[geeks] RE: [rescue] OT: ADD - MOVING to geeks

[geeks at sunhelp.org]

~ -----Original Message-----
~ From: Mike Hebel [mailto:nimitz at owc.net]
~ Sent: Monday, July 08, 2002 4:00 PM
~ To: geeks at sunhelp.org
~ Subject: Re: [geeks] RE: [rescue] OT: ADD - MOVING to geeks
~ 
~ 
~ > ~ Prolly. I consider myself under this category. The worst part 
~ > ~ is when I
~ > ~ try to go to bed, my brain downshifts and goes random on 
~ > ~ me... I'll think
~ > ~ of a bazillion things that if I don't write down will 
~ > ~ probably be lost for
~ > ~ a week or forever.
~ 
~ Wow.  Done this for as long as I can remember.
~ 
~ > This is the normal operating mode for an ADD'er. We are 
~ mono-focused at
~ > best, or completely unfocused and all over the map at any 
~ moment. I'll
~ > inject comment into a conversation that leads earthlings to 
~ think I either
~ > just walked into the conversation or I am 
~ retarded/uninterested. It happens
~ > because I rapidly (instantly really) follow a splinter of 
~ the conversation
~ > out to its logical conclusion in my mind and that will fire 
~ some new line of
~ > thought. I find bright people can keep up with my lack of 
~ seguay and suddent
~ > leaps of logic. Otherwise when dealing with conversations 
~ with earthlings I
~ > find myself quickly tiring as I must constantly track the 
~ conversation and
~ > be carefull not to disrupt anybody's line of thought.
~ 
~ Do this currently.  Annoys the hell out of my wife.
~ 
~ > Another hallmark of the ADD'er is a lack of short-term 
~ memory for anything
~ > uninteresting to them.
~ 
~ Yet again a hit...
~ 
~ Does this include looking at an assembled system and 
~ immediatly seeing 
~ it in "exploded" view?  What about seeing something toally different 
~ when looking at a common object from a particular angle?  Solving 2D 
~ mazes without thinking about it?  Lost time?  Being able to separate 
~ composite sounds into their individual pieces?

There are prescription drugs for the condition and most are stimulant based.
I rely on caffeine mostly. If you think you are ADD, you should see someone,
as it is very destructive in everyday life. Most ADD'er are unable to
maintain marriages (me) and are too unfocused to maintain a job for long. I
am not alone in my observation that the technical, arts and science fields
are loaded with ADD'ers. Also, you will find that hyperactivity is often
assumed to be part of it, but it is not. Some ADD'ers are ADHD and can't sit
still (not me). There are lots of other behaviors that are common to ADD,
but a good websearch will tell you more than I can. The altered perceptions
are VERY common and part of our considerable strengths in technology,
science and art.

ADD never occurs in the adult. It is something that we are born with and
will sometimes follow into adulthood. Usually, the same comments and
observations of parents and teachers will apply to us all. "he would do fine
if he would just apply himself", "He's bright and knows the work, he just
won't do the work" and more. Failing grades in subjects we liked and the
ability to pass all the tests but never doing the homework are common.

There is a lot that is known about ADD today (and it's recent discoveries,
so find a shrink that keeps up with the news). Understanding our
limits/behaviours and developing tools to deal with "earthlings" is the
usual focus of therapy. Spouses should also see a therapist to deal with
feelings they will have. Most ADD spouses have the same group of negative
feelings about our behaviours and often feel like we don't give a whit about
them and ignore them (very destructive in a marriage). You should also know
that ADD in the adult almost always travels with a companion (usually
depression).