Welcome to everyone!
Posted September 16th, 2003 by Dragonfly
in
Here's a great place to learn about how great Life Balance can be in helping keep track of your many-faceted ADHD life, that of your children, your spouse, and great helpful hints on what to do when your reality collides with someone else's! ;)
Questions are welcome from everyone, and we <Lisa Kincaid and Kris Paige> will try to answer what we are able to, or refer you to someone who does!
So, since I helped start this discussion, is there really anyone else out there with ADHD??:D
Hugs and humms,
Kris
Comments
RE: Welcome to everyone!
Hi Kris and Lisa and Catherine!!
I've just been through a horrid summer with a major move and with screwed up meds, so I haven't been checking out this forum for a while.
What a wonderful surprise!! I had asked for this a while ago and no one seemed interested, so I'm very thankful to see it.
Thank you, Kris and Lisa, for facilitating.
Hugs,
Silvia
RE: Welcome to everyone!
Hi there!
Just a quick point, that your llamas are definitely interested in how folks with ADD and ADHD are using the software, and making a forum seemed like it would be a helpful ADDition! :)
It took us a while to make sure that there would be "enough" people participating, and that we had some professional coaches on board to facilitate -- because I am not an ADD expert and I didn't feel comfortable setting up the forum without a moderator.
So I am very glad that Kris and Lisa volunteered to help. Their willingness to moderate the forum is what made it possible for us to finally get this forum set up for the ADDers in the Life Balance community.
I'm very glad that it is off to such a strong start!
Best wishes,
--Catherine--*
Catherine E. White
President
www.llamagraphics.com
Creators of Life Balance software
for Palm OS, Macintosh and Windows.
RE: Welcome to everyone!
P.S. It is probably also important to say upfront that Life Balance was not designed with ADD or AD/HD explicitly in mind.
The software may not be right for everyone (ADD or not!) since different people approach task management in different ways.
I do have a family member who has only recently been diagnosed and treated for ADD. Her mom was one of our model customers and a very active early beta tester. So I think that influenced our designs -- indirectly.
My advice to anyone out there with ADD who is interested in the software, is to make use of the 30 day trial. Talk to the coaches out there about using Life Balance as a tool for managing your particular needs. And be sure to ask questions about the software if you get stuck! We do have a lot of experience getting people "over the hump" in learning the software.
--Catherine--*
Catherine E. White
President
www.llamagraphics.com
Creators of Life Balance software
for Palm OS, Macintosh and Windows.
RE: Welcome to everyone!
Good Evening Everyone:
This is Coach Lisa here. I thank Kris for getting this thread started. Kris and I are here for you! :) Please feel welcome to ask any questions you have about the Life Balance Software and how it truly is a blessing to us with this ADHD Gift!!!!!!!!
Take care,
Coach Lisa
RE: Welcome to everyone!
Hello Catherine
I just wanted to thank you for putting this forum on.
Happy new Year from Switzerland
Daniel
RE: Welcome to everyone!
>I've just been through a horrid summer with a major move and
>with screwed up meds, so I haven't been checking out this
>forum for a while.
Hi, Silvia!
Hmm. Just a thought to consider: is it possible that the major move made it seem like the meds messed up? Been there, done that--22 times!
Glad to see you back! How can we help you with LB and succeeding?
RE: Welcome to everyone!
Hi,
I started to with Life Balance a short while ago, about a month, and joinned the forum yesterday. One of the reasons that brought my attention to LB is that I think it can help me.
I'm 46, went to a doctor a couple of years ago asking about ADD but he didn't give me any add. (Sorry, Icoudn't resist...)
I came to the conclusion that I was awarded with ADD reading an article in a magazine. They had a test, and I scored 7 out of 8 syntoms you were suppose to have if you are an ADD.
I tried to take a medicine, but is to controlled and I didn't really noticed a big difference in the behavior.
Work listen to music, even rock, seams to be a good thing. Prevent you to pay attention on sounds way from what you are doing.
Your Palm alarm, Calender (Palm T3) linked with LB, is helping me to keep focused. I tell you, is not an easy task...
I hope you guys have some tips.
I'll be back here.
Cheers,
Andr
RE: Welcome to everyone!
Hello all!
I am test driving the software after reading the reviewADDitude Dec/Jan Issue, and as soon as my money comes on the 3rd I will be a Legal/moral user. (Actually my wife questions what came after the / ). I am new to ADD having been diagnosed last November at the age of 44. This actually a relief after over 30 years of being labeled lazy,
sloppy, and all the things that come with having ADD. Also for years I was told I was Bi-Polar and whatever seemed good to the pill pusher of the moment. Since finding the right person to actually help me and his prescription of Focalin, my wife says whe has a new husband, my ex boss of 15 years stated she had a whole new employee, (She's only ex because the store closed after 27 & 1/2 years.) and even my family sees and treats me differently! I need to come clean on one thing, ADD is not my only diagnosis, I have Multiple Sclerosis, Diabetes, Pre-IBS, also as you might be able to tell by typing I am dyslexic. (sp?)
[Truth in Advertising time: I am also bald, four-eyed, ugly and overweight. I look nothing like a cute kitty.]
And after 15 years of helping out at the shop I worked at as a teenager, I know find myself a full time House Husband. Actually this is something I am looking forward to using the software to make sure I get the job done, while still having some good Bobb time.
I figure I have everything on my PC and Palm, from my DVD collection, CD Collection, to my Book Collection, why not my plan for each day. It sure will beat what I did before, stay disorganized and getting nothing done.
Anyway hope you weren't driving while reading this on your laptop, and feel asleep at the wheel.
I've looked around and hope to learn something,
Bobb:+
RE: Welcome to everyone!
>Hello all!
>
>I am test driving the software after reading the
>reviewADDitude Dec/Jan Issue, and as soon as my money comes on
>the 3rd I will be a Legal/moral user.
OOOps I spoke to soon. My wife read the same article and decided that aanother package would work for me and surprised me with it this morning! I will keed LifeBalance in mind in case this other product does not work. Guess I still have the impulsive thing to work on. Much apologies for wasting your time and bandwidth.
Bobb
RE: Welcome to everyone!
Hi, Bobb!
Well, test drive both programs! See which fits your needs/wants/demands/wishes/dreams better! Did your wife give any reason she liked the other program better??
You've had a major shift in focus, there, becoming a full time House Husband! As you change your focus, change your duties <being a House Husband may be more demanding than corporate employment!>, remember to give yourself and your wonderful wife quality Bobb time! :D
We're here to answer questions, so keep them coming!
RE: Welcome to everyone!
Hi All,
I'm about to download LB for a trial run and I thought I'd introduce myself.
I'm 43 and was diagnosed with ADD a couple of years ago by my psychiatrist. I take Adderral XR and it has worked wonders. However, I recently came off the antidepressant I was taking - original reason for weekly trips to the shrink - and one side-effect has been a noticeable reduction in the effectiveness of the Adderral. I tried going to the next higher dosage but experienced abrupt changes in mood when the drugs effects wore off - exceedingly cranky and generally unpleasant to be around. I'm now back to the original dosage with noticeably diminished attention.
I've been mulling, and researching, alternative methods of managing my attention problems for a while. The recent issues with Adderral dosage have pushed this thinking along to the point where I'm almost certain that I need to be much more active in managing my daily activities.
I'm self-employed, but for many years I worked as an IT consultant for very large corporations - great job path for ADD sufferers if they can get over the initial learning curve. At the time I had no idea that I had ADD. However, I was able to manage my time effectively through a crude to-do list system (spiral bound notebooks, breakdown all tasks into minute detail, frequent rewrites of tasks and priorities, and constantly write EVERYTHING down).
I've been looking for an automated tool that would help me with task management for close to 20 years. I'm sure there have been many good candidates but, being blessed with ADD, if I couldn't get them to work for me within a very short period of time they became shelf-ware. I had given up looking for a solution. And then I heard about LB, from a couple of independent sources, and my interest was once again piqued.
So here I am. And I'm desperate for help in managing my activities. I have an opportunity to grow my business but I need to be able to focus on what needs to be done - and not fritter away hours on unnecessary tasks. And right now I
RE: Welcome to everyone!
Do You use a cell phone? I found that when I carried a cell phone turned on all the time I became more distracted and had difficulty completing activities. I would drive to a place and find myself way off my intended track. This is anecdotal but I am more focused since I have turned it off! Dr. Henry Lai of Univ. of WA did an experiment with rats that showed they had a harder time finding their food when exposed to cell phone radiation. I don't think it's true for all, but worth checking out! However, LB helps me stay on track!!
RE: Welcome to everyone!
Azul wrote: "I found that when I carried a cell phone turned on all the time I became more distracted and had difficulty completing activities.... Dr. Henry Lai of Univ. of WA did an experiment with rats that showed they had a harder time finding their food when exposed to cell phone radiation."
I think this needs some clarification. The radiation that emanates from any modern cell phone is miniscule. You'll get hit with more energy when the guy in the next cubicle microwaves some popcorn, or when you walk behind a CRT monitor.
Numerous studies have been done on the effects of various forms of radiation on physiology, and only one effect has been documented: people living in the vicinity of high-tension power lines can get harmed in all sorts of subtle ways. Everything else can't be replicated in a laboratory.
It's been theorized that perhaps there are some people who are predisposed to sensitivity to various radio waves; if 1 in 100,000 people experience confusion when carrying a cell phone, then that would occur to 3,000 Americans, and 60,000 people worldwide. Which would be plenty enough to create anecdotal evidence, and to spread Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt.
For what it's worth, you are ALWAYS exposed to cell phone radiation. Anyone with a cell phone is carrying a transmitter, and every cell tower is a much more powerful one. Signals drop with the square of the distance, so you get a stronger dose when you're carrying it next to your skin. But I'd be incredibly surprised if a few milliwatts of output could make a difference. More likely, some other effect distracted you, and you attributed it to your cell phone.
People with ADD have more than enough to worry about, and a cell phone gives them an immediacy option which can be very useful. I wouldn't want to see your post give anyone the wrong idea.
RE: Welcome to everyone!
>Hi All,
>
>I'm about to download LB for a trial run and I thought I'd
>introduce myself.
>
>I'm 43 and was diagnosed with ADD a couple of years ago by my
>psychiatrist. I take Adderral XR and it has worked wonders.
>However, I recently came off the antidepressant I was taking -
>original reason for weekly trips to the shrink - and one
>side-effect has been a noticeable reduction in the
>effectiveness of the Adderral. I tried going to the next
>higher dosage but experienced abrupt changes in mood when the
>drugs effects wore off - exceedingly cranky and generally
>unpleasant to be around. I'm now back to the original dosage
>with noticeably diminished attention.
>snip<
>So here I am. And I'm desperate for help in managing my
>activities. I have an opportunity to grow my business but I
>need to be able to focus on what needs to be done - and not
>fritter away hours on unnecessary tasks. And right now I
RE: Welcome to everyone!
Nigel, thanks for bringing up the issue again. It was like left in the limbo.
Kris, thanks for the tips. After some time with Ritalin I just discontinued all medications and have tried to deal with it without them.
One problem I still have with the LB is that not always I check on the Palm to see what's next. Everything that is in LB with alarm set works wonderful, but without an alarm...
And there is also the bad feeling when I just didn't have the time to complete a task and have to see it there pending, in red, days in a roll. (I'm writing this and asking myself why not just define another deadline, in the future, for that task?)
Anyway is good to know that there is someone else working out to deal with this attention problems.
Do you guys have the problem of mispell the order of the letters in the words constantly when typing?
Cheers,
Andr
RE: Welcome to everyone!
Thanks for the welcome.
I've been plugging away at LB for a few days now. I get tantalizing glimpses of what it might be and then stumble, getting mired in some minutia.
Take today, for example. Last night I decided that it would be good to start each morning with the task of making sure I had a clean desk. So this morning I dutifully checked LB and noted that I should clean my desk. 4 hours, and a spotless office later I managed to reel myself in and remind myself that I really aught to be doing something more productive!!
That's kind of my life in a nutshell. I might have some incredibly urgent thing to do but if I get distracted by something that promises to be more rewarding, short term, then I'm off and there's no telling when I'll be back.
Kris, I stopped taking Zoloft, my anti-depresant of choice, because I had started to notice a diminished sense of drive. And, given that I'm self-employed, and have to hunt-and-gather for my own clients, a lack of drive/energy is problematic. I find it hard enough to get out there and drum up business as it is!
It's very interesting to hear about your experience though. I only started having problems with the Adderal drop-off in the early evening after I stopped taking the Zoloft. I still notice it on my current dosage, but to a lesser extent.
I'm going to have to give this some more thought I guess. I'm not too crazy about going back to Zoloft, because of the drive thing, but the diminished concentration is now a significant problem.
As far as cell phones go, yes I use one. I probably don't need to but it would take some serious science before I put it in a drawer for good.
And, Andre, yes, misspelling happens. I write for a living and it's just one of those hazards of having quick fingers - never happened to me when I wrote longhand :*)
Thanks, again, for the input. Kris, if you have any thoughts on the Adderal Zoloft thing I'm all ears.
Nigel
RE: Welcome to everyone!
>Kris, I stopped taking Zoloft, my anti-depresant of choice,
>because I had started to notice a diminished sense of drive.
>And, given that I'm self-employed, and have to hunt-and-gather
>for my own clients, a lack of drive/energy is problematic. I
>find it hard enough to get out there and drum up business as
>it is!
>It's very interesting to hear about your experience though. I
>only started having problems with the Adderal drop-off in the
>early evening after I stopped taking the Zoloft. I still
>notice it on my current dosage, but to a lesser extent.
>I'm going to have to give this some more thought I guess. I'm
>not too crazy about going back to Zoloft, because of the drive
>thing, but the diminished concentration is now a significant
>problem.
Zoloft/Adderall isn't the only "combo" that is synergystic--there are many of them. The hope is to balance the dosages <and this can be discussed with your doctor--I'm not one, don't even play one on TV> ;) You can certainly find the balance that will allow you to maintain the drive you need!
>And, Andre, yes, misspelling happens. I write for a living and
>it's just one of those hazards of having quick fingers - never
>happened to me when I wrote longhand :*)
Andre, I type misspellings, but have learned to love spellcheckers. As for it not happening when writing longhand--then I wrote backwards sometimes-right to left!:P
>Thanks, again, for the input. Kris, if you have any thoughts
>on the Adderal Zoloft thing I'm all ears.
See my comment above, Nigel.
FWIW, and just so folks don't get discouraged when the first med they try doesn't work, realize the basics: ADD is a neurochemical imbalance. It would be great if we could accurately measure these things, but science isn't quite to that stage yet. There are several neurochemicals, dopamine, seratonin, and norepinephrine among them. The ADD meds act on one or more of these. If you have an imbalance in more than one neurotransmitter, you need to balance all of them for optimum performance. That's why, despite our best efforts to take as little medication as possible, we sometimes need more than one to keep things in balance.
A couple other observations:
Good, solid physical exercise helps dramatically. So does a good diet, reasonable vitamin regimen, and especially , getting enough sleep.
That said, and with Nigel's clean desk as a goal, I'm off to the races!:)
RE: Welcome to everyone!
Nigel -- this is a classic Catch-22. On the one hand, you have an obligation to come up with systems to overcome your ADD. On the other, the systems themselves take up time that might be needed to do the things the systems are meant to address!
This isn't a problem that's specific to ADD, but people with ADD are much more likely to spend forever tinkering with the systems because they find them more stimulating.
I can think of two ways to address this:
1) Start each day with a list of drop-dead items that take precedence. A system that helps you do your client work in six months will be pretty useless if you screw up your work NOW and lose all of your clients. Only AFTER that work is done, do you get to play with implementing a new system. This is going to be frustrating. You just have to suck that up and deal with it.
2) Schedule yourself as your own client. Make an appointment with yourself. Block off a few days to do this. Don't accept client work that interferes. Then get it done!
Step zero, however, is that you will NOT be able to do either of the above steps until you're on the right medication mix. Other people merely have trouble with this. People with ADD CAN'T do this. That's a vital distinction.
RE: Welcome to everyone!
Great advice citivan! I know that I have gotten distracted on the system. The hardest thing for me to do... is to go through and do what I'm supposed to do.
RE: Welcome to everyone!
Hi, Civitan and Stephenz,
You've both hit on incredibly essential points! Allowing yourself TIME to implement a new system is the best gift we ADDers can give ourselves. I explain to my clients, first thing, that where a "normie" might be able to make and use a new system in something less than 2 weeks <and notice, even they have to take time to learn it!> it can take us up to a month or more. Why? Not because we're less capable of learning, but because we're paying attention to SO much, that focussing on that one new thing is exhorbitantly hard to maintain.
Stephenz, you mention it's hard to go through and do what you're supposed to do: how about linking the "supposed to" to a reward? Example: I hate putting laundry away. I can get it washed, dried, and folded, but that last step--ugh! So, now I "link" it with a reward--if all the laundry gets put away, I get a half hour of reading, or a cookie, or simple play time with my llamas <as opposed to the Llamas who created this great program!> In my Life Balance setup, there's "put laundry away" with a high effort attached. There's also a TLI of "Reward yourself" with everything from cookies, reading, playing with the llamas, finding a new book, and several other rewards. When I'm in Balance, the rewards part of my pie is happy! When I get the "shoulda coulda woulda's" and I'm trying to push myself to get the hard tasks done without a reward, I feel it--both mentally <my brain whines "I don't WANT to clean the desk off!"> and at some level, physically, as my energy drops.
That's when I realize that there haven't been rewards. When I reward myself, and tell myself that I've done something that has earned a reward, I'm telling myself that instead of being <to steal the book title> "Lazy, Stupid or Crazy" I'm Productive, Intelligent, and Worthwhile. My self-esteem goes up, my language about myself changes to the positive, and I find myself continuing to be more productive!
Hope this helps! Keep the questions coming!
:)
RE: Welcome to everyone!
Kris --
Curious to know how you structure your rewards. Most of my rewards I do for myself anyway... I don't need to have a good day to have a cookie. I'm more likely to treat myself to a movie on a bad day than a good one, because it helps snap me out of a funk.
So how do you define a category of rewards which you only allow yourself to have when you accomplish something?
Re:welcome to everyone/rewards
Hi, Civitan,
Rewards when I accomplish something? A trip to the bookstore, chocolate fudge ice cream, a walk with my <four footed and furry> llamas, a nap, turning up the hard '60s rock to high and "dusting off my brain", as my daughter calls it<really just exercising hard,> spinning for a few ounces of luscious yarn, reading <and setting the timer so I DO get up again!>
Does this help?
RE: Welcome to everyone!
Nigel,
I'm not a doc, just someone with ADD tendencies and a history of clinical depression and anxiety. Like many have pointed out, if you are honest with yourself, I think you will see that you need to get back on your SSRI. If it had a particular side effect that you didn't like (sexual, etc), perhaps you should just change your dosage of your SSRI or try another. Diminished drive could be the result of too much serotonin floating around and you may need to drop your Zoloft dosage. If Zoloft is more invigorating for you, maybe you need to adjust the dosage upward. Also, your body will eventually adjust to stimulants so maybe that dosage needs to be increased (or stopped on weekends for a drug holiday). For me, Zoloft and others didn't work well, Prozac gave me the shakes, but Celexa is nice and smooth. My family can tell me within 5 minutes of walking in the door whether I'm on or off of it. Maybe a switch to a more activating SSRI (based on its side effects on you) is appropriate. Of course, if you're eating like crap and don't exercise, it could just be old age catching up with you ;o). Whatever you decide to do, I think your self-evaluation really tells you what you just may not want to hear. Your SSRI works for you and in the end, that's all that really counts.
Many ADD folks have more than one thing going on with their brain chemistry and their productivity/focus are affected by emotional issues as well. Anxiety produces worry and worry produces a lack of focus on the task at hand. Being an irritable perfectionist produces a lack of focus as well. Those things alone look and function like ADD. Whether or not they are is a discussion for another time.
So, for me, Celexa greatly reduces my anxiety and evens out my emotions. Adderall then takes care of the ADD symptoms when they are problematic. So, when I come off of my SSRI, even though the portion of ADD that comes from frontal/temporal lobe issues is ironed out, the emotional components of it (perfectionism, anxiety, self-esteem, etc) resurface and can be magnified. You shouldn't look at ADD in a vacuum. It's just one part of your sub-optimal brain chemistry (but not necessarily brain function!).
In short, from my own experience, I can tell you that being a unpleasant jerk is a symptom of my "depression" and exacerbates my tendencies toward ADD. Why risk it? I just take my "daily vitamins" and don't give it a second thought or third or fourth ;o).
Regards,
Ty
P.S. According to the classical Greeks, a cure for melancholy is a walk in the sun. By far the best antidepressant is exercise (and a good dog). A walk in the sun is nice, but exorcising your demons in the gym with clanging steel, sweat, and physical, mental, and emotional strain is much, much better. That being said, take your meds ;o)
RE: Welcome to everyone!
Ty recently wrote:
"That being said, take your meds"
We agree. Life Balance is just a useful software product, and nothing in these forums is a substitute for talking with your own doctors about what is right for you.
Please listen to the advice of your medical doctors in matters concerning your medications and health. They have expertise and experience, and access to information that can be of benefit to you. Talk with your doctors about side effects and about alternatives if something isn't working well for you.
Best wishes,
--Catherine--*
Catherine E. White
President
www.llamagraphics.com
Creators of Life Balance software
for Palm OS, Macintosh and Windows.
RE: Welcome to everyone!
Wow. I'm still on the trial and have just come back to the forums after being away for 10 days. This is the first time I've checked out the ADD forum, and again - wow. I don't have ADD (as far as I know) but I do have CFS and many of the brain/cognitive symptoms are similar. At least that's what I thought without knowing too much about it, but I have to say that since reading (I nearly wrote listening to - as that's what it felt like) the first message, major bells have been ringing, and I've thought 'yes - that's me!'.
Sorry, I'm getting out of hand here. But the problems and advice here are absolutely relevant for me - switching gear too much or not at all, being overwhelmed by the minutiae of tasks, or by organising this new system - everything you mentioned rings bells. Even down to the 'eat healthily today' bit. So I think all the advice is really going to help me get sorted out.
Of course I think I'd better check how much is similar too...
But thanks guys, I really feel at home here. :-)
Cheers,
Debbie
(Newbie, about to buy I think).
RE: Welcome to everyone!
Hello! I have Fibromyalgia, which can also certainly a number of problems, including mental focus, energy, etc. And also many allergies and sensitivities...controlling them made a significant impact in the brain fog department. I've started reading a little about ADD and see some tendancies, but I would probably need to talk to a profession who was familiar with both FM and ADD to straighten it all out. Unfortunatly I live in a small town area and have a gift for finding precicely the doctors that are bad for me! Last month I went to a FM Clinic, and when I was sent home with six supplements and more scripts to come when we get the bloodwork back...I decided I needed a PDA to help me keep track of it all :-P When I was investigating the Palm, I noticed LB, downloaded the trial and have been loving it. It (and the PDA) are helping me keep track of things...importantly in the pill department but elsewhere as well. Everything's bought and paid for now. Of course I'm still learning, figuring things out, tweaking things, but it's already helping me. And while I don't have any llamas...I do spin, and love the fantastic fiber *G*
RE: Welcome to everyone!
Welcome! It's great to have another spinner of fiber, and not just yarns around! :) If you need help, we're all here to help you!
just an aside, from experience with some of my friends and clients: very often, the allergies and sensitivities lessen when the right combination of medications to keep the ADD headed in the right direction are used! Also, have you discovered the ADD/Fibro website? http://www.add-fibromyalgia.com. There is also a great compilation of articles available at http://www.addvance.com/bookstore/focus.html.
Good luck, keep in touch, and DEFINITELY keep spinning! It will help you focus, and calm your mind at the same time!
RE: Welcome to everyone!
It's kinda funny that there are so many topics related to ADD. I didn't see them all as a guest and was wondering why no one was distracted with this forum. As I am sure anything I was about to discuss will be covered in one of the forums I haven't read, I feel the need to support some of the statements made in this thread. Excercise is amazing for those of us who can fit it in, which is everyone. It should definitely reduce some of the anxiety and the stress that seems to affect those of us with ADD in such a unique way. As far as meds go, stimulants and anti-D's, no one can tell you better than your doc, but don't rule them out. Personally, I've been on and off ritalin and straterra, and am currently on concerta and lexipro. IMO the sustained release is much better than the regular pills b/c it's only one pill (I know there is SR ritalin), but also "coming down" is much smoother. those of you who mentioned being cranky, irritable, etc. know what i mean. if you have kids and might be concerned about ADD, give them some 1 on 1 time in a sport. I like tennis b/c it's easy to become distracted, so it's a real mental test. i guess that's enough, the reason i even started looking on this site was to set my LB a little better. I guess I was distracted. :)
RE: Welcome to everyone!
Hi there:
Keeping to ADHDult standards, I am finally back on the lists.
I hope you are doing well? I encourage you to come back and share your thoughts on the LBS since you posted last.
It's been awhile, but my goal as a LBS Consultant is to support the forum more. I know Kris has been a wonderful support system, but we want to support Llamagraphics for all it has served us.
For those of us, that need the extra support, I am holding myself accountable to be here (more often) for you. We all learn together and support eachother with (lots of grins and giggles)!
Have an ADDult AWESOME Day! Were the "cool kids".
Lisa Kincaid, Life Coach
Hand N Hand Coaching
http://www.HandNHandCoaching.com
HNHCoaching@cs.com
RE: Welcome to everyone! Harley
Hello to all,
To introduce myself, I am a 42yo male. I have been diagnosed for years with ADD, although I took meds, it was not clearing things up.
In the past 6 months, I started with a new psychologist and psychiatrist between the therapy and meds I am doing much better. I still find I need some order to my life to keep me on track.
I have Palm pilot, but for my ADD and other issues, what comes with the Palm, does not do the trick.
I have started to look at LB for the to do and planning. What I need is an alarm to go off to remind me of the things I do.
Any suggestions, let me know.
Glad to be here.
RE: Welcome to everyone! Harley
Hi Harley:
I must know when a post appears. I just happened to (dash) on and there you were.
Thank you for posting to the forum.
I would ask you to define---what type of device would support you?
A watch that beeps?
A buzzer that you can wear (looks like a pager)
If your local phone company offers a message by phone? I have Verizon and get a call (M-F at 9AM).
Something on your computer?
Sometimes, it's just having the ability to look at (eye level) with a calendar/schedule.
I would suggest you check out, Terry Matalin's site. She has a wonderful ADHD Store, and I love shopping there. Head to the basic site, and link to it.
http://www.Addconsults.com
Good luck, and keep posting!
Have an ADDult AWESOME Day!!!!
Lisa Kincaid, Life Coach
Hand N Hand Coaching
http://www.HandNHandCoaching.com
HNHCoaching@cs.com
RE: Welcome to everyone! Harley
Lisa, thank you for being here just when I need you! I JUST started with Life Balance, to try and get my ADD reined in. I was formally diagnosed a year ago and started meds then. I was really good about adding structure for a while, then midyear my mother died and I sort of went off in all directions. I am again trying to add structure back to my life, since I find that the meds help most when I help myself. I don't have a job so it is hard for me to find a structure. I have a zillion interests and add more all the time.
For this year, my goals are to lose 25 lbs. and get myself together. Oh my.
Kathi
RE: Welcome to everyone! Harley
I wanted to post again. I spelled Terry's name incorrectly.
Her name is Terry Matlen and her site is
ADDConsults.com
Sorry, for the mistake.....
Lisa Kincaid, Life Coach
Hand N Hand Coaching
RE: Welcome to everyone!
What a find! Reading many of the posts in this forum is like looking in a mirror. :)
I'm 32 and I was diagnosed with ADD about a year ago (to go along with my previously-diagnosed anxiety & depression), all of which probably have been with me most of my life. A cocktail of Effexor, Zoloft, & Adderall are keeping me functional, barely. When I "forget" my meds, within 24 hours I end up curled into a ball on the couch.
I'm hopeful that LB can help with that.
Anyway, "hello" to everyone here (it's my first post). Thanks for the comforting stories, and also for the encouragement!
RE: Welcome to everyone!
Good Morning:
Welcome to the Life Balance Forum:
I see you have recently posted. How wonderful to have you join "our gang".
Please share how the LBS is working for you? I try to check the forum every couple of days.
Have an AWESOME Wednesday!
Coach Lisa
RE: No Medication; Flight Training
Hello, I'm new to this forum and to the world of ADHD. For many years I thought I was suffering from depression, but since I am a professional pilot I was afraid to go to any medical professional for a diagnosis. Just had to get through each day intact. However, recent conversations with a friend who is ADHD (or Adult ADD, I'm still not clear on the distinction) got me looking into the subject. Sure enough: lack of focus, a million ideas going on at once, nothing ever gets finished, beat myself up over it, flop on the couch and channel surf instead. So I may indeed be ADD/ADHD.
The problem remains of medical diagnosis -- I might as well chop up my pilot's license if I go on anti-depressants, Ritalin, or almost any other medication. I have managed (barely) with lots of stickynotes and other mind-focusing tricks, such as slamming a can of RedBull, but has anyone in this forum had some success without medications?
Also (related thread) since I am also a Flight Instructor, I find that I sometimes have students who show all the signs of ADHD. Like me, they can't take medication for it, even if they are correctly diagnosed. Any tips from instructors out there (of any complex discipline, not only flying) on how to teach the adult ADHD student and keep them focused?
Meanwhile, I'm going to tryout LB. Your help is apprecia... (oh look! an airplane!)
;-)
flightymind
RE: No Medication; Flight Training
>
>The problem remains of medical diagnosis -- I might as well
>chop up my pilot's license if I go on anti-depressants,
>Ritalin, or almost any other medication. I have managed
>(barely) with lots of stickynotes and other mind-focusing
>tricks, such as slamming a can of RedBull, but has anyone in
>this forum had some success without medications?
flightymind,
Yes, I wouldn't recommend throwing away your career under the circumstances, the "cure" would probably be much worse than the affliction, especially considering you've coped apparently successfully so far. My recommendations are to educate yourself as much as possibly about ADHD, the current thinking on causes, areas of impact (such as the prefrontal cortex and its realm of "executive functioning"), and yes, the many so-called "comorbidities" that more often than not seem to come along with the ADHD "package" (such as anxiety disorder, affective disorder (depression), etc.). I'll spare you the story of my long struggles, but just know that I too started with a focus on depression and spent well over a decade trying to convince medical professionals I had ADHD before the level of awareness rose to the point where adults could in fact be diagnosed with ADHD (in any of its several forms).
I have done extensive research and self-educating, starting in 1994 with the publication of "Driven to Distraction," and have come across a couple of books you may want to read to get an idea of what's going on. I've found Dr. Edward Hallowell's books particularly useful (more info at: http://www.drhallowell.com/). I recently attended a regional conference put on by CHADD (a national ADHD organization: http://www.chadd.org/) where Dr. Thomas E. Brown spoke on much of the research behind the content of his 2005 book "Attention Deficit Disorder: The Unfocused Mind in Children and Adults" (see his Web site at: http://www.drthomasebrown.com/) and am finishing reading this book which I highly recommend if you would like a clear understanding of what's behind ADHD. These and a number of other resources have given me a very clear understanding of ADHD and how to work with, and around, the disorder.
However, probably the most useful book I've read on how to actually do things to live with and work around ADHD is the 2002 book by Judith Kolberg (the organizer - see her Web site at: http://www.fileheads.net/) and Kathleen Nadeau, Ph.D. (the clinician - see: http://www.addvance.com/), titled "ADD-Friendly Ways to Organize Your Life" - strategies that work from a professional organizer and a renowned ADD clinician. This book, which is focused on adults with ADD, offers a wealth of practical steps to work with and around ADHD, with a unique approach of: Level 1: things you can do yourself; Level 2: things that friends and family can help you accomplish; and Level 3: things that are best tackled with the support of a professional. This book in unique in taking this approach, which I found to be the single most practical "tool" that I could put to work immediately to help deal with my ADHD.
You might also want to consider using the services of a personal coach, especially one who specializes in working with persons with ADHD. There are a few coaches with specialized ADHD training, some you'll find on this forum, and others you can find via a Google search. I'm "indirectly" working with one now and will expand this relationship since I clearly see a benefit.
Of course, there are a few specialized software applications, such as Life Balance (of which you obviously are aware or will be if you're posting on this forum), that are extremely helpful for helping those with ADHD deal with some of the daily challenges that come with the disorder.
I find a combination of many of the above resources to be very effective in dealing with my ADHD and you might also. Though I do take medication for ADHD and a "comorbid" additional challenge, I know with the use of some of the tools mentioned above that I could be quite functional, though with some effort. After all, I struggled with ADHD without medication for many decades, and though it's more difficult, I could do so again. Given the sensitivity of your career and medications, I'd recommend the route of education, tools, and coaching as an alternative that would allow you to not risk your career and still deal with your ADHD (if that is in fact what you have - I recommend getting that accurately diagnosed since ADHD-like symptoms could be the result of some other issue -- I'm not a doctor and I suggest you get the opinion of one or more medical professionals before self-diagnosing and self-treating whatever you feel you may be dealing with).
I'd like to make it clear that I'm in no way affiliated with any of the above (though I am on the "informal" Board of a local CHADD chapter), I don't earn a dime from anything related to ADHD, coaching, or book sales, and I have no other interest than to help others not go through the long years of frustration I encountered in searching for the diagnosis and eventual "multi-modal" plan of action to help me better deal with my significant ADHD symptoms and the related disruption they have caused to my life.
There are many, many, other books and resources, coaches, organizers, and medical professionals, support groups and advocacy organizations, that are focused on dealing with ADHD and its related disorders and life "impacts," so please use Google or whatever and educate yourself as to what ADHD is all about. Knowledge is power in helping you find effective "non-medicated" treatment plans, tools, techniques, and strategies. So, I hope my way-to-lengthy post above can be of some help to you or at least point you in a more efficient direction.
Good luck!
RE: No Medication; Flight Training
Hi, Flightymind,
While I haven't personally had to face your situation--and I ache for you, because I'd MUCH rather have a pilot up there WITH his appropriate meds, than one that's distracted by the cute tail on that Frontier flight about a mile off.. ;-)
My best suggestion is to read Hallowell and Ratey's Delivered From Distraction, and also, Dr. Daniel Amen's Healing ADD--both have supplement suggestions <primary, Omega 3s, etc> for helping ADD folks.
As for Adult ADD or ADHD, I'm going to say some heresy here--it depends on the day of the week, who you're talking with, and what they read recently. ADHD is most commonly used for those who can't keep still: the child who swings from the ceiling lights <boy or girl!> or the adult that can't quit fidgeting, or the teen that's into extreme sports. ADD is used more for either the generic term, or for those who, rather than being hyperactive, "zone out", "space out", "don't live up to their potential".....the inattentive ADDers.
Okay, lightning didn't strike, although it did rain a bit....:P
Do some reading, DEFINITELY try LB, and watch out for that Red Bull--it can be worse than no meds, as it's a short term fix, and if you're on a 5 hour flight....