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Adult ADD: fact or myth? Ever been driven to distraction by the motor mouth in the office? The person whose boundless energy and total disorganisation drives you to distraction? Perhaps you are living with an unidentified ADD sufferer. ADD – Attention Deficit Disorder with or without hyperactivity – a condition said to be identified in children only. Well, no longer – the question is where do these childhood sufferers go – into adulthood naturally! And … they become your friends, lovers, co-workers, bosses. For some the problem has never been identified. Others are identified as those lucky few who find a place where they can put their boundless energy to work, working long and demanding hours with very little sleep. Sadly, some find it difficult to hold down a job, their sense of disorganised chaos, their lack of focus, their lack of drive to complete a task sees them bounce from job to job – great starters but never able to finish. If this is you or someone you know – possibly unidentified ADD is the cause. Many adults with identified or unidentified ADD look back over their school careers and point to being brilliant on the sports field and dismal in the classroom. They are proud of their single-minded focus on one activity requiring high level of energy and react with embarrassment when talking about results in the classroom. Most have found their lives totally turned up side down at a whim and are unable to know or understand why. Perhaps one needs to first look at and understand what this ADD thing is. Attention Deficit Disorder is a recognised medical condition in both adults and children. Usually described as the inability to stay focused and to concentrate for any length of time. This can include hyperactive behaviour which contributes to the lack of attention and challenges a person to be constantly on the go, with very little sleep or focused energy. As adults, many look back over a difficult time at school, some have reading problems, many have depression and a string of broken relationships. Some have dabbled in drugs or religion in an effort to control themselves and to find a sense of meaning in their lives, most are highly intelligent and articulate with rapid speech patterns. Others are affected by the total lack of drive and focus and this hypo-activity leads them to be described by others as lazy, slothful, unable to complete a task, unreliable. In many cases, the adult ADD is usually treated medically for depression and insomnia as ADD is not easily recognised. Of interest is the fact that many of the ADD sufferers report that Ritalin has had a positive effect on their lives and that they feel more positive and in control once medicated. Others fear medication, saying it is a crutch and an excuse but then try to self medicate instead. What can be done? – a good first port of call is a neurologist who is able to assist in the identification of the condition and prescribe the right medication. Secondly, find a psychologist who understands the condition and can work closely with you and your partner to shore up an often stormy relationship. Thirdly, join the ADD support group – a group dedicated to education and support of both those suffering from the condition and those who survive around them. Terry Wilke M.Ed. (Psychology) Educational Psychologist
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