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Author Topic:   How Living with Undiagnosed ADD was Detrimental to My Life
T
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posted January 25, 2013 04:58 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for T     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
this was interesting.....

Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) is a misnomer, and as a result of it's misleading name and paradoxical symptoms it's one of the reasons I went undiagnosed and untreated for the better part of my life.

I write this for those who may also suffer but have never before considered it as the possible root to what ails them. If you suffer from chronic fatigue, malaise, depression, moments of brilliance followed by moments of sheer incapacity- you may want to read on.


I should begin with the admission that I was completely ignorant and thought that the term "Attention Deficit" meant exactly what it implied: that a person who has ADD is incapable of sustained focus or concentration. Herein lies the foundational flaw of naming, rather it should really be called: The Disorder Of Paradoxes. ADD is not a deficit in attention but instead an attention allocation issue. Those with the disorder are not able to allocate focused attention consistently on subjects they might wish to due to a neurological difference in how their brain makes it's connections and how it receives and processes information.

I consider myself to be bright, articulate, creative, and accomplished, and yet have always felt that I have been unable to live to my full potential. For years, my professional life felt like a super-ball bounce- all bouncy in the beginning and then, all over the place. I was always able to think big, problem solve, and strategize, and yet my execution was never sustainable. I'd run out of steam, become overwhelmed, or make impulsive decisions about my business that kept me at arms length from achieving my goals or seeing a "big idea" through to fruition.

Here are some of the questions I grappled with daily:

Why am I so tired all the time?

I know I'm very bright, so why is it that I constantly forget my train of thought, and why am I so forgetful of silly things that should be so easy to remember? Birthdays, appointments, phone numbers, directions are just a few examples of the details I could never keep track of.
Why do I feel so overwhelmed at doing ordinary tasks like grocery shopping, following a recipe, or going to the post office when other people seem to do these activities effortlessly?

Why can't I just sit and play a game with my kids or read them a book without getting impatient or restless?
Why is it that some days I can accomplish so much, and then other days I don't even seem to be able to get out of bed?

Here are a few things that might be helpful to know about ADD.

ADD is a disorder that makes filtering information or stimuli almost impossible. The non-ADD brain can choose what things it wants to focus on while the ADD brain has to take it all in regardless of the priority in attention they might want to give. It's this reason why people with ADD are tired all the time. As they age, they get less tolerant of this hallmark symptom, and can become very sensitive to their surroundings especially if they are loud, bright, or busy. This constant feeling of being bombarded by their surroundings can also cause feelings of isolation and depression over time.

People with ADD can hyper focus or super focus on things that they are stimulated by physically, intellectually or emotionally. When people with ADD are faced with less interesting or stimulating situations they are unable to remain engaged due to a neurological issue that makes them seem distracted, forgetful, or impulsive. Paradoxically as well, when an individual with ADD is exerting effort to pay attention, they can become very restless; and have been known to exhibit the "fidget for focus" phenomena.

Most people with the disorder are engaging, intelligent, kind, and highly creative. It is very helpful to know that some of the most famous thinkers and celebrities are also challenged with ADD.

Individuals with ADD often develop "coping mechanisms" that help them manage the symptoms of ADD. Many have a tendency to self medicate with "stimulants" or other substances such as alcohol, sugar, caffeine, and many different drugs as an unconscious way of helping them feel better, or think more clearly.

ADD is way more common than people think and data suggests that 3-5% (some as high as 8%) of the population has the disorder although a large percentage of suspected adults are as yet undiagnosed.

As a forty-two year old mother of two, I find myself feeling a wellspring of gratitude for finally having a name for the way I have felt all these years. Inside, I have always known that I was different from many of my peers, and yet like them, I desperately wanted to excel in my studies, please my parents, and go on to have a successful career and family. I can honestly say that I have had many achievements in my life regardless of the disorder; however, I also know that I am one of the lucky ones and that many adults who remain undiagnosed continue to experience job loss, marital issues and divorce, substance abuse, depression, and worse. I also realize how important it is that the medical community, teachers, parents and other individuals become informed about the disorder so that those who need an evaluation and possible treatment can be helped in ways that support, enrich, and validate their experience so that they can go on to have deeply fulfilling lives.

If you, are someone you know is suspected of having ADD/ADHD please give them the gift of awareness.

This post was written by Monica Rodgers of TheRevelationProject.me

via: http://shine.yahoo.com/parenting/living-undiagnosed-add-detrimental-life-230000760.html

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Sabine
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posted February 20, 2013 08:47 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Sabine     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Thank you for sharing this. I'm dating someone with ADD and I'm still not fully aware of the nuances of this disorder.

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T
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posted February 20, 2013 11:36 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for T     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I'm not sure if it's harder to live with someone with it, or to live with yourself when you have it......

in any case, he's lucky to have an undertstanding partner.

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mirage29
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posted February 23, 2013 02:48 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for mirage29     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote

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mockingbird
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posted February 23, 2013 11:25 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for mockingbird     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
^ Adderall seemed to work well for me, too, but the dehydration was extreme and unavoidable.
No matter how much water I drank, it was wrenched out of me.

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unhappyapathy
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From: Los Angeles, CA, US
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posted February 23, 2013 01:17 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for unhappyapathy     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Actually, my doctor thought I had this condition as well. But an assessment proved inconclusive. It seems I bear only two or three symptoms.

quote:
Originally posted by mockingbird:
^ Adderall seemed to work well for me, too, but the dehydration was extreme and unavoidable.
No matter how much water I drank, it was wrenched out of me.

I had Adderall too, which didn't do anything for me.

That's medication for you. But I'm used to it after taking lithium. Lithium makes people drink a LOT and pee a LOT.

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mirage29
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posted February 23, 2013 02:12 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for mirage29     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Dr Peter Breggin talks about side effects of drugs, and withdrawal.

http://breggin.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=296

http://breggin.com/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1

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Heart--Shaped Cross
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posted April 09, 2013 01:44 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Heart--Shaped Cross     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
mirage

If you have a "chemical imbalance", it is almost certainly because you are putting toxic chemicals into your body on a daily basis, or more than once a day. Admittedly, not everyone reacts the same way to these toxins. We all have different genetic predispositions and sensitivity levels, but, make no mistake, if you are consuming faux-food, you most certainly are poisoning yourself, and this will undoubtedly manifest in a variety of ways; depression, anxiety, fatigue, distraction, confusion, and irritability being several of the most common.

What is your diet like?

Do you consume all organic, minimally-processed (whole) foods? Are you sparing of salt and sugar? Do you eat plenty of fresh, organic vegetables; preferably raw or lightly steamed? Do you drink plenty of clean water? Do you juice?

Or, like 99% of the population, are you feeding yourself a ton of salt, sugar, additives, preservatives, and so on, while receiving virtually no solid nutritional substance? Are you throwing down pizzas; refined carbs, pasteurized dairy, etc.? Nevermind the drugs. What might your potential be, if you were to cut out the pizza and replace it with real nutrition?

No, it's not a revolutionary idea. It's an ancient one, once considered common sense. In fact, it was so obvious, most early physicians didn't bother to record it. But, then, they didn't have to contend with the synthetic foods we see today. Nor were the masses subjected to such sophisticated methods of conditioning, which might teach them to doubt the earth and their own bodies, and, instead, to trust in lucrative pseudo-science.


See: "Food Matters" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IGWqAyXZkI
See: Orthomolecular Medicine http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orthomolecular_medicine

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T
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posted April 09, 2013 02:51 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for T     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
What excuse do the people who eat all raw or very healthy diets have for their chemical imbalances?

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T
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posted April 09, 2013 03:34 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for T     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
*I should not have said "very healthy diet" because opinions on what that is will vary widely and what works for one will not always be healthy for another.

On person's version of healthy might be veganism another's body might not be able to handle that kind of eating lifestyle and it would make them sick.

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Heart--Shaped Cross
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posted April 09, 2013 03:56 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Heart--Shaped Cross     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I agree; we're all different; trial and error is needed.

I would only insist that a diet based on real food is a good place to start.

I don't know what the raw foodist excuse is, but it's clear they're trying. If a person isn't even trying to avoid synthetic chemicals, they don't really have a leg to stand on.

I've read that a diet of very little grains is excellent for people with symptoms linked to ADD.

Of course, not everything can be healed on the level of the body. Some problems are more spiritual in origin. The notion that all mental imbalance springs from a biological cause is presumptuous, to say the least, and, unfortunately, that's where psychiatry takes it's cue. As you probably know, they've got a diagnosis for anybody who thinks outside the box.

Hope that helps!

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T
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posted April 09, 2013 06:44 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for T     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Heart--Shaped Cross:

Of course, not everything can be healed on the level of the body. Some problems are more spiritual in origin. The notion that all mental imbalance springs from a biological cause is presumptuous, to say the least, and, unfortunately, that's where psychiatry takes it's cue. As you probably know, they've got a diagnosis for anybody who thinks outside the box.

Hope that helps!


There is also physical or mental trauma or accidents that can change brain chemistry and physical health.

Many factors combine to make each person's case unique.

Usually a blend of different healing modalities can work to help a person. No one denies that eating plays a role.

I agree, each person has to find what works for them.

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Heart--Shaped Cross
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posted April 09, 2013 08:54 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Heart--Shaped Cross     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
You might appreciate James Hillman's book,
"The Soul's Code: In Search of Character and Calling"

Hillman rejects, to a large extent, the psychological community's fetishizing of both genetic and environmental conditioning, in favor of a more empowering approach. While many psychological schools of thought tend to trace behavior back to biology and early trauma, he believes this inclines toward victimization, and argues instead that "character is fate"; that the constitution we are born with, and the way we process what happens to us, both have much more to do with living out our character and our calling than we tend to realize. In some sense, it is a forward-looking approach, which finds the causes of things in the future, not the past. Who are we becoming, and how has everything that has happened to us served to create the unique person we are in the process of becoming? Wholeness seems to accompany a profound gratitude for all that has contributed to making us who we are. I have heard women who were severely beaten and sexually abused by their own families say that, "As sick as it may sound, I would not change a thing; I have turned it all into something good, and it has all made me who I am." It does seem like something to aspire toward.

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T
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posted April 09, 2013 09:39 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for T     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Thanks it sounds interesting and might be helpful to many.

Since I am more in line with that type of thinking already and have been for quite some time, it might not be of much use to me.

I'd not change a thing about my life either and have rejected traditional psychology for a long time.

Graditude is something that also comes easy. At a certain point you no longer have to "practice" it, it just is....or comes naturally without much thinking about it, or needing to remind yourself of it all.

Still some things that go on in life effect the person. Does that mean they are - or even feel like victims or are in some way stuck? No. They live with it/them, make peace and find things to be grateful for about it all.

They can co-exist with the person in their life experience.

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T
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posted April 09, 2013 09:41 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for T     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
A person mentioning past hurts does not always mean they are stuck in them, or in that mindframe or even arent able to appreciate them for what they are.

Not forgetting how they have effected you hold great healing and learning potential in itself.

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Heart--Shaped Cross
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posted April 09, 2013 10:01 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Heart--Shaped Cross     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Sounds like we're in agreement.

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charmainec
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posted April 10, 2013 02:44 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for charmainec     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by T:
A person mentioning past hurts does not always mean they are stuck in them, or in that mindframe or even arent able to appreciate them for what they are.

Not forgetting how they have effected you hold great healing and learning potential in itself.


Agreed.

------------------

quote:
Remember, love can conquer the influences of the planets....It can even eliminate karma.

Linda Goodman

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mirage29
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posted April 11, 2013 08:21 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for mirage29     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by T:
A person mentioning past hurts does not always mean they are stuck in them, or in that mindframe or even arent able to appreciate them for what they are.

Not forgetting how they have effected you hold great healing and learning potential in itself.


Sadly, I've found the latter portion of your statement to be true for me, T.

I've been "too forgiving"... Ready to 'forget' what-and-who happened to me-- which was very convenient for the abusers. Now, in this late stage of my life, the opportunities have passed me by...

Forgiveness (without support for your own self) gives them the 'get out of jail free' card... and left me holding the evidence-- a shattered life. Gutter world.

In general I say, don't let unknowledgeable people talk you out of claiming your stake in life.... while you're young!!!

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mirage29
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posted April 11, 2013 09:43 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for mirage29     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Heart--Shaped Cross:
. . . As you probably know, they've got a diagnosis for anybody who thinks outside the box.

Hope that helps!


I'm laughing, AND terrified--- I know this is so true! Counselors seem so shallow these days; it's like they don't seem to "realize" this? Can be actually dangerous to wind up in the wrong hands. God help us if they bring back lobotomy... although they can effect this with chemicals these days.... plus the resulting 'social sequestration' that a faulty diagnosis and label (stigma) can provide!

James Hillman! I read his books, and listened to his audio book a few times... He inspired me.

W. Scott Peck, MD is another great inspiration... too bad the field of psychiatry (as he knew it) died. He tried to warn them... sooo sad!

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listenstotrees
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posted April 13, 2013 04:35 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for listenstotrees     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I think I might have ADD and possibly my sons too. It is difficult to diagnose though. I get low self esteem occasionally because I forget simple things and worry that there might be something wrong with my cognitive functioning and that I'm slow etc. (It's funny how kids and a teacher calling me "dopey" when I was 7 has left a mark on me that still affects me today. I should be over it by now).

I asked one of the residents I help care for, who I consider to be fairly intelligent, if she thinks I might have any such issues, in her opinion, and she said she didn't think I was in the "autistic spectrum" or wasn't sure as she didn't know much about it, however she did feel that on that particular morning I seemed as if I was "about to catch a train" and that my mind seemed to be on overdrive because I was probably anxious that I was sort of in charge of the shift. This made me feel a bit better, and I realized that I probably make more of a deal about things than I should.

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listenstotrees
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posted April 13, 2013 04:37 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for listenstotrees     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I first heard this quote from Sunchild a few years ago:

"All are lunatics, but he who can analyze his delusions is called a philosopher." ~Ambrose Bierce

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listenstotrees
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posted April 13, 2013 04:39 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for listenstotrees     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
"Reality"/ life is a holographic "trip". The words sane or "normal" are but a definition!

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