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Conference quark::human_relations-v1

Title:What's all this fuss about 'sax and violins'?
Notice:Archived V1 - Current conference is QUARK::HUMAN_RELATIONS
Moderator:ELESYS::JASNIEWSKI
Created:Fri May 09 1986
Last Modified:Wed Jun 26 1996
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:1327
Total number of notes:28298

1162.0. "Adult Attention Deficit Disorder" by GSMOKE::MFLICK () Wed May 08 1991 03:17

    I think that it might be benificial to all to share some information
    that I just learned.
    
    I am going through a divorce right now, the details of which shall
    remain personal, but the cause of which should be brought to light.
    My wife's reasons for the breakup were because of my temper. I became
    very concerned about this because it had been a problem in my childhood
    and although I had learned to stifle my emotional outbursts, at times
    they would erupt.  I went to my doctor and asked him if there may be
    a physiological reason to my anger. He conducted a full physical and
    ran an MRI scan, EEG, and a few other medical things.
    
    The outcome for me was that I am physically fit with one exception.
    I have Adult Attention Deficit Disorder. It is a Neurological problem
    that often goes unnoticed in children or overlooked as hyperactivity.
    It then progresses into adulthood and takes on different attributes
    which become complex by the ingestion of Caffine, alcohol, cigarettes,
    and a poor diet. So the symptoms are masked so to speak and makes it
    harder to detect. 
    
    Basicly what Attention Deficit Disorder is is that in all persons there
    is a portion of the brain that receives inputs and processes the info
    via neuron synaps. A person with ADD when placed in a situation where
    information or inputs are potentialy confusing or stressful has trouble
    processing the infromation and becomes frustrated, most times easily
    and can and will at times react in ways that make them appear very
    unsettling to all around. In other words the synaps that is to take
    place in the brain is delayed or doen't take place at all. 
    
    In a way I am happy and in a way I am very sad. Happy in that now I
    know what is wrong with me and through medication, a new diet, and no
    caffine I can get on with my life and feel good about myself. As for
    my marriage, well I just hope all works out well in the end.  I still
    love my wife and through time I hope she can learn to understand my
    disability and forgive my past so that we can get on with our futures
    and not have it affect out daughter as she grows up.
    
    Regards to all and thanks for listening,
    
    MF
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1162.1a few thoughtsCHEFS::EASTERBROOKI'm thinking about itWed May 08 1991 15:1331
    Personally I wouldn't depend on obscure medical reasons to compleatly 
    explain behavioural criterea, it can give you a false sense of
    confidence and cause you to accept past mistakes.
    
    I have never heard of this affliction, but I am sure I could claim I
    had it myself also.
    
    I wonder though if what you have really been doing is historically 
    bottling up your feelings, frustrations, anger and emotions rather than 
    simply expressing them spontateouly if necessary, learning to laugh and
    to cry and to get things out of your system.
    
    Keeping things bottled up inside of you does cause a loss of attention,
    you usually got so many things running around your head you are to busy
    thinking about them to listen to what others are saying. It also
    motivates you in ways others don't understand, you rationalise things
    you don't fully understand and sooner or latter start to live in your
    own little world.
    
    Certainly dietary aspects affect all of this, substances like
    Cigarettes, coffee and Drink contain stress forming substances, just 
    as red meat and sugar do, and high levels of stress have a strong 
    influence on your attention span and your temper.
    
    As they say a healthy body leads to a healthy mind, but try to accept 
    your faults, if that is what is necessary rather than denying them,
    ceretainly I am sure your wife would prefer you to say you are sorry
    than to claim there was a medical reason for it all.
    
    Am I lecturing ? - sorry ! - time I was off.
          
1162.2ICS::STRIFEWed May 08 1991 15:2717
    Attention Defict Disorder is not all that "obscure" a diagnosis.  My
    niece was diagnosed as having it at the age of 15 (or so).  She also
    has epilpsey so it would appear that her neurological system is just
    plain messed up. As the basenoter states, this is a physiological, not
    psychological disorder.  When my neice gets into very stressful situations 
    she reacts by going into extreme depressions and has been suicidal.
    
    ADD is something which, unless accompanied by hyperactivity, is often
    missed.  Today there is a greater awareness of it but I suspect that
    most adults who have it were never diagnosed.  
    
    I don't see the basenoter using this afficlition to completely explain
    his past behaviors.  I give him credit for recognizing his inability to
    controland/or explain certain behaviors, seeking an explanation and
    committing to do what is needed to control the problem in the future.
    
    Polly
1162.3reply to 1162.1WCSM::FLICKMASTER OF ILLUSIONWed May 08 1991 22:5391
    
RE:1162.1

  >  Personally I wouldn't depend on obscure medical reasons to completely 
  >  explain behavioral criteria, it can give you a false sense of
  >  confidence and cause you to accept past mistakes.

     I didn't just "depend" on medical reasons. I had several doctors all
     through the examination process that lasted well over a month. As for
     a false sense of confidence you are wrong there also. I realize that
     throughout my life this problem led me to develop certain behavioral
     patterns that need to be corrected and I am in counseling to learn
     what I can and need to change. As for accepting past mistakes I think
     it is necessary that everyone accept their past mistakes and learn from
     them otherwise by denying them you will tend to make the same mistakes
     in the future.
    
  >  I have never heard of this affliction, but I am sure I could claim I
  >  had it myself also.
   
     You can't "claim" that you have this affliction unless you are medically
     diagnosed with it. Since you have never heard of it then that tells me
     you are not a Medical Doctor. Furthermore this problem doesn't come and
     go, it is a problem that you have forever.
 
  >  I wonder though if what you have really been doing is historically 
  >  bottling up your feelings, frustrations, anger and emotions rather than 
  >  simply expressing them spontateouly if necessary, learning to laugh and
  >  to cry and to get things out of your system.
   
     One of the tell tale signs of ADD is that you tend to were your emotions
     on your sleeve. I have never "bottled up" my feelings. My problem is that
     I can't express or deal with the emotion at the time of the occurrence
     and as a consequence I will erupt in a rage because my brain isn't able
     to process the inputs.
 

  >  Keeping things bottled up inside of you does cause a loss of attention,
  >  you usually got so many things running around your head you are to busy
  >  thinking about them to listen to what others are saying. It also
  >  motivates you in ways others don't understand, you rationalize things
  >  you don't fully understand and sooner or latter start to live in your
  >  own little world.
   
     I do not suffer from a loss of attention in fact I have just the opposite
     problem. I am very attentive and learn very quickly. My attention span
     is very diverse. I can listen to and understand multiple conversations.
     My motivation is above normal and always need something to do. My rational
     is very logical and I have no problem communicating with my peers. As for
     living in my own world, I have a plethora of friends and we do all the
     normal stuff like fishing, camping, bar-b-ques, and Saturday night Jam
     sessions.


  >  Certainly dietary aspects affect all of this, substances like
  >  Cigarettes, coffee and Drink contain stress forming substances, just 
  >  as red meat and sugar do, and high levels of stress have a strong 
  >  influence on your attention span and your temper.
   
     I am in complete agreement with this. Since I have stopped drinking any
     and all caffinated products, I have noticed an increase in my appetite
     and a reduction of cigarette smoking. I have never been partial to the
     sweets or confectionery foods but agree that if I did the withdrawls 
     would have been twice as bad. I was drinking 13 to 15 cups of coffee
     throughout the day and when I stopped I had to endure some of the most
     excruciating headaches imaginable. Also, since I stopped drinking coffee
     and what not, I have found my sleeping habits are more blissful.
 
  >  As they say a healthy body leads to a healthy mind, but try to accept 
  >  your faults, if that is what is necessary rather than denying them,
  >  certainly I am sure your wife would prefer you to say you are sorry
  >  than to claim there was a medical reason for it all.
   
     I am not denying any of my faults. Rather, I am learning to manage them
     so that they don't come back to haunt me later. As for my wife, I have
     said I'm sorry and she has accepted it. She understands and unlike you
     had heard of ADD. She is thankful that I have done something about it
     and is very hopeful of my future.

  >  Am I lecturing ? - sorry ! - time I was off.
          
     Yes, you are lecturing. But I encourage you to find out more about Adult
     Attention Deficit Disorder. You seem to me to be very intelligent and
     very cynical. Please don't let your cynicism or devotion to Self-Help
     methods limit your understanding of something you don't know about.
     It is OK to investigate unknowns and reach out for help from others who
     might just have an answer or point you in the direction of one who can.

Regards,
MF
                                 
1162.4LEZAH::BOBBITTLift me up and turn me over...Thu May 09 1991 09:465
    For anyone who wishes to learn more about attention deficit disorder,
    please see ASABET::LEARNING_DISABILITIES.
    
    -Jody