So I ran across this statement while conducting some more research on ADHD.

Research has shown that ADHD is often accompanied by other brain-related problems. The findings of genetic studies indicate a strong correlation and a genetic link between ADHD and a number of other disorders. These disorders include: conduct disorder, adult antisocial personality disorder, criminality, mood disorders (anxiety and depression), substance abuse and obsessive-compulsive disorder

Ok, duh! Maybe the link is because schools are not set up for those who think differently (right-brained, visual learners, etc…), which means those who think differently and learn differently don’t fit in the system. We struggle with the mundane, slow pace, and generic teaching style teachers use. So when we start struggling and the teachers can’t or don’t change their curriculum and/or teaching style we get yelled at, made fun of, or just shut down. This is the start of the spiral that leads to conduct disorder, antisocial disorder, criminality, mood disorders (anxiety and depression), and substance abuse.

Imagine if you, non ADHD (right-brained) people, went to work and were told to be creative and spontanious and come up with paintings, drawings, creative and innovative new products, or make some sales/ get some new accounts or just fly by the seat of pants in an unstructured environment with no routine. Or do that thing you know your not good at. Then when you couldn’t come up with those innovative ideas that combine several industries and technologies your boss stopped paying you complements, lowered your salary, was on your case for listening to closely and taking every word literally, and was sending you home with discipline tickets and bad reviews how would you feel? You would probably turn to alcohol or drugs (illegal and/or prescription), get depressed, become antisocial have some mood swings. Now imagine if you couldn’t leave that company or job for the next 15 years.

Oh, and then when you do leave that job, 15 years later, you are stuck in another system that is structured the same way.

You might break some laws or become destructive.

Idiots (not you the Dr’s who found these to be correlated)! You think they might be related?

Again we ADHD (right-brained) individuals are misunderstood and frustrated.

So we decided to take our son to see a psychologist….not for his ADHD, but in order to get him to open up to us more and to be sure he isn’t being mentally brainwashed or scared by BPD. The doctor happens to be an ADHD specialist, which thinks medication is a good thing…ewwwww, yuck.

Anyway, what I am learning is the most of the problems we are having are caused more by parents than him having issues. I have had a running theory on the difference between ADD and ADHD. I know oppositional defiance disorder is usually thrown in with ADHD, but after seeing his doctor the more I think my theory is correct.

So what my theory your asking? Its that ADD and ADHD are the same thing its just that the parents with ADHD children are less strict than parents with ADD children. We have pretty strict boundaries and rules in our house so my son shows more ADD type systems. I can see that if we didn’t have those rules he would probably be classified as ADHD. I know most parents with ADHD children say no we have strict rules and my child is still hyper and out of control. Really? Do you?

One of our favorite shows is SuperNanny. Sit down and watch that show for a while and you will see people who think they are strict, which actually aren’t. As we are learning its about setting boundaries, establishing rules, and not backing down. Its about not getting involved in power struggles. No means NO and No is an answer. Say No or give consequences and walk away…thats its, done, finished.

What do you think?

My oldest son.

So we decided to take our son to see a psychologist….not for his ADHD, but in order to get him to open up to us more and to be sure he isn’t being mentally brainwashed or scared by BPD. The doctor happens to be an ADHD specialist, which thinks medication is a good thing…ewwwww, yuck.

Anyway, what I am learning is the most of the problems we are having are caused more by parents than him having issues. I have had a running theory on the difference between ADD and ADHD. I know oppositional defiance disorder is usually thrown in with ADHD, but after seeing his doctor the more I think my theory is correct.

So what my theory your asking? Its that ADD and ADHD are the same thing its just that the parents with ADHD children are less strict than parents with ADD children. We have pretty strict boundaries and rules in our house so my son shows more ADD type systems. I can see that if we didn’t have those rules he would probably be classified as ADHD. I know most parents with ADHD children say no we have strict rules and my child is still hyper and out of control. Really? Do you?

One of our favorite shows is SuperNanny. Sit down and watch that show for a while and you will see people who think they are strict, which actually aren’t. As we are learning its about setting boundaries, establishing rules, and not backing down. Its about not getting involved in power struggles. No means NO and No is an answer. Say No or give consequences and walk away…thats its, done, finished.

What do you think?

Flavor of month?

So thinking about my last post I figured I would do a little research and find a list of ADHD causes that have been proposed and backed by psychologists or MD’s (Does this make you happy now Shai?). This is just the start of my list so as I find more I will be sure to update it. If you have found any other proposed causes feel free to leave a comment with the link to the information.

1. Food allergies
2. To much T.V.
3. Excess sugar
4. Poor home life
5. Poor schools
6. Head injury (trauma
7. Brain damage (birth or infections)
8. Smaller basal ganglia
9. Low level of dopamine
10. Alcohol and drug abuse (including nicotine) during pregnancy
11. Lead poisoning
12. Ear infections
13. Being left ear dominant

On my way home from work today, I was thinking about psychology, and it hit me: why do we listen to psychologists when it comes to ADHD? You can Google ADHD and come up with at least 20 different theories on the causes and treatments for ADHD, according to “leading psychiatrists”. Each has their own theory, or cause of ADHD, and about every 10 years, theories change and so they all switch gears and start relying on the most recent study. In my opinion, if you’re a psychologist and you choose a theory and start giving advice on that theory, and a study comes out that contradicts your advice, then you should lose your license. How many children’s lives have been stunted, or worse yet ruined, because of some psychologist who just relies on the current flavor of the week theory. For those parents who are listening to psychologists regurgitate the theory they like the most, I ask you stop listening and run away as fast as you can before you ruin your child’s life. This is coming from some who has lived and is living his life with ADHD. I guess a good way to put it is that ADHDers are like pro basketball players and psychiatrists are like talk radio hosts or sports news writers…they know how to Monday morning quarterback, but they have never played in the league. There’s a huge difference between living it and watching from the sidelines. They can’t walk the walk because they don’t have it. It would be one thing if they knew exactly what the cause is, but they don’t….pssst the answer is there is no cause–it simply being right brained. PLEASE LISTEN: THOSE GREAT CURES AREN’T CURES. THEY ARE TREATING THE SO-CALLED SYMPTOMS. By the way, the term symptoms is a term used when you are sick, last time I checked being right brained isn’t a sickness. Think of it this way: if you took your car to several repair shops and they each told you they knew exactly how to fix it, but were had a different repair, would you leave your car with any of them? More than likely you would probably keep seeking opinions until you found two that said the same thing, then take it to one of those. This might be ok for your car because if they screw it up you can find someone to fix it, but I don’t suggest this approach with your child. I personally would find someone who had the same car and same problem and discuss it with them because they have lived it. If you are looking to help your child, please look into a local Montessori school to enroll your child in. I know psychologists will say this isn’t good for your child because its the reverse of what they need, meaning they need more structure.

“Trust me, more structure isn’t
what your child needs.”

You and your child need to accept the way their mind works and channel their creative energy. PLEASE LOOK INTO BUYING THIS BOOK “NOW DISCOVER YOUR STRENGTHS” —–> SEE THE SIDE BAR TO THE RIGHT. Each person has several key strengths and natural abilities. Its best if you stick those strengths to maximize their happiness and career potential. I know this might sound like crap, but ADHDers are born leaders and strategists. Several of the world’s top thinkers, innovators, and leaders were (or are) ADHD or dyslexic.

I will talk more about this later, but ADHD and dyslexia are related, no matter what you hear otherwise…its because we see words as pictures. So when we recall words, we sometimes transpose letters or write in reverse. I am betting your ADHD child had issue with this at some point.

A few of the those still alive and innovating are Charles Schwab, David Neeleman (JetBlue), Richard Branson, and John Chambers (Cisco…my wife works there) all are either ADHD or Dyslexic. So what this means is your child should be in a leadership position. This is something I have struggled with, and your child may as well, because in America, most companies promote on seniority (which by the way is what is dragging American corporations down). Your child needs to take positions at companies that have “up or out” type of environments, or take a career path that allows them to make their own way. What happened (and still happens) to me is that I keep running into managers, directors, or CEOs who don’t have a vision, or a strategy. They avoid risk and are usually in maintenance mode of their careers meaning they care more about keeping their power, pay and status. Honestly, your best option is to get your children go down the entrepreneurship path. Have them start at an early age by delivering papers, mowing lawns, or anything else you can think of.

“Forcing your child down the path you went, or forcing
them down the path everyone else takes, will lead
them to unhappy or unproductive careers.”

More than likely they will switch jobs every year or two because they are unhappy. The problem isn’t that we ADHDers don’t like authority or are lazy, but its because we can see problems on the horizon, solutions to problems, or better strategies, and that usually threatens superiors. Or, better yet, they end up stealing your ideas.

Again, I will write about this more in future posts, but because we see in pictures we can see patterns very quickly. Which means we solve problems extremely fast because we think laterally, we see the big picture, and don’t get caught up in details. I know you’re thinking, “No Jason, the devil is in the details.” Well, yes and no. Details block your view to solutions. Again, please see the book list to the right for ” Systems Thinking Basics” about systems thinking (which is big picture thinking–something we ADHDers do everyday). I know you see this in your ADHD child because they seem very intuitive, or seem to figure things out quickly. THIS IS ADHD AT ITS BEST!

Please understand that I don’t hate psychologists, I just think that they have a tendency to take the word of their professors as the last word and then regurgitate it. I have a family friend who is a psychologists and we love her dearly, I have taken it upon my self to get her to rethink her stance, theory and beliefs on ADHD before its to late.