Re: Coping with ADD
 

farva,

what kind of work do you do?

I could have written that entire post btw.

Re: Coping with ADD
 

jba,

I'm a quant analyst at a hedge fund. I posted in the Occupations thread.

Just hearing that others have similar thoughts/problems is making me feel better. I like what you wrote about remembering dumb things you've said in social situations for years. I often will be having the time of the my life with my friends then say something stupid or get made fun of and proceed to allow it to ruin my day. The less I know the person the more trouble I have letting go of the shame. This was especially difficult while I lived in a fraternity, as the environment is one of constant ridicule. I am actually glad I went through this experience as I was forced to develop some kind of thick skin and learn to tell myself that "its ok, everyone says/does dumb [censored] from time to time".

Anyways I could go much deeper on this topic, but I don't know if this is the place? I have began to analyze my actions of the past several years and have begun to observe a coping pattern of behavior. Basically I think I have tended to behave in self-destructive ways in order to justify my focus on negative things; for example, I'll be upset about my laziness at work, go home and tilt off my bankroll in a no limit game. In that way, I will have justified feeling negative because I have just lost money. In actuality, I am masking the deeper problem. I guess this is a form of self medication through poker but at this point I am rambling so I will stop.

Re: Coping with ADD
 

I'll give you some things I figured out on my own while trying to figure out how to get around my ADD.

When studying, I like to change locations every hour or so, This can be as simple as changing to a different area of the library to going to a different building.

Also study away from where you live. I tend to find myself too easily distracted by things in my apartment either the computer or tv or different books or even that rubik's cube I can't seem to solve.

I find jobs that require alot of hands on work such as in a lab much more enjoyable than for instance sitting at a cubicle trying to contact suppliers and such, even if the hands on work is tedious and not very mentally stimulating.

Exersize before going to work. Running helps clear my head and I can generally focus better on the day if I ran in the morning.

I even found if I dress better (slacks and button down shirt instead of t-shirt) I focus better, though that could just be me.

Hope this helps

Re: Coping with ADD
 

all i have to add is that i've tried strattera on two occasions. both times i had really nasty side effects, the worst of which was extreme dizzyness. i never lasted more than two months.

my mother has been nagging me to try ritalin/adderal for years. i've resisted for years, but may give a stimulant type a chance at some point.

Re: Coping with ADD
 

[ QUOTE ]
all i have to add is that i've tried strattera on two occasions. both times i had really nasty side effects, the worst of which was extreme dizzyness. i never lasted more than two months.

my mother has been nagging me to try ritalin/adderal for years. i've resisted for years, but may give a stimulant type a chance at some point.

[/ QUOTE ]

i think about 80% of people respond to medication... so not everyone responds

Re: Coping with ADD
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
all i have to add is that i've tried strattera on two occasions. both times i had really nasty side effects, the worst of which was extreme dizzyness. i never lasted more than two months.

my mother has been nagging me to try ritalin/adderal for years. i've resisted for years, but may give a stimulant type a chance at some point.

[/ QUOTE ]

i think about 80% of people respond to medication... so not everyone responds

[/ QUOTE ]

my add symptoms improved, also...i should have put that in my first post. i just didn't like worrying if i was going to faint everytime i sat/stood up

Re: Coping with ADD
 

This thread has hit home for me. I never really put much thought into whether or not I had ADD, but I certainly have a lot of the symptoms you guys are talking about. I always did pretty well in high school; show up, take test, easy enough. But when I got to college I found out I was a really horrible student. I always just thought it was basically a motivation issue, and that my school was a tough school, blah blah. And while it's true that you need to apply yourself, I think it's definitely easier for some people. Some people definitely have a natural organizational edge.

Waking up on time, scheduling time to study, meeting deadlines, and all that stuff is easier said than done for some people. And reading. I HATE to read. Even if it's something that interests me, the actual reading is a chore (the stimulation of learning is sort of separate, and what ultimately drives me to do it). But being forced to read a certain set of pages, forget about it. Even if I really made myself sit down and crank it out, my mind would wander so much that I'd get very little out of it. Reading internet forums is really a good way for me to learn stuff, I guess because of the way it's broken down, and the personal aspect (and occasional interaction) helps stimulate me. But even longer posts on here I just can't bring myself to read, even if it's something that I think would interest me.

I've always been bad with those things (organization, deadlines, reading), but good with small, concentrated tasks. Like Pete said in the OP, some people don't see it as a disorder, but more a trade off. Personally, I like our side of the coin. Though I'm not sure what I would actually be doing if I didn't stumble upon poker a few years ago.

Another thing. Movies. If a movie sparks my interest, then I'm totally engaged in it. I'll enjoy it so much and catch every detail. But if someone else puts one on (say I'm hanging out with a few people) and it's not something that I particularly want to watch, I'll have a hard time even following basic plot lines. And I mean that quite literally. I'll just totally space out. I might occupy my mind by being intrigued by a certain person's accent, then wandering again, then maybe catching a stimulating scene or line or two. But I'm not really "following" the movie (even a blatantly simple one).

I've always had it in the back of my head that maybe I have some sort of (maybe mild) case of ADD, but I've never really bothered to connect the dots. After reading this thread, I think I'm in the same boat as a lot of you guys. I don't know if I really "have" ADD in the sense that the drugs would do much for me, but I certainly might. If nothing else, I exhibit similar behavior. I guess "it is what it is" in my mind, and I'm not too concerned about labeling it. I always thought it was just sort of the way I was, and didn't realize a lot of others had similar behavior patterns. This has been interesting to read.

Re: Coping with ADD
 

[ QUOTE ]

Anyways, I'm thinking about seeing someone professionally. My first step is to find someone, and I'm at a loss. I have a HMO plan through work but have no idea where to get started. I want to find someone good/smart but don't want to wander around work asking people. Any good ideas of ways to find a good therapist? I live in SD if that helps...

[/ QUOTE ]

can anyone with experience answer this?

Re: Coping with ADD
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

Anyways, I'm thinking about seeing someone professionally. My first step is to find someone, and I'm at a loss. I have a HMO plan through work but have no idea where to get started. I want to find someone good/smart but don't want to wander around work asking people. Any good ideas of ways to find a good therapist? I live in SD if that helps...

[/ QUOTE ]

can anyone with experience answer this?

[/ QUOTE ]

This thread has also struck a chord with me and I think I would like to see someone, but don't know the process. ADD is something that I have never even thought about, but the posts in this thread are describing the way I fell almost exactly. It's kind of eerie. Coincidentally, I am also in San Diego.

Re: Coping with ADD
 

I would like to be able to read all the posts in this thread, but my lack of focus doesn't allow me [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img] Damn it!

Re: Coping with ADD
 

Wanting something other than med's to treat my son's ADD, we googled, asked around, and so forth, and found a treatment called Neurofeedback. I've just started the process and the results so far are quite amazing. It's basically a process to (re)train your brain processing to either a) minimize the non-productive "noisy" processing in your brain (which is my problem) or b) stimulate the active processing in your brain (my son's problem).

Outside of the med's aspect of treating ADD, but, I thought it was worth mentioning in this thread.

siad

Re: Coping with ADD
 

[ QUOTE ]
Wanting something other than med's to treat my son's ADD, we googled, asked around, and so forth, and found a treatment called Neurofeedback. I've just started the process and the results so far are quite amazing. It's basically a process to (re)train your brain processing to either a) minimize the non-productive "noisy" processing in your brain (which is my problem) or b) stimulate the active processing in your brain (my son's problem).

Outside of the med's aspect of treating ADD, but, I thought it was worth mentioning in this thread.

siad

[/ QUOTE ]

what are you using to find out about Neurofeedback? A book? A therapist?

Re: Coping with ADD
 

kw,

We are going to a Psychologist / Counselor here in No. VA for Neurofeedback "treatment". The treatment is basically watching a computer screen, which is running through a variety of visually oriented games (maze, puzzle, simple stuff), with electrodes attached to your head, measuring brain response to the visual activity on the screen. The system provides auditory cues, which provides the positive feedback to your brain, when you are either minimizing the noise, or maximizing the active processing. The system can be tuned for a variety of other feedback mechanisms as well.

That's a rather feeble attempt at explanation, but here are a couple of links that provide more information:

EEG Spectrum-FAQ
Wiki-Neurofeedback
Paper on Neurofeedback and Sports

I have other links, but on my computer at home. I can dig those up, if interested. Hope that helps.

siad

Re: Coping with ADD
 

[ QUOTE ]
kw,

We are going to a Psychologist / Counselor here in No. VA for Neurofeedback "treatment". The treatment is basically watching a computer screen, which is running through a variety of visually oriented games (maze, puzzle, simple stuff), with electrodes attached to your head, measuring brain response to the visual activity on the screen. The system provides auditory cues, which provides the positive feedback to your brain, when you are either minimizing the noise, or maximizing the active processing. The system can be tuned for a variety of other feedback mechanisms as well.

That's a rather feeble attempt at explanation, but here are a couple of links that provide more information:

EEG Spectrum-FAQ
Wiki-Neurofeedback
Paper on Neurofeedback and Sports

I have other links, but on my computer at home. I can dig those up, if interested. Hope that helps.

siad

[/ QUOTE ]

thanks, that sounds interesting

Re: Coping with ADD
 

here's a resource list i'm working through - got it from my therapist

books on ad/hd

Taking Charge of ADHD
Russell Barkley

Thom Harmann's Complete Guide to ADHD
Thom Hartmann

Driven to Distraction (currently reading, seems insightfull and lucid)
Edward Hallowell and John Ratey

ADHD Handbook for Families: Communicating with Professionals
Paul L. Weingartner

ADHD: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity in Children and Adults
Paul H. Wender

No More Ritalin: Treating ADHD Without Drugs
Mary Ann Block

Interventions for ADHD
Phyllis Anne Teeter

Healing ADD
Daniel Amen

ADHD-Hyperactivity: A Consumer's Guide
Michael Gordon

The ADD/ADHD Checklist
Sandra Reif

A website:

http://www.help4adhd.org

WWK - what we know - tips

Re: Coping with ADD
 

I'd say if you can make it through that whole list, either you're cured or never had ADD to begin with.

Re: Coping with ADD
 

[ QUOTE ]
A: A chronic disturbance in which at least fifteen of the following are present:

blabla

[/ QUOTE ]

I counted 14 of those that seem to fit me. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

Re: Coping with ADD
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
There are cures for ADD/ADHD/OCD. One doesn't have to "cope" for a lifetime. The cures don't involve drugs. The cures do involve aggressively treating the source of the problem.

(Drugs just treat symptoms)

[/ QUOTE ]

Another person talking out of their ass. "The source of the problem" is a chemical imbalance. The drugs go a long way towards leveling the playing field. I guess you can change your life, but the drugs have been a miracle for me.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm sorry you don't want to educate yourself on the topic. However, the chemical imbalance is a SYMPTOM of the underlying problem, not the source of the problem.

You can treat the chemical imbalance symptom with drugs, but the drugs will not cure you.

I see a lot of people who get emotionally attached to their chemical imbalance, and don't want to be cured, because having the imbalance makes them feel safe/gives them an excuse to medicate/etc.

Re: Coping with ADD
 

[ QUOTE ]


I'm sorry you don't want to educate yourself on the topic. However, the chemical imbalance is a SYMPTOM of the underlying problem, not the source of the problem.

You can treat the chemical imbalance symptom with drugs, but the drugs will not cure you.

[/ QUOTE ]

Okay, I'll bite. What is the source of the problem? And, what's the cure?

Re: Coping with ADD
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]


I'm sorry you don't want to educate yourself on the topic. However, the chemical imbalance is a SYMPTOM of the underlying problem, not the source of the problem.

You can treat the chemical imbalance symptom with drugs, but the drugs will not cure you.

[/ QUOTE ]

Okay, I'll bite. What is the source of the problem? And, what's the cure?

[/ QUOTE ]

the underlying problem is neurological.

it has been shown that the activity in certain parts of the brain of people with ADD is different than those w/o... the metabolism is higher in certain brain cells

the problem is neurological... that is biological. the underlying problem is genetic, but how strong the symptoms are has a nurturing component

you can often treat it w/ drugs and you can treat it w/ other things like creating structure in your environment etc. or both, or neurofeedback, or a combo of the previous

but the problem itself is 100% biological

there are secondary issues that often come up due to the symptoms of ADD, these also have to be dealt with

but the underlying problem is that the brain of people with ADD works different than the brains of people w/o ADD

i may try and look up the article, but it's in a peer reviewed medical journal and it discuss differences in the metabolism of brain cells afaik..... if anyone has the ref. that'd be great, since i'd like to see it



[/ QUOTE ]

i think what emperor is saying is that some people use ADD as an excuse for their behavior... this is a stage many people, especially children, go through, and it's very important to not do this

if you have bad eyesight, that doesn't give you the excuse of driving badly.... you have to get eyeglasses

if you have add, that doesn't give you the excuse to not face the consequences of your actions..... you have to deal with your problems

Re: Coping with ADD
 

I have ADD, and when it comes to something very intresting for me, I have hyper focus. There are things that stimulate me and seem to massage my mind. ITs like when you put Die Hard on or see it on tv, you just have to stop and watch.

happens with video games, poker, sometimes really good books (and i love to read, it just gets reallz really hard to do sometimes). I never had cable tv for a long time because even when commercials are on, I will just sit and watch. Ive had to really work on being able to pull myself away or force myself to do things that need to be done.

As for jobs, they are crazy hard for me, even the simple ones. because they just burn me out because most are unintresting past the second week, if at all. I also think its the reason I play mostlz shorthanded and HU poker, or I have to play a ton of tables, I always need stimulation and I love playing as much as possible.

Re: Coping with ADD
 

[ QUOTE ]

One interesting thing, that I've never really realized, is that in some cases ADD may cause depression like symptoms / feeling.

Basically you're not completely disabled and sitting at home alone not interacting with other people, you don't lose sleep over it, etc.... so it's not really depression. But you do feel like crap / sad, over and over and over again.

It's an example of hyperfocusing. Basically your brain hyperfocuses on the negative. So, everytime your brain wanders.... and it does so often, since you have ADD.... your brain searches for something to focus in on, and it hyperfocuses on the negative.

So, tiny mistakes will feel like huge deals, little things will make you super sad, you'll feel like a complete fraud if you screw up one small thing, etc.... Basically you organize around a bad mood and don't let go. Once you realize you're doing this, you can try to offer alternatives to your brain and ignore the negative focusin... go for a run, think of something positive, etc.... pretty sure this wouldn't work for the clynically depressed, but it def. helps me...

.... and of course stimulants help you while anti-depressants (dopamine reuptake inhibitors, etc.) will NOT help you.


[/ QUOTE ]

HOLY FREAKING CRAP KEI!

I don't think i've ever read anything EVER that hit home as hard with me as whats quoted above. Especially in the last 2 weeks, i've met an amazing girl who i really like. Things have been going really well, i know this on a cerebral level, and yet i've never felt this bad in all my life. I've been focused entirely on whats not happening, on what i'm not doing, on minor mistakes i've made. I've been off my food, my mood has been swingy, i'm frustrated at work. And yet exactly like you said, once i go work out, or put in a session, my mood will instantly brighten. This post might actually have changed my life.

Also, fwiw, i scored almost perfect on the checklist [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

Re: Coping with ADD
 

yeah, this post is kind of eye opening. i always thought ADD was an excuse for lazy, badly misbehaved kids. so many things in this thread are so familiar to me. i also got 18 out of 20 on that checklist w/ the other 2 being close.

some things i haven't seen mentioned is that the only books i've completely read, i read in a day or 2 (depending on length). even if i generally enjoyed a lecture i would be chronically late and fill up my margins w/ completely random doodles, compulsively pick my hang nails, or space out and go into endless tangents about nothing.

the only way i could study or write a paper is if i went to the library and switched seats or even libraries after an hour or so of work. i just thought i was weird.

something that also seemed to really help was drinking lots of grean tea.

Re: Coping with ADD
 

Here's something that will probably seem ridiculous to people who do not have ADD, but will be very helpfull to people who do:

One thing I have found is that knowing you have ADD is very helpfull in dealing with the issues it causes.

This is because the treatment for problems with similar symptoms as ADD is not the same as the treatment of ADD.

I can illustrate with a personal example.

I have always had a huge problem keeping my room clean.

I always assumed it was because I was lazy. The cure for lazyness is motivation. So, I would decide that I would give myself a reward after succesfully cleaning my room. Let's say, I'd drink a beer after cleaning my room. The result was that I would never get to drink my beer. I could promise myself a brand new watch. It didn't matter. Usually I wouldn't start to clean my room. Sometimes I'd start, and get side tracked, or not know what to clean next, or whatever. End result: extreme frustration and the discomfort of a messy room.

Now that I understand the way my brain works a little better, I try an approach that's matched to the real problem of ADD, not the imagined problem of laziness.

People with ADD need a lot of structure and the right amount of stimulation to accomplish certain tasks, especially boring ones.

1) Now I break the problem down into small bits. I decide ahead of time I'll start with my desk and work clockwise, finishing each small part of the room before moving on.

Think about how ridiculous this is if you don't know you have ADD... I can freaking do graduate level math, how the [censored] would I realize that I need to formulate a well developed plan to accomplish something that my peers can do with seeming ease on the spur of the moment? But I need to make a plan, otherwise it won't get done.

2) I make sure I am properly stimulated. This means listening to tech and news podcasts while cleaning, doing data entry, etc.

Again this is counter-intuitive, and not something I would have tried before understanding what was going on. I always thought that I just need to buckle down and concentrate. That means REMOVING all extra stimuli. But the way many people's brains with ADD work is if you're doing routine things, you can often do them better if you multi task. This explains the seemingly rude habit certain people with ADD have. When you start talking to them, they begin to type, or fidget, or they get up out of their chairs and walk around. This is because if they don't, they'll simply zone out and not hear a word you're saying. But if they type, or fidget, or pace, they can pay attention.

This may seem like a trivial example. But my biggest frustrations in life have been with the trivial things. I can do complicated math, but I have trouble with standard addition. I can write research papers, but I can't pay my bills on time. I can deliver clear scientific presentations, but I can't keep up with the thread of conversation in a bar with my friends.

Learning about the real reason I have trouble with these things is helping me finally deal with these issues. The problem is that it is easy to fall back into old habits.

This brings up a second general point. It often helps to have a "coach" if you have ADD. Someone you can talk to about the problems you're having who can listen and give guidance. This post is getting rather long, so I'm not going to get into it here. But suffice it to say that it often helps if the person is slightly removed from you. So the gf or bf who you are already driving up the [censored] wall is probably not a good person to choose as a coach. Your friend who lives on the other side of the country may be a much better choice.

Re: Coping with ADD
 

thanks for your posts in this thread keikiwai, very helpful.

Re: Coping with ADD
 

I smoke lots of pot to cope with my ADD.

Re: Coping with ADD
 

I know this is a late bump, but I just found I had ADD after running a search and I have found this thread very helpful.

Re: Coping with ADD
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]


I'm sorry you don't want to educate yourself on the topic. However, the chemical imbalance is a SYMPTOM of the underlying problem, not the source of the problem.

You can treat the chemical imbalance symptom with drugs, but the drugs will not cure you.

[/ QUOTE ]

Okay, I'll bite. What is the source of the problem? And, what's the cure?

[/ QUOTE ]

Re: Coping with ADD
 

[ QUOTE ]
I know this is a late bump, but I just found I had ADD after running a search and I have found this thread very helpful.

[/ QUOTE ]

how did you find out, and where should i start if i think i have it

Re: Coping with ADD
 

Two years ago I was doing some pre-marriage councilling and my (soon to be) wife went down the list of things that piss her off about me. The councilor then asked me what I felt my biggest problems were. He recommended a book for me (Driven to Distraction) without really making any judgments or diagnosis. The book basically changed my life. It is amazing to me to look back on my life and see how many problems and relationships have been colored by ADD. Things like getting in trouble in grade school, or making the women in my life feel ignored and alienated. I have since been "officially" diagnosed and have begun to try to come up with effective strategies to deal with ADD.

Here are some point form (for my ADD brethren) thoughts and experiences



-lack of social grace
i have always had problems in group situations because i quickly become distracted with the conversation and start reading, watching tv or doing anything other than paying attention to the person who is talking to me. i will also try to cut short conversations or "get to the point" with people that i find long winded. this has made some people feel like i think that they are boring or uninteresting. i have acknowledged that my behavior is socially unacceptable and have begun to "fake it". i make a game out of acting like i am interested. i literally have a dialog in my head during a conversation that goes on about pretending to be normal and that i am fooling everyone. kinda weird but it has worked for me so far. the biggest thing though was recognizing that i am (was) the common denominator in my awkward social interactions and that i had to take steps to correct it

-addiction problems
i have always been consumed by some passion at one time or another. i have become focused on to the point of obsession (among other things) chess, football, video games, guitar, d&d, poker, history, theology, martial arts, etc. i also have always had a predisposition to binge drinking (i was never a have a beer at home guy, i was a drink 14 tequila shots at the bar and pass out by 11pm guy), taking recreational drugs (the first time i tried cocaine was like peanut butter and chocolate coming together). binge drinking got old for me (or i got old for it) and i have somehow avoided more serious problems with narcotics but i still get consumed by hobbies and pass times. strangely enough, pets (2 cats and a dog) have been my saving grace here by breaking up my time and giving me some responsibilities that i just cannot put off (or they will crap on the floor).

-procrastination/inability to prioritize tasks
i have very little initiative and when i am working on something i can be distracted easily by my surroundings. so far the best thing i have come up with is routine. i find it so very hard to impose this on myself, so i ask for help from my wife. i often have large amounts of paperwork to do in my job. if i find myself in a place where i am unable to focus, i will often do something else for a while instead of forcing it. i understand that medication (adderall/ ritalin) are supposed to be very good for helping with this. i have yet to explore that route. still a daily struggle with me

-inability to keep living space clean
keikiwai made some good points earlier on this. so far, best thing for me has been to make lists and try to establish a routine. i am very lucky that i have an understanding wife who takes the lead in this area or i would still be living in squalor. we have established a routine where she will give me a task and i can complete it. she wishes i were more proactive in this area but i try very hard to make up for it in other areas (i do all the cooking and landscaping)


I feel that at least now I can put a label on the problem's I have and try to find strategies to cope. Before I always just felt lazy, forgetful or mean. I am kind of an old school guy and I hate it when people blame their problems on something and don't accept responsibility for their actions. I didn't want a crutch or anything, so accepting this "condition" was tough for me.

Re: Coping with ADD
 

I was "officially" diagnosed with ADD with a lot of the symptoms matching up with mine: Inability to keep things clean, unable to prioritize tasks, procrastination, wandering mind, blah blah blah.

We all deal with problems of some sort. I don't see these are being symptoms of a mental/psychological "mis-wiring." I dropped out of college because I'm an idiot and didn't dedicate myself, not because I have ADD.

It really pisses me off that some people choose to hide behind the diagnosis. Everyone deals with someone that is as bad or worse.

To add something constructive, I second keikiwai's idea of listening to music or doing something that will help you stay on track. Having something rote or superstitious can aid you - I listen to the same 10 songs when I'm programming, the same 10 songs when I'm doing task X, etc.

Re: Coping with ADD
 

[ QUOTE ]
I was "officially" diagnosed with ADD with a lot of the symptoms matching up with mine: Inability to keep things clean, unable to prioritize tasks, procrastination, wandering mind, blah blah blah.

We all deal with problems of some sort. I don't see these are being symptoms of a mental/psychological "mis-wiring." I dropped out of college because I'm an idiot and didn't dedicate myself, not because I have ADD.

It really pisses me off that some people choose to hide behind the diagnosis. Everyone deals with someone that is as bad or worse.



[/ QUOTE ]

Whether you believe that I am hiding behind a diagnosis or not is irrelevant. What is important (to me anyway) is that I feel better about myself and I am better equipped to deal with my problems. Maybe ADD is just a bunch of psychobabble or maybe I have been misdiagnosed. Since accepting my condition my life has been better, without the aid of drugs, so I am going to keep at it.

Re: Coping with ADD
 

I wasn't specifically referring to you; I used Quick Reply. No offense intended, you aren't the target audience for that particular tirade.

Re: Coping with ADD
 

It's really interesting reading this thread. But I think there is a very good chance I have mild ADD at a minimum. I completely agree that the internet and high speed connections have probably exacerbated our problems.

Re: Coping with ADD
 

[ QUOTE ]
This thread has hit home for me. I never really put much thought into whether or not I had ADD, but I certainly have a lot of the symptoms you guys are talking about. I always did pretty well in high school; show up, take test, easy enough. But when I got to college I found out I was a really horrible student. I always just thought it was basically a motivation issue, and that my school was a tough school, blah blah. And while it's true that you need to apply yourself, I think it's definitely easier for some people. Some people definitely have a natural organizational edge.

Waking up on time, scheduling time to study, meeting deadlines, and all that stuff is easier said than done for some people. And reading. I HATE to read. Even if it's something that interests me, the actual reading is a chore (the stimulation of learning is sort of separate, and what ultimately drives me to do it). But being forced to read a certain set of pages, forget about it. Even if I really made myself sit down and crank it out, my mind would wander so much that I'd get very little out of it. Reading internet forums is really a good way for me to learn stuff, I guess because of the way it's broken down, and the personal aspect (and occasional interaction) helps stimulate me. But even longer posts on here I just can't bring myself to read, even if it's something that I think would interest me.

I've always been bad with those things (organization, deadlines, reading), but good with small, concentrated tasks. Like Pete said in the OP, some people don't see it as a disorder, but more a trade off. Personally, I like our side of the coin. Though I'm not sure what I would actually be doing if I didn't stumble upon poker a few years ago.

Another thing. Movies. If a movie sparks my interest, then I'm totally engaged in it. I'll enjoy it so much and catch every detail. But if someone else puts one on (say I'm hanging out with a few people) and it's not something that I particularly want to watch, I'll have a hard time even following basic plot lines. And I mean that quite literally. I'll just totally space out. I might occupy my mind by being intrigued by a certain person's accent, then wandering again, then maybe catching a stimulating scene or line or two. But I'm not really "following" the movie (even a blatantly simple one).

I've always had it in the back of my head that maybe I have some sort of (maybe mild) case of ADD, but I've never really bothered to connect the dots. After reading this thread, I think I'm in the same boat as a lot of you guys. I don't know if I really "have" ADD in the sense that the drugs would do much for me, but I certainly might. If nothing else, I exhibit similar behavior. I guess "it is what it is" in my mind, and I'm not too concerned about labeling it. I always thought it was just sort of the way I was, and didn't realize a lot of others had similar behavior patterns. This has been interesting to read.

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This thread has really hit home with me also. Some movies I become obsessed with every detail. But often I go to a friend's place they will have a movie on and I just can't stand it and have to get up and do something because I'm so bored. I'm so used to my poker / do whatever I want when I want lifestyle that I hadn't considered the ADD possibility seriously.

Re: Coping with ADD
 

1) caffeine
2) more caffeine

i've tried the meds and caffeine is far, far better imo

on caffeine all i need to do is make sure i get all the sleep my body wants and sporadically take a day off

Re: Coping with ADD
 

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Two years ago I was doing some pre-marriage councilling and my (soon to be) wife went down the list of things that piss her off about me. The councilor then asked me what I felt my biggest problems were. He recommended a book for me (Driven to Distraction) without really making any judgments or diagnosis. The book basically changed my life. It is amazing to me to look back on my life and see how many problems and relationships have been colored by ADD. Things like getting in trouble in grade school, or making the women in my life feel ignored and alienated. I have since been "officially" diagnosed and have begun to try to come up with effective strategies to deal with ADD.

Here are some point form (for my ADD brethren) thoughts and experiences



-lack of social grace
i have always had problems in group situations because i quickly become distracted with the conversation and start reading, watching tv or doing anything other than paying attention to the person who is talking to me. i will also try to cut short conversations or "get to the point" with people that i find long winded. this has made some people feel like i think that they are boring or uninteresting. i have acknowledged that my behavior is socially unacceptable and have begun to "fake it". i make a game out of acting like i am interested. i literally have a dialog in my head during a conversation that goes on about pretending to be normal and that i am fooling everyone. kinda weird but it has worked for me so far. the biggest thing though was recognizing that i am (was) the common denominator in my awkward social interactions and that i had to take steps to correct it

-addiction problems
i have always been consumed by some passion at one time or another. i have become focused on to the point of obsession (among other things) chess, football, video games, guitar, d&d, poker, history, theology, martial arts, etc. i also have always had a predisposition to binge drinking (i was never a have a beer at home guy, i was a drink 14 tequila shots at the bar and pass out by 11pm guy), taking recreational drugs (the first time i tried cocaine was like peanut butter and chocolate coming together). binge drinking got old for me (or i got old for it) and i have somehow avoided more serious problems with narcotics but i still get consumed by hobbies and pass times. strangely enough, pets (2 cats and a dog) have been my saving grace here by breaking up my time and giving me some responsibilities that i just cannot put off (or they will crap on the floor).

-procrastination/inability to prioritize tasks
i have very little initiative and when i am working on something i can be distracted easily by my surroundings. so far the best thing i have come up with is routine. i find it so very hard to impose this on myself, so i ask for help from my wife. i often have large amounts of paperwork to do in my job. if i find myself in a place where i am unable to focus, i will often do something else for a while instead of forcing it. i understand that medication (adderall/ ritalin) are supposed to be very good for helping with this. i have yet to explore that route. still a daily struggle with me

-inability to keep living space clean
keikiwai made some good points earlier on this. so far, best thing for me has been to make lists and try to establish a routine. i am very lucky that i have an understanding wife who takes the lead in this area or i would still be living in squalor. we have established a routine where she will give me a task and i can complete it. she wishes i were more proactive in this area but i try very hard to make up for it in other areas (i do all the cooking and landscaping)


I feel that at least now I can put a label on the problem's I have and try to find strategies to cope. Before I always just felt lazy, forgetful or mean. I am kind of an old school guy and I hate it when people blame their problems on something and don't accept responsibility for their actions. I didn't want a crutch or anything, so accepting this "condition" was tough for me.

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The first person to mention it was my boss who has a teen kid with ADD. He asked it offhand and I immediately replied "NO." He was challenging me to be the "brilliant me" more of the time. With the increased pressure, I slowly figured out that there might really be a problem over the course of a few weeks. I looked it up on the internet and I was surprised to find out that it described me perfectly.

I had always thought that there was no way that I had ADD since I had the ability to focus intensely at times. I didn't know much about it as it turns out as hyperfocus is actually a symptom.

Re: Coping with ADD
 

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1) caffeine
2) more caffeine

i've tried the meds and caffeine is far, far better imo

on caffeine all i need to do is make sure i get all the sleep my body wants and sporadically take a day off

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How do you dose with caffeine? Coffee...Vivarin...Energy drinks? How much?

Re: Coping with ADD
 

Wow, holy shiat, 19 out of 20 for me. I always suspected that I had ADD, but had no idea that the meds could be as helpful as the accounts here It sounds like it could be a whole new world, and that is really exciting.

Let me ask the forum. Of those who are now on meds, did anyone start sucking LESS at poker after the meds?

Anyone start sucking MORE?

Just curious, and thanks for all the great, informative posts.

Incidentally, I wonder if insomnia is at all related. I have to be at work in 4 hours and should go to sleep but can not.

Finally, I am off to the Med Check to see about this ADD this week for sho!

Re: Coping with ADD
 

I would also add, that I had previously always associated ADD with a learning disorder or dumb kids in class.

I am not sure where I got this misimpression, but I thought the fact that I was at the top of my class somehow disqualified me.