Adult ADD Strengths

You don’t see headlines like these on regular basis.

“The Upside of ADHD Enthusiasm, Empathy and High Energy Among Traits the Disorder Carries”

from MSN.com’s health section

Usually it’s just 98% negative coverage, although that is slowly changing as people gradually start to realize that in addition to the real problems of ADD, there are also real advantages to having ADD.

When I sold Macintosh computers I noticed that many of my clients seemed like they had ADD, they were often in the high tech or creative fields where ADD can be a real advantage, i.e., fast processing mind, able to multitask effortlessly, creative, able to hyperfocus for hours IF it was interesting etc.

A history of Microsoft with various clips and commentary. Very funny movie, includes the Ballmer classics as well as Bill Gates’ s entertaining demos of his product performing just like the real thing.

Here’s a flash interactive version of the windows experience.

A Linux switch parody

A video clip explaining the origins of control alt delete by it’s inventor.

My favorite quote

I have to share the credit, I may have invented it but Bill made it famous

Of course the look on Bill’s face was priceless.

As an information junkie, I get a lot of email, probably too much. I have cut back on some of the ezines and ADD and coaching egroups I get and I sometimes do no more than scan the subject headers.

This one caught my attention. It’s from Raphael Cushnier, who I took a workshop from a while back called living the questions based on his book of the same name. I found it very useful. So I signed up for this ezine and this particular one from his book How Now: 100 Ways to Celebrate the Present Moment. It really landed for me.

#61 Respect Your Wiring

Just a quick reminder about the Vancouver Adult ADD Support Group meeting tomorrow, Tuesday October 25th at Ravensong community health center, 2450 Ontario st. 7-9pm

Topic: Memory and learning styles

Speaker: Ken Langford. Ken is an experienced teacher, a former school principal , and a registered psychologist. He has taught from kindergarten to college and university level. He has worked in a variety of settings, ranging from a mental health facility, to the public schools system, and latterly, private practice.

Our Group’s webpage

Many people with ADD self medicate with alcohol, drugs and tobacco since they all boost dopamine levels in the brain, a neurotransmitter associated with ADD and one the ADD stimulant medication improve the availability of.

People who have undiagnosed ADD are more likely to abuse alcohol and drugs the the general population. It seems like booze, pot, tobacco, crystal meth and coke are the favorites.

Looks like attending AA support groups + treatment improve the odds of staying sober, than just those who get treatment, according to a recent study via Psych Central

I was quoted in an article on Adult ADD in Saturday’s Globe and Mail Newspaper (the major National Canadian Newspaper) written by Dr. Gabor Mate. Oct. 15th, 2005 p F7 in the focus section. Dr Mate has ADD and wrote a groundbreaking book on ADD called Scattered Minds: How ADD Originates and What you Can Do About It, as well as a great book on stress, and one on parenting.

The title of the article is ADD? Time to chill. (free registration required)

However there was a mistake in one of my quotes,

TA-DA Lists is a free online to do list program. Allows you to do a basic to do list, and leave it on the web so you can access it from work, home or cell phone. It’s a hosted service no software to install and you can keep the lists private or public, even subscribe to your list in RSS. It’s a very basic program there are many more comprehensive ones but sometimes basic is all you need.

Created by 37 Signals the creator of Basecamp business project management software.