesn't mean you can't have fulfilling, lasting relationships. The first step is finding out that you do have ADD and the second is to help your partner to understand it. Once he or she realizes that you aren't doing things to make them nuts, and it's just your ADD, they'll be more likely to see that you just need to make adjustments to your lifestyle to make things work. If you can do that, stick to a plan, and keep working at it, until you find a solution that's right for you. When you have, your ADD will no longer be an issue.
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ADD - Got The Day-to-Day Boredom Blues? - By: Tellman H. Knudson
ADD people are bored very easily, as you well know if you have ADD. People call us lazy, but it's not that. We'll put tremendous effort into things that matter to us, and that we enjoy. But how exciting is washing dishes or cleaning up a mess of stuff? Not very and it just doesn't happen. We learn to live with our messes.
Am I right? The dishes could be overflowing the sink, and the dust in the house might be forming little clumps that are starting to resemble small animals. They're scaring your cat. Oh, and then, there's the floor, littered with all matter of elements--rock, paper, hedge clippers, whatever. It's just a mess! And you look at that stuff, and say to yourself, "I'll get to that later," and you never do. Your ADD never allows it.
Nobody has to live that way, of course. And you can't allow it to go on indefinitely or the health department will come by and tack a "condemned" sign on your door. The stuff has to be done, no matter how much your ADD brain doesn't want to do it. But there's a way to do it painlessly. And it's so simple that you'll laugh when you read it, but it works. Really.
Here's what you can do...
Maybe you're going to pick up that stuff on the floor and actually put the hedge clippers in the garage. You really didn't need them to open that wireless mouse package, but they make it so hard! Well, OK... Get out your iPod or your CD player or turn on the Sirius, whatever, and then, crank it up. Really hear it. Then, get your nose involved. Light some incense or a scented candle that you like. And now, your sense of taste. Try some sugarless gum or hard candy while you're cleaning up. Your eyes and hands are already involved, so that will have all your senses involved and your ADD brain is less likely to balk.
You can get some added benefit by wearing something you like. What do you enjoy doing when you aren't working? Whatever that is, if it's playing football, put on the gear while you're straightening up around the house. You'll be amazed at how well this stuff works.
And you're set. You'll be dancing around, smelling good smells instead of last week's laundry, wearing something that makes you feel good, and just generally getting things done. ADD brains do get bored pretty easily, so it's important to keep it occupied. If you get really good at this, you might start to enjoy the chores you hate to do. You never know... ADD brains just need to be involved all the time. Give every sense something to do and your place will be clean and orderly. Or, if this doesn't work... hire someone to do these things for you, if you can afford it. One way or another, the stuff has to be done. Make it as easy for yourself as possible.
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ADD - Combating The Dreaded Clutter Monster - By: Tellman H. Knudson
When you woke up this morning and went to your home office, did you see the same stack of newspapers on the floor that's been there since 1992? Or, what about your desk? Do you remember if it's mahogany or metal? If you're asking these questions, you may have ADD, and are suffering the dreaded clutter monster.
It's not uncommon for people with ADD to have clutter in their lives. Though we really prefer things to be nice and neat, we don't have the wherewithal to keep things that way. We hate to be bored, and so we procrastinate, sometimes for years. And we may be comfortable with our messes, but the people who have to live with us may not be so easy going. They let us know when it's time to fix the mess. So, how does a person with ADD get started?
Here's an idea for you that is totally ADD-friendly:
Get a big box and dump everything into it. Just gather it up and toss it into the box. Not too boring or time consuming, right? Just be sure to keep bills aside or anything that needs attention. You may want to get a basket and keep it somewhere that's easy to get to when the mail comes. You can just toss bills in there as they come in, and then, pick a day each month when you'll pay them.
Pick a day to go through the box you've just filled with mess, too, and be sure it's a day when you won't be distracted and need to leave the house. This will be an all-day, job, but a painless one. So, get a timer and two banker's boxes with lids from the office supply store, and a trash can. Then, set the timer for five minutes and start going through the stuff in the big box. Put trash in the trash, important papers into one banker's box, and not-so-important-but-I-don't-want-to-throw-away papers into another one.
At the end of the five minutes, stop. Reset the timer for 55 minutes, and go and do whatever you want to do for that time. When the timer buzzes, then set it for 5 minutes again, and go back to the big box and start sorting. Unless the big box is the size of a small elephant, you should be done by the end of that day.
After finishing, write a date on the not-so-important banker's box and store it. If you don't look inside after six months, then, throw it away. Keep the other banker's box with important papers, like insurance policies or product warranties, in a cool, dry place where you can reach it easily. It's not important that the papers inside are organized. They just have to be available for you to find them, if needed.
Nothing in the world will stop your ADD from making clutter again. So, make this a monthly ritual. Pick up everything, and take a day to sort it. If you can do this, you'll be happier, but imagine how happy your non-ADD family will be. You can do anything for 5 minutes at a time. Try it and see if this clutter-slaying process isn't right for you.
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ADD - Do You Talk Too Much? - By: Tellman H. Knudson
If you have an ADD brain, it's always working. Ideas are popping up like dandelions after a fresh summer rain, and as with a well-kept lawn, you need a way to get rid of them. You need to clear your mind. So, you want to talk. And it doesn't have to be anyone in particular. You can talk to a trusted friend, or a stranger, but there are times when you just belabor a point until the person is ready to fall asleep, even if they understand it's your ADD doing the talking.
You aren't terribly aware of how you're making the other person feel, though. Your ADD is going to make you keep talking and talking, even when you're done saying what you wanted to say. But unless you're talking to a friend or relation who understands your ADD, they don't' realize that unless you get your mouth in motion, your brain is going to explode. You need an outlet, a way to make all the ideas find their way out.
However, communication means that you exchange ideas with other people. They have to be allowed to chime in now and then, or they lose interest fast because what you're doing is lecturing. There is no exchange, and depending on the person you've chosen to talk to, they may or may not understand what you're talking about. I mean, some people just aren't as smart as you are and if you're explaining something technical, they may not get it at all. They'll tune out in about thirty seconds, and then, their eyes will glaze over. After that, they'll either fall asleep or make excuses to get away, if you let them.
But how can you change this behavior in yourself and in others?
Go someplace where no one else can hear you and talk to yourself. It's just a way to dump all the bazillion ideas in your head and to help you to feel better. Not only that, but you'll be able to clarify and streamline your thinking so that when you do present your idea to someone else, you can be more to the point. But even then, let people have a way out. If you think they look bored, they probably are, so ask them, "Do you want me to stop right now?" And if they agree that they do, don't be offended. It's just your ADD, and if you can let people do that, you'll be less likely to see them turn and go in the other direction when they see you coming.
You can't think of ADD as a curse, because it's far from that. ADD is a definite blessing. You're probably very intelligent, and you're creative and can come up with some very cool ideas, very quickly. But when you find yourself needing to get the ideas out of your head before it explodes, try talking to yourself for a while first. Or, if that seems too silly, then get some paper and write them out or type them into your computer. Whatever makes you feel better. Writing your ideas is a way to help you not to forget them, too, so that may be a great alternative. But just try to be a more considerate communicator. When you feel that someone's had enough, ask them, and allow them to politely bow out of the conversation. When people know that you're willing to do that, you'll have better listeners, too.
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Don't Take My Baby! (Why Many Adults with ADD Don't Watch Lifetime Movies) - By: Jennifer Koretsky
There is one very specific type of movie that I just can't watch because I get too upset. I call it a "Don't Take My Baby" movie.
I'm sure you're familiar with this type of movie. The most common plot line is: Couple finds out they can't have baby and adopts. Couple loves baby very much and experience great joy until baby's birth parents challenge adoption and try to get baby back.
Other variations include:
* Gay partner dies and court won't allow non-biological parent to keep the baby.
* Parents find out baby was switched at birth and isn't theirs.
* Mother has been looking for missing baby for years, and refuses to believe baby is dead. Mother finds baby, but baby has a new life and doesn't remember mother.
* Father loves baby dearly, mother goes to jail, father learns baby isn't really his and loses custody.
The plot possibilities for "Don't Take My Baby" movies are endless. These movies are often, but not always, played on the Lifetime network. (Otherwise known in pop culture as "Lifetime Movies.") However, these plots can also be easily adopted on network dramas, although they usually aren't as emotional.
The problem with "Don't Take My Baby" movies is that I can't handle them emotionally. I don't even have a baby yet, but somehow the concept of having one's baby taken away has driven me to hysterics ever since I can remember.
I fully realize that there is an element here that sounds absolutely crazy and you may be wondering why I chose to make this a topic for the newsletter. Well, believe it or not, this does relate to adult ADD and here's how: adults with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) tend to be extremely emotionally sensitive. We often lose it emotionally over sad movies, sappy commercials, or distressing news stories.
Sure, "Don't Take My Baby" movies are always meant to be tearjerkers. But most people can have themselves a good cry and get over it. Adults with ADD are often slower to bounce back.
Because we have a high level of empathy and compassion, we can take on the pain of others (real or scripted) to such a high degree that it sends us down a path of extreme emotional disturbance and spiraling negative thoughts. This, in turn, leads to more stress and the potential to become overwhelmed.
And, as I always say, the more stressed out and overwhelmed you are, the harder it is to manage your ADD.
In order to avoid this scenario, we have to protect ourselves with some solid boundaries. For example, I no longer let myself watch "Don't Take My Baby" movies. I also won't watch documentaries about genocide, sick children, or people with terminal illnesses. I simply can't handle it and I know that watching these things is guaranteed to send me down a bad path.
You may find that in order to keep from falling into the trap of extreme emotions, you need to:
* Avoid watching the news.
* Make certain types of movies or shows off-limits.
* Steer clear of certain topics of conversation.
And when all else fails and you find yourself empathizing just a little too much, try to:
Remember that everyone has their challenges in life. You don't need to take on someone else's in addition to your own.
Talk out how you feel. Journal about it if you have no one that you can talk to in the moment.
Explore what it is about someone else's situation that hits you hard enough to be upsetting. Does it trigger a sadness in you that you haven't yet dealt with?
Draw a line between "pity" and "empathy." Having compassion and being able to imagine yourself in another's shoes is very different--and much more helpful and productive--than feeling sorry for them or taking on their pain.
Most importantly, remember that you can't effectively care for others until you care for yourself. And this sometimes means avoiding "emotional traps" on television or in the movies.
So the next time you're flipping the channels and happen upon a "Don't Take My Baby" movie, think of me bawling my eyes out over a poorly-written and badly-acted movie. Then change the channel.
Copyright (c) 2007 Jennifer Koretsky
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ADD: Procrastination Spending Out Of Control? - By: Tellman H. Knudson
Today is the day. You can't wait another minute longer. You have to get that report done, or you'll be in hot water with the boss. But it's so boring! Then, you see your keys on the desk in front of you, and you grab them and jump into the car. Getting away from that horrible boring thing you have to do, like filling out your student loan papers or preparing that special report. So...
You drive to the nearest store, and it doesn't matter whether it's Auto Parts Plus or CVS, you're there. And you mindlessly wander through the place, looking for nothing. There's nothing you need or want, but you go up and down the aisles just hoping to find something you forgot you needed, when it comes to you! You really needed that bobble head doll of Spiderman, so you take out your wallet and plunk down the $14.95 for the incredible treasure you found.
But it's not necessarily Spiderman that has you buying. It's your ADD procrastination. You can't help it. You don't need that useless bobble-head you just want to be free of the nagging worry of getting that boring thing done. But guess what? It's not going away! Don't turn your ADD procrastination into spending your way out. You're just leaning on another ADD crutch to make things worse.
OK, so what can be done? Instead of jumping in the car, take a walk. Then, come back, until you're bored by the project again and then, get up and walk some more. You can do that.
Or, you can chunk the project down. Give yourself sizable chunks that you can tolerate, and schedule in doing them throughout the day. For instance, fill in the name and address part of the application and things you already know without having to grab your wallet or purse. Then, do something else. At the beginning of the next hour, start with filling in one page that you don't know, and then, stop. When you do things in chunks, your ADD boredom level won't be quite so high.
Just don't turn one ADD issue into another--overspending on impulse purchases. When you go to a store, have a specific purpose in mind, and if you need to keep yourself on task, make a list and stick to it. If you don't do that, you could be running up bills you can't afford to pay for no good reason, and that's something you definitely don't need.
ADD can lead us into other kinds of misery, just pushing us to get away from things we want to avoid. So, take it in chunks, or just get away from it for a while, without spending money. You can use your ADD creativity to come up with more solutions, but you won't be able to avoid your responsibilities. It's never going to happen.
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ADD: Procrastination Spending Out Of Control? - By: Tellman H. Knudson
Today is the day. You can't wait another minute longer. You have to get that report done, or you'll be in hot water with the boss. But it's so boring! Then, you see your keys on the desk in front of you, and you grab them and jump into the car. Getting away from that horrible boring thing you have to do, like filling out your student loan papers or preparing that special report. So...
You drive to the nearest store, and it doesn't matter whether it's Auto Parts Plus or CVS, you're there. And you mindlessly wander through the place, looking for nothing. There's nothing you need or want, but you go up and down the aisles just hoping to find something you forgot you needed, when it comes to you! You really needed that bobble head doll of Spiderman, so you take out your wallet and plunk down the $14.95 for the incredible treasure you found.
But it's not necessarily Spiderman that has you buying. It's your ADD procrastination. You can't help it. You don't need that useless bobble-head you just want to be free of the nagging worry of getting that boring thing done. But guess what? It's not going away! Don't turn your ADD procrastination into spending your way out. You're just leaning on another ADD crutch to make things worse.
OK, so what can be done? Instead of jumping in the car, take a walk. Then, come back, until you're bored by the project again and then, get up and walk some more. You can do that.
Or, you can chunk the project down. Give yourself sizable chunks that you can tolerate, and schedule in doing them throughout the day. For instance, fill in the name and address part of the application and things you already know without having to grab your wallet or purse. Then, do something else. At the beginning of the next hour, start with filling in one page that you don't know, and then, stop. When you do things in chunks, your ADD boredom level won't be quite so high.
Just don't turn one ADD issue into another--overspending on impulse purchases. When you go to a store, have a specific purpose in mind, and if you need to keep yourself on task, make a list and stick to it. If you don't do that, you could be running up bills you can't afford to pay for no good reason, and that's something you definitely don't need.
ADD can lead us into other kinds of misery, just pushing us to get away from things we want to avoid. So, take it in chunks, or just get away from it for a while, without spending money. You can use your ADD creativity to come up with more solutions, but you won't be able to avoid your responsibilities. It's never going to happen.
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Why Trying to Fit In Doesn't Work - By: Jennifer Koretsky
Now that my book has been released, I've been asked by a few people, "What exactly is the maverick approach to ADD management?" In order to explain, I'd like to tell you a quick personal story about music that has more to do with ADD than you might expect...
I've been taking voice lessons on and off for the past couple of years. I've had two different voice teachers, both young musicians who don't adhere to classical voice training techniques. Although my voice is much better suited for opera, I just wanna sing rock! I don't care about classical technique.
In my last lesson, I was having some trouble. I just wasn't singing well! I wasn't hitting the right notes and my timing was off. I was annoyed with myself and my frustration was building. Finally, my voice teacher said to me, "Stop thinking, stop trying so hard, and just sing." So I did.
I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and let go. Suddenly I was singing again, and sounding great. Afterwards, it occurred to me what the problem was: I was trying too hard.
I was trying to hit the right notes, trying to breathe in the right places, and trying to project my voice...and I was caving under the pressure. But once I stopped trying so hard and started trusting myself, the pressure went away. My performance improved greatly, I felt relaxed, and I had fun.
The Maverick Approach to ADD Management
My voice lesson experience is a great metaphor for the maverick approach to ADD management. If you're trying really hard to live life the way you're "supposed" to, then chances are you're stressed out, frustrated, and overwhelmed.
Taking the maverick approach to ADD management means that you stop trying to fit in and start embracing your differences. You trust yourself and do what works for you, not what works for everyone else. Some examples include:
* Feeling comfortable taking care of yourself, even if that means saying "no" to people or taking a day off just to relax
* Doing whatever it is you have to do in order to pay attention, even if that means doodling in a meeting
* Organizing yourself in ways that are comfortable for you, even if that means being a little disorganized compared to most people's standards
* Refusing to stress out about the little things, even if that means running a few minutes late sometimes
The maverick approach to ADD management is NOT about trying to be good at everything. It's not about trying to conform to other people's standards. And it's not about fitting in!
The maverick approach to ADD management IS about managing your ADD in such a way that it doesn't prevent you from moving forward. It's about feeling comfortable being yourself, and finding solutions to your challenges on your own terms. It's about enjoying your life, and having confidence in yourself.
Mavericks aren't afraid to be the "odd one out" because they know that following other people's rules doesn't work. It leads to stress, frustration, anxiety, and pressure. Breaking those rules and making your own is a much better fit for adults with ADD.
Mavericks would rather be happy and successful than waste energy trying to fit in.
Are you a maverick?
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ADD - Worry Not, Lest Ye Be Lost In Despair - By: Tellman H. Knudson
Do you worry a lot? I mean, are you someone who just finds all the pitfalls in life? Do you worry about money, your job, or your family? Do you worry about global warming, rising prices, or who will be the next President? If you have ADD on top of all that, you really have a time bomb waiting to explode within you. Plus, the ADD hyperfocus could cause you to spiral into a downward vortex, from which you can't recover alone. Don't allow that to happen to yourself. Recognize what's happening and take action.
Extreme worry brings serious stress, and is totally non-productive. When you spend a lot of time worrying, you aren't acting positively by taking steps to solve whatever the problem is. You could even be worrying about something you have absolutely no control over.
For example, do you worry all the time about what people think of you? No matter how hard you try, you can't make people like you. Some will; some won't. That's just how it goes, and that's true for everyone, linear-thinking people and ADD people alike. That kind of worry does you no good at all.
Chronic worry can affect your health. Living in a constant state of fear and anxiety can affect you physically. Headaches, stomach trouble, and muscle tension are some of the milder symptoms of worry-related illness. But worry can also affect your heart. And then, expect your ADD symptoms to increase in intensity, too. You'll be more distracted than ever. You can't let worry overwhelm you.
Long-lasting, all-consuming worry is a medical issue. When you just can't stop, in addition to ADD, you may have Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). However, as with ADD, the symptoms have to be severe enough to disrupt your life, and you must have been worrying excessively for more than six months. You'll also show physical symptoms of the worry, and have trouble sleeping. When all these are present, you may have GAD. And GAD isn't just for adults; it can start in childhood.
If your symptoms are this severe, you should seek professional help before all the worry hurts you. You don't have to suffer. But if you're just a now-and-then worrier, then consider talking your worries out to a trusted friend. Listen as they pick apart your gloom and doom scenario, and try to let things you can't control go. Deal with outcomes, not "what ifs." You probably won't remember what you were worrying about two weeks from now, anyway.
ADD doesn't necessarily bring worry along with it as a side companion, but your tendency to hyperfocus could make worry stronger in you than in linear-thinking people. Why worry about things that haven't happened? You waste so much time that way, but that's easy to say. If you're just a born worrier, you can't stop it. Try putting your time toward more constructive activities, hyperfocus on something that you really love to get your mind off the worry track and live a happier life.
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Top 5 Ways to Have a Happy Thanksgiving for Adults with ADD - By: Jennifer Koretsky
The holiday season is officially upon us! And for some adults with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), this is the most stressful time of year. Here are a few practical tips for managing your ADD this holiday.
1. Know Your Own ADD and Plan Ahead to Deal with It
You know yourself better than anyone, so ask yourself "How does my ADD affect me on the holidays?" Make a list of all the things that tend to stress you out on the holidays, and make a plan to deal with them.
For example:
Do you tend to say impulsive things that you later regret? Plan to take a deep breath before answering ANY questions so that you can think about your words before you speak them.
Do hyper kids or too many people overwhelm you? Plan to excuse yourself and take a brief walk when things start feeling chaotic.
Does a family member really make you mad when s/he starts nagging or becomes critical? Plan a simple response that won't fuel the fire, like "I'm sorry you feel that way. I'd rather talk about a great book I'm reading right now."
Do you get antsy after a long day? Plan to end the day early, so that you don't reach the point of irritability.
2. Don't Expect Perfection
Accept that the day won't be perfect. Nothing is! Whether you're hosting the holiday, going to a friend or family member's, or visiting a restaurant, realize that something is bound to go wrong. That's life. Don't hold it against yourself, or the people around you. Whatever it is, do your best to move on and let it go.
3. Ask For Help/Accept Help
If you're hosting the holiday, ask for help in the kitchen. This is perfectly acceptable, and most people are happy to help out where they can. If you're offered help, accept it with gratitude! You don't have to do it all on your own.
If you're a guest, offer to take over a task that you're good at or don't mind doing. That doesn't necessarily mean offering to cook or serve, it can mean keeping the kids occupied! (Or, in my family, keeping the dogs out of the kitchen!)
4. Remember That People Do The Best They Can
Long days with family members often end in frustration and hurt feelings. Try to remember that people do the best they can with the skills and tools they have. Hurtful comments probably aren't meant to be hurtful. If someone says something to you that you find hurtful or offensive, ask yourself "What is this person's intention?" The answer will most likely be "to be helpful." Don't hold it against friends and family members who may not have the necessary skills to express themselves effectively.
5. Smile!
Set the tone for those around you by being positive, smiling often, and enjoying yourself!
Thanksgiving is only a few .
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ADD - What's Your Line? - By: Tellman H. Knudson
When we're young, we take jobs just to earn money for a car or for clothes or for whatever reason. You might have worked in a bank, part time. Or, maybe you served food in a restaurant or you were a lot person in a car dealership. But how come you never left? It's true that ADD can make us uncomfortable with new situations, especially at work. You might have stayed because the money was good. Or, perhaps you just kept moving up the ladder. Or, you couldn't escape from the industry because for each job you got as an adult, you were hired for your "experience." That's all well and good, if you're happy. But what if you just can't stand to get up in the morning and go back to that loser job?
It's not the job that's to blame. It's you, and not uncommon with ADD. Either you jump around a lot or you never jump at all. Setting up ADD-friendly routines can seem pleasant in themselves because they're comfortable. So you stay. You may have issues with meeting new people because of your ADD. So you stay. Getting a new job will be uncomfortable. But if you're in a job you hate, how can you live like that?
You don't have to. You need to take steps for a positive change. The first thing to do is to search for things you enjoy doing. You may like fishing or quilting. Can you turn them into home businesses? Sure you can. Think about things that make you happy, and though linear thinking people might not agree that what you come up with are traditional jobs, they may just be ADD friendly for you.
Once you've come up with some choices, see how people in that niche are fairing in terms of money. Will it be enough for you to live on? Go to Parade.Salary.com to see what the average numbers are. If you have a list of several things you can do (and you should), then see what the demand for employees is in the field, or see how many people are searching for a product you're considering selling by going to SEOBook.com and plugging in a term related to the product. If there are less than 10,000 searches in a month, you should probably come up with something else. And think about the economy. Real estate isn't a great niche to be in offline in November 2007, but online, it might work out quite well. You have to do the research.
The whole idea is to get yourself out of the rut and into an ADD-friendly job you can love. Your ADD makes you very creative. You might consider design or writing. But research what additional schooling might be required for whatever you choose. For example, you're a good problem solver, so you might make a great systems analyst, but you'd need some pretty strong degrees. That's OK. You can study while you're still earning a regular paycheck. Don't let ADD keep you in the pigeon-hole you're in. Get out and explore the possibilities. If you don't, your whole life could pass before you and you'll never have lived it.
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How To Take Care of Yourself in Stressful Situations - By: Jennifer Koretsky
Adults with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) can get very easily overwhelmed, frustrated, and stressed out during the times when a lot is required of us. And when we're in that state, we tend to skimp on self-care. We think that we should go, go, go and do, do, do—without taking care of ourselves first.
Last year we moved to a very small town. The nearest grocery store is 15 minutes away. My bank is 20 minutes away. And the farm where I like to get organic meat is in the opposite direction, in the middle of nowhere, about 45 minutes away.
If I leave my house on only a quarter tank of gas and want to go to all three places, I won't make it. My car gets fairly good mileage, but I won't get to where I want to go unless I stop and refuel.
Pretend, for a moment, that you are a car. How much gas is in your tank right now?
In the same way that a car can't drive without gas, you can't give to those around you when your tank is empty. And in the same way that a car drives best on a full tank of gas, you have a lot more to give when your tank is full on self-care.
This means that you make sure your needs are being met before you meet everyone else's needs—that includes your spouse or partner, your boss, your parents, your siblings and yes, even your kids to some degree. Otherwise, you burn out. And then you're no help to anyone.
If a car can't drive a couple of hours on a quarter tank of gas, how can you go all day, all week, all month, without filling your tank?
So here's some fuel for thought...my top 3 tips for practicing excellent self-care when the pressure is on:
1. Wind down every night to de-stress and sleep well.
When the stress picks up, it's more important than ever to allow recharging time. Sleep is extremely important, and winding down before bed helps ensure restful sleep. Think of yourself as a cell phone. If you don't get charged, you won't work the next day!
2. Eat well.
Don't underestimate the power of food to make or break your mood and energy levels. If you use sugar and caffeine to keep you going, instead of nutritious whole foods, you're sure to crash. And crash hard!
3. Say "no."
You're the only one who knows what you can comfortably handle, and what's too much pressure, time, energy, or stress. If you push yourself too much (or allow yourself to be pushed too much) then you'll burn out and be no good to anyone!
These tips apply whether you're traveling, busy at work, or preparing for the holidays. Remember them!
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ADD: Combating Zone Out - By: Tellman H. Knudson
If you're an adult with ADD, you know that it's impossible to stay focused 100% of the time, unless we're hyperfocusing on something, of course. Then, we can't be dragged away. But what about those times when you're in a company meeting and you're trying to pay close attention to something until that old ADD creeps in and tears your attention away to put it someplace else? You can't help it.
Yet, this can sometimes create problems. How embarrassing is it when you're zoned out and the big boss asks you a question? You're like, "Uh-oh...." Right? So, you give some crazy answer and everyone just kind of stares blankly at you and the meeting moves on. Boy, do you feel stupid! Well, don't. You're far from stupid. You just have ADD. This can happen when someone is explaining an important project or when you're trying to get the basics for solving a complicated problem in math class. You zone out, miss an important detail, and you're lost.
You're frustrated. You don't even know you've missed important information until the blank stares come or when your project is completed, but not the way it was supposed to have been done. Or, you flunk the math quiz. What can you do?
The first thing is to realize that it's not your fault. It's your ADD. Yet, there are some steps you can take to assure that you'll do things right most of the time.
Keeping paper and pencil handy at all times is important when you have attention deficit. You can make notes of important things you need to remember, and the action of doing this could help hold your attention to the topic at hand. Just don't go overboard with the note taking or it could become a distraction in itself. Just write down some clear points that you can use to jog your memory when the meeting or class is over.
You can also ask for clarification. When you're involved in a project, ask for written instructions or write the action steps down yourself. When you've finished, read the steps back to your supervisor to be sure that you have everything down correctly.
Finally, when you're on the spot, always ask the person to repeat the question. If you can't come up with an answer, try using your ADD creativity to put a new light on the issue. This may be more productive than saying, "I don't know," or "I have ADD." Even if what you say seems off the wall, it will pass, and people will forget you even said it.
Those of us that have been diagnosed ADD as children have undoubtedly run into similar situations, and know that there will always be times when we zone out. Try using your ADD creativity to work around things when you're put on the spot. Use your strengths. Eliminating distraction isn't an option, and when you think about the hunter-farmer analogy, you'll realize that you need your distractions or you wouldn't be the person you are.
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ADD - Alarm Yourself - By: Tellman H. Knudson
In some respects, adult ADD can present more serious problems than childhood ADD. For example, one thing we often forget to do is pay bills. This could mean losing your car, not to mention your credit rating. Or, you might forget to buy groceries and have nothing in the house to eat when you get home late from work and are too exhausted to go back out. But the worst thing might be forgetting one of your children's birthdays. None of us what to hurt our kids. So, what's the deal? How can you make sure that you remember important things?
If you're at a desk all day, get some computer software to help you. I use a program called Time & Chaos, which works really well for me. Microsoft Outlook works well, too, and each program has alarms that you can set to remind you when things need to happen. But if you feel that you just have to write things down, get yourself a desk pad calendar. It's hard to miss things that are right in front of you. Yet, you may still have to set alarms to remind you to do things. It all depends on your personal bran of ADD.
Of course, those systems won't work if you aren't at a desk all day. In that case, get yourself a big white board calendar that you can write on and erase. Use it to set up recurring and important tasks, like going to the dry cleaners, taking medication, or even dusting. Be sure to go to your white board first thing every single morning, after brushing your teeth, so that you can see what the day holds in store for you. Make it a routine, just as is combing your hair and putting your clothes on. Then, go back to the white board in the evening, after dinner, and be sure that you've completed your tasks for that day. If not, and there's still time, finish them, or move them into the next day. Just don't reschedule things too often, or you'll find yourself trying to get too much done at the end of the month where all the tasks moved forward will accumulate.
This system will only work, if you don't try to do too much in one day. Try to plan things in advance so that you're not putting out fires, but taking care of things in ways that seem smooth and in balance. Setting up too much for yourself that you won't accomplish will only lead to feeling bad about yourself because of the system's failure, and who needs that?
Try to schedule only one or two tasks per day, if possible. That way you won't look at the white board or calendar, be overwhelmed, and get nothing accomplished. Doing a little every day works much better for ADD people than trying to do a lot. Remember that ADD can be conquered, if you put systems in place to ease the burden. Let ADD systems like these put you on the right track. They can be the difference between success and failure.
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Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) in the Family - By: Jennifer Koretsky
As you may know, experts suspect that ADD is genetic. So if one person in your family has ADD, chances are at least one other person does, too!
When you live in a household with more than one ADDer, you often have double the stress, double the overwhelm, and double the chaos! The challenges are even more complicated by the fact that while ADD has some common symptoms and challenges, no two people are alike.
Fortunately, there are some very basic and simple strategies that you can employ to ensure that your ADD household runs smoothly. And these strategies will work if you're the only ADDer in your home, or if you're surrounded by other ADDers!
1. Keep individual stress levels down.
The more stressed out you are, the harder it is to manage your ADD challenges. Time management, organization, focus, and other challenges become more difficult than ever to control successfully. Consequently, the more stressed out individual family members are, the more difficult it becomes to live with them!
Stress management needs to be a priority for everyone in the home, and that includes non-ADDers, too!
2. Focus on individual strengths.
Everyone has strengths, and everyone has weaknesses. ADDers respond much better to praise than criticism. Acknowledgement of strengths increases self-esteem and provides energy and motivation to continue building on success.
It's human nature to respond positively to praise, as opposed to criticism. If you spend a lot of time and energy dwelling on your shortcomings or your child’s, then everyone in the family is being deprived of time that could be spent enjoying natural strengths and talents.
So shower everyone in the household with praise and recognition to create a happy and positive environment!
3. Create structure.
Kids tend to need more structure than adults, but everyone in the household can benefit from some predictability. Structure (in all areas of life) is often difficult for ADDers to set up and maintain.
But creating structure does not have to be an overwhelming task. Structure in the form of bedtime routines, meal schedules, and fun time can do wonders for adults with ADD who often need a little more help slowing down. And non-ADDers will appreciate knowing when they can count on enjoying some time with their ADDers!
ADD families need not be stressed out and frantic. With some patience and a little work, the home environment can transform from chaos to calm!
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ADD - Assignment Mapping - By: Tellman H. Knudson
If you have ADD, you probably have run into the cloudy communications problem more than once. Your ADD brain is just cranking at the speed of light, and what may seem perfectly right to you, may make other people step back and go, "Huh?" Though you think they get it, they don't and miscommunication like that can cause lots of trouble. How do you change that?
When you're asking for something, do you say, "Give me that, please," and point to the kitchen counter, which is laden with all number of things? Which "that," did you mean? The bread? The spatula? The toaster? You see? It can be any that, and people have no idea which one. But if you say, hand me the fork on the counter, please, that makes a big difference, providing there is only one fork on the counter. But being specific about things is so much better than vagary. You won't be frustrated because the other person doesn't understand, and they won't be questioning what "that" is.
ADD doesn't allow us to be great communicators. What we see as crystal clear might not be so transparent to others, and this can be especially dangerous at work--at work with a responsibility that you need to delegate. Making things perfectly clear before the employee goes off and does what you need done will make a project work because you're both clear on the idea.
But what if you neglect to do this? What if you have this huge project due? You have a deadline. So, you ask someone to help you to prepare a report to include in the project. But, you don't tell them that you need it in Microsoft Excel so that it will easily integrate with your Power Point presentation. So, they go off and prepare the report in another spreadsheet that's not compatible. Then, what? Always ask others to repeat the process back to you so that you make sure you're both on the same page.
Anytime you need someone else to do something for you, you need to step back and pretend you're stupid. Pretend that you need every step of the process and start writing a system down for making what you need done work. When you've finished, look it over and be sure it's exactly what you want. If you skimp on the time to do this, and the other person doesn't bring back the expected results, you have only yourself to blame. Try making a mind map or just write things out so that you can give it to the other person. This will solve many ADD miscommunication issues.
Most of us learn to deal with ADD along the way, whether we've been diagnosed or not. Sometimes, all it takes is slowing down a little and taking some extra care that will pay off in the long run. Try to realize that linear-thinking people don't see the big picture like we do. Give others step-by-step systems to follow when delegating and you'll have an easier life.
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Essential Fatty Acids and ADHD - By: Anthony Kane MD
There has been a lot of talk in the world lately about the role of fatty acids in health. Just to clear the air a little bit, I want to discuss briefly what fatty acids are and how they function.
Fats are made up of several different classes of fatty acids. Three types of fatty acids occur naturally.
The first class is the saturated fatty acids, which can be divided further into short, medium, and long-chain fatty acids. The second class is the monounsaturated fatty acids. The third class is the polyunsaturated fatty acids.
There is a fourth class called trans-fatty acids, which for the most part do not occur in nature. These are unsaturated fatty acids that have been chemically altered by food manufacturers in order to increase the shelf life of fat-containing products. This is what is produced when the manufacturer makes partially hydrogenated oils.
Trans-fatty acids are shaped differently than their natural counterparts. This means that when the body incorporates them into body structures, they change the shape of that structure and do not function as well as their natural counterpart.
In the last forty years, there has been a tremendous amount of misinformation published about the role of fats in health. It is impossible to go over all the information at this time. To summarize briefly, probably everything you have ever heard about the dangers of saturated fat and dietary cholesterol is completely wrong.
However, almost all of the ills that have been attributed to saturated fat and dietary cholesterol are in fact caused by dietary trans-fatty acids. Sure this is a sweeping generalization. Unfortunately, this is a surprisingly accurate picture.
How did all this misinformation happen?
It is actually a result of a very successful 40-year marketing campaign conducted by the commercial food industry. Lest you get the impression that I am a bleeding-heart liberal anti-establishment organic vegetarian health food fanatic freak (when actually I am not even a registered Democrat), you have to understand what happened.
If you check the processed foods in your house, you will find that almost all of them contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils. The commercial food industry runs on partially hydrogenated vegetable oils. They do this because these oils do not go bad.
Regular vegetable oil goes bad very quickly. However, hydrogenated vegetable oil doesn’t go bad. Therefore, in order to give processed foods a long shelf life, the food industry uses hydrogenated vegetable oil. Without them, most foods would have a shelf life of only a few days.
How did the industry go about promoting the use of hydrogenated vegetable oils?
When these oils first came out there were a few initial favorable studies that also condemned the evils of saturated fats. Armed with these studies, the commercial oil industry launched a campaign to promote vegetable oils as healthy.
The results were that saturated fats from animals and cholesterol were identified as bad while polyunsaturated oils were marked good. The partial hydrogenation/trans-fatty acid issue was swept under the table.
Now, forty years later, with the increase of obesity and chronic disease, we are beginning to realize that the real culprit is the trans-fatty acids provided by the commercial food industry.
Essential Fatty Acids
There are two essential fatty acids, linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid. They are classified as omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, respectively. The body needs these fatty acids, but is unable to manufacture them. They can only be obtained through diet.
The minimum amount of linoleic acid thought to be required is 2-3% of the daily caloric intake. The minimum amount of alpha-linolenic acid required is .5-1.5% of the daily caloric intake.
There are other conditionally essential fatty acids that the body can make. However, there are a number of interfering factors, such as foods, health conditions or genetic dispositions, which make these fatty acids dietary essentials for some people.
The conditionally essential fatty acids include gamma-linolenic acid, arachidonic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, and docosahexaenoic acid.
Essential and conditionally essential fatty acids play a vital role in the body. They are chemical precursors to a number of hormone regulators, called prostaglandins. These, along with other fats, make up the structural matrix of every cell in the body.
Cell membranes are made primarily of lipids. Dietary fat is essential for proper absorption of certain vitamins and other nutrients.
Fatty acids are a structural component of all brain cells, the blood-brain barrier, and the myelin sheath that wraps around nerves. All cell membranes, including nerve cell membranes, are composed of phospholipids, which contain large amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Fatty acids help with nerve transmission. They are necessary for proper growth and are the basic building blocks of the prostaglandins that are essential for normal brain function. The brain is 25% fat. Much of this fat is in the form of essential fatty acids.
Essential Fatty Acid Deficiencies
So, why do we need to know all this? It is important to realize that the average person is deficient in essential fatty acids.
It is also known that there is a relationship between brain function, mental health, and fatty acid intake. Depression is clearly related to fatty acid deficiencies. Low cholesterol is a risk factor for suicide.
Since fatty acid deficiency plays a significant role in other psychiatric conditions, it was thought that it might be involved in ADHD.
There is good reason to suspect this. Symptoms of fatty acid deficiency include eczema, dry skin, asthma, thirst, frequent urination, and allergies. It just so happens that all of these symptoms are common in ADHD children. Also, males need more fatty acids than females. There is a 3:1 male to female ratio in ADHD.
Therefore, it was thought there might be a relationship between fatty acid deficiency and ADHD. Many studies have been conducted, and the results do show that there is such a relationship in certain areas of ADHD children.
Studies show that children who have deficiencies in omega-3 have more behavioral, learning, and health problems than do normal children. It is interesting to note that children with low levels of omega-6 fatty acids do not have these problems. They do, however, have more colds and used antibiotic more frequently than their normal peers.
Does Giving Essential Fatty Acid Supplements Help in ADHD?
This really is the question. Can we use essential fatty acids to treat our ADHD children? This question has been studied extensively.
Though there is some disagreement among researchers the bulk of the evidence seems to indicate that fatty acid supplementation will not help relieve ADHD.
Does that mean that you should not give your ADHD child essential fatty acids supplements?
It depends. If your child has any of the symptoms of fatty acid deficiency, such as eczema, dry skin, asthma, thirst, frequent urination, or allergies then I think it is worth a try.
You may not see a big improvement in his ADHD, but you probably will see significant improvement in his other symptoms, particularly eczema and asthma. You certainly will not harm your ADHD child, or for that matter your other children, by giving extra essential fatty acids.
One thing I would stress is that you do not try to limit your child’s dietary intake of healthy fats.
Remember what I wrote earlier about trans-fatty acids and hydrogenated oils. Your children should avoid them and you should avoid them.
You should feed your children enough of eggs and give them whole milk rather than skim to drink. Even though there has been a lot of bad press about saturated fat and cholesterol in these products, it is becoming clear that most of this information was incorrect.
Your child needs healthy fats for the proper development of his brain. You should make sure he gets what he needs.
Conclusion
There are numerous other nutritional modalities that do make a difference both in ADHD and in general health.
As I said earlier, I am unable to deal adequately with the other nutritional modalities that would help so many children with ADHD. You should realize, however, ADHD children suffer from nutritional deficiencies more than other children, and it is likely that these deficiencies have a lot to do with why they have ADHD.
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ADD Distractions? Why Lose Them? - By: Tellman H. Knudson
"I want to get rid of these distractions!" I hear that from other ADD people often, but let me ask you, "Why?" I mean, what would you accomplish without the ADD distractions? How would that help you?
People often tell us, "OK. Focus on one thing." Well, that's never going to happen, is it? But we still have these feelings of anxiety and frustration and we feel as if we're constantly being driven to the next thing. We sometimes feel bad about ourselves because of this, and it's much worse when we're trying to accomplish some very specific things. We might be wanting to grow our businesses and make more money, or we're having trouble in relationships and we want to improve them, but whatever the situation, when it's all said and done...
You can still do those things! And you don't have to be focused. People that have no distractions, who are very focused in life, might not be getting where they want to go in life, either. They've pigeon-holed themselves in a world of boredom. ADD people can't live like that. Nobody should live like that!
Here's the deal... If you want to get rid of the distractions, things like housework or cooking or paying the bills, just so you can make more money, get somebody else to do the things that you don't want to do. You can figure out a way to stop being distracted by unimportant things and move forward. You can actually use the ADD distractions and your ADD creativity to help you. Like, maybe your neighbor is an accountant and likes to mess with numbers. Barter. Tell him that you'll paint a mural on his bedroom wall or that you'll take his cleaning to the dry cleaner for 6 months. Or whatever. Make a deal and get the thing you want done by just can't drive yourself to do--by someone else.
Distractions aren't inherently bad. We move through life at the speed of sound, and we need to be aware of all the things going on around us. We need to be distracted. Cluttered houses and cooking aren't that important to us. Delegate these responsibilities and concentrate on the distractions that will help you to get where you want to be. Decide what will move your business forward and hyperfocus on those things, not on unimportant things like cooking and cleaning.
If you can't afford to pay for services, then, make trades. ADD distractions don't have to be an issue, and you can find ways to use them to your highest advantage. You just have to use your ADD creativity. You'll be amazed at how pleased people will be to do the things you hate so that they don't have to do something that they don't like to do. Sit down together and write lists of all the things you hate to do and see where there are matches. When you come up with a match, it will be a win-win situation, and everyone will come away happy. Try it. See if it doesn't take some of the boredom out of your life so that you have lots and lots of time to be distracted and use it!
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ADD: Ways To Stop Impulsivity And Spending - By: Tellman H. Knudson
When you have attention deficit disorder (ADD), you may not be a great money manager, but even worse, you may have issues with your ADD impulsivity and spending. When that happens, it doesn't matter if you have 300 video games, you probably want another one the minute it appeals to you. That's your ADD talking.
This can stop, and it should. You're probably letting your ADD impulsivity drag you in directions that aren't good for you. High credit card balances, not enough money to make the monthly payments, and your credit rating goes downhill in a hurry. Just one late payment to a credit card company can lower your credit score by 20 points. If you miss a car payment, you can lose 100 points, so keep this in mind.
Start by cutting up your credit cards. Get some scissors and just start hacking away at them until they're in tiny pieces. They were never intended for small purchases, though you've been known to use them for buying a pack of gum. You don't need them! And write to or call your creditors and close your accounts. That way, you won't be tempted next time a new card arrives in the mail.
But be sure to keep one credit card for emergencies. Like, if you need a root canal and you have no dental insurance, you may need to use a credit card to get the job done without paying some very high interest. But keep your emergency card in a safe deposit box at the bank, where you can't get to it so easily. It's much harder driving to the bank and getting someone to open the vault than it is to grab it out of your wallet.
Forget carrying big wads of cash around, too. That's just an invitation for your impulsivity to make you buy something you don't really need. If you're a debit card user, that's great, as long as it doesn't give you access to all the money you have in the bank. Have a separate account just for spending and maintain a low balance. When the money runs out, your purchasing power is nil. Don't be tempted by transfers in online banking, either. The system won't work.
Yet, if these suggestions don't work for you, and you're still buying, what you're experiencing may not be impulsivity but obsession, then you should see a doctor. You could have OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder), in addition to or instead of ADD. You won't be able to help yourself to stop buying every time your eyes light up.
But if you're just dealing with that old ADD impulsivity, you can also try T. Harv Eker's 7 bank account system from Secrets of the Millionaire Mind. You create 7 bank accounts that hold funding for taxes, necessities, education, gifts, financial freedom, long-term savings, and play. You're obligated to spend all the money in your play account each month, which means you can still get things you want and not feel guilty. It's a great way to start!
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Why Structure is So Important for Adults with ADD - By: Jennifer Koretsky
Many adults with attention deficit disorder (ADD) struggle with the same challenges. One of the biggest challenges faced by ADD adults is creating and implementing structure in their lives.
Life without structure can be chaotic and overwhelming. As an adult with ADD, you probably don't need rigid structure, but some general guidelines to help order your day, your week, or even your month.
When you find structure that works for you and you stick to it, structure takes the pressure off. It allows you to go through your day without having to make too many decisions about what to do or when.
So if structure is so helpful for adults with ADD, why is it so difficult for us to create it for ourselves? Well, when you have a tendency to become overwhelmed with the details of day-to-day life in the way that adults with ADD so often do, creating structure is a skill that doesn't come easily. It must be learned, often in adulthood.
And, as with learning any skill, the best way to build structure into your life is to do it slowly. I suggest starting with a bedtime routine. In this case, it's easiest to work backwards:
1. Determine the best time for you to go to sleep each night. Choose a time that will allow you to get a full night's rest. Let's use an example to demonstrate, and say 11:00pm.
2. Next, take some time to "get ready for bed." That might mean brushing your teeth, getting your clothes ready for the next day, taking medications, or whatever it is that you do before you go to sleep. If these activities take about 15 minutes, then you would begin getting ready for bed at 10:45pm.
3. Finally, pick a few "wind down" activities that will help you relax and de-stress. This might include taking a bath, reading, meditating, journaling, or even watching television--provided the shows you choose aren't intense. Spend about an hour winding down and allowing your brain to slow down so that it's not racing when you're trying to fall asleep. In the example provided here, you would start winding down around 9:45 or 10:00pm.
Note: Whatever activities you choose to wind down, make sure they don't involve the computer! Nothing will wake up the ADD brain faster than email or the Internet.
After you build structure into your evening and find yourself comfortably sticking to it, you can begin to build more structure into your day. Until then, bedtime is a great place to start!
And don't be discouraged if it takes a while to make this routine stick. You may need to tweak the times and activities to suit you, and you may experience some trial and error along the way.
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How To Keep It Together When You Have ADD - By: Tellman H. Knudson
When you have ADD, one thing you're probably not great at is keeping your living space together. You might have piles of stuff everywhere, including laundry, which is all over the floor of the bedroom. We know what we need to do, but just can bring ourselves to do stuff that's boring. Looking around at the mess can get a little depressing.
Just remember that you're not the only one with these issues. All ADD people have the same stuff to deal with. We just hate being bored, and cleaning and straightening bore us to death. That's just how it is. There are so many more interesting and fun things to do in life that we just don't worry about that kind of thing, but we really do want more ordered life. How can we get it?
ADD-friendly systems can help you. Try doing one load of laundry a day, for example. It's much easier to put one dryer load of clothes away than 7 at one time.
You can clean the same way. Do one chore each day, like sweep one day, dust the next. And leave the huge jobs, like window cleaning for somebody else. Pay them. It's pretty inexpensive, and it's better than never having it done at all.
But if this system doesn't fit with your ADD, try thinking of big jobs in chunks. Like, clean off the kitchen counter. Then, go to the refrigerator and throw old food that you don't recognize away. Then, empty the trash. Then, worry about the kitchen table. Do things one area at a time.
Maybe the best way for you will be doing the boring stuff 10 minutes at a time. Do some straightening or cleaning for 10 minutes and then, do something you like to do for 50 minutes. Then, start over again. You'll be amazed at what you can get accomplished with this routine.
Everyone with ADD has real approach-avoidance issues over doing boring things. We want a neat, organized place to live, but just can't bring ourselves to do what we need to do to have things that way. Try one of these systems, one you think will fit in with your personal brand of ADD. If it doesn't work well, try another. Nothing says that you can't have things the way you want them to be. You just have to find a system that suits you.
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ADD: Emotional Issues Rear Up Early - By: Tellman H. Knudson
How kids interact with other kids around them is one indicator of how well they will develop in life. Some will do well, and others will continue to struggle throughout adulthood. But if they have ADD, they will probably have trouble making friends or be outright rejected by their classmates when they're very young. If you don't recognize the signs, these ADD kids will often have the most trouble as they grow into adulthood.
Trouble with peers often shows itself early because some kids with ADD lack control in the classroom. This irritates the kids around them, just as much as it annoys the teacher. The ADD kid often requires more of the teacher's attention, making the other kids feel slighted, and they see this child as the "bad" kid in the classroom. This is especially true in the early grades when kids are forming relationships and becoming part of a group. The child with attention deficit is left out because they aren't like the other kids in the group.
Social skills training can be very helpful if provided when these problems appear. If your child is ADD, you may find that he or she will do much better with a little guidance. Social skills training teaches them specific ways to make and keep friends, and the counseling includes help with conversational skills, ways to manage conflict, becoming part of a group, and managing anger.
Yet, not all kids with attention deficit are so easily recognized. Without the hyperactivity component, the child may not be seen as having ADD until he or she is older. This can happen as late as middle school. They aren't usually behavior problems and can usually get by in elementary school when the academics are less demanding. People with attention deficit tend to be highly intelligent, and can make it through the early grades with minimal trouble. But as they move into higher elementary grades and middle school, they get more homework, have multiple teachers, and that's when the struggle begins.
Because their performance level has changed, these kids are often labeled "lazy." This can make them lose their motivation and the whole thing spills even further into their social lives. Their self-esteem drops rapidly and nobody understands what's wrong. They tend to feel very alone and very much like losers.
But they aren't losers! They have ADD, and parents need to be aware of what's going on in their children's lives. Parents can't smooth out every bump in the road, but if you see your child struggling to make friends and having trouble in the classroom early on, attention deficit could be the issue. Get a proper diagnosis and some social skills training to help them. If they're older and you realize that their schoolwork is suffering, they may have been having attention deficit issues all along. Get them help for their ADD and the help they need to make it through school. Remember, they're probably very smart and can do the work. You just have to get them the help they need to pay attention.
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Parents Say 'No More' To Zombies! - By: Judi Lynn Lake
I just dropped off the last of my daughter's girlfriends from a very busy play-date. Knowing the typical 'attitude' of a 7-year-old girl, I should have limited the amount of children for the day, but I didn't and, therefore, had a very challenging, exhausting day.
Lauren was jealous of Meagan and 'pouted' most of the time. Kayla wanted to play one thing, Laura another and Shelley just sat there in a daze.... Finally, after a number of 'time-out', I decided to pack all five of them in the car and took them to the movies.
And, I thank God for 'Shrek III' it truly saved my sanity and, actually, was a great movie.
Don't get me wrong, the girls are really good girls, but, like adults, have their own personalities. Similar to planning a party, some personalities mix better than others. Four strong personalities together for an entire day are bound to clash. Add to that an extremely shy, reserved personality and the result spells: d-i-s-a-s-t-e-r.
Two of the girls attend the same private school as my daughter. The other two attend public school but that is where their differences end. They all love Hannah Montanna, Spongebob, and roller-blading. They all come from good God-fearing homes, love each other dearly and, most importantly, are only seven-years old.
Yes, they are only children and need to be just that: children.
Delightful as they are, children need to be taught and guided. With love and affirmation there also needs to be boundaries, guidelines and, yes, sometimes punishment. Children need to understand that there are consequences with bad behavior. Children should not and cannot raise themselves. Children need adults who are willing to 'put in the time' to teach and guide them toward adulthood.
In the same breath, children should not be suppressed. Within every child is incredible uniqueness that deserves to be developed. It is unfair for adults to expect a child to develop into a clone of himself or herself. Children have their own personalities and we haven't a right to rob them of their individuality.
Yet we rob our children daily through the very thing that most of us are against: drugs.
Before I placed my daughter in a private school, about 60% of the children in her public school were diagnosed with either ADHD or ADD, including my daughter.
Within my daughter's first month of kindergarten, the school's psychologist had contacted me for an emergency meeting. What I learned within that meeting not only startled me but also frightened me. Due to the fact that my daughter has an extremely active and creative imagination, the psychologist felt it best that Laura begin weekly counseling as well as be put on Ritalin.
Huh? I thought my Laura was a pretty well adjusted child--actually a lot more intelligent than I was at her age and now they are telling me something is wrong with my baby? How can this be? What is the problem?
The 'problem', I soon discovered, was that my Laura's imagination was more advanced than the school felt was appropriate. Apparently, my daughter was asked to share a fictitious story with her class, which she did. The 'problem' began when her story included 'a trip to Paris where she and mommy were walking on a cobblestone street and met famous painters and poets and learned about their lives'. And that was the 'problem'?
Within one week I took my daughter out of that school and put her in the private school she presently attends. Ironically, everything has been fine and my daughter has remained on the honor roll. Furthermore, much to my satisfaction, Laura is affirmed for her imagination and creativity.
Sadly, however, I have spoken with many other mothers who have succumbed to the system and, unfortunately, their children have become zombies.
The school called one mother because her daughter is too shy, another because the child doesn't follow instructions well enough and another because the child misses 'mommy' too much. The list goes on but the result is always the same: put the child on drugs.
The eyes betray these children. Compare a child on Ritalin to that of one who is not and within the Ritalin child you will see emptiness and apathy. Shyness is not an excuse to put anyone on drugs and aggression should be handled with discipline yet we 'are not allowed'to discipline our children. We 'cannot punish' our children and more and more children are gaining the control over their parents. Why?
Because, unfortunately, some parents have given away their rights unknowingly.
I have recently read that Dr. Robert Spitzer, the psychiatrist who had identified ADD in the '70s and '80s, has admitted that many children are not ill at all and have been misdiagnosed.
Dr Spitzer, professor of psychiatry at Columbia University in New York, now says the classification led to many people being diagnosed as medically disordered when their mood swings and behavior were simply normal feelings of happiness and sadness. In a BBC2 documentary series 'he Trap', which airs this Sunday, Dr. Spitzer states that between 20 and 30 per cent of mental disorder diagnoses may be incorrect.
Huh? Is that right. Since his initial diagnosis, thousands upon thousands have been diagnosed with ADD, poor attention ability, and ADHD, the element of hyperactivity as early as five years of age. The drug most often prescribed to these children is Ritalin.
'By and large the treatments for these disorders don't have serious side effects,' Dr. Spitzer further explained. 'I mean, some do, [have serious side effects] but they're not that serious, whereas the failure to treat can often be very hard on the child and on the family.' He acknowledged that some parents put pressure on doctors to diagnose ADHD and obsessive-compulsive disorder, and prescribe drugs.
'We don't know to what extent that's been happening inappropriately,' he added.
Obviously, I am not a psychiatrist but I am a parent who knows that parenting is not an easy job. True is the clich that, unfortunately, 'there are no manuals for raising a child' but there is instinct and there is parental judgment.
Although mental illness is a reality for some, I believe that there is such a thing as becoming over-educated and that 'getting back to basics' is what our children really need. I believe that with less time in front of television and more communication and fresh air our children will benefit tremendously. I believe that parenting should happen within the homes and that academics should be taught in the schools. I believe that parents should regain their rights for the future of our children and the future of our society.
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ADD - It's Not Real? - By: Tellman H. Knudson
A British physician in the early twentieth century first discovered attention deficit disorder. But it's only since the 1980's that ADD has been noticed by the general population. If you're over 30, you may have experienced the symptoms of attention deficit all your life, but didn't realize that's what the issue was, until you were an adult. You may have been labeled disorganized, lazy, and flat-out "flaky" by others, and when you finally realize that you probably have attention deficit, you could get some negative reaction from the people around you, who don't believe that ADD exists, and this may anger and hurt you.
Attention deficit information is widely available today, and studies showing that it may be caused by differences in the brain. Yet, many people still choose to see attention deficit as a fantasy disorder. With the number of kids who are diagnosed ADD by teachers, pediatricians, or general practitioners who quickly hand out meds, rather than send kids for proper diagnosis, this is understandable. Many of these kids may need parents with better skills, but more of them may have issues related to, but not, ADD, like Asperger's syndrome or Bi-Polar disorder. With all the mis-diagnosing and medicating going on around the country, is it any wonder that people would be skeptical?
But you can help the situation when friends give you a negative reaction. Educate them. Find some great stuff online or in books and show them why the symptoms relate to you. Tell them that ADD can be a blessing, rather than a curse. You're smart, you're creative, you can solve problems and you think at the speed of sound. Explain how much they're hurting you by not taking your realization of attention deficit seriously.
Yet, if none of those things help the situation, you may want to re-think your friendship. Of course, if the person is a close relation, you can't really solve the issue completely. If it's a friend, why spend time with someone who can't understand what you're going through? Anyone who won't help you to work around or within the boundaries of attention deficit may not be people you want to associate yourself with anyway. Find people who can be sympathetic and move on.
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When Women Have Adult ADD - By: Tellman Knudson
Did you only find out that you had ADD because you took one of your children for diagnosis? It's true that ADD seems to have genetic tendency, and if this is true for you, you may have tended toward blaming yourself for your child's ADD. That attitude can depress you. On the other hand, did you feel slightly relieved that you could finally put a name to what you'd been feeling all your life? Try to put negative feelings aside, and focus on working with your own ADD strengths and weaknesses. The process of doing this may help you with the bad feelings, because you'll be taking positive action that leads to ADD success---not just for you, but for your child, as well.
When you're married with a family, you may find that ADD tendencies make life stressful. American households have traditionally been the responsibility of the woman to organize, though things are changing. But when you're it, and you can't quite meet up to the societal pressures, feelings of guilt may also enter the picture. This whole scenario is compounded when you work outside your home.
Here are some ideas to help you:
Business, just by its very nature has certain structures, and if you have ADD, this probably helps you because you know what to expect next. But at home, this is totally not the case, unless you make it so. Try to make some simple scheduling there, and especially if you work outside your home, it will tend to make your home life less overwhelming.
Delegate some of that housework to your partner, if they don't already chip in and do some of it for you. If your kids are at least 5, you can give them simple chores to do, too, like setting the table. Don't feel guilty about making your kids work, either. They need to have a way to learn responsibility. They also need to learn the value of money, and if you give them an allowance for the work they do, you'll be accomplishing three things: You're alleviating some of your own burden, you're teaching your kids responsibility, and you're also teaching them the value of money.
Then, decide what you're still totally responsible for handling, and schedule those tasks in. For instance, on Monday, do the vacuuming. On Tuesday, maybe it's the grocery store. Wednesday might be laundry day or whatever. Get some kind of planner that you always have access to, and write it all down or use some electronic version that will schedule repeat tasks automatically. But when you see all these things in writing, suddenly, they don't seem so daunting. Plus, you won't have to worry that you forgot to do something because it will be right there, in front of you.
Waking up and going to bed at around the same time every day may be helpful, too. Eat your main meals at the same time every day. Do things with your kids at the same time every day and so on. Though not everything in life should be structured, having a loose idea of what's going on during the day will make you feel more secure. And if you work outside your home, try having "nights," like "pizza night," "fun night," and "learning night," or something like that. It will help you to know what to do when you're too tired to figure something out.
Be particularly aware if you have ADD bouts of temper. When things get really hectic, be careful that you don't take it out on your kids. Things can get crazy at times like dinner when you're trying to prepare a meal and the kids get into some mischief with the TV blaring and the cat trying to trip your every step. Don't let it totally frustrate you and make you want to explode!
Recognize times when the kids get to be too much for you, like when you're trying to concentrate on cooking a meal, especially when you're tired from working all day. Distractions can be extremely frustrating. Ask your partner to watch the children for you and to keep them out from under foot while you're cooking, if possible. Or don't cook! Getting someone else to do it for you. Having food catered in may not be as expensive as you think when you consider that you don't have to spend time shopping, paying for the food, and cooking it, too.
Yet, if you love to cook, or you just can't afford to eat out a lot or to have meals catered in, why not prepare them when the kids are at school and keep the food in the refrigerator or freezer until just before dinner? Or, if you're a single parent, what about hiring a babysitter just to watch the kids while you're doing something as complicated as preparing a good meal? You can make an ADD-friendly system that will work for any circumstance on any budget.
But above all, put yourself in "time out," when you know that your feelings are getting out of control. Just walk away from the situation for a few minutes, if you can, until you're able to put things back into perspective. Huge emotional baths are not something that will solve your feelings of frustration. They'll only enhance your guilt.
Women with ADD are also in danger of becoming substance abusers, and hide their dependencies from other people. This is a form of self-medication, hoping that whatever they're abusing--alcohol, cigarettes, marijuana, painkillers, etc., will stop the symptoms of ADD. If you're one of these women, seek the help of a medical professional right away. There are any number of things you can do to ease your condition, without destroying yourself and your family.
The first thing you need to do is to stop blaming yourself. You didn't ask to have ADD, and when you start looking at it as an advantage due to your high intelligence, your intense creativity, and your ability to hyperfocus on things, you'll feel much happier. Awaken to the possibilities of ADD; don't look at it like a "disorder."
Having ADD isn't something to be depressed about. It's something that makes you very special, but it can interfere with your life if you don't make some adjustments. Once you learn that you have ADD, the first step should be discovering your strengths and weaknesses and finding a way to use your strength to compensate for the weakness, or develop ADD-friendly systems to help you. You may need to seek professional help to do this. Don't be afraid to ask for what you need. That's the first step on your road to self-esteem and greater peace of mind.
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Add And 10 Tips To Help You Live With It - By: Tellman H. Knudson
Have you gone through life uncomfortably? Have you had relationship issues? Career issues? Trouble with addictions? The signs and symptoms of what you may have experienced weren't readily evaluated by doctors until sometime in the 1980s, leaving those that grew up before wondering why they were having a hard time trying to cope. But don't feel bad when you learn that what you've had is ADD, just because it's labeled a "disorder." When you realize that attention deficit is what may have been your issue all along, it's probably going to be a moment of clarity and relief. But if you suspect attention deficit is your issue, then here are some great tips to help you:
1. Make sure you have a diagnosis. Though you can take some preliminary test online to see if it's attention deficit that's plaguing you, you won't know for sure until you see a professional. What you think is attention deficit could be something else.
2. When you're sure you have ADD, realize that it's not a bad thing. Did you know that there are scientists who have postulated that attention deficit could be the next evolution of the human brain? Shed the negative feelings you have about attention deficit because it really makes you awesome.
3. Support groups for attention deficit can be very helpful. You can share stories, insights, coping techniques, etc. that can really help you to move forward.
4. Understand that traditional jobs may not suit you. Think outside the box for jobs that are in the problem-solving, creative, or entrepreneurial arenas.
5. Use lists, alarms, notes, and color-coding to help you deal with keeping appointments, getting household chores done, buying groceries, or other things that you may forget.
6. Make use of deadlines to help you get things done. This will help you to combat ADD procrastination.
7. Dopamine levels in your brain might be lower than normal. Exercise can help you to boost the levels of dopamine and your ADD symptoms might lessen.
8. Be sure that the people you're around all the time understand that you have ADD and what that means. They won't be so quick to judge you for things you can't control.
9. When you have a huge project to do, chunk it down into a series of tasks. When you do this, you'll be less likely to avoid doing them.
10. Support other people with ADD. Teach them coping mechanisms that help you. Helping them will help you to feel good, too.
If you're new to ADD, these tips are just starters. Find more information on each of these ideas and you'll be better able to deal with your attention deficit, and the more you learn the more you'll realize that you're not alone.
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ADD: Feed Your Head - By: Tellman H. Knudson
In a British study, scientists found that 80% of participants had a significant change in their mood disorders, which included depression, anxiety, and even encompassed ADD, since mood disorder often goes along with attention deficit. Both refined sugar and caffeine were found to have negative effect, while nuts, fruits, vegetables, and fish were proven to be beneficial.
One positive factor in brain health was water. It's important for all of us to consume at least 64 ounces per day or more. Yet, caffeine was shown to have a negative effect, as was refined sugar. Non-diagnosed caffeine allergies were shown to cause misdiagnoses for ADD, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and even schizophrenia. Removing caffeine might be a good idea for an ADD person, but especially one who experiences depression or anxiety, as a first step toward a proper diagnosis.
Eating a healthy breakfast is the proper thing to do for your body, as well. People who eat breakfast have better memories and mental dexterity. You shouldn't try to tackle the day, unless your body has proper fuel. So, grab a banana or a cereal bar if you're rushing out the door to work. But ideally, you should be planning a meal around fruits and vegetables, and sitting down to eat them as a morning meal.
Fruit helps with getting enough vitamin C into your diet, and it can help you mentally. Your brain requires 15 times the amount of Vitamin C than your body needs for proper blood plasma levels. It can also control your mood and your ADD symptoms to some degree. Citrus fruits and strawberries are great for getting your vitamin C. Drink orange, pineapple, and grapefruit juices and you'll be on your way to getting the proper amount of that vitamin.
You can also fight depression and anxiety with the B vitamins--riboflavin, niacin, and B6, and they can be found in milk, yogurt, and dark green leafy veggies, like spinach. Boost your intake of vitamin B foods and you should find some improvement with those ADD-related issues.
Just remember that fresh foods are always better than processed foods, and steer clear of the freezer section in your supermarket. Though frozen, packaged food may be easier to prepare, it's better to go to the meat section where most supermarkets now have pre-prepared fresh meals and pop one of those into the oven. They're tastier, too!
And be sure that you're getting protein rich foods. They'll boost your levels of norepinephrine and dopamine. Since low dopamine levels have bee linked with ADD, this is something you need to remember. Eat some peanuts, unless you're allergic, or how about some cottage cheese and pineapple so you get a Vitamin C food in there, too. Or, grab a protein bar, if you're scurrying around during the day, or take some time for lunch and have tuna and a salad. All of these are easy to snatch and scarf.
Balancing your diet isn't just important for your body, but your brain, as well. Drink enough water. Eat foods rich in B and C vitamins and don't forget to eat lots of protein. Eat a mind-balanced diet, especially if you suffer from the added effects of ADD from depression or anxiety. If you aren't big on food preparation and can afford to pay, have someone cater the food in for you. It might be less expensive than you think, and it will make your brain happy. You could even see a reduction in your ADD symptoms, and that's one of the best benefits of all.
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ADD: Is Asperger's Syndrome Just A Form Of ADD? - By: Tellman H. Knudson
Though some members of the medical establishment may see Asperger's Syndrome as very similar to attention deficit disorder or even existing simultaneously in one person, but studies have found that ADD and Asperger's are quite dissimilar. Yet, there seems to be no agreement in the medical community over where the two disorders overlap or even if they coincide at all.
Whereas the outward appearance of some attention deficit symptoms may be identical to those exhibited in some people with Asperger's syndrome, what's going on inside them is quite different. Both types of people may speak too loudly or out of turn. Neither can regulate behavior. And both have problems dealing with society. But therein lies a very fundamental difference. Whereas people with ADD know what to do, they just forget to do it. People with Asperger's see the world as existing completely for them. They have no understanding of relationships as being two-sided.
Other dissimilarities aside from sociability arise, as well. People with Asperger's may mirror people with ADD in their disorganization and forgetfulness, but they're seemingly distracted by the crack in the glass because it's every bit as important to study as what the teacher in that classroom is writing on the blackboard. People with ADD are merely distracted by the crack. People with Asperger's tend to focus on insignificant matters and they don't understand rules. People with ADD may understand the rules, but have a hard time with self-control and remembering them and following them to the letter.
Asperger's can also take different forms. Those with the "fantasy" form can live in a world of their own construction. They make the rules in their world and everything happens just as it should. They can take on the persona of a movie or book character and act out their fictional lives, including the costuming.
But obsessive-compulsive Asperger's create a world of rules and rituals that they are obliged to follow. Though they may appear to be ADD distracted, they're actually obsessing on whether they remembered to brush their hair 100 strokes.
Because these two disorders have the outward appearance of being the same, it's impossible to diagnose until children are of school age and the societal issues begin to arise. They may have been diagnosed with attention deficit early on because of that, too. But when the Asperger's child begins to interact with other children, it soon becomes apparent that they don't understand that other people have feelings, motivations, and ideas unlike their own. People with attention deficit are totally different. Though they know it upsets the other kids to take their turn out of line, they can't stop themselves from doing it.
Getting a proper diagnosis of Asperger's syndrome takes a long time, and much trial and error. But with proper help, these children can function at a much higher level.
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Alternative Treatments for ADD and ADHD - By: Dr. Melanie Beingessner
If you or your child have been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), there are many alternatives to Ritalin or other mind-altering drugs for you and your family to choose. Mind-altering drugs should always be the last resort, as our children’s brains and nervous systems are growing and the negative influence of these drugs on brain and nervous system development are significant.
Symptoms of ADD and ADHD are: short attention spans, poor inhibitory control, restlessness, learning disabilities, disruptive behaviour, hyperactivity, excessive and often inappropriate motor activity, high levels of distractibility and impulsive behaviour, to name a few. The problem with ADD and ADHD are that the symptoms of these conditions can be caused by many different environmental allergies, essential fatty acid deficiencies or imbalances, vitamin or mineral deficiencies, low blood sugar or excess sugar consumption can cause the behaviours that indicate ADD or ADHD.
The simplest way to cure ADD and ADHD naturally is to look at improving the function of the nervous system and the digestive system.
Improving Nervous System Function
Chiropractic Care Makes A Big Difference
Chiropractors find that when children with ADD or ADHD are adjusted regularly, many of their symptoms will reduce in frequency and severity. Chiropractic adjustments help to optimize the function of the nervous system and allow the brain and body to be better able to communicate with each other. Children literally calm down and are able to sit and focus at the task on hand.
The reason why chiropractic care makes such a difference is that the brain is the master control of our bodies. Everything that we do is initiated by the brain, which sends nerve impulses to the body through our nerves. The vertebrae protect the spinal cord and allow movement, but they can become fixed (the chiropractic term is subluxated). These subluxated vertebrae can put pressure on the nerves as they exit the spine. This added pressure on the nerves can reduce the body’s ability to function. Chiropractic adjustments improve the movement of the vertebrae and help to take the pressure off the nerves as they exit from the spine. The brain is then able to communicate with the body more efficiently and the body functions with more precision.
Chiropractic adjustments are safe and effective treatment to help the joints of the spine move in a normal pattern of motion and improve nervous system function. Adjustments help children to grow with healthy, straight spines.
Brain Gym Helps Tremendously
If you were to ask a child with ADD or ADHD to place his (or her) right hand on his (or her) left knee, and then change hands and knees in an alternating pattern, chances are that he or she wouldn’t be able to do it easily. Children with ADD or ADHD typically have problems with cross patterning movements, as they do not feel comfortable crossing the midline of their bodies. This problem with crossing the body’s midline of the body is because the left and right sides of the brain do not fire in synchronicity and they do not communicate well with each other.
Brain Gym is a simple, yet effective way to help a child’s brain function as it should, coordinating the left and right sides of the brain. Brain Gym uses physical movements to help with right brain/left brain patterning. It helps the parts of the brain that aren’t firing properly to function as a whole, rather than as disorganized parts. Brain Gym makes a huge difference to children experiencing ADD or ADHD-like symptoms.
Improving Digestive System Function
Nutrition Plays A Big Role
When anyone eats, food is processed by the stomach, the pancreas and the liver to break down into food particles. These small particles of food cross the lining of the small intestine and enter the blood stream. It is thought that children with ADD and ADHD-like symptoms have a leaky gut, which means that the cells that line the intestines have spaces between them instead of being packed together tightly like healthy cells should. People with a leaky gut are letting bigger particles of food than are normally absorbed to pass through the spaces between the cells in the small intestines and into the blood stream. The result is that larger food particles are getting through into the blood stream and the body treats these food particles as foreign substances, which results in allergic reactions to the foods that the child is eating. The most common allergies for children with ADD and ADHD are dairy products, wheat, corn, yeast, soy, citrus, egg, chocolate and peanuts. Many children have difficulties with food colorings and additives to processes and packaged foods.
We find people experiencing ADD/ADHD are able to help heal the leaky gut by taking nutritional supplements designed especially for that purpose. If they also take digestive enzymes to help break down food particles into smaller bits, they heal more quickly.
It would also be important to look at the foods that the person is eating. Excessive sugar consumption, allergies or food intolerances to foods such as dairy or corn can cause ADD or ADHD symptoms. It is prudent to eliminate these foods from the diet slowly to see if they make a difference.
Putting It All Together
Healing a condition like ADD or ADHD takes time. The nervous system needs time to learn to communicate in an improved way. It takes time to be able to eliminate foods that trigger allergic reactions and to grow healthy cells to line the digestive system. You can find a chiropractor who is comfortable treating children. You can find a brain gym instructor close to you by visiting braingym.org. You can find supplements to heal a leaky gut and slowly eliminate trigger foods from the diet.
For more information on healing ADD/ADHD, you are welcome to visit my website.
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Attention Deficit Disorders - Symptoms, Causes & Solutions - By: Cheri L
By Cheri L. Florance, Ph.D.
Do you think you have an Attention Deficit Disorder? Did you know that there are different types of Attention Deficit Disoders and that is because people can suffer from deficits in attention due to a variety of causes. One cause is being a highly visual thinker. Perhaps, you can relate to this story---
On the first day of school, you hear your teacher say:
???? ????? ???????, ????? ?????, ??? ?? ?????? ????? ??????????? ?????? ? ????. ??? ????? ?? ???????? ???????? ?????? ??????.
Other students begin to write eagerly. They complete the task effortlessly. Not you, as how could you if you don’t understand what she is saying. You are trying to form a picture in your mind to understand but before you can the words are gone. You feel alone, frustrated, anxious, and angry. Nobody seems to appreciate that you have trouble paying attention, processing and writing all at the same time. Soon the teacher has given up on you. You DON’T PAY ATTENTION. Your Attention Deficit Disorder has made you lazy, not interested, unmotivated or slow. For a student with normal verbal skills, the steps that lead to understanding a lesson or a social interaction can be quite automatic. But in the case of a highly visual thinker, there can be serious handicaps-processing their native language can seem as strange to them as these Russian words. What is so isolating is that everyone else in the class knows that the words mean.
Attention Problems Can Create Despair
How we react can help create success or failure. Our misunderstanding of the cause of the problem can condemn a visual person to a life of humiliation and marginalization. Then what began as an attention deficit disorder (ADD) can quickly become problems with anxiety, frustration, anger, withdrawal or sleep.
Causes Of Attention Problems
Human attention is how we connect our sense organs, particularly, our eyes and ears, to the brain. Attention deficit disorders have a variety of causes including a language delay, a stroke or the psychiatric condition. However, there is another category of persons who suffer from attention disorders. These persons are highly visual or what I call the Maverick Minds, which I detail in my book Maverick Mind.
The Florance Maverick Min
I have devoted my life to research and treatment of Highly Visual Minds who have attention problems. They tend to have trouble socially or academically because visual thinking can become the enemy of verbal processing creating a multitude of symptoms in daily life. We measure these symptoms on our eBrain Analysis Of Risk, a 50 symptom inventory, a family history and a narrative interview. Visual thinkers with auditory attention problems are called Florance Mavericks. The symptoms of a language impaired Maverick and the psychiatric condition Attention Deficit Disorder can appear the same.
Solutions Begin At Home
David Satcher, MD, PhD, Assistant Secretary for Health and Surgeon General reported in 2001:“Growing numbers of children are suffering needlessly because the very institutions and systems that were created to take care of them are not meeting their emotional, behavioral, and developmental needs.” Satcher continued, “This begins with families. We need to help families understand that these problems are real, that they often can be prevented, and that effective training is available.”
New Insights Lead To Better Solutions
In my 37 years of practice, I have worked with attention disorders of the young and the elderly with preschoolers to medical students and executives. In my experience, when highly visual thinkers are correctly identified, they respond very rapidly. I work with families to teach attention skills at home and equip the parents to enable the children to transfer to school. We find that as parents learn new insights about how the human attention span works, they become excellent advocates for their children as well as good attention-trainers. We are teaching how to build the attention skills of the Maverick to prevent school failure and enhance the joy of communication.
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If It Weren’t For Add, We Might Not Have The Theory Of Relativity - By: Tellman H. Knudson
Were you a question machine when you were a kid? How come dogs can poop outside, but you won’t let me? Why do raspberries have seeds? How do you know for sure that Santa Claus is watching me every single day? Doesn’t he have more important things to do?
If you were lucky, your parents made up some kind of answer, if they didn’t know it already. But, more often than not, kids that ask a lot of questions are told to keep still. If you have ADD, this was probably you, and it probably made you feel weird because people just got so exasperated with all your questions.
I know I was just determined to figure out how things work--everything. My brain wouldn’t rest until I knew why things are the way they are.
With many kids, ADD doesn’t just go away when they grow up. So, ADD adults are still asking questions, wondering about everything from their job to their baby’s development. The whole thing about that is that our questions make other people uncomfortable. When we ask a whole bunch of questions, it just throws them off track. But we see things from so many different angles! Yet, because there are so many more linear-thinkers than adults with ADD, we’re the ones who feel out of place.
Why?
That’s because most people just hate to ask questions at all. They feel stupid, and get embarrassed. When we’re there asking tons of questions, it frustrates them and throws everything out of whack.
Yet, getting answers to questions that nobody else really thinks about can be very empowering. Not only are you able to spark new ideas that lead to bigger and better plans at the office, and you may get a million-dollar plan of your own. You need to take that idea and get started with it immediately! Right away, not sometime... Now.
So, what if it’s not a million-dollar idea, after all? What if it kind of sucks? Oh, well. Finish what you started anyway. Never put the first thing away because you’re already thinking about the second and third things that you want to work on.
Just don’t do it! Finish your first idea, and maybe use parts of the 2nd and 3rd ideas that work with what you’re already working on. You’ll have a gazillion more ideas after these, so don’t worry about losing just a couple. You really aren’t losing them at all. You’re using them to make your original project stronger.
Here’s the thing: Never stop asking questions, even when the people around you are fidgeting and uncomfortable. Then, be sure to implement your great idea, even if you find out later that it sucks. Trial and error is what it’s about, not trial and abandon.
Think about this: If it wasn’t for Einstein’s ADD, were would we be in the development of the theory of relativity?
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Treatment of ADD - By: Lac Tran
The treatment of attention deficit disorder (ADD) or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is often difficult because ADD symptoms vary so much that you wonder whether it is the same condition that two patients can have. Attention deficit disorder symptoms can be very aggressive on the one hand and very passive on the other and that is what makes the treatment of attention deficit disorder tough. What does tend to be common in all attention deficit disorder symptoms is the inability to sit still and concentrate. Is that all that it takes to diagnose and prescribe the treatment of ADD? How do doctors diagnose those who need ADD treatment? The American Psychiatric Association lists 14 attention deficit disorder symptoms out of which they say at least 8 need to be present before the case is diagnosed and the patient sent for treatment.
People suffering from attention deficit disorder don¡¯t like sitting for too long and are very easily distracted. They answer before they ought to and detest waiting in queues or waiting for an answer to their question. They tend not to finish what they are doing and leaving things half done, going on to something new. The treatment of attention deficit disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder needs to take into consideration that sufferers may not be aware about danger and will wander into something without thinking.
The main problem with the treatment of ADD is that sufferers get bored easily. If you have attention deficit disorder, you may even get bored with long courses of treatment of ADD even though you realize they need it desperately. One should take into consideration the fact that the neural co-ordination is not good so stimulation from external sources could distract you a great deal. The treatment of attention deficit disorder should be aware that the stimulation could be sound, visual or emotional. Treatment must also take into account that the feelings of frustration that come from having to tune these stimulation experiences down and pay attention to one idea.
What exactly is the cause of attention deficit disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder? Brain co-ordination could be impaired due to eating too much sugar which inhibits the brain responding to norepinephrine. Some people could be allergic to some substances, especially food colors, cow¡¯s milk, certain nuts, citrus fruits and tomatoes. Some people could be suffering from SAD or seasonal affective disorder and it is necessary to take care that treatment for attention deficit disorder symptoms is not started before it is established that the case has not been wrongly diagnosed. SAD could be caused due to a lack of sunlight. Other causes of ADD and ADHD that crop up are metal toxicity, poor nutrition and artificial flavors and preservatives. Soft drinks can also be a potential hazard as the phosphates they contain upset the calcium-phosphorus levels which exaggerate muscle activity.
Is there a natural remedy for attention deficit disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder? Fish oil, primrose oil and flaxseed oil are all very helpful in relieving attention deficit disorder symptoms. Supplements that contain a full, balanced, compliment of nutrients, antioxidants and vitamins are also recommended. Of course, all foods cooked in trans-fats and foods containing additives and colors are out, as also are foods that contain aspartame: shown to increase hyperactivity. The treatment of attention deficit disorder is as much one of exclusion as one of including foods and vitamins.
Though in the treatment of attention deficit disorder it is found that sufferers are usually children, there are instances of adult ADD as well. These people have trouble managing money and time and the condition can have disastrous effects at home and at work. They usually have a poor self-image and are very easily frustrated or bored. During the treatment of attention deficit disorder, it must be kept in mind that they need a bit of boosting where their self-esteem is concerned.
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Firefighter could conquer most anything--except bedwetting - By: Enuresis Treatment Center
February 1, 2007. Being a firefighter in New York City is not only a noble profession, but also an extremely dangerous one. It takes courage just to get through the training and prove to teammates that you can be counted on to hold up under the stress. Being young, single and female requires an extra measure of toughness on top of the courage. And 29-year-old Jennifer had plenty of both. Yet, this brave woman had a secret that kept her in a chronic state of anxiety and essentially isolated from the support and camaraderie of her fellow fire fighters. It was like being trapped in her own personal burning building. Jennifer, at 29, was a bedwetter.
When not conquering flames and savings lives, this courageous lady was waging a personal battle against her bedwetting condition. Doctors had finally stopped promising that she would “outgrow” the nightly bedwetting and daytime accidents. But none of their bed-wetting treatments had been effective—not medication, special diets or psychotherapy. Jennifer managed to become a kind of hero in her job, but as a woman, she felt empty. She longed to meet that special someone, and asked herself why she had not defeated bedwetting years ago—or at least outgrown it like the doctors had promised. But here she was, not even daring to go out on a date.
Just when Jennifer had reached a rock bottom state of hopelessness and wondered if she was going a little crazy, a friend with a 12 year-old daughter shared their family enuresis secret and an exciting Internet solution. Jennifer was skeptical at first. Was this going to be yet another empty promise for a cure? With nowhere else to turn, she contacted the Enuresis Treatment Center.
She learned that her problem might be due to an inherited sleep disorder, not a lack of self-control. Gaining confidence, she enrolled in the program and was assigned a personal counselor who really got to know Jennifer, her history and current situation. Jennifer used the telephone to communicate and a fax machine to report her progress. Her counselor gave her hope and confidence, and most of all—results! Jennifer’s path to taking charge of bedwetting began 18 months ago, and now it’s all in the past. Her bed is dry every morning, and she feels like her life has begun. With newfound confidence, she has forged friendships at work, created better relationships with her family and she has begun to date. The missing pieces of her life are coming together. This urban hero is finally putting out the flames of her own loneliness.
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ADD-Friendly Solutions for a Happier Work Environment - By: Stephanie Frank & Tellman Knudson
Do you have trouble at work? I mean, are you distracted, find it hard to sit still in one place for very long? Are you disorganized? Do you just find yourself very unhappy or even failing at the career you have chosen? If you have adult ADD, this scenario could easily be the case.
If you find the 9 to 5 routine impossible for you, don’t forget that you’re bringing a wealth of creativity and energy with you. Plus, you have that great laser hyperfocus ability to get what you enjoy doing done in a relatively rapid period of time. You might be great at talking to clients and selling, for instance, but your eyes might glaze over when it comes time to do the order form. Paperwork is just boring for you, and you just really, really hate to do it.
There is help! What you need is a job that can be ADD-friendly, a job that you can love and that can be enriched by the power of your ADD brain.
Running an entrepreneurial business is one way to solve the issue. Being your own boss, and running things the way you’d like them to run is ideal for someone with ADD. However, you may need to hire people to take care of the details. Though the issue is not one of self-sufficiency in all respects, having your own business is one way to be in control.
Other occupations that are fast-paced and always interesting might be good for adults with ADD. Firefighter, police officer, or EMS technician might be good choices. Or, what about stock trading, auctioneering, or working in a high-traffic restaurant? Any of these jobs might keep you interested, but you can really work at any job, once you have ADD symptoms under control. Plus, all jobs, regardless of their pace or complexity, have elements that are issues for adults with ADD.
Impulsivity can have you taking off on tangents, just because something other than what you’re supposed to be doing interests you. One major problem with ADD is that we try to do too much. Someone asks for another project to be done or task that needs accomplishing, and we say, "Of course, we can do that." Learn to hold back a little. Don’t overwhelm yourself, just because you want to try new things. But instead of overloading yourself, try to underload yourself. Do less than you think you can do. When you try to handle too much at once, you might make yourself much more unhappy in the long run. Besides, when you find yourself with free time, you can always work in other tasks as time permits, rather than making another ongoing committment.
Distractions can be another issue for adults with ADD. Set a timer to remind you to stay on task, or better yet, rotate the things you need to accomplish daily. For instance, do a task that you really love for 10 minutes, then take the next 10 minutes to do something you don’t like to do. If you have six tasks, do each for 10 minutes to make an hour. Then, start over at the top of the next hour. Or if you only have 4 tasks and a 15-minute attention span, rotate four things per hour, and you’ll be amazed at what you’ve accomplished by the end of each day.
Boredom is the mind killer. When you’re bored, you’re just vegging out and you can’t help it. The rotating task system will aid you with this issue, but delegation of something that you really hate to do is a good idea, too, if it’s possible. Just don’t forget that you aren’t just getting rid of things you don’t want to do. Some people will love the things you hate and will be glad to do them for you. Maybe you can trade tasks with a co-worker.
But whatever you do, don’t procrastinate. Jump in and get the hard parts of whatever it is you don’t want to do done first. That makes the rest of the job easier in comparison. You have to realize that the quicker you get into something, the quicker you can forget about it instead of having it hang over your head. If you still can’t get into a job, find a good accountability partner, someone who will jump on your case if you don’t have something done on time.
But if it’s your co-workers that are giving you cause for pause, look in the mirror. Could their antagonism actually be your fault? Try not to go off into long lectures about things that nobody is interested in, anyway. And if you interrupt people in conversation, and catch yourself doing it, apologize and stop talking. Don’t be blunt, either. Though honesty is always good, it’s not always socially polite. Try to be more tactful and your inter-office relationships will improve.
Any of these ADD-related situations can cause work problems. But don’t jump to another job, just yet. Try some of these strategies and see if they don’t help you to be more productive and more sociable. Yet, if you can’t, if you’re still that square peg, find a more flexible job that will suit your ADD abilities and make yourself a happier person.
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Adult Add: Get Chunking! - By: Tellman Knudson And Stephanie Frank
Prioritization is one of the things that’s totally abhorred by people with ADD. Logical, linear-thinking people have no problem when they sit down to write out the steps to a project---the first thing you do is step one, then two, then three. And linear thinking people have no problem with that. ADD people, on the other hand, have a horrible time thinking one, two, three. Because we say A, D, 27, 17, 0. And it all makes sense to us.
Add people see the big picture, but even more... the universal picture, about how things fit together. Because of that, randomness seems perfectly normal to us. It makes sense, where linear-thinking people just don’t get it.
Except, what happens because of this is that ADD people trying to prioritize a huge project get overwhelmed. That makes it extremely hard to get their ADD mind around the project.
The skill ADD people need to learn is "chunking," which is basically breaking a huge project down into chunks.
So let’s take for example something really, really simple like clean your room, okay? And let’s say that you’ve spent the last, I don’t know, 3.5 weeks just walking in and out of your room and just dumping things everywhere. You know what I’m talking about, if you have ADD. I mean you got piles on the dresser, you got piles on the desk, you got piles on the table, you got clothes on the floor, half eaten sandwiches somewhere.
You look at that and say, "Good grief. When I’m done here, there’s the kitchen, and the bathroom, and the living room, and the garage is a mess, too! How can I get this all done?
Here’s the key--chunk it down. That’s totally important, and here’s what it looks like:
OK, start with the top of the dresser. Clean that. If you think of one area at a time, it works better for people with ADD. It will work for your kids with ADD, too. Tell them, "Clean the top of your night stand. Pick up your clothes from the floor. Dust your furniture." If you do this, one thing at a time, it will work. Give yourself or your kids one area a day.
Chunking things down is the big price. Some people have trouble with chunking things down, though. Some people can do this, and if you can do it, you got things nailed. If you can chunk down things down yourself then you’re going to save yourself an immense amount of time. And there are a lot of folks with ADD that have enough attention to detail to be able to do this.
Some ADD people just can’t do it because they can’t maintain focus. Trying to chunk things down and make lists like that will drive them insane. Ultimately, they’re distracted 15 times while they’re trying to chunk a project down.
There are two answers, if you have this type of ADD. If you do, you can get someone to do the chunking down process for you. He or she can iron out the details for you and when they report what they are, they need to be laser specific. They need to put a project into a simple list of tasks, and they have to be very clear on what it is that you need to do.
But if you don’t have the money to hire an assistant, or you don’t have anyone else who can do this for you, what can you do?
Well, one of the things you can do is to write things down, like on a to-do list for example, you can use a system that will allow you to crank through these things. Number one there’s never ever ever, under any circumstances, write down an idea. Only write down a task. Okay. In many cases, an idea can also quickly translate into a project.
Once you get the chunks figured out, then set your ADD-friendly system. One category will be for things that can be done or that need to be done quickly. Another category will be for intermediate tasks, things that can wait, but need to be done in the next phase. And finally, categorize those things that need to be done, but can wait for a while.
After you’re done with the first category, move to the second, and do the same thing. Do the same for the third category, too. Then, you’ll have the whole thing done before you know it.
Maybe this system seems too simple for you, but when you have ADD, it’s just an easy way to get projects completed, no matter what they are. Big projects can overwhelm people with ADD, but they may be very important to you. So, think in chunks, one bite at a time, just like the man eating the elephant.
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Adult ADD: The End Of Sticky Messes - By: Tellman Knudson And Stephanie Frank
You have attention deficit disorder or someone close to you does, or you probably wouldn’t be reading this article, right? Let’s talk a bit about organization, ADD, and how you can avoid the dreaded "stuff everywhere" syndrome.
The most notorious place for attention deficit induced clutter is in your bedroom. Clothes are probably scattered over most of it, shoes may be piled sky-high, and what’s a laundry hamper? Right? We know how this feels, and had the same kind of problems, but we learned that if you can create an ADD-friendly system to handle the clutter, life will be much smoother for you and for your loved ones.
If your bedroom is large enough, buy three big trash cans, about the 30 gallon size. If you can buy them in different colors, that would be ideal, but in lieu of that, what if you just spray one white; one a dark color, like navy blue or black; and one red?
Every day when you take off your clothes, decide whether they should go into the bin for white clothes, the bin for dark clothes, or the bin for colored clothes and then, just throw your stuff into the appropriate bin. How cool is that? They’ll already be separated when it comes time to wash them. Plus, there’s the added benefit of not walking into your bedroom and tripping over a pair of underpants.
For shoes, you can do the same kind of thing. Buy open-ended (veggie-type) bins so the shoes are easier to see, maybe one black, one brown, one colored, or just one, period. (It depends on how many shoes you have, but we ADD people are always collecting.) Here, it’s the same principle. You’ll be able to just toss your shoes into the bins, instead of leaving them all around.
Let’s move to our ADD-littered office. What’s everywhere, even on the floor? Books? Papers? Are there sticky notes all over the computer monitor or the hutch above your desk? How do you help your attention deficit brain remember your appointments?
Books need bookshelves, and people with ADD need plenty of space in them to store their books. Have one as close to your desk as possible and be sure not to overload the shelves. If a book won’t fit, get rid of another so that it will and don’t let your attention deficit get in the way. ADD people tend to the pack rat syndrome, too. If you haven’t used the book about the joys of cooking blowfish in 6 months, you probably won’t. Get rid of it, or get another bookcase.
Then, tackle those sticky papers. Get a small notebook that will fit on your desk beside you. You can buy inexpensive books or whatever you like. If you really like the book, your ADD brain will use it. But any note that you have to make during the day should go into that book--everything. Telephone numbers, quick notes to yourself, addresses. So make sure it can open flat and that pages can be turned back. Your attention deficit may drive you to that purple suede journal, but if it’s like a hardback book, it won’t work well. Get something that’s more ADD convenient.
Then, either at the end of the day or the next morning--whatever works, but make it a routine--transfer what needs to go into your address book to your address book. Use a desk calendar, too. Write all of your appointments into the calendar and keep it directly in front of you every day. You can’t make any mistakes that way, and all of your notes will be in one place if you need to refer to them later on. No more ADD panic over where you put that important phone number!
As for the papers. Gather all of them, and you’ll have to take time to sort them into piles: important, not quite as important, and throw away. Because your attention deficit won’t do well with the boredom this will create, get yourself a timer. Set it for 5 minutes. Go through your papers for 5 minutes every morning, then stop. Don’t go one minute over. Take 5 minutes a day to file your papers in hanging files in a file cabinet or box. You’ll be amazed at how much you get done in that short time. Before you know it, your paper stack will be gone.
But you’ll be adding to the piles every day. Get three file bins for papers and just toss papers into one of the bins as they’re received. After a while doing this, it will take less than 5 minutes to clear things up each day. How great will that be?
People with attention deficit really don’t like clutter, they just have trouble dealing with boring things like filing, hanging, and putting away. Give yourself an ADD-friendly system and follow an ADD-simple routine. You’ll be a much happier person for it, and your non-ADD family members will love you.
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Adult ADD: Focus on Your Passion - By: Stephanie Frank & Tellman Knudson
We’re in an informational age. Information is more available now than there’s ever been in the world. More will be available tomorrow. Unless the entire Internet crashes, I predict thats going to continue for a long time. So, the question isnt, How many opportunities are there? or What is the best opportunity? because theres no such thing. Therell be a better opportunity tomorrow than the one youre working on today.
When you have ADD, its a blessing and a curse. When technology evolves at the speed of light and things are evolving full-tilt, were moving at rocket speeds, too. You need to ask yourself not whats the best opportunity for someone with ADD. You need to ask yourself what do you want to be known for? When your life is over, when everything is done, do you just want to have made some money, or do you want to have made something happen? Do you just want to be some schmuck who made some cash, or do you want to have done something of significance in the world?
I’ll tell you, if youre paying attention, I certainly hope you want to do something of substance, because if you dont, if youre just chasing the buck, I can’t help you. You can chase the buck all you want, and youll still be miserable tomorrow and the day after. Even if you get rich, youll still be miserable.
But if you want do something thats absolutely, undeniably, super-sonic important to you..
Maybe its just having a really wonderful relationship with your family. Maybe its making a fortune so you can donate it to support local artists. Maybe its finding a cure for cancer. Maybe its teaching everybody in the world how to use ADD as a strength. I dont know what it is for you, but I guarantee that you do, and if youre saying that you dont, youre probably just afraid to go after it.
Yet, even it youre going full tilt on something right now, that doesnt mean you have to do that for the rest of your life. It does mean that if youre going to spend your time doing something, it might as well be something youre incredibly passionate about. Just figure out a way to integrate that exuberance into being successful. I’m speaking to you from experience here, meaning I have ADD and Ive been in the exact same situation you may be in right now.
Focus on a goal, and really hone in. Once I figured out this course of action, I started accomplishing something in my life. I said, Okay, I have 10 great ideas a day (just like most of us with ADD). How do I actually use my ADD to implement one of them and get something done? I dont want to just stop having great ideas. I love thinking about new ideas. Its one of the things Im best at doing. I realized that when I had a great idea, I needed to figure out how I could take the really great aspect of it and apply it to my current project.
Even with ADD, you can train yourself to do this, but even in conversations when youre brainstorming with friends or business partners and random ideas come up, say, Hey, thats a really good idea. How do we apply that to what were working on?"
So, what does that have to do with ADD? It leads me to ask this question: What does everyone with ADD need? If I can come up with that, then I’ll be great. Maybe theres some sort of food or recipes that people with ADD would like that they dont currently have access to, that they just wish they did. Now were talking about ADD again. High speed, super nutrition... and you bill it, "ADD Caf" or whatever it is.
The point is, you figure out how you can flip things and switch them around. Use ADD to be focused on your bigger goal, that thing that is really important to you in your life. That way your ADD can be the catalyst, rather than the impediment in your success.
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A Special Education Success Story With Add and ADHD - By: Claudia Mann
In our rapidly moving culture, special education students, diagnosed with ADD or ADHD (Attention Deficit Disorder or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) are an ever-increasing challenge for teachers. Having taught in some capacity for nearly 40 years and being a parent of an active little boy, I have studied these conditions with immediate personal interest.
Holding Their Attention?
Early in my work with the attentionally challenged, I observed that if the learning activity were engaging enough, many of these students could hold attention for long periods. Special Education students diagnosed with ADD or ADHD often have the ability to attend for long periods working with computers or video games. I wondered, could the problem lie more in the pace of the learning activity?
Give Them What They Need
Subsequently, I began to provide activities in my classroom that had some of the same qualities of the immediate response achieved in those computerized attention-holders. One of the most successful of these was the excavation of fossils.
The Setup
Fossil excavation was a 6-week class - more of a club, really – in which students excavated a real fossil fish from a soft rock matrix. This time the class was made up of many special education students with various learning challenges, especially ADHD. The outcome of the class was remarkable.
Getting Their Interest and Attention
We started with a sort of guessing game involving fossils hidden in velvet bags and moved quickly into individual excavation of the fossils. Within minutes, my work was done; the students worked independently for the remainder of the two-hour class. My hardest work that day was to enforce clean-up-the students simply didn’t’ t want to stop working.
Tools And Supplies
The only tools needed for this activity were small screw drivers-the sort that are available from any hardware store in a set of increasing sizes beginning with an eye-glass tool . I also provided magnifiers of varying types. The most sought after were the dissecting microscopes, which gave the individual the best view of the fragile fossil. However, much of the work could be easily accomplished using the naked eye or a magnifier in a stand, just to leave the hands free.
And Then There Are the Behavioral Challenges
I was presented with a new challenge about halfway into the second class: a behaviorally disruptive student who had been removed from another class. I did what I could to introduce him to our work and bring him up to speed. His initial work was little more than digging a hole through his rock, paying little attention to the fossil it contained.
Success!
Then a wonderful thing happened. Another boy, a challenging special education student who generally had little academic success, began to teach. You see, this boy was enthralled with digging out the fossil and he was having incredible success. He single-handedly took over and my work was done.
Students Give Rave Reviews, Almost
The final endorsement came at the end of our 6-week class. Throughout the period, I had rarely interrupted their work, but I had shown a couple of videos to give the students some additional detail about fossil preservation and excavation, geologic history and so on. At the last class, I asked the students to verbally evaluate the class. When I asked how I could improve the class, all agreed: Only show the videos if we can continue excavating our fossils during it!
This is a true story of success. In this six-week project middle school children diagnosed with ADD and ADHD and receiving special education services enjoyed the same success, if not more than, the other students.
Even the most absorbing tool, the TV, was not high on these students’ list of significant work. As a teacher, I felt I had been given a great gift of learning about how to support these special students. I encourage you to try it!
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What to do When Kids Go off Their Meds: Brain-based Learning Strategies for ADD/ADHD - By: MaryJo Wagner
Steven Nissen, a prominent Cleveland Ohio Cardiologist recently prodded the FDA’s Advisory committee to put a black box warning on Ritalin, warning of potential heart
danger. Why? From 1999 to 2003, 81 deaths and 54 nonfatal cardiovascular events such as heart attacks have possible links to Ritalin and similar drugs.
During the same period 78 million prescriptions were written for children up to the age of 18. Today two million kids a month take these drugs.
These are startling statistics to put it mildly! Assuming Nissen is correct, Ritalin is a pretty dangerous method of improving brain-based learning.
Now before I go any further with this story, please do not take a child off their ADD medication or suggest to a parent that such should be done. I am not a medical doctor. I
do not prescribe. If you want to look into lowering a dosage or stopping a child’s medications, you must talk to a doctor.
What does this story mean in terms of ADD behavior at home and in the classroom? How does it affect brain-based learning? I predict that anxious parents and doctors are
going to take kids off their meds. Now what are we going do with 2 million hyperactive kids!
For years, we haven’t had to take responsibility for helping these kids or keeping ourselves from going crazy trying to keep some kind of order in the classroom and at
home. The drugs did it for us. Now we may be on our own.
Here are ten brain-based learning strategies to help you and your kids cope:
1.Decrease sugar including drinking fruit juice. Cut down on bread and pasta, esp. that made with white, processed flour.
2.Limit TV and video games, especially TV and games that have lots of flashing lights.
3.Help them get organized. Keep a schedule and be consistent.
4.To help with reading focus, let kids read aloud and record their voice. You could read something yourself or purchase a "book on tape." Now they can read along while
listening. If they can't sit still for the whole tape, let them listen while moving around. Listening skills are a necessary ingredient for good reading.
5.Practice deep breathing. Kids can even be taught a simple form of meditation which is nothing more than watching one’s breath.Even getting more oxygen to the brain is a
brain-based learning technique.
6.Cross right ankle over left and then give yourself a hug by crossing arms across the body, left over right. Reduces the stress in the central nervous system. Try it yourself.
7.Decrease visual distractions in children’s rooms and at school. Fewer pictures, mobiles, toys. Less stuff.
8.Exercise: play, run, skip, insist on recess at school.
9.Do Brain Gym®. See www.braingymclasses.com Some kids have gone off their meds or at least had doses reduced by doing Brain Gym. Another very effective
brain-based learning strategy.
10.Eat more foods with Omega-3 fatty acids like wild salmon, sardines, tuna, flaxseed, flaxseed oil. Take fish-oil supplements. Omega-3 fatty acids increase the production of
neurotransmitter chemicals just as Ritalin does.
Brain-based learning strategies include attention to what we feed our brains and how that food affects the brain's neurotransmitters.
Using these teacher resources and parenting tips will help you help children get control over ADD/ADHD, settle down, and learn more easily.
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Teaching Addition to a Child with ADD - By: Katie Criss
A Child with Attention-deficit/Hyperactivity disorder tend to be more physically active, inattentive, difficulty responding appropriately, difficulty working steadily toward goals (even their own goals), and may not be able to control their behavior on command.
These children fail to give close attention to detail and will make careless mistakes. They have trouble sustaining attention in tasks and/or play activities. They do not seem to listen when spoken to, nor do they follow directions, usually leaving them not completing their schoolwork. They have difficulty in their organizational skills, and avoids, dislikes, or is reluctant to engage in work that involves mental effort. These children often lose the things necessary to complete activities, and are also easily distracted and forgetful.
They suffer from impulse control problems such as blurting out answers, waiting for their turn, or interrupting or intruding in on others conversations or games. There are some noticeable physical indicators of ADHD and that is the child tens to fidget with their hands or feet, squirms in his or her seat, tends to leave seat during inappropriate times, talks excessively, and has difficulty playing or engaging in leisure activities. These children are described to be acting as though they are “driven by a motor”.
According to theorist Russell Barkley, a Professor of psychiatry and neurology at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center in Worcester, and a author of numerous books on ADHD, including ADHD and the Nature of Self-Control and Attention-
Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Handbook for Diagnosis and Treatment,
“Well, I've begun to study self-control in ADHD children, because we began to realize that the problems with attention that ADHD children were having were not problems with how they perceived things or see the world around them. It really was more of a problem that they couldn't persist at something as long as other people. And they couldn't resist the distractions around them as well as other people, particularly when they were involved in very boring or very tedious work. That began to suggest that there was a problem in how they were controlling behavior, not in how they were seeing the world.
It would therefore be a problem with how the output of the brain--behavior--is organized, and not a problem with input coming into the brain, with how you perceive and see your world. . . . What we've found is that ADHD children can pay attention to things that are around them in the immediate situation, so that it's really not an attention problem.
What they don't pay attention to is what lies ahead in time, what has to be done next in order to get ready for the future. They're not stopping to think about that future. So they don't have a problem with attention; they have a problem with intentions. Intentions are the things we are doing to get ready for what lies ahead in time--our goals; our plans; the assignments that we should be working on; the paths that other people have given us that we need to be paying more attention to in order to be ready when that time gets here. That's what ADHD children are not doing . . . “
These are things that have to be kept in mind when teaching a child with ADHD, that is not that the have an attention problem, but rather an intention problem.
According to SPARK, a society for the promotion of ADHD research and knowledge, children with ADHD had good qualities to, such as, children with ADHD / ADD are usually creative and daring. Some other strengths of the ADHD /ADD child may include: good at math, read well, artistic, good gross motor skill, good computer skills, good memory, helpful, kind to others, loves outdoor activities, good with animals, and they have a variety of interests (Swee Huat, 2002).
Some challenges in teaching a child with ADHD is that long assignments may overwhelm them, therefore to teach this child you must only give them a few problems at a time with clear consequences for completion. Another approach to teaching the child with ADHD effectively is a combination of instruction in learning with memory strategies and motivational training. The teacher should try and develop the “skill and will” to improve the students achievement, another thing is that the teacher should encourage the student to be persistent and try to get them to see themselves as in control, using the SMART approach. Some suggestions for important teaching opportunities to overcome challenges these students may encounter come best from the students with ADHD. Some of these documented suggestions are to use visual clues (lots of pictures), to offer choices, do more then lecture, to realize that these children are intelligent, to notice their accomplishments, to conceal their problem, to let them walk around the classroom, to be patient, do not overload on homework, and to know when to bend the rules.
Lesson Plan
Teaching Addition
To teach Mathematics to a child with ADHD I would try to keep the problems short, and would also teach them by incorporating it into a game. The following is a lesson plan created to enable the child to concentrate on one problem at a time, but also in a game situation so that way the child can have fun, it is not just a lecture, the child can be recognized for doing well, and it uses visual clues.
Addition Game
Add it Up!
Addition
Objective: The students will roll a dice and create two numbers that consist of two digits.
The students will then add together the two-digit numbers. The students will be able to understand and perform the concept of carrying. The students will also be able to read their problem and solution aloud.
Materials: Pencil,Paper consisting of many Addition grids
Directions:
1. Distribute a paper to each student. Have each student have a pencil and eraser.
2. Introduce the game as an “Addition Game”.
3. Discuss how many numbers are in a two-digit number. Explain to the students in this game we will be adding 2 two-digit numbers.
4. Then begin by playing a game with the students, in which you will all insert the number into the same place.
5. Roll the dice. Use that number as one of your numbers in a two-digit number.
6. Repeat 3 times until all spaces are filled.
7. Use this as a way to refresh to the children their concept of carrying.
8. After giving an example, have the students compete against each other. Roll the dice and let the students pick where to put the number. Their goal is to get the highest number.
9. After calling all the numbers. Have the students read their math problem out loud.
10. Decide who has the highest number as a class.
11. The students will are now able to play on their own.
PA Standard: 2.2.3.B Computation and Estimation. Solve double-digit addition problems with regrouping in vertical form.
Works Cited
PBS FRONTLINE (2001).Interview with Russell Barkley. (Link Removed)
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What Is ADD & What Natural Remedies Can Help Alleviate Symptoms - By: Gray Rollins
ADD, or Attention Deficit Disorder, is a growing problem facing children today. ADD is a type of hyperactivity disorder most commonly found in children, but it can also be present in adults. It is currently the most commonly diagnosed behavior disorder in children and is believed to afflict more than two million children. Ritalin and similar stimulating drugs are often used to treat this illness. However, studies indicate use of these drugs may have long-term effects on the brain long after its effective use is over. Because of this, many parents seek out use of homeopathic or natural remedies for treatment. Use of non mainstream treatments is heavily debated and studies showing effectiveness are largely inconclusive.
Diet
Modification of the diet is reported to have lasting positive results on children suffering from ADD. The popularity of this theory was advanced by Dr. Benjamin Feingold who claimed the increase in children diagnosed with ADD directly coincided with the increase in artificial sweeteners and preservatives in food. Reducing the amount of these in the diet can produce the desired outcome. Sugar, artificial sweeteners, preservatives and caffeine can all contribute to undesired behavior evident in children with ADD. Reducing the amounts of these types of food items will be beneficial and help with overall health as they have little or no nutritional value.
Vitamins
Using vitamins such as B6 have been reported to increase alertness in children suffering from ADD, though no conclusive studies have been accepted. Zinc was also a popular vitamin to use to assist in reducing the behavioral effects of ADD. Currently, using multivitamins to enhance the diet is reported to be the best option.
Herbal Remedies
Caution should be used when mixing herbs as certain doses of herbs and certain combinations can cause harm. It is suggested to consult with a homeopath for advice on which herbs to use before treatment. Use of Pycnogenol, an extract of pine tree bark, is claimed to improve the attention span; however studies have been inconclusive. Improvements in attention, blood flow to the brain, cognitive retention and stress relief are reported to be available in certain herbs such as ginkgo, ginseng, brahmi, green oats and gotu kola.
Audio Visual Stimulation
There have been reported cases of great success using audio video stimulation. A process called entrainment is used to alter patterns of brainwaves. This method is not yet widely popular but has reported significant successful treatments. It is an inexpensive treatment; however it is not covered by most insurance companies.
Research all available treatment options for ADD before committing to one. Using various herbs and drugs can have a negative effect, so use with caution and under the supervision of a physician or homeopath. With the growing frequency of ADD diagnoses, finding effective cures is of utmost importance.
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10 Ways to Start Taking Control of Your Life - By: Phyllis Wasserman
At first glance, it would seem that positive thinking and Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) have nothing to do with one another. But many of us with ADD develop negative thinking patterns because we become frustrated by our challenges and frequent feelings of being overwhelmed. This negative outlook then makes it even harder for us to manage those challenges and move forward.
Practicing positive thinking allows people with ADD to focus on our strengths and accomplishments, which increases happiness and motivation. This, in turn, allows us to spend more time making progress, and less time feeling down and stuck. The following tips provide practical suggestions that you can use to help you shift into more positive thinking patterns:
1. Take Good Care of Yourself
It's much easier to be positive when you are eating well, exercising, and getting enough rest.
2. Remind Yourself of the Things You Are Grateful For
Stresses and challenges don't seem quite as bad when you are constantly reminding yourself of the things that are right in life. Taking just 60 seconds a day to stop and appreciate the good things will make a huge difference.
3. Look for the Proof Instead of Making Assumptions
A fear of not being liked or accepted sometimes leads us to assume that we know what others are thinking, but our fears are usually not reality. If you have a fear that a friend or family member's bad mood is due to something you did, or that your co-workers are secretly gossiping about you when you turn your back, speak up and ask them. Don't waste time worrying that you did something wrong unless you have proof that there is something to worry about.
4. Refrain from Using Absolutes
Have you ever told a partner "You're ALWAYS late!" or complained to a friend "You NEVER call me!"? Thinking and speaking in absolutes like 'always' and 'never' makes the situation seem worse than it is, and programs your brain into believing that certain people are incapable of delivering.
5. Detach From Negative Thoughts
Your thoughts can't hold any power over you if you don't judge them. If you notice yourself having a negative thought, detach from it, witness it, and don't follow it.
6. Squash the "ANTs"
In his book "Change Your Brain, Change Your Life," Dr. Daniel Amen talks about "ANTs" - Automatic Negative Thoughts. These are the bad thoughts that are usually reactionary, like "Those people are laughing, they must be talking about me," or "The boss wants to see me? It must be bad!" When you notice these thoughts, realize that they are nothing more than ANTs and squash them!
7. Practice Lovin', Touchin' & Squeezin' (Your Friends and Family)
You don't have to be an expert to know the benefits of a good hug. Positive physical contact with friends, loved ones, and even pets, is an instant pick-me-up. One research study on this subject had a waitress touch some of her customers on the arm as she handed them their checks. She received higher tips from these customers than from the ones she didn't touch!
8. Increase Your Social Activity
By increasing social activity, you decrease loneliness. Surround yourself with healthy, happy people, and their positive energy will affect you in a positive way!
9. Volunteer for an Organization, or Help another Person
Everyone feels good after helping. You can volunteer your time, your money, or your resources. The more positive energy you put out into the world, the more you will receive in return.
10. Use Pattern Interrupts to Combat Rumination
If you find yourself ruminating, a great way to stop it is to interrupt the pattern and force yourself to do something completely different. Rumination is like hyper-focus on something negative. It's never productive, because it's not rational or solution-oriented, it's just excessive worry. Try changing your physical environment - go for a walk or sit outside. You could also call a friend, pick up a book, or turn on some music.
When it comes to the corporate world, protocol is pretty much the religion. To know the things needed to do are the basics of productivity, but interaction and having a steady mind makes up the entire thing to true productivity. There are those who seem to work well even under pressure, but they're uncommon ones and we are human and imperfect. To get these little things like stress under our skins won't solve our problems. Sometimes it takes a bit of courage to admit that we're turning to be workaholics than tell ourselves that we're not doing our best.
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Types Of Add Manifestation In Children - By: Sarah K. Jenkins
Attention Deficit Disorder wears many faces among children. While the hyperactive, rebellious boys are easy to spot, there are also several other types of children that suffer from ADD that go undiagnosed because of their less conspicuous behavior. Girls often fall into this category.
Some girls are referred to as the “tomboy” type. Preferring more physical activities, they often exhibit some of the key characteristics of ADD, without the defiant behavior of their male counterparts. For this reason, parents and teachers will usually assume the child is not academically inclined and unorganized, but never consider ADD to be a possibility.
Another often undiagnosed group of ADD children are the “chatty” girls. This type is a combination of inattentiveness and hyperactivity and is typically exhibited as being extremely social. More hyper-talkative than hyperactive, these girls have a very difficult time keeping quiet even after being disciplined for talking. They will also tend to jump around a lot when telling stories and organizing their thoughts.
“Daydreamers” are another category often overlooked as having ADD. These girls are usually very quiet and do not draw attention to themselves. However, their extreme inattentiveness is a standard ADD trait. They may exhibit depression and anxiety about school projects, but are not able to stay on task to complete assignments. These are probably one of the most difficult children to diagnose, as teachers and parents do not usually notice the behavior as being a problem and assume the child is simply lazy.
Interestingly enough, there are also a lot of “gifted” girls with ADD. High IQ levels may make it easier to cope with inattention and impulsiveness, but as a child ages, their shortcomings often emerge. It must be remembered that ADD is not a learning disability, and sufferers do not inherently perform poorly in school. They may be able to mask their disorder well into middle or high school, where it them makes itself apparent as work becomes more difficult and assignments become more pressing.
Attention Deficit Disorder can cause many problems when it goes undiagnosed. It will often be assumed children are lazy, unintelligent, and unorganized, when in actuality, they suffer from this disorder. They will often grow up with poor self-esteem and think themselves quitters, or even worse, think they are stupid because of the problems they have. It is important to notice these traits and treat them accordingly to prevent any long term consequences of the disorder.
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Talking To Your Doctor Or Specialist About ADD - By: Sarah K. Jenkins
Talking to your child’s doctor or specialist about ADD may be very difficult, especially in the beginning stages of diagnosis and treatment of the disorder. It is important to understand and accept that doctors can be of great assistance in treating and helping your child and your family through this arduous process.
In the beginning, you may be unwilling to accept your child’s condition. If this is the case, you may be uncooperative and rebellious to treatment suggestions or even further diagnosing measures. At this point, a second opinion may be what you should pursue to ease your mind and make certain your child is receiving the proper care.
On the other hand, you should not be too certain ADD is the problem before consulting and seeking diagnosis of a competent physician. If your child’s doctor does not believe ADD is the problem, you, too, should seek a second opinion. However, you should be careful not to go from doctor to doctor seeking a diagnosis that is inaccurate.
Once you and your doctor are certain your child is suffering from Attention Deficit Disorder, the two of you should consider yourselves a team, along with your spouse, your child’s teacher, and other adults that play a significant role in your child’s life, to aid in helping and guiding your child through the ADD maze.
When you communicate with your child’s doctor, be sure to ask questions and seek clarification of unclear issues. If a particular course of treatment does not seem ideal for your child, convey your feelings to your doctor and feel comfortable in resolving any conflicting views. The important thing about conversing is that you have a mutual respect for one another and appreciate each other’s roles in your child’s development.
If you feel that your doctor or specialist is not meeting your child’s needs, you may choose to try another physician. You do not have to stay with the same doctor simply because they have always been the one to treat your child; it may be that particular doctor was fine until a significant problem arose, and they are not able to provide adequate treatment under these new circumstances. If that is the case, getting referrals from family and friends will offer a road map in where to go next. Just be certain the issue at hand is with your doctor and not your attempt to undermine their efforts.
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Adult ADD And The Art Of Grocery Shopping - By: John MacKenzie
One of my greatest struggle with sticking to a budget, is that I always overspend what I budget on food. Here are some of my tips to help an Adult with ADD when going Grocery Shopping:
1. Write a menu of what you want to eat for the week. Make sure to include breakfast, lunch, and snacks. There are software products available to help adults with ADD who are more visual thinkers.
2. Based on the menu create a list of what you will need to prepare the items on your menu.
3. Look in your cabinets and refrigerator, for items that are on your list, remove those items from your list. If you go the supermarkets to buy cleaning products or toiletries, you will need to check your bathroom, closets, and if you are like me anywhere else in the house where you put these items. Add items that you are running low on, on to the list.
4. Can you afford the items that are on your list? This will be difficult to determine if this is the first time that you have set a limit for yourself, or if grocery shopping is new to you. Once you have shopped a couple of times with a set limit, you will understand whether your food budget is realistic, or if you will have to make changes to your limit or what you buy. A lot of adults with ADD like to use online services that will deliver the groceries to you. This can be helpful for several reasons; it will total up all you purchases before you make them, it reduce the time of a mundane task, and it helps to control impulse buying.
5. If you are planning to go out shopping, make sure you eat a proper meal before hand. This helps you keep a clear head and reduce impulse buying, by not buying things that you are craving because you are hungry.
6. Have you checked circulars, newspapers or the Internet for coupons for the products that are on your list? This can be dangerous because you might also be tempted to buy additional items that you do not really need.
7. Before you head out decide if you want to go to one store or more than one store. While you can save money by going to additional stores, I would not recommend it. First the additional money and time that you spend traveling could negate any savings that you get. Second it adds a lot of complexity to a task that should be done as simply as possible.
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Structure And The ADD/ADHD Entrepreneur - By: John MacKenzie
Managing and owning a small business can be very stimulating for the ADD adult. Many ADD entrepreneurs thrive on the fact that they can work on growing their business without all of the structure of being employed by someone else. While the structure of a 9 to 5 job might not be ideal for an ADD adult, an ADD entrepreneur should establish some structure and boundaries in order to be successful with their business opportunities and their personal lives. Here are just a couple of examples of structure and boundaries that an ADD entrepreneur should establish:
1. Keeping your personal finances and your business finances separate.
The larger your business is, the more important it is to separate your finances. Not only is it important for tax purposes, but recording all of your business transactions will give you or someone else all of the information necessary to analyze how well you are doing, and what you need to do to expand your business.
2. Set aside a regular time to pay your bills and to bill your customers.
I find that a lot of ADD entrepreneurs are more reluctant to bill their customers on a regular basis. The main reason is that they are so focused on pleasing the customer, that they don't focus on actually getting paid for a job. In order to develop a habit, you should decide on a regular set time that you are going to focus on sending out your invoice and paying the bills.
3. Schedule time and/or days each week where you not allowed to do anything related to your business.
In order to be a successful entrepreneur you need to spend a lot of time on your business. It is easy for an ADD entrepreneur to completely focus on their business and not focus on their other needs like eating properly, sleeping, physical activity, and spending time with friends and family. Without spending a little time on the other areas of your life your will burnout or breakdown.
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