May 29, 2008
“Finding Your Focus”
I just finished reading Finding Your Focus by Judith Greenbaum and Geraldine Markel. The fact that it took me a month to read does say something about the book – if I’m really excited about a book, I’ll read it in 2 days, so that means this book didn’t excite me that much.
However, I think the non-excitement came from the fact that this book really tells you how you are – the way your mom does – by saying things that are sometimes hard to hear, like “People with ADD can talk constantly… not allowing anyone else to get a word in edgewise.” How many times have I heard that in my life? Though these criticisms are difficult to read sometimes, the book gives some valuable and simple advice.
At first glance, the book is super-simple and almost seems stupid in it’s short-chapter to-the-point writing style – but the genius of the book is in it’s simplicity. It’s easy to skim and get to the areas you personally need help with, it’s easy to refer back to a strategy you read and want to re-visit, and it’s easy to just get to the “meat” of the writing without sifting through a lot of filler. They just tell you “here’s your problem” and “here’s a solution”.
You really do have to read it over time (I plan to refer back to it) because, as the authors encourage, you can’t implement all of the coping strategies at once. You have to make each strategy a habit and improve in one area, making small accomplishments, like always putting your keys in the same place when you walk in the door, before you can move on and tackle your next problem.
This book does not have a lot of “fluff”. Each chapter pretty much follows this format: example of a real-life person that has a problem, defining their problem in ADD terms, what is stopping them from solving their problem, strategies for attacking the problem, and worksheets for making a plan to implement these strategies for you. I really liked that the authors mentioned some very specific problems (most that I have) and a method for solving them. Here are some of the topics that resonated with me:
- Steps to De-Cluttering and Organizing (looks like I was on the right track with my method of attacking my piles of paper)
- Overcoming Procrastination (including rewards!)
- A Routine for Paying Your Bills on Time (I just might take a twice-monthly trip to the coffee shop to pay my bills)
- Talk Less – Listen Better (Lord knows I need this advice)
I also liked that the book provides strategies that can help people deal with ADD without medication.
So, overall, I’d say this book isn’t super-exciting, but it’s a good book to have around, and to refer to when you are ready to attack a particular problem in your life. If I could summarize my opinion of “Finding Your Focus” in one word, it would be: practical.
April 30, 2008
Bought a Book
Well, I’m supposed to be staying up late working, and I took a “short break” and checked my email. I saw an email with a coupon for 50% off a book at audible.com, so I clicked it and ended up browsing all over audible. Then, I wanted to see if audible had any of the books in my Amazon.com wishlist, so I went to Amazon, used those titles to search audible, and didn’t find any. Then, I realized I really wanted a book at Amazon.com, but that I thought I might find it cheaper somewhere else online, so I looked on half.com. After browsing all 3 sites and looking at all of the popular books, books in my wishlist, and books that have absolutely nothing to do with anything (and reducing my available awake-time for late-night working by an hour), I settled on this book: Finding Your Focus by Judith Greenbaum and Geraldine Markel
How appropriate that I wasted an hour of time and ended up buying a book about focusing :)
Anyway, I like that the book is written by women and that it has great reviews on Amazon, so I’ll let you all know whether I like it once I receive it and have a chance to read it. Has anyone else read this book? If so, leave a comment and let us know what you thought!
October 11, 2007
Women-Only Post!
Hi ladies, this post is for us.
I was wondering if any of you female readers out there notice an increase in your ADD/ADHD symptoms before you have your period, as a part of PMS. I recently had a person close to me tell me that they know when I’m about to start my period, even though I am extremely irregular, because my ADD behavior seems to change for the worse – not just moody PMS kind of symptoms, but more distractability, more impulsive talking/interrupting, etc.
I’ve had hormonal issues for a while now, and my endocrinologist suggested going on a birth control pill to regulate my cycles. I have to go on a low-estrogen one since there is estrogen-senstive breast cancer in my family. One that was recommended is Yaz, and I saw on the TV commercial for it that it is supposed to help with PMS/PMDD in general, too.
Does anyone else notice a change in ADD symptoms at that “time of the month” and have you noticed whether birth control pills work to help?
I know this is a non-medication-centered blog, but going on this medication would be for another physical problem that is somewhat serious, and the medication just may have the side-benefit of helping with ADD problems also.
Just curious! Thanks for any input in advance!
Here are some related links for women with similar issues (note, these links may not reflect my own opinion and are just for informational purporses):
Book for Women with ADD by Sari Solden
P.S. If anyone knows of any medical studies conducted on this topic, please post in the comments!
June 9, 2007
Exercise and AD/HD
I remember reading in the great ADD book Delivered from Distraction that exercise is not only a long-term therapy for ADD, but also an “emergency fix” – that if you are feeling your symptoms, that sometimes a burst of exercise to get out that distracting fidgety energy will do the trick.
I also read an article recently that said Yoga can help increase your body’s natural production of GABA, which has a calming effect, so I will probably do some of that next week.
For the moment, I am feeling anxious -both because I am feeling fidgety and haven’t exercised yet today, and because I am not getting as much done tonight as I wanted to. So, I think I’ll get my tennis shoes on and do a little workout. I haven’t done my 15-30 minutes of exercise yet today anyway, so I’ll also feel like I’ve accomplished a goal.
Edit: This did seem to work. About 15-20 mins after I exercised (and my heart rate came down) I did feel more focused than before.
June 4, 2007
Goal #2: Omega-3 Fatty Acids Daily Supplement
I forgot to mention something else. I take a multivitamin about 3-4 times per week so I can get nutrients that may not be included in my diet, though I generally eat a good variety of foods. A while ago, I tried to add an Omega-3 fish oil supplement to my regimen because of reading about the importance of Omega-3 fatty acids for brain health in Delivered from Distraction (a great book that I will write more about at a later date) and Dr. Amen’s website. I also heard Dr. Perricone (and maybe Dr. Oz, also?) mention them on Oprah, so I figure they’re generally worth adding to my diet. I didn’t really take them regularly, though, (maybe 3 times in a week if I remembered) so I couldn’t tell if the supplements made a difference.
So yesterday, I bought a large-ish bottle of them (making sure that they were from am approved manufacturer – be careful as some unregulated supplements may contain toxins) and I plan to take 2 per day regularly.
The contents include 180 mg of EPA and 120 mg of DHA in each 1000 mg capsule (1 gram) of Fish Oil Concentrate. I’ve read that up to 5 grams per day is safe, so I am well under the limits when taking 2 per day. I also eat either salmon or tilapia once a week, and I try to cook with Olive Oil, which add additional Omega-3s to my diet.
I will post about whether they seem to make any difference, though I am also increasing my daily exercise at the same time, so the effects could be combined.
See additional information at Wikipedia.
Kick My ADD 