BienvenuJDC

Yeah I know it. I wonder sometimes if I've got ADD. Whenever this subject comes up, I'm always reminded by the TS Eliot line "Distracted by distraction from distraction." It's from The Four Quartets. I don't recall which Quartet, the third possibly.

Have you tried meditation? Meditation helps improve concentration span.

For the record, I don't believe in ADHD in children or perhaps it is truer to say not to the extent with which it seems to arise. Too many kids get doped up on account of poor or inconsistent parenting, or parents who think their kids should be quiet, obedient little robots who sit still on command and have no interest or enthusiasm in anything. And it's easier to drug them up and call it a medical condition than to address the parenting issues or expectations. Like it's no one's 'fault' then.

Never heard of ADD in adults before so you've opened my eyes. Interesting. I'd have a notepad on hand for all those great ideas.

I agree with you totally about the ADD/ADHD with children. I think that the thing that is lacking is...(wait for it)...discipline. Children are still developing their sense of discipline/self-discipline. However, with adults, there are several other issues. There is an increased amount of responsibility. For instance, there are more and more responsibilities that are added to one's list. As one has so many things to keep track of at home, it is combined with an ever growing list from work. As we "tighten our belts" in our companies, sometimes the workloads increase...(well same workload, fewer employees, which equals more workload for each employee), but the brain can only handle so much input for a given time.
Combine that with the fact that as one grows older their bodies begin to change. I don't really know how, nor have I studied into it as much, but we are changing chemically and hormonally. Our bodies cease to produce certain chemicals to the same required amounts as when we were younger. In some of these areas of study, especially with the workings of the brain, we are short of understanding as a society. We know that by taking certain drugs that we can affect the body certain ways, but we still don't completely understand how it all works together.
Then we throw on top of that major emotional situations that the mind has to deal with...like the loss of one's mother or father, the reality of mortality, dealing with health issues, the "mid-life crisis", and other emotional issues. The combination of these things plague the mind to a point just short of overload.
The idea of a notepad has often been introduced. It, in fact, is a good idea, but the problem arises that half of the day would be spent looking for the notepad. One of the issues that one deals with concerning ADD is losing things. I'm talking about losing the things that were just in our hands five minutes ago. Here is an example of a day's events...

"Oooo, I have a good idea. Now where is my notepad? Oh, there's the PO that I need to file...I'll do that while I look for my...I need to reorganize these POs...I need to make a copy of this one...uhg...the copier is out of paper...nobody unpacked the paper that just came in...let me do it really quickly...oh, we need to order more file folders...I need to add it to the office supply list...oh...there's my pen, I wondered where it was...wait, I was looking for my notepad...well, at least I found my pen now...what was that idea again?"

I think that there are several issues that need to be addressed in order to fix the problem. I was going to make a list of them, but I couldn't find my pen. Now that I have it, I can write those things down...what were they again?

Yikes, sounds nightmarish! I don't doubt the adult condition is genuine, and probably some of the children's conditions are genuine too but it seems to quick a diagnosis these days. And with kids I agree discipline, or rather structure and consistency, would deal with a lot of these supposed cases of ADHD.
Anyway, I sympathise. It must make life very difficult, or at least frustrating. But thanks for blogging about it, I learned something today and that's pretty cool. Thanks

It is easy to point and judge about things that you don't understand...or don't care to understand. I know, I used to do it. But now I try to see other perspectives.

There are terms that we used to use...such as absent-minded, so that we could just disregard a fault. By no means is it a learned behavior. In my younger years I was able to sit and read for hours on end. I could glance at my week's schedule and I would know where I needed to be at all times. I knew everybody's names and faces and remembered details about them. I didn't learn to be otherwise...
I don't know if it is a chemical imbalance or not...and neither do you, Jon...

Not everything is a load of crap. Although to some degree I can understand your mindset. There are a lot of character flaws that people try to blame on disorders, but that's not always the case. What about the person with depression...should they just set their mind to it...and cheer up?

ADD and ADHD are most certainly real disorders, just like any other mental disorder: they are most certainly over diagnosed, but they are real and a problem.

I feel for you, Bienvenu. I have a very good friend who's AD(H)D and going out with him to public places is a nightmare. I literally have to tie a helium balloon around his wrist like he's five years old, because he bounces all over the place and gets distracted by anything and everything.

Thank you Becca...I think that you're right...real, but certainly over diagnosed...

Jon,
You show your ignorance well!!

Nvm.
None of my business.

(Edit.)

Jon, maybe you do not see all the people with ADD that do manage to do something with their lives and only see those that fail because that is what you are looking for. Having ADD is not the same as being a lazy failure. It just means making something out of your life takes a little more effort than average, as is the same with every condition of any sort with varying degrees of effort. Not everyone can do that, just as there are people that do not have a condition and are still a failure, as you put it.

Whoever said anything about a free pass? Jon...go back and exercise the assertiveness to actually read what has been written...instead of making your predetermined conclusion about something that you know very little about.

Feel comfort that there are others out there that live your note pad dilemma as often as you do. I know exactly what you are talking about and empathize greatly. There is a good book written about adult ADD call "Driven to Distraction". If you do in fact have this deficit and you are not diagnosed, seeking professional help could helpful. You could receive some cognitive behavioral couching as well as discuss options for meds, if you believe in that sort of solution.

I can only imagine that throwing a kid in the mix of all the ADD symptoms can be enraging. Not necessarily enraged at the child, but feeling overwhelmed and frustrated with day to day tasks.

I was diagnosed with ADHD when I was 4 years old. I've been dealing with it my entire life. I find the best thing to do is to make lists and notes for yourself to try to keep you focused on what you need to be focused on! What i've learned is not to use a disorder as a crutch, but to actively try to fight it and live with it. That is what keeps me living a sane life.

Also my mom has ADHD as well (which is where I got it from). She denied it for so long, and refused to take any sort of medication, the one day she left her my little brother at the store because she simply became too unfocused with the chore of buying groceries and forgot about him. The next day she admitted that she had a problem, and has been actively making steps in her life to fix things.

Originally Posted by jersea

Feel comfort that there are others out there that live your note pad dilemma as often as you do. I know exactly what you are talking about and empathize greatly. There is a good book written about adult ADD call "Driven to Distraction". If you do in fact have this deficit and you are not diagnosed, seeking professional help could helpful. You could receive some cognitive behavioral couching as well as discuss options for meds, if you believe in that sort of solution.

I can only imagine that throwing a kid in the mix of all the ADD symptoms can be enraging. Not necessarily enraged at the child, but feeling overwhelmed and frustrated with day to day tasks.

You understand...(smile and tear)
Noted and helpful...thank you!

Originally Posted by Mathor

I was diagnosed with ADHD when I was 4 years old. I've been dealing with it my entire life. I find the best thing to do is to make lists and notes for yourself to try to keep you focused on what you need to be focused on! What i've learned is not to use a disorder as a crutch, but to actively try to fight it and live with it. That is what keeps me living a sane life.

Mathor, I hope that later years (with new challenges) are manageable. Thank you for you comments...