 For going on about 20 years, Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) has been a hot "buzz" word in educational, psychotherapeutic, medical, parental, and even pop culture and entertainment circles. It was first identified in 1902 by Dr. George Frederic Still, who described "a group of children with symptoms that sound much like what is now known as ADHD. He used the label 'defect in moral control'"
In 1966, Samuel Clements coined the improved but still unfortunate term (but typical for its time) Minimal Brain Dysfunction. Dr. Clements defined it as a syndrome which presents as a combination of average or above average intelligece with certain mild to severe learning or behavioral disabilities charactering deviant functioning of the central nervous system (http://www.enotes.com/gate-pyschology-
encyclopedia/minimal-brain-dysfunction). It has thankfully undergonbe a transformation in terms of public understanding (which does still lag behind the reality), and in the more academically and clinically astute minds of modern professionals.
First thought to be almost exclusively a "boy's" disorder, we now know that the prevalence of ADD is nearly statistically equal for both genders, although there is still some question as to whether or not boys manifest the more restless and fidgetty components and symptomology whereas girls may more commonly present as absent-minded, distracted and/or "day-dreamy". Nonetheless, the social, academic, emotional and familial consequences can be just as problematic, and frequently severe, for both boys and girls - particularly when the problem remains yet undetected, unidentified, and thus untreated.
What is a relatively new finding or observation is that this disorder, previously thought to dissipate after childhood, perhaps as one of the few positive experiences during puberty, is now known to persist into adulthood for a large number of those diagnosed as children. Further, over the past 10 to 15 years, more and more people are getting diagnosed*as* adults, as public awareness of the typical characteristics and behaviors (perhaps thrust to the attention of the afflicted adult in the midst of vocational or marital fallout) becomes part of the public nomenclature and/or "water cooler" and media banter.
It is widely known that ADD can present, and be*misinterpretted* as the forgetful, fidgetty, and "inconsiderate" behavior that so plagues the sufferer. The boy who dconstantly gets into trouble for talking out of turn, running in the hallways, and turning around at his desk to see what exciting things are happening behind him or out the window, may spend more time in for recess than is fair for a "neuro-typical", much less a student - a CHILD! - who absolutely needs his time outdoors to run and yell and explore and express himself and learn social rules. The girl who is chuckled at for being so "spacey", and chided because she missed the directions (for the third time in 5 minutes!), or who can often be found in a ball, crying, because she (once again) lost her glasses or bracelet or homework or housekey or friend's telephone number, will often be overlooked, and the possibility of a neurological problem may not even hit the radar screens of those adults who love, teach, and care for her.
What may not be so widely known, but is, or most certainly soon will be, common knowledge among and within any population that is exposed to mass media, is that adults, too, can suffer from this problem, and only have learned some coping mechanisms that have served them - eh! - adequately well, as they are often very smart and very sensitive and very self-conscious. This person may miss deadlines at work, lose her car keys (or medication!), or forget (quite painfully and guilt-provokingly) to pick up his child after soccer practice. Again, especially as parents, many adults with ADD have learned - come hell or high water! - certain behavioral and organizational, and even mnemonic crutches that just barely keep their families intact. More marriages and family relationships have suffered, and many experts believe, more jail cells are filled, because of undiagnosed and/or inadequately treated or untreated ADD.
Awareness of Attention Deficit Disorder is a first step toward getting help. You can't fix what you don't know is broken, right? For those who can see, "plain as day", the problems experienced by their friend, loved one or coworker, one of the kindest and life-changing (and karma-positive!) things you can do is to help that person become aware of the availability of help. I know it is a socially awkward situation, and maybe there are ways to help anonymously - perhaps by showing some initiative and proposing to your boss that a "mental health" inservice might be a very helpful and even rejuvinating item to put on next month's agenda.
I am in*NO* way advocating the playing of armchair psychiatrist! You don't want to go to your friend and say, "you know - I think you have ADD!". No - no. But if you have the social and interpersonal skill to communicate some important information without embarrassing him/her - or just the personal relationship to come right out and say "Girl - you seem so flustered and unhappy!"...or whatever.
You can find an almost overwhelming supply of help and resources online. I might suggest that you google the keywords "attention deficit disorder", and click on the first ten to twenty pages (links) that show up. CH.A.D.D. (Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) may be a good starting point, at: http://www.chadd.org/ .
A few more valuable and informative sites and/or pages are listed as follows:
-http://www.lodonline.org/index.php
-http://www.revolutionhealth.com/conditions/mental-behavioral-health/adhd/?s_kwcid=attention%20deficit%20disorder|986149554
-http://www.doreusa.com/?c1=AW:MAS&source=add:deficit+
disorder:S:2&kw=attention%20deficit%20disorder
-http://www.add.org/
-http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/symptom.htm
-http://www.ncpamd.com/adhd.htm
There are oodles more, but these ought to get you started. You can also find a lot of information in a couple of books that, by now, are a little dated, but are still extremely relevant and eye=opening. I would, of course, be wary of any online information indicated in the reference section or any appendices. But, just type in the name of the book and/or authors into any search engine, and you'll find up-to-date contact and reference information. Two books I highly recommend are Driven to Distraction by Drs. Edward Hallowell and John Ratey, and "You Mean I'm not Lazy, Stupid or Crazy?!" by Kate Kelly and Peggy Ramundo.
You can find "live" online information and support from a varietyof sources including yahoogroups.com, help.com, http://community.mentalhelp.net,, and I have a semi-regular presence in the online support group alt.support.attn-deficit.
Above all, hang in there. Do not give up and do not lose hope! You're worth the effort it takes to find help, health, and happiness. Good luck!
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