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Summary: Driven - that's me!
Review: I am 42 and was recently diagnosed with ADD. My Dr. recommended this book to me. I was immediately relieved to know "I wasn't the only one who felt this way". I would highly recommend this book for an adult with ADD and/or their significant other. It is an easy read.
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Summary: Good complement to the ADD & ADHD Diet
Review: I read the ADD and ADHD Diet first and found that reading Driven to Distraction was a good complementary title. With both books, I had all the information I needed to cope with my personal situation.
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Summary: Forgive? Nay! Applaud!
Review: How does a person go from being their own worst enemy to their own best friend? This book can tell you how -- and best of all, why. Like many others, I had never thought of myself as hyperactive -- hyper-book worm maybe! I was creative and obsessive. I was determined beyond description -- if it was something interesting to me. And I was successful... enough. A natural born explainer and teacher -- I had the patience of a saint! I never admitted to anyone that I constantly berated myself in my mind: Even a small thing like a load of laundry would become a reason to rant. "You stupid! You forgot to turn on the wash!" Later, I'd realize: I had turned the knob three hours before -- but I had forgotten to close the lid.... when I remembered to move the clothes from the washer to the dryer -- at midnight -- I'd get out of bed to do it. "No way dufus-head will remember tomorrow!" Multiply this small life detail by 1000 lost, forgotten, ignored, denied life details -- all day, every day. The tirade never ceased. I never tolerated others being negative to someone who made a mistake. I forgave everything. I understood the need for tolerance and forgiveness -- but I never gave it to myself. I was never capable of doing any one thing from beginning to end. With a 100 projects going on at once very few get done. And, I was never able to enjoy the applause when I did do something really well. "Next week you'll screw up." the evil, mean voice in my head said. How did I keep from driving myself nuts? As a result of reading this book, I started a path that changed my life. I now realize and forgive -- Nay! Applaud! my "differentness." The hyper-creativity is still there -- now I know how use it. I let my mind wander when I need to -- then I guide it gently back to where I need it to be. And I cheer and applaud and praise myself all along the way. My explanation sounds too simple for the revolution -- and evolution in my life. Dr. Hallowell writes evocative stories -- call it revelations through case histories. It is required reading for anyone with ADD -- or anyone with a child, spouse, student or employee they define as an underachiever. This book explains "why?"
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Summary: For adult ADHD sufferers, a stepping stone toward diagnosis.
Review: I was a skeptic regarding this whole ADHD thing. Too many people are being diagnosed with it. Too many parents placing the blame on their kids instead of the fact that they both work. They use the TV as a babysitter. They allow the kids to watch unsupervised TV and movies. Seemed like every kid was being diagnosed with it. But then everything changed for me. It changed when my 1st grade son - who can be a real pistol - was requested by the elementary school administration to be placed in an alternative school for uncontrollable kids. (Of course, this was their conclusion after months of talks.) To counter their on-site psychologist, we sought our own, and after many counselling sessions there, the doctor presented us with his diagnosis: ADHD. But my wife and I still didn't believe in it. We wouldn't accept the diagnosis. So we read some on it, and on Ritalin, and decided based on that informaton, to take the doctor up on his desire to prescribe Ritalin for him. And it was a miracle. Seriously. He had only a week left in public school, but the teacher was astounded. In the end, we changed him to a private school anyway since he earned a bad-boy reputation that he did not deserve, nor could he seem to shake. In my desire to learn more about it, I bought this book. What I uncovered, was not only a greater understanding of my son, but also the realization that I probably also was afflicted. This book is geared towards an adult ADHD diagnosis. It is well written, and enjoyable to read because it is filled with small vignettes, little stories of people and their difficulties, and how they sought and received treatment. The book clearly underscores that the ADHD person cannot diagnose themselves, but that through an increased knowledge gained by reading it, it can help you decide if you should seek professional diagnosis from a psychiatrist. I did, and my life has turned around. I have no idea how this drug works, but I am on a very low dose, and yet it feels like the barriers are down. I can stop NOT DOING what I want to do. I can now easily set aside a distracting, stray thought, and come back to it after the other person finishes talking. Honestly, if you think you may have adult ADHD, this book will act as a stepping stone for you and can help you decide if you need to seek professional help.
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Summary: You mean I have it too?
Review: I bought this book after seeing the author on a talk show. Even though my son has ADD, it never crossed my mind that I had it too. I knew it ran in families, but the thought never crossed my mind until I read the book. Every line, every paragraph, every page dredged up memories and explanations to questionable symptoms I've been suffering from for years. I thought I had Bipolar Disorder, Anxiety Disorder, and many other disorders. This book has shed light on a dark place I didn't know how to escape from. Thank You Dr.Hallowell and Dr. Ratey
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Summary: Should be one of your first reads on ADD
Review: This book is not going to help you solve your problems but it will give you comfort in understanding how others typically deal with ADD. The "how to" book is Adventures in Fast Forward.
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Summary: It Hit the Nail on the Head
Review: Tears streamed down my face as I read the letter from the mother to the son - and touched every void I have felt. In his growing up years, my 80+ year old mother used to say, "He wants to do good, he just can't" -- wise beyond her time. She was speaking of my son, the little leaguer who loved to steal bases and slide on his stomach to catch fly balls, the high school wrestler, the broken-hearted, devastated, depressed, financially strained divorced 25 year old police officer who at times resorted to too much alcohol, and who at 29 years old, probably on impulse, used his service revolver to end his life. This book hit the nail on the head and helped me to better understand and try to pave the way for a better life for my recently (after several years of wondering why she is the way she is) diagnosed ADD 12 year old granddaughter, the spitting image of her Dad, who wanted to do right but just couldn't. And we didn't understand why. Now we do. Even to the extent that it could be inherited from a parent who has never been diagnosed. Everyone with any interest whatsoever in ADD should read this book. It is wonderful. Please let Drs. Hallowell & Ratey know how appreciative I am for this book. Thank you for providing such insight. LPruett
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Summary: Ah-Hah!
Review: Wow! When I read this book, it was like reading a biography of my life while I was growing up. Even now, as an adult, I can see patterns and traits in myself that are ADD related. Now that I've read this book, I'm able to recognize when I'm falling into those patterns and I can stop it before it happens. Before I read this book, I felt like my life was crazy and out of control and that it was my fault and that I must not be a very good person for not being able to control my life the way it seemed that everyone else was able to do. Then I read this book and found an entirely new and enlightening perspective on my behavioral patterns and so many things suddenly made sense to me! I started crying at some points because it was such a revelation to me that I'm not the only person out there whose life is like this, that I'm not neccessarily lazy or unmotivated and that I'm not stupid. All those things that I had felt lacking in my whole life finally began to make sense and it was a very overwhelming feeling. For anyone with ADD, this will help you to understand what is happening in your brain and how it affects your life. For everyone else - especially those of you who have to live with those of us - it will help you retain your sanity in dealing with a spouse or a child or a friend who has this disorder! Teachers especially should be required to read this book! I highly recommend this book. It is well written, easy to read, and interesting even to someone who does not have this disorder. The fact that it was written by 2 people who have this disorder makes it even more insightful. Definitely a 5 star book!
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Summary: This Book Made My Adult ADHD Son A Believer!
Review: An amazing book. For years we knew our son was ADHD. He got through high school fine, but half way through college began to self destruct. Over and over, since about age 13 we tried to convince him of his problem. He was under psychologist care and just would not accept reality. After a bad reaction to Ritalin, he would NOT allow further treatment. When he was 19 we got finally got him to read excerpts from this book. He saw himself in almost every anecdote. Short story: He got to a doctor, got on a prescription medication, and (make the drug czars saints) he was flat-out cured. He graduated college last Christmas, and landed a dream job in his #1 choice of cities in the country.
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Summary: gives hope
Review: five years ago when we found and read this book it gave my husband and son hope! before that they were victims of self-inflicted poor self-esteem and feelings of being stupid. all the progress they've made in 5 years can be tied back to the discovery of this book. it's an easy-to-understand book that covers the many aspects of ADD/ADHD. if you think you may have this disorder or if you live with someone who does, BUY THE BOOK! these docs know what they are talking about.
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