Excerpt from the book “Driven to Distraction”, Chapter eight.
What can you do about it? The treatment of ADD.
Most people who discover they have ADD, whether children or adults, have suffered a great deal of pain. The emotional experience of ADD is filled with embarrassment, humiliation, and self-castigation. By the time the diagnosis is made, many people with ADD have lost confidence in them selves. Many have been misunderstood repeatedly. Many have consulted with numerous specialists, only to find no real help. As a result many have lost hope.
Individuals with ADD may have forgotten what is good about themselves. They may have lost any sense of the possibility of things working out. They are often locked into a kind of tenacious holding pattern, needing all their considerable resiliency and ingenuity just to keep their heads above water.
And yet there capacity to hope and to dream is immense. Individuals with ADD have visionary imaginations. They think big thoughts and dream big dreams. They can take the smallest opportunity and a match and turning it into a major break. They can take a chance encounter and turn it into a grand evening out.
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14 comments:
Hello, Michele sent me!
physical excercise seems to help with the depression - so I am spending 1/2 hour each morning splitting wood by hand ( sledge). its wonderful therapy.
This is an excellent book, I read it when I was dating a guy with ADD and it really helped me understand him better. I'm glad you are shedding some light on this for others, David.
This is just my story. i thought i would add it.
I have ADD, i have suffered through paralyzing bouts of major depression, and a severe anxiety disorder
I don't tolerate prescription medication well. I will have ever side effect on the list and probably add a few that weren't there before. I went from drug to drug to drug and finally to a last resort anti phsychotic that was the only thing that seemed to work although it caused bouts of memory loss. I would be driving down the road and suddenly for a couple of minutes I wouldn't be able to remember where I was or what i was doing. I filed for disability because my memory had reached a point where I couldn't keep a job and our government called a liar. i went for phsychiatric testing and was called a fake. Most people would have just lay down and died at this point.
Lucky for me i have a really bad temper and got mad at this point. i decided that the best way to get even would be to go off the drugs and get better.
The only thing I could link my most recent episode to was the purchase of a new bed. 3 days after buying the bed is when i went nuts. i sat down with a pencil and paper and went back through my past and managed to connect each bout of depression with 'Something new".
The first one I had was after my parents replaced the carpet in there 15 year old house. The one I had in high school occurred the year the school remodeled. I had one when i worked in a beauty shop loaded with chemicals. I had one right after buying a new house. I had another one after being transferred to work in a brand new facility and the final one. I bought a new bed, we re plastered and painted our bedroom and even bought new sheets and pillows for the bed. I slept and worked in that room because I was working at home at the time.
"My" diagnosis is I have a chemical sensitivity to formaldehyde. Its used in "all" "new" building materials. Even after being around fresh paint for a few hours I start to show signs. I get angry and fly off the handle for no reason. I now mix my own paint when i want to change a rooms color, I never buy anything new, and I'm working on an earth friendly, natural home.
As for the ADD, well, I was born with it, I have never taken medication for it, and I have learned to live with it. My grades in school were terrible but my IQ is 127. I have a step son with AND and he barely passes each year, but I recently had him take an IQ test and its 143. Because he is hyper active and has a very outgoing personality he has been branded a trouble maker my students and teachers. But if i put him on medication he quit growing. I had him on it for 2 years and he didn't once grow an inch. He is a head shorter than all of his classmates.
Coyote knows he has ADHD but he also knows he is very smart. I think its important for him to know that.
I agree that physical activity does wonders, but sometimes just getting the energy to do the activity... I don't have ADD and haven't been diagnosted with depression, but when I get the 'blues', I really feel for people who are depressed. Like I can't imagine feeling that dabilitated. Bravo to you for working on it with your doc and by doing research.
Michele sent me.
psst - i was able to read those paragraphs into my microphone and have them turn into typing ( w some errors) dragonfly thank you for sharing that story,
atpanda, there is nothing like splitting wood, to cure the blues!
I fully believe that ADD is a credible illness, but I think that a lot of people are over-diagnosing it. My nephew was diagnosed, but let me tell you, he is simply a spoiled child who has gotten ANYTHING that he wanted for the last 8 years, and refused to cooperate in school if it was not his way. I'm glad my siter in law got several other opinions, it turned out only one doctor (and not his reg, either) and his teacher thought that. Even the theraspist said it was a mis-diagnosis.
Here from Michele's
I am sure this is difficult for people who have it. Thanks for shedding some light on it, David.
Michele sent me.
Good for you David!! A little bit of excercise and a LOT of faith!! What a combination.
I am not familiar with this disorder, I have read too little about it so thanks for the post! Michele sent me!
oh, it's been a while...
Good quote! A brain that can exhibit so much energy can certainly be very intelligent!
I think it's short-circuiting with other people which is the problem with ADD...!
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Dragonfly- I have very similar severe alergic reaction to materials problems- along with latex, dust-mites, which are everywhere- n a skin-contact allergy to fragrance in the air... It took thousands of bux to find this all out!
I empathize with your affliction!
Other folks don't realize the trouble you need to go through (avoid) to get thru the day... I do have a clue-
Best of luck (n prayers) to you too!
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My job makes me excercise excessively- watch out for the splinters n blisters!
David:
Exercise seems to be a great medication for a lot of things. Problem with depression is that you have to fight that first little battle that gets you to the point where you'll exercise. That step is a very rewarding one.
P.S.
Thanks for the good words about my book.
cheers,
Shane
yes, everyone - go look at shane's art and poetry - and consider who would be blessed by such a wonderful gift this year. support poets and artists, you might be one, some day!
I have ADD and i agree with this quote: "And yet there capacity to hope and to dream is immense. Individuals with ADD have visionary imaginations. They think big thoughts and dream big dreams."
My mom doesn't think the diagnosis is correct, but I do because when the doctor told me I have it, it was like the clouds opened up and I saw the light. It all made sense to me right then and there.
I am on meds right now for it but I'm not so sure it's working for ADD. I think it's helping other issues I have, like anxiety. Although I've never been formally dx with anxiety, I think I have it. When I forget to take my meds, and I do all the time, I am very short tempered and mean and I hate it and hate myself. So I set an alarm every night to go off to remind me that it's time for meds. Once I get back on them, I am very relaxed and not so uptight and upset over every little thing. But as far as the ADD, I'm not sure it's working. I need to talk to my doctor the next time I see him. Thanks for this topic and God Bless you! I do not want to live on meds the rest of my life.
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