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printer friendlyADD Resources eNews: October 2007
Get Ready for WinterDear Readers,
We are pleased so many people are discovering the value of membership in our organization. Here is an email we received last week— " After becoming a member, I received my Adult ADD Reader, and I have to tell you...the book alone was worth the price of my membership. It is incredible...thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!" from Stacy Turis. In addition to the book Stacy received when she became a member, learn the other benefits of membership and join today. You won't be sorry. These month's musing is about not over–dosing on all the podcasts we have available at our website. For true growth, proceed with care.
Take It Slow and Easy
I have one concern, now that we have posted over 45 podcasts to our website*. It is that you will overindulge. I know about over–indulging. It seems to be part of the ying and yang of ADD—too much or too little. We love information and find learning new things so exciting that we often overdo. Then we feel overwhelmed because now we have learned so much that we don't know where to begin and can't even remember 25% of what we learned!
Speaking as someone who was diagnosed 15 years ago, has incorporated her ADD–traits into her life and feels fairly successful, here is my advice to you:
Becoming all you can be involves a slow, meticulous process of focusing on and acquiring one new skill before moving on to acquire the next. I visualize a circular staircase going up and up, with me taking one step at a time—slow and easy. Each step up means one more skill I have acquired.
Think what behavior, ADHD–related, that you find most troublesome or, if that is too big a chunk, think of an ADHD–related behavior that seems possible for you to change.
Think what strategies you can employ to change your ADHD-related behavior, and then, just focus (why not hyper–focus?) on changing that one behavior. For me, the first thing I worked on was always returning my Visa credit card to the lower left slot in my wallet. A small thing, you may be thinking, but do you realize how often I had no idea where my credit card was? Was it in the pocket of my trousers?... or my coat? Did I put it in my wallet but in another location? Throw it on the car seat? Drop it randomly in my purse? You get the idea.
How much time and anxiety I wasted just because I didn't consistently return my credit card to the same place.! Training myself to change just this one cursed behavior made me feel "normal," and so much more in control of myself. Once I felt comfortable that I had this new habit under my belt, and understood the importance of maintaining the habit, I moved onto— always putting my keys in my purse—not in a pocket. Simple habits, but—oh what a difference!
So my concern is that you not over–indulge. Listen to one skill building podcast—and only move onto another podcast when you have achieved the skill being taught in the first podcast. Start climbing your staircase today and soon you'll be singing the happy tune, "I'll build a stairway to Paradise, with a new step everyday. I'm going to get there at any price. Let me start! I'm on my way!"
*(These podcasts are free in our Members Only Section and cost $7 each for non-members)
Until next month,
Cynthia Hammer, MSW, Director
5th Annual ADHD Conference on October 13th
Online registration closes October 6th. After that you will need to register onsite at increased prices.
If you've come before, come again. If you haven't come, make it this time. It is hard to tell you the magic of attending a conference and how it gives you a tremendous boost on your ADHD journey. This conference feature national ADHD authority, Thomas Brown, Ph.D.
Learn more about this conference and register now.
Teleclass Series on ADHD and Relationships
AD/HD and Your Relationship with Your Significant Other: Make Some Changes Now!
You have learned about your ADHD and you and your partner have already benefitted from this new knowledge. But some pieces in your relationship are still not falling into place. What to do? Where to go next?
We have an answer. Five couples are invited to participate in a 4–session (90 minutes each) teleclass where they will obtain new insights and learn new relationship skills. Confidentiality is assured.
Teleclasses are like participating in a conference call where everyone calls into the same number, paying their own long distance charges.
These teleclasses will be held each Friday afternoon in October, (4:30-6 pm PST; 5:30-7 pm; MST; 6:30-8 pm CST and 7:30-9 pm EST) and will be conducted by Don Baker, LMHC and very skilled therapist working with ADHD couples. Learn more and register now!
Free (and Outstanding) Weekly Teleclasses September through November
All our teleclasses free. Learn from some of the national authorities: Chris Dendy, Sandy Maynard, Edward Hallowell, Nancy Ratey along with other outstanding ADHD presenters.
Visit http://www.addresources.org/adhd_teleclasses.php to see what topics and presenters are coming up and what number you need to call and what access number to enter. You will need to remind your self to attend (can you do that?) as there will be be no reminder email with these free teleclasses.
Note: All our teleclasses are recorded and made into podcasts so you can listen to them at anytime. Podcasts are free for members and cost $7 for non–members. See our current listing of podcasts>> Become a member>>
Here is the teleclass line up for October
- On Tuesday, October 2 at 6 p.m. PST (7 p.m. MST., 8 pm CST and 9 pm EST) participate in a teleclass with Dr. Edward Hallowell on Unwrapping the Gifts of the ADD Mind.
- On Tuesday Oct 9, 5:30 pm PST, (6:30 pm MST, 7:30 pm CST and 8:30 pm EST) ADHD Coach Lyn Purpura will present on ADHD and Addictions.
- On Wednesday, Oct 17, 5 pm PST, (6 pm MST, 7 pm CST and 8 pm EST ) Coach Brenda Nichelson will give a 90 minute presentation on ADD and School: Keys to Success.
- On Thursday Oct 25, 6 pm PST, (7 pm MST, 8 pm CST and 9 PM EST) Rhonda Pawlan, ADHD coach will talk on Procrastination: Stop It Before It Stops You!
Get the information on all these free teleclasses now.
Interesting Web Sites and Books
- Visit this website: www.smileco.org. It was created by Avery, an 8 yr old boy with ADHD who got tired of being teased and decide to "fight back" by saying ADHD can be a good thing. He is selling bracelets. Wearing this bracelet could open a discussion about ADHD with the person wearing it, giving us an opportunity to counter some of the ignorance about ADHD and who know nothing about the gifts an ADHD–wired brain can produce if used properly and focused on the strengths of that "super brain" ~~summarized words of an ADHD professional who is buying several bracelets.
- aboutworking memory.com
- scattered.com
- coping.org
- Links to articles about ADHD in the workplace
- Resources from Vyvanse—the latest medicine for the treatment of ADHD.
- The book Now Find Your Strenths will help you discover where your strengths lie. It gives you a code to use when taking a test to determine your unique results on www.strengthfinder.com. ~recommended by unknown person
- A great resources for making a career move is www.48days.com and the book 48 Days to the Work You Love ~ recommended by unknown person
- I have just finished reading a wonderful book for parents with adult ADHD children who are still, too much a part of their lives—On Their Own: Creating an Independent Future for You Adult Child with Learning Disabilities and ADHD by Anne Ford. ~~Cynthia Hammer
- Another book I highly recommend is Organizing Solutions for People with Attention Deficit Disorder: Tips and Tools to Help You Take Charge of Your Life and Get Organized by Susan Pinsky, a professional organizer. This book is beautifully illustrated with color photographs and has excellent ideas for organizing in an ADD-accommodating way. This lady gets it. But be warned: the book is so thorough it can be overwhelming. But I followed many of her suggestions and found them helpful. ~~Cynthia Hammer
- Here a book for kids with ADHD ages 8-12: The Survival Guide for Kids with ADD or ADHD by John Taylor. Kid–friendly tools to make each day a great one.
Too Disorganized: Attention–Deficit Adults Fail to Get Help
More than half the people suspected of having adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are so disorganized that they fail to seek treatment two years after being urged to do so, a study reveals. They procrastinate, they forget or they blow it off—classic symptoms of ADHD itself, according to a survey conducted by the NYU Medical Center.
The NYU's ADHD program held a screening day in 2004. Of the 330 adults who attended, 85 percent screened positive for ADHD. NYU researchers conducted a follow–up survey with 51 people recently. They had all been given a list of doctors to contact two years ago to help treat their illness. But 27 of the respondents—or 53 percent—admitted they never followed through.
"This data shows that people with ADHD need help to get help," said Dr. Lenard Adler, director of NYU's Adult ADHD program and author of Scattered Minds, a book about the disorder. Nearly all of the no–shows said they wanted to get help, Adler said, but it slipped their mind. "Their symptoms got in the way. They have trouble completing things," he said.
The Seriousness of ADHD, Especially if Untreated
Studies have shown that the fallout of under treatment is dire and longstanding. Among teenagers with untreated ADD, 40 percent need special education, 40 percent of girls with the condition end up pregnant, 20 to 25 percent end up arrested and 20 percent have serious problems with drugs, according to Dr. Russell Barkley, a professor of psychiatry at the University of South Carolina Medical School.
"I don't want to oversell this disorder, but its not benign—not just about a little too much energy, or too much chocolate or caffeine," Barkley said. "Treated early in childhood, these kids do well. But there are irreparable consequences from not taking it seriously."
Become a Professional Member
For just $10/mo ($120 a year)receive:
- All of the benefits of regular membership plus:
- Top listing in the National ADHD Directory searches.
- A beautiful, wooden–framed color certificate (8.5x11) recognizing your professional membership in ADD Resources. You will be proud to hang this certificate in your office.
- Two Adult ADD Readers, one for you and one for your office or to give to a client plus 10 brochures and 25 business cards for ADD Resources.
Reduced rates for current members who want to upgrade to the Professional Membership category.
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Do You Know a Good ADHD Service Provider or Product?
Help us let others know who is good. Download this web page. Give it to ADHD service providers you know. Encourage them to become participants in the National ADHD Directory—a resource for all folks in the United State looking for help with their ADHD difficulties. The National ADHD Directory opened to the public on April 1, 2004. We have over 1150 providers listed. Check it out>>
