Women With Attention Deficit Disorder: Embrace Your Differences and Transform Your Life. Sari Boone's Solden

attention.

      •Containing and maintaining one’s attention.

      •Screening out unimportant matters from one’s attention.

      And contrary to the meaning of deficit, there are many positives attributes that tend to come along with AD/HD, including a surplus of ideas, creativity, excitement, and interest.

      AD/HD Does NOT = Hyperactivity

      Instead it means a dis-regulation of activity and arousal levels that involves extremes of activity levels from high to low or from hyperactive to “hypoactive,” or what I call overly underactive.

      AD/HD Does NOT = Impulsive Troublemaking

      Instead it can be a quieter, less obvious kind of impulsivity with excessive shifting of tasks or life directions.

      A Deeper Dive into the Complexities of AD/HD

      What we call AD/HD is often confusing because AD/HD looks and feels so different for each person. For example, the AD/HD inattentive type presents differently on the outside than does the more commonly understood and more easily recognized AD/HD hyperactive type. It also feels very different on the inside. In fact, women often internalize their difficulties rather than acting them out, which may result in depression or anxiety. Despite the outward appearances, it is by no means a mild case of AD/HD as Thomas Brown, Ph.D. who has written and spoken extensively about this kind of AD/HD emphasizes. Both forms of AD/HD share the same core difficulties and are just as extreme but are experienced and expressed in various ways with different effects in a person’s life. The important thing to remember is that none of us have perfect control of our attention, regulation of our activity, or impulses. However, as you can see from the following spectrum, AD/HD is defined by symptoms that are extreme, chronic, and severe.

      Can You Have These Symptoms and Not Have AD/HD?

      Yes! Not everyone who has these symptoms has AD/HD. Let’s say you have these problems to a severe level, and you have had them for as long as you can remember (chronic), and even if they weren’t highly visible, they had great impact. Does this mean you have AD/HD? Not necessarily! You can have these difficulties at particular times, even severely, and not have AD/HD.

      Other Reasons for Symptoms that Mimic AD/HD

      •Perhaps you have just experienced a major change in your life such as a divorce, a move, a loss of a job, or you are under great deal of stress. As a result, you may become very disorganized, depressed, or feel bad about yourself for a while. To have AD/HD these symptoms must have been there most of the time and over a long period of time.

      •You may say things like, “I lose my keys all the time,” or “You should see my closets,” or “I procrastinate.” This may be somewhat of a problem, but if it’s not severe enough to be the problem causing tremendous difficulty in all important areas of life, then it isn’t AD/HD.

      •Other kinds of neurological, psychological, and physical disorders such as head injuries, thyroid imbalances, post-traumatic stress disorder to name a few can account for the same kinds of symptoms and must be ruled out.

      Family or environmental conditions such as growing up with a chaotic family life, an abusive home, a mentally ill parent, or an alcoholic family can all contribute to such intermittent symptoms. Sometimes a person can have had these family backgrounds and also have AD/HD; this takes expert diagnosis. It’s also possible that your parent’s difficulties may have been a result of their undiagnosed AD/HD.

      For all of the reasons listed above, it is especially important to get a diagnosis by a mental health professional who understands AD/HD (with and without the symptom of hyperactivity), as well as other conditions that look like AD/HD.

      Effects of AD/HD

      We have just looked at the three core symptoms of AD/HD and its many variations. The conditions you might actually see as a result of these symptoms in the lives of adults with AD/HD are as follows:

      •Disorganization

      •Emotional reactivity

      •Under-achievement

      •Low self-esteem

      •Impaired relationships

      •Depression

      Since AD/HD individuals operate with their gates wide open, they have difficulty screening out unneeded information or irrelevant internal and external distractions without effort or thought and easily become flooded, bombarded, and overwhelmed. It is easy to see how living like this would lead someone to be emotionally reactive. It is also easy to see how this kind of shifting attention could lead to severe disorganization and feelings of being out of control or that things are about to fall apart. On the other hand, as a compensation some people spend an inordinate amount of time organizing to the detriment of their relationships and enjoyment of life. They may look organized to others, but that is not the criteria by which to judge the struggle. Instead, it is the process they go through to achieve this level of organization that must be explored and understood in order to fully appreciate the impact and impairment.

      The Impact of AD/HD on Lives

      All this can impact relationships, choice of partners, and self-esteem. These feelings can lead to a growing sense of desperation, hopelessness, and depression, making it difficult to stay on track or pursue meaningful goals. This could also lead to the underachievement of the individual, causing a person to be emotionally reactive once more and thus beginning this negative cycle over again.

      It is a myth, however, that if you have AD/HD you cannot go to college, get an advanced degree, or achieve success. You may, however, need support to help you with your challenges and help you find your strengths.

      Basic Treatment

      The cornerstone of treatment for AD/HD is medication, usually stimulant medication, which is increasingly combined with other medications such as anti-depressants. While low levels of serotonin are linked with clinical depression and treated for that reason, antidepressant medication increases the availability of the serotonin neurotransmitter in the brain, which is why stimulant medications are known to increase the production of the two neurotransmitters, Dopamine and Norepinephrine, associated with AD/HD symptoms by boosting their levels into the normal range. Joseph Carver, Ph.D. in his article called Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder found on his website www.drjoecarver.com describes it as follows: “If we imagine using a ‘dipstick,’ like the dipstick used to check oil/transmission fluid levels in our automobile, we might be able to check the neurotransmitter levels in our brain, finding which neurotransmitters are low, within the normal range, or high. “Medication is thought to improve the transmission of messages in the brain through the neurotransmitters.”

      While medication has proved to be quite effective in reducing many of the primary symptoms of AD/HD, it is just the first step. Education, support, strategies, coaching, and organizing can all play important roles in long-term successful outcomes. Counseling can also be extremely helpful in addressing how people think about their AD/HD and what they think about themselves.

      Take Away Message

      It is critical to remember that despite all the problems discussed in this section, there are many strengths associated with the kind of brain that produces symptoms we call AD/HD. These individuals when diagnosed, treated, and supported, can and do lead exceptional lives. When they come to accept and value their differences and find a way to use their strengths in the world, they can and do find fulfilling work and meaningful relationships. This is the real take away message of this book.

      The Buried