Negativism vs Pessimism
It is a common mistake to conflate “being negative” with “being pessimistic.” To me, being negative means being realistic, it means being faithful to the lived experience, it means acknowledging what should be obvious to all. If “being negative” becomes the sole purpose of one’s life, now you are moving into the realm of pessimism. [...]
PDF Renaming ADHD: Sonofabi#!@F*%K@%SHOLE Disorder
Glen Hogard, an ADHD coach, posted the following on FaceBook: [...] I do know I support Chuck Parker’s (and Barkley’s) new suggestion for a name for ADHD. EFD or “Executive Function Disorder”. Sure, I’d prefer difference, but if we want those accomodations [sic] we’d better stick with disorder; which it is in the hostile linear [...]
Adult ADHD and Loneliness, Part II
Based on the comments and emails I’ve received in response to the post on ADHD and loneliness (see: ADHD and Loneliness), I feel it’s necessary to clarify and amplify a few points. My observations were based on discussions I’ve had with other ADHDers, which means it’s a very small sample size and not at all [...]
Adult ADHD and Loneliness
Simple Observation: Adult ADHDers usually have no friends. I have not done any study on this phenomenon nor have I consulted the Google Oracle for wisdom. I base this observation purely on anecdotes, on conversations I’ve had with numerous adult ADHDers who have told me that for most of their life they had no friends. [...]
The Story We Tell Ourselves
…we can be blind to the obvious, and we are also blind to our blindness. – Daniel Kahneman, Thinking, Fast and Slow Everyone has a story to help them understand themselves and their relationship to the world. It is their personal explanation of who they are and why they do the things they do. It [...]
Marko Ferek and the Holy Trinity of Self-Delusion
For years I assumed that everyone could see the things that I could see. Wasn’t it obvious that our lives are shaped by hundreds of years of history? Wasn’t it obvious that luck is an essential part of success? Wasn’t it obvious that the education system has less to do with “educating” and more to [...]
A Story About Adult ADHD
The Everyday Health website has a post about an ADHDer who managed to control his symptoms. It was a challenge but he did succeed. I hope you find the post to be of interest. After years of ADHD symptoms and struggles — dating back to elementary school — Jeff Siegel was diagnosed with ADHD at [...]
I Think Therefore I Yam
I was puzzled by a recent post in PsychCentral. I read it and reread it. I waited a few days to see what comments people would write. I looked at some of the other posts referenced by the author. Finally, I arrived at the same conclusion I had when I first read the post — this [...]
Am I My Own Placebo Effect?
The puzzle of the human experience is that a thought – which comes from somewhere in the mind which comes from somewhere in the brain – can compel me (me? Who is this “me” that’s being compelled?) to engage in physical activity, like running, that in turn changes the physiology of the brain that changes [...]
Thoughts In The Middle Of The Night
- What is the end game for ADHD? How do the final decades of our lives play out? Do we become tired, old gladiators, weary, scarred, hunched over from years of fighting the ADHD beast? Do we drag ourselves into the arena, throw down our weapons and let the beast consume us, or do we [...]
What If ADHD Really Was A Gift?
What if ADHD really was a gift but the government insisted that there be a warning label attached to “the gift” much like the warning label on a pack of cigarettes? What would the label say? “Warning: Contents May Cause Explosive Anger” or “Warning: Contents May Cause Sexual Promiscuity” or “Warning: Contents May Cause Self-Destructive [...]
ADHD Awareness Week
I’d like to use this post to introduce new visitors to some of the stuff that I’ve posted over the years. This is a small selection of what you’ll find on my blog. Be sure to explore. A few of my favorite posts/podcasts. Owning The “Curse” of Adult ADHD http://bit.ly/dj3lIE A Public Service Announcement For [...]
Yes, Virginia, ADHD Is Real
There’s been quite a dust-up at the New York Times website over the issue of ADHD. Is it real? Is it a cultural by-product? Is it a grand marketing scheme by the major pharmaceutical companies? The answer to all of these question is “yes.” “Yes” it is real. “Yes” it is a cultural by-product and [...]
The Problem of “Keeping It Up” & Other Random Thoughts
Random Thought Number 1023: It can be difficult to keep it up each and every time. There’s the pressure to keep it up. There’s the embarrassment of not keeping it up. What’s even worse, you work so hard to make sure you can keep it up and sometimes you just fall flat on your face. [...]
