You Mean I'm Not Lazy, Stupid or Crazy?!: The Classic Self-Help Book for Adults With Attention Deficit Disorder (59 page)

With this discovery scientists made great strides in eliminating
most maladaptive behaviors. But in a recent Gene Removal Conference, scientists from around the galaxy gathered to debate the wisdom of the decades-old TNT gene removal project.

The original discovery was welcomed by people everywhere. Society did not know what to do with people who were born with this gene. Many of these people failed to contribute to the goals of the community, refusing to
attend the Intergalactic Training Academy and never fulfilling their responsibilities in society. Half the people in our prisons exhibited these maladaptive behaviors as did some who were addicted to illegal drugs and alcohol.

Therefore it was reasoned that if the gene that caused these dysfunctional behaviors could be eliminated, these people would be relieved of their suffering and society
as a whole would greatly benefit. So the Gene Removal Project was undertaken in 2290 to eliminate this troublesome gene from the Galaxy’s populations.

Initially this appeared to be a wise decision. Fewer schoolchildren displayed behavior and learning problems. No longer inattentive, they readily acquired great knowledge. Eliminating the insatiability of these children caused a significant reduction
in the rates of juvenile delinquency because these individuals were no longer driven to seek out adventures.

But as a fourth generation of children whose TNT genes were surgically removed reach maturity, some rather disturbing facts can no longer be ignored. It was largely unnoticed in the early stages of the Gene Removal Project that scientific research and discovery have gradually slowed and
come to a virtual standstill. Without the insatiable curiosity to drive the scientific process, increasing numbers of scientists have become content with the status quo. Only now are people in our society becoming aware of the glaring absence of new scientific and medical discoveries since the project began.

There has been a parallel decrease in the numbers of new developments in business and
industry. It is now hypothesized that when impulsivity was erased, people were no longer capable
of taking risks. Virtually no new management systems have been introduced since the project began. The technology used today has evolved little from that used many years ago.

There appears to be yet another troubling by-product of the TNT Gene Removal Project. Many members of our society at large
report a general discontent with their lives and the communities in which they live. Paralleling the elimination of impulsivity, spontaneity seems to have disappeared from their lives. There is no more adventure. The lives of many people in our society are well planned but mundane—it has been many years since anyone has climbed a mountain or explored a cave.

The worlds of literature, art and
music also appear to have suffered. Since the elimination of distractibility, people have not been compelled to write imaginative poetry, paint the colors of a sunset or compose beautiful songs.

It is impossible to ignore the benefits enjoyed by our society in the years since the removal of the TNT gene. Without the troubling maladaptive behaviors caused by this gene, life has become significantly
more orderly. But the behavior of many of our citizens is beginning to resemble that of computer robots.

The recently held meeting was to study the data compiled in the years since the project began. The questions raised at the Gene Removal Conference can be summarized as follows:

“Has Science created efficient machines, lacking in creativity and initiative? Has Society killed personality in
the name of order?”

The scientists in attendance were in unanimous agreement that the answer to these questions is “Yes.” It was noted in the records of the proceedings that the Gene Removal Project may have had some unexpected negative results and that future scientists might at some point choose to revisit the decision.

This journalist is concerned that a third more important issue was not
raised:

“How can we put the gene back?”

Unfortunately even the brightest of our scientists appear satisfied to inquire no further than simply to review and comment on existing data, so things are unlikely to change in the foreseeable future.

After all, there is no one with the passion and imagination to ask the questions …

Web-Based Resources

Nonprofit Organizations

add.org—National ADDA. The first national organization for adults with ADD. Annual conference, teleclasses, articles, personal stories, interviews with ADD professionals, book reviews and links to other ADD-related sites.

addresources.org—Free articles, National ADHD Service Provider Directory, telecourses, links to a hundred related sites and a list
of Washington State support groups. A lending library is available to members.

chadd.orgCHADD (Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) is a nonprofit organization that offers information to parents, educators, professionals, the media and the general public.

Coaching and Coach Training

addcoach.com—Home of the Optimal Functioning Institute. Offers comprehensive ADD
coach training, books and resources.

addcoachacademy.com—The ADD Coach Academy (ADDCA) Coach Training Program offers long-distance training to new and experienced coaches.

addcoaching.com—Web site for information on awesome coaching from Kate Kelly, Peggy Ramundo or one of their associates. ADD coach training program.

flylady.net—A personal online coach to help you regain control of house and
home.

americoach.org—American Coaching Association. Founded with the goal of making individualized coaching available to everyone who may desire it.

powersystemscoach.com—A collaborative team approach to ADD coaching. Home of the powersystems planner.

Women with ADD

ADDvance.com—Internationally recognized authors Patricia O. Quinn, M.D., and Kathleen Nadeau, Ph.D., answer questions for parents,
adults, teens and professionals. Online resources for women and girls with ADD.

ncgiadd.org—Web site for National Center for Gender Issues and ADHD. NCGI was founded by Patricia Quinn, M.D., and Kathleen Nadeau, Ph.D., to promote awareness, advocacy and research on AD/HD in women and girls.

SariSolden.com—Web site hosted by the author of
Women with Attention Deficit Disorder
. Features include
articles, discussion board and resources.

General

ADD.about.com—A family-oriented site with an abundance of information ranging from recommendations on books and tapes to articles on alternative treatments and how to help your child organize for school in the morning.

addforums.com—Online Web community for adults, teens and parents.

adhdnews.com—Offers periodic newsletters with information
on the research and treatment of ADHD, online support, announcements and resources.

additudemag.com—A subscription-based magazine. Information and inspiration for adults and kids with ADD.

drhallowell.com—A Web site hosted by the Hallowell Center, featuring articles, links, referral assistance and a message board.

thomhartmann.com/home-add.shtml—a Web site for parents and professionals hosted
by a well-known ADHD author. Features include articles, discussion board and resources.

Online ADD Store … and More

addconsults.com—A virtual online ADHD clinic. Browse the store for ADD-friendly products. Talk one-on-one with experts. Get help finding an ADD-savvy professional. Online conferences, workshops and directories are also available.

Motivation and Demotivation

Despair.com—If you are
in need of a good chuckle, this is the place to go. They describe themselves as a motivational Web site for pessimists, underachievers and the chronically unsuccessful.

Suggested Reading

Books you may find helpful:

Adamec, Christine.
Moms with ADD
. Dallas: Taylor Trade Publishing, 2000.

Amen, Daniel.
Healing the Hardware of the Soul
. New York: Free Press, 2002.

_____.
Windows into the ADD Mind
. Newport Beach, Calif.: Mindworks Press, 1997.

Andrews, Joan, and Denise Davis.
ADD Kaleidoscope
. Duarte, Calif.: Hope Press, 1997.

Brown, Lisa Blakemore.
Reweaving the Autistic Tapestry
. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishing, 2001.

Brown, Thomas.
Attention Deficit Disorders and Comorbidities in Children, Adolescents and Adults
. Arlington, Va.: American Psychiatric Association, 2000.

_____.
Attention Deficit Disorder: The Unfocused Mind in Children and Adults
. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2005.

Carson, Richard.
Taming Your Gremlin
. New York: Harper Collins, 2003.

Friends in Recovery.
The Twelve Steps: A Guide for Adults with Attention Deficit Disorder
. Centralia, Wash.: RPI Publishing, 1996.

Glovinsky, Cindy.
Making Peace with the Things in Your Life
. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2002.

Goleman, Daniel.
Emotional Intelligence
. New York: Bantam, 1997.

Hallowell, Edward.
Worry
. New York: Ballantine, 1998.

Hallowell, Edward, and John Ratey.
Delivered from Distraction
. New York: Ballantine, 2005.

Halverstadt, Jonathan.
ADD and Romance
. Dallas: Taylor Trade Publishing, 1998.

Hartmann, Thom.
Attention Deficit Disorder: A Different Perception
. Grass Valley, Calif.: Underwood, 1997.

_____.
Beyond ADD: Hunting for Reasons in the Past or Present
. Grass Valley, Calif.: Underwood, 1996.

Hartmann, Thom, and Richard Brandler.
Healing ADD
. Novato, Calif.: Underwood-Miller, 1998.

Hill, Robert W., and Eduardo Castro.
Getting Rid of Ritalin: How Neurofeedback Can Successfully Treat ADD Without Drugs
. Charlottesville, Va.: Hampton Roads Publishing Company, 2002.

Jamison, Kay Redfield.
An Unquiet Mind: A Memoir of Moods and Madness
. New York: Vintage, 1997.

Kelly, Kate, and Peggy Ramundo.
The ADDed Dimension
. New York: Scribner, 1997.

Kennedy, Diane.
The ADHD Autism Connection
. Colorado Springs: WaterBrook Press, 2002.

Kohlberg, Judith, and Kathleen Nadeau.
ADD Friendly Ways to Organize Your Life
. New York: Brunner-Routledge, 2002.

Latham, Pat, and Peter Latham.
Attention Deficit Disorder and the Law
. Washington, D.C.: R.K.L. Communications, 1997.

Ledingham, D. Stephen.
The Scoutmaster’s Guide to Attention Deficit Disorder
. Cincinnati: PositivePeoplePress, 1994.

Mate, Gabor.
Scattered
. New York: Plume Books, 2000.

Matlin, Terry.
Survival Tips for Women with AD/HD
. Plantation, Fla.: Specialty Press, 2005.

Miller, David, and Kenneth Blum.
Overload: Attention Deficit Disorder and the Addictive Brain
. New York: Andrews McMeel Publishing, 1996.

Nadeau, Kathleen, ed.,
A Comprehensive Guide to ADD in Adults
. New York: Taylor & Francis Group, 1995.

Nadeau, Kathleen G., and Patricia O. Quinn, eds.
Gender Issues and AD/HD: Research, Diagnosis and Treatment
. New York: Taylor and Francis Group, 1995.

_____.
Understanding Women with AD/HD
. Altamonte Springs, Fla.: Advantage Books, 2002.

Novotni, Michele, and Randy Petersen.
What Does Everybody Else Know That I Don’t?
Plantation, Fla.: Specialty Press, 1999.

Quinn, Patricia O., Nancy A. Ratey, and Theresa L. Martland.
Coaching College Kids with AD/HD
. Altamonte Springs, Fla.: Advantage Books, 2000.

Ratey, John.
A User’s Guide to the Brain
. New York: Vintage USA, 2002.

Ratey, John, and Catherine Johnson.
Shadow Syndromes: Recognizing and Coping with the Hidden Psychological Disorders That Can Influence Your Behavior and Silently Determine the Course of Your Life
. New York: Bantam, 1998.

Richardson, Wendy.
The Link Between ADD and Addiction
. Colorado Springs: Navpress, 1997.

_____.
When Too Much Is Not Enough
. Colorado Springs: Pinon Press, 2005.

Ross, Julia.
The Mood Cure
. New York: Penguin, 2003.