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ADD/ADHD
ADD/ADHD stands for attention deficit disorder/attention deficit
hyperactivity disorder. This
is a neurological disorder in which the frontal lobe area of the brain is not consistently "turned on" by the
electrical impulses which run through the brain. The frontal lobe is in charge of
the executive functions related to motivation, impulse control, and focusing. A person who has ADD/ADHD has a frontal lobe area which is not functioning
consistently and therefore experiences difficulty with many basic parts of
life. Attention deficit
disorder can be predominately inattentive type, impulsive type, or
hyperactive type. People are
born with ADD/ADHD and now research has proven that it continues into
adulthood. Often ADD/ADHD
adults who have struggled for years without any understanding of their
life management problems also develop depression or anxiety.
Many of the symptoms of attention deficit disorder are behaviors
which everyone does occasionally.....misplacing something, not completing a task,
not paying attention in meetings.
However, a person with this neurological disorder does these behaviors excessively so that problems
occur in daily functioning. ADD/ADHD impacts every area of the person's
life including work, school, finances, family relationships, mood
management, sleep, social interactions. Often ADDers are very intelligent and creative individuals, but they have a
nagging sense of under-achievement and frustration with themselves. Therapy/coaching can help address some of the frustrations and behavioral patterns of
ADD/ADHD while medication helps by stimulating the frontal lobe to
function.
Some ADD/ADHD Symptoms
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Difficulty sustaining attention, easily distracted
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Enthusiastic beginnings but poor endings
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Moving from task to task without completing the tasks
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Not listening to others
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Impulsive decisions, words, purchases, moods
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Difficulty in school or work, inconsistent in productivity
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Easily dissatisfied with life
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Difficulty in relationships with others, often oppositional
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Disorganized, often misplaces things, often forgets things
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Underachiever and self critical
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Either very talkative and outgoing or socially withdrawn and
overwhelmed
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Impatient
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Poor planner and poor follow through, takes longer to do tasks
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Internally or externally restless
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Difficulty managing finances, paying bills on time, keeping a
checkbook
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