Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

[ScarletBegonias]

My brother has ADHD and has been involved in another mountain biking accident. He had to be airlifted to the hospital where they told him he has a concussion, but is okay otherwise. I think he's fallen off of his bike about half a dozen times, and he has had multiple concussions and also badly injured his shoulder once. My brother has no memory of this new accident or of being airlifted. He also does not remember a lot of what happened when he had the other accidents, but some bits have come back to him.

This injury is causing a lot of stress on my parents (especially my father) and my brother is now considering not riding his bike anymore. The trouble is that my brother adores riding and he even bought a house close to the foothills so he can ride regularly.

I have been trying to understand why he gets injured so much, because I haven't fallen off my bike since I was a teenager and nobody I know who rides has these problems. My mother now thinks he has these accidents because he has ADHD. She and I plan to do all the research we can on it now in case there is something that can help him. Since there is little information on the forum about ADHD I figured I'd start a thread about it in case others know something that I don't and can share.

So far I have found this information on ADHD and injuries:

_http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder/complete-index.shtml

Although many teens engage in risky behaviors, those with ADHD, especially untreated ADHD, are more likely to take more risks. In fact, in their first few years of driving, teens with ADHD are involved in nearly four times as many car accidents as those who do not have ADHD. They are also more likely to cause injury in accidents, and they get three times as many speeding tickets as their peers.13

_http://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/10-symptoms-adult-adhd

Adult ADHD Problem No. 2: Reckless Driving and Traffic Accidents
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder makes it hard to keep your attention on a task, so spending time behind the wheel of a car can be difficult. ADHD symptoms can make some people more likely to speed, have traffic accidents, and lose their driver’s licenses.

_http://www.virginia.edu/uvatoday/newsRelease.php?id=4033

Drivers with ADHD are four times more likely to be at fault in car accidents, three times more likely to have serious injuries and eight times more likely to have their drivers' licenses suspended than non-ADHD drivers.

As for my brother's diet, he has found that eating more fat makes his brain work better, but he has taken no interest in the paleo diet I've been doing. He also consumes alcohol infrequently, eats dairy, gluten, sugar, processed foods, etc. In addition, he takes Lexipro for anxiety. Right now he wants to lose weight and this shock of having to possibly give up a huge 'love' of his (mountain-biking) could inspire him to work on his diet. Of course the choice is his, but I am going to email him some links on gluten and ADHD.

I just did a search and there are over two million hits on Google for "adhd + gluten." Here's some info on that:

_http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/11/02/gluten-contribute-to-adhd.aspx

There's evidence suggesting that gluten sensitivity may be at the root of many neurological and psychiatric conditions, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

...

"After initiation of the gluten-free diet, patients or their parents reported a significant improvement in their behavior and functioning compared to the period before celiac diagnosis and treatment … "

_http://celiacdisease.about.com/od/commoncomplicationsofcd/a/Gluten-And-Adhd.htm

Celiac Disease, ADHD Linked in Studies

The evidence for an association between ADHD and celiac disease is strong: Children and adults with undiagnosed celiac disease have a much higher risk of ADHD than the general population.

In one study, researchers tested 67 people with ADHD for celiac disease. Study participants ranged in age from 7 to 42. A total of 15% tested positive for celiac disease. That's far higher than the incidence of celiac in the general population, which is about 1%.

Once they started on a gluten-free diet, the patients or their parents reported significant improvements in their behavior and functioning, and these improvements were backed up by ratings on a check list physicians use to monitor severity of ADHD symptoms.

Another study investigated the incidence of ADHD symptoms in people newly diagnosed with celiac disease. It looked at 132 participants, ranging from toddlers to adults, and reported that "ADHD symptomatology is markedly overrepresented among untreated celiac disease patients." Again, a gluten-free diet improved symptoms quickly and substantially — six months after starting the diet, most people had vastly improved ADHD symptoms.

Evidence Less Clear for ADHD and Gluten Intolerance

Not everyone who has a problem with gluten has celiac disease — recent research has identified markers for non-celiac gluten intolerance or gluten sensitivity, which seems to involve a reaction to gluten but not the intestinal damage that characterizes celiac disease.

Gluten intolerance, or gluten sensitivity, may affect up to 8% of the population. For people with gluten intolerance, studies show it's possible that gluten plays a role in ADHD symptoms, but it's less clear how large a role it plays.

In one large study, researchers looked at the effects of the gluten-free, casein-free (GFCF) diet on people with various autism spectrum disorders. They reported a positive effect on ADHD symptoms, but noted that they couldn't say for certain that it came from the GFCF diet. They also couldn't say if the effect might have stemmed from removing gluten or from removing casein from the participants' diets.

Anecdotally, parents of children with ADHD have reported improvements in behavior (some quite significant) when they placed their children on special diets, including a gluten-free diet. However, it's difficult to correlate those improvements with the dietary changes.

Currently, there's no accepted test to detect gluten intolerance; the only way to know if you have it is if your symptoms (which usually involve digestive problems but also can involve neurological issues such as headaches) clear up when you go gluten-free.

If anyone on here has ADHD or knows anything about it and can offer input, I am most appreciative, thanks.

 

[mcb]

...If anyone on here has ADHD or knows anything about it and can offer input, I am most appreciative, thanks.

I have had some similar issues and have spent quite a bit of time reading about AHDH in the past. I would be curious to know what people ate on their "gluten-free" diets in the quoted article. I suspect that a lot of research is tainted by bad food choices, both with human and animal subjects.

I hadn't really thought about it, and it would be hard to measure, but my ketogenic diet this last year may actually have helped with some of those issues. It wasn't at the top of my list for things to watch for.

I took up jogging for a while back in 2005-6, fell on my face twice (breaking my nose the 2nd time) and gave it up. This sounds somewhat similar. The problem seems to be short lapses of attention, or too many things happening at once leading to some things being overlooked. I still have that one -- it didn't go away with keto diet. If your brother has those kinds of issues, he may well need to give up the bike. A concussion is a serious matter. If it were me, I wouldn't take a chance on a another one.

I do not have trouble with accidents while driving, but then I do not allow myself to be distracted. I had to learn to screen out distractions, even if it means ignoring a passenger, and to not engage in mental activities that conflict with driving. People who have these kinds of issues and do nothing to compensate certainly will end up colliding with things. To say that ADHD "causes" it is wrong, I think. The driver causes it by failing to compensate.

The same could go for mountain biking, but that activity requires greater coordination. I don't know if it would be possible to do it safely by compensating or not. It might be possible, but it might not be fun any more. Driving is not fun for me.

 

[ScarletBegonias]

Thank you for replying, Megan.

I hadn't really thought about it, and it would be hard to measure, but my ketogenic diet this last year may actually have helped with some of those issues. It wasn't at the top of my list for things to watch for.

Your comment inspired me to do more online searches and I came up with this:

_http://www.livestrong.com/article/421883-the-ketogenic-diet-adhd/

The Ketogenic Diet and ADHD

There are no hard data on whether the ketogenic diet can alleviate the symptoms of ADHD but a study published in the December 2006 issue of "Experimental Neurology" suggests that low brain levels of glucose induced by a ketogenic diet can have positive effects on hyperactivity. The researchers did not find any change in anxiety levels or in in the ability to sustain attention.

_http://www.livestrong.com/article/412178-paleo-diet-for-adhd/

ADHD, or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, is a condition characterized by distractability, impulsivity and hyperactivity that affects both children and adults. ADHD can lead to problems at school or in the social life of people affected and is often treated with a combination of medication and counselling to learn adaptive behaviors and develop better coping skills. Some elements of the diet, such as food colorings, are associated with ADHD symptoms and dietary changes, such as following the Paleo diet, can greatly benefit both adults and children diagnosed with ADHD.

Gluten

The Paleo diet is a gluten-free diet. Gluten is a protein found in grains such as wheat, barley, rye and oats, that can damage the lining of the gut and cause diverse health problems, especially in sensitive individuals. A study published in November 2006 in the "Journal of Attention Disorders" show that a gluten-free diet could significantly relieve many ADHD-associated symptoms in people intolerant to gluten. It can be a good idea to test for gluten sensitivity or simply follow a gluten-free Paleo diet, for at least 4 to 6 weeks, to see if ADHD-related behaviors improve.

Processed Foods

The Paleo diet completely eliminates all processed foods, such as breakfast cereals, candies and yogurt, that may contain chemicals and other ingredients responsible for triggering ADHD symptoms. Certain food additives, especially food colorings, are associated with worsened ADHD-related behaviors. The most deleterious food colorings and additives include sodium benzoate, FD&C Yellow No. 6, D&C Yellow No. 10, FD&C Yellow No. 5 and FD&C Red No.40. Eating Paleo allows people with ADHD to remove these problematic ingredients from their diet.

Omega-6 to Omega-3 Ratio

ADHD appears to be more prevalent in children with an omega-3 fatty acids deficiency, especially DHA, a fat found in high concentration in the brain tissues. The standard American diet is high in omega-6 fats, mostly found in grain products and oils, such as corn oil, peanut oil and soybean oil, which are commonly used in processed foods, while being low in omega-3. A high intake of omega-6 coupled with a low intake of omega-3 fats can further decrease the ability of the body to effectively use the precious omega-3 fatty acids. The Paleo diet optimizes the ratio between omega-6 and omega-3 fats by restricting omega-6 rich foods, such as grains and processed vegetable oils, while promoting omega-3 fatty acids from wild-caught fish and grass-fed meat, which can greatly benefit the overall health of Paleo dieters, including people with ADHD.

I took up jogging for a while back in 2005-6, fell on my face twice (breaking my nose the 2nd time) and gave it up. This sounds somewhat similar. The problem seems to be short lapses of attention, or too many things happening at once leading to some things being overlooked. I still have that one -- it didn't go away with keto diet. If your brother has those kinds of issues, he may well need to give up the bike. A concussion is a serious matter. If it were me, I wouldn't take a chance on a another one.

Thank you for sharing your story and for your input here. I observe that each time my brother is injured I have the program in me that "everything will be alright" while my father is acting like it's the "end of the world." Well, if his only son died and my only sibling died, perhaps it would reach that point for me too.

I just want to let my brother do as he wishes, but he told me today that he always said he never wanted to leave a mountain in a helicopter. Well, he did yesterday, but is okay. I don't know what concussions can do and thought they were something one could recover from. Honestly I didn't think they were that big of a deal, until you mentioned that they are a "serious matter." My brother is the only one I know who ever got one and I just read a little online, but not much. I hope his memory comes back fully.

I have not allowed myself to cry, but suddenly have begun tearing up. I want so much not to express negative emotions, but I have also just found myself eating a second dinner over this because my feeling center wanted that...

I do not have trouble with accidents while driving, but then I do not allow myself to be distracted. I had to learn to screen out distractions, even if it means ignoring a passenger, and to not engage in mental activities that conflict with driving. People who have these kinds of issues and do nothing to compensate certainly will end up colliding with things. To say that ADHD "causes" it is wrong, I think. The driver causes it by failing to compensate.

The same could go for mountain biking, but that activity requires greater coordination. I don't know if it would be possible to do it safely by compensating or not. It might be possible, but it might not be fun any more. Driving is not fun for me.

Well, he has tried a lot of things, like only riding in the day time and riding with other people. The time when he hurt his arm some hikers (or bikers) had found him laying down. Another time he was riding home at night from work and some strangers on the street found him. He was riding with friends this time, but still not focused enough. I just don't know.

Anyway, thanks again. I am hoping he will enjoy hiking more, though he just adores biking more than any other recreation. He said he ran a few miles (thought he'd try to get into that recently), but he didn't enjoy it. I appreciate your story about running. Maybe hiking is for him, with friends, in the day time.

 

[SeekinTruth]

Sorry to hear about your brother, Scarlet. Hope he recovers quickly and fully. I'd have to agree that concussions are a serious matter -- especially several. It can lead to pretty serious consequences in certain situations. So you all should be aware of that and look further into it.

I think if your brother comes around to being open to try transitioning slowly and carefully into a low carb/high animal fat, grain and dairy-free, primarily grass-fed animal diet, he could probably see great benefits. All you can do is give information in the appropriate ways and circumstances and let him make his own choices.

Take care of yourself and try to deal with the stress by doing some additional pipe breathing. All the best to you and your family.

 

[Laura]

Regarding ADHD and diet (which is pretty much shown to fix it), you can lead a horse to water....

 

[tykes]

Hope your brother recovers soon Scarlet. Keep up with your research it is the good thing out of this unfortunate incidents. Take care.

 

[LQB]

Hope your brother recovers soon Scarlet. Keep up with your research it is the good thing out of this unfortunate incidents. Take care.

Same here Scarlet.

Another area worth considering is EMF exposure based on the info in a recent paper. Some excerpts from:

Buchner K, Eger H 2011 Changes of Clinically Important Neurotransmitters under the Influence of Modulated RF Fields—A Long-term Study under Real-life Conditions, Umwelt-Medizin-Gesellschaft 24(1):44-57 (Original study in German) For English see http://buildingbiology.ca/pdf/rimbachstudy.pdf

“This follow-up of 60 participants over one and a half years shows a significant effect on the adrenergic system after the installation of a new cell phone base station in the village of Rimbach (Bavaria). After the activation of the GSM base station, the levels of the stress hormones adrenaline and noradrenaline increased significantly during the first six months; the levels of the precursor dopamine decreased substantially. The initial levels were not restored even after one and a half years. As an indicator of the dysregulated chronic imbalance of the stress system, the phenylethylamine (PEA) levels dropped significantly until the end of the study period. The effects showed a dose-response relationship and occurred well below current limits for technical RF radiation exposures. Chronic dysregulation of the catecholamine system has great relevance for health and is well known to damage human health in the long run. …

… There is a wide range of evidence to interpret the newly emerging microwave exposures as an invisible stressor. Microwaves are absorbed by living tissue. The frequencies used for cell phone technologies have a half-life penetration depth of several centimeters, whereby cell membranes constitute no obstacle (35). Microwaves cause enzymes to malfunction directly by, for example, monomerization (36). Thus, it is conceivable that enzymes of the catecholamine system could be affected directly.

… In industry, more and more microwave devices are being used for chemical peptoid syntheses, which allow for a 100 times faster and more precise production even without any measurable heating (42)[Current US exposure limits are based on threshold heating of the flesh]. The toxic effects of free radicals formed by microwaves are used in such technical applications as water purification (43).

In several studies, the chronic symptoms of residents near cell tower antennas were described (44-48). Interestingly, the expansion of wireless networks corresponds with the increase in prescription expenses for methylphenidate, a drug whose chemical structure is related to PEA and which is indicated in cases of attention deficit disorder (ADD) (49). … (Note 1: Decreased PEA levels can be found in a large portion of ADD/ADHD patients. As therapy methylphenidate is used, a substance that is structurally related to PEA. Between 1990 and 2004, the boom time of cell phones, prescription costs for this medication had increased by a factor of 86 (49, 55).)

Long-term studies over five years suggested an increased cancer incidence due to microwave exposure (50, 51). Since the catecholamine system is directly linked with the nervous system within the psychoneuroimmunological framework beside its organ-specific effects, the observed increase in cancer incidence can now also be understood from a pathophysiological perspective (6, 15, 52, 53)”. … [My bold in the above quotes]

And their conclusion:
“Thus, the following hypothesis is proposed: Although participants maintained their usual lifestyle, they developed chronic stress with a primary increase in adrenaline/noradrenaline and a subsequent decrease in dopamine in response to the microwave exposure from the newly installed cell phone base station. During the stage of counterregulation, the "trace amine" PEA decreases and remains decreased.

This is of considerable clinical relevance because psychiatric symptoms also exhibit altered PEA levels. In Rimbach, the increase in sleep problems, cephalgia, vertigo, concentration problems, and allergies could be clinically documented after the cell phone base station had been activated. The newly developed symptoms can be explained clinically with the help of disturbances in the humoral stress axis (53).

After having exhausted the biological feedback mechanisms, major health problems are to be expected. The possible long-term consequences of remaining caught in the exhaustion stage have already been described by Hecht and Selye (3, 16).

Thus, the significant results presented here not only provide clear evidence for health-relevant effects in the study subjects of Rimbach after a new GSM base station had been installed there, but they also offer the opportunity to carry out a causal analysis.

Although diet is probably the more likely culprit, this may be a contributing factor - it certainly is in some electrosensitive people - and this study demonstrated it in a pretty good sized group of folks. If his PEA levels are depressed, that would suggest keeping as clear as possible from RF wireless sources.

 

[seek10]

I too has ADHD and history of traffic tickets ( average one ticket /2 years ), some accidents too. Though I never connected, after going full gluten free, I had a stretch of around 2 years with out tickets. What helped me MOST is have a list of ADHD symptoms , rehashing over and over.

 

[mcb]

...I just want to let my brother do as he wishes, but he told me today that he always said he never wanted to leave a mountain in a helicopter. Well, he did yesterday, but is okay. I don't know what concussions can do and thought they were something one could recover from. Honestly I didn't think they were that big of a deal, until you mentioned that they are a "serious matter." My brother is the only one I know who ever got one and I just read a little online, but not much. I hope his memory comes back fully...

I wasn't aware of how serious they were either until I began, recently, to hear stories about sports-related head injuries (of which your brother's experience is technically an example), and how a variety of complications can come from them. A single concussion can be quite damaging, and the effects may not be obvious right away. This is something you or someone else might want to research. It is hard to look at the facts if it is you that was injured, so it is perhaps better done by someone that is close but not too close. It will be important, I think, to learn what signs to look for, even if the medical providers he is seeing now does not know this (they should!). There might even be additional proactive testing that would be recommended. Unfortunately, I know almost nothing about this other than having read news reports about professional, college, and high school sports injuries.

I will add that when I fell while jogging, it was more complex than simply running on a jogging trail. The trail was an uneven one in a natural wildlife preserve, and I was running with a dog. It was too much for my limited sensory processing abilities. I saw that and, being a middle-aged adult that wanted to live longer, I gave it up without looking back. I could have taken up jogging on a jogging trail, but being some variant form of an ADHDer myself, that would have been far too boring. I suspect that mountain biking could have done me in pretty much the same way (never tried it), even though I had no trouble riding a street bike on the street

The problem would be to find a different "interesting" physical activity that did not carry excessive (relatively speaking) sensory processing demands. It's worth thinking about, anyway.

 

[ScarletBegonias]

Thank you very much for the supportive comments, advice and information, everyone. They are all helpful and sincerely appreciated. Thanks for the reminder about pipe breathing, SeekinTruth. And I very much want the horse to drink, Laura, but I know I need to respect his choices still so if he doesn't drink, he doesn't drink... That is an interesting article, LQB! I also appreciate the tip about writing symptoms down, Seek10. I think that would actually help me out so I can learn more about why my brother is the way he is.

...I just want to let my brother do as he wishes, but he told me today that he always said he never wanted to leave a mountain in a helicopter. Well, he did yesterday, but is okay. I don't know what concussions can do and thought they were something one could recover from. Honestly I didn't think they were that big of a deal, until you mentioned that they are a "serious matter." My brother is the only one I know who ever got one and I just read a little online, but not much. I hope his memory comes back fully...

I wasn't aware of how serious they were either until I began, recently, to hear stories about sports-related head injuries (of which your brother's experience is technically an example), and how a variety of complications can come from them. A single concussion can be quite damaging, and the effects may not be obvious right away. This is something you or someone else might want to research. It is hard to look at the facts if it is you that was injured, so it is perhaps better done by someone that is close but not too close. It will be important, I think, to learn what signs to look for, even if the medical providers he is seeing now does not know this (they should!). There might even be additional proactive testing that would be recommended. Unfortunately, I know almost nothing about this other than having read news reports about professional, college, and high school sports injuries.

I have read some about sports-related head injuries and learned there are many health problems that can occur even decades from now. Right now my brother is 34 years old. He was admitted as a "John Doe" in the hospital on Sunday, but is back at work already today (Tuesday). I will continue researching this, because I want to be able to spot something early as the years pass, if anything does end up occurring. Thank you very much.

I will add that when I fell while jogging, it was more complex than simply running on a jogging trail. The trail was an uneven one in a natural wildlife preserve, and I was running with a dog. It was too much for my limited sensory processing abilities. I saw that and, being a middle-aged adult that wanted to live longer, I gave it up without looking back. I could have taken up jogging on a jogging trail, but being some variant form of an ADHDer myself, that would have been far too boring. I suspect that mountain biking could have done me in pretty much the same way (never tried it), even though I had no trouble riding a street bike on the street

The problem would be to find a different "interesting" physical activity that did not carry excessive (relatively speaking) sensory processing demands. It's worth thinking about, anyway.

I have suggested to him numerous times that riding on a bike path can be fun. I never understood why he preferred mountain biking to riding on a bike path, but your comment has made it make sense to me. Thank you for sharing and helping me understand. Maybe hiking is the next best option for him then. A new octave begins...

 

[aaronfransen]

Well I can certainly speak to my own experience. Years ago I was so diagnosed, and was subsequently put on Dexedrine to treat it, and frankly it was wonderful. Those were, until then, the most productive years of my life.

When I was diagnosed with diabetes and hypertension, I figured the dexadrine wasn't doing me any favors so I quit it...and promptly fell back into the old fog.

Then I started taking omega 3 oils and ...wow, back up to that dexadrine "high" without the drugs. Still had emotional volatility, but at least I was productive, and these have been the most productive years of my life.

Six months ago I went Paleo and gave up wheat, and besides finding that my excema is completely gone now, my emotions are also much more in check. I feel like I'm more in control than I've ever been (with caveats...cursed anxiety always spoils the party).

Anyway, for what it's worth.

 

[seek10]

Chief Problem with ADHD people is They can't believe that there is some thing wrong with them. They got used to the symptoms and suffering so long and invalidated the symptoms, it needs some reading to come to the believe it. One of the famous mainstream book is "Driven to Distraction". One should ignore the medication portion of the book, however small cases where he recommends. ADHD medication is pure evil.

 

[whitecoast]

I've had ADHD before (high functioning, especially with medication), and with boosting animal fat intake, cutting out sugar and exorphins, plus taking supplements of tyrosine for dopamine levels, I'm virtually asymptomatic now. While it's hard to get people to switch their diets if they're reluctant, is there a chance your brother may be open to neurotransmitter supplements? These well only go so far though, since without the proper diet it is an uphill battle all the way.

 

[ScarletBegonias]

Then I started taking omega 3 oils and ...wow, back up to that dexadrine "high" without the drugs. Still had emotional volatility, but at least I was productive, and these have been the most productive years of my life.

Hi aaronfransen, Thanks for sharing your story here. My brother takes Omega 3 oil supplements. What do you mean by "that dexadrine high?"

Six months ago I went Paleo and gave up wheat, and besides finding that my excema is completely gone now, my emotions are also much more in check. I feel like I'm more in control than I've ever been (with caveats...cursed anxiety always spoils the party).

That is great news and thanks for sharing your experience with Paleo eating!

Chief Problem with ADHD people is They can't believe that there is some thing wrong with them. They got used to the symptoms and suffering so long and invalidated the symptoms, it needs some reading to come to the believe it. One of the famous mainstream book is "Driven to Distraction". One should ignore the medication portion of the book, however small cases where he recommends. ADHD medication is pure evil.

That sounds like my brother, seek10. He resisted treatment since he was diagnosed at about nine years old. My mom forced him to take Ritalin at that time and I remember thinking my brother had become boring, but that he was able to finish his homework and get good grades in school after that. He took Ritalin until his teenage years when he refused the 'treatment.'

I've had ADHD before (high functioning, especially with medication), and with boosting animal fat intake, cutting out sugar and exorphins, plus taking supplements of tyrosine for dopamine levels, I'm virtually asymptomatic now. While it's hard to get people to switch their diets if they're reluctant, is there a chance your brother may be open to neurotransmitter supplements? These well only go so far though, since without the proper diet it is an uphill battle all the way.

Thanks for your input, whitecoast. Well, he does take Lexapro, which is an SSRI. Of course that's not an ideal choice, but I've mentioned alternatives to him in the past (like maybe St John's Wort) and he has not been interested. Now he has made an appointment to see a psychiatrist again and we know what those doctors do...

Of this list below I have observed everything I put in bold, but some are more subtle than others:

_http://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/10-symptoms-adult-adhd

10 Problems That Could Mean Adult ADHD

Adult ADHD Problem No. 1: Difficulty Getting Organized
For people with ADHD, the increased responsibilities of adulthood -- bills, jobs, and children, to name a few -- can make problems with organization more obvious and more harmful than in childhood. While some ADHD symptoms are more annoying to other people than to the person with the condition, disorganization is often identified by adults struggling with ADHD as a major detractor that affects their quality of life.

Adult ADHD Problem No. 2: Reckless Driving and Traffic Accidents
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder makes it hard to keep your attention on a task, so spending time behind the wheel of a car can be difficult. ADHD symptoms can make some people more likely to speed, have traffic accidents, and lose their driver’s licenses.

Adult ADHD Problem No. 3: Marital Difficulties
Many people without ADHD have marital problems, of course, so a troubled marriage shouldn’t be seen as a red flag for adult ADHD. But there are some marriage problems that are particularly likely to affect the relationships of those with ADHD. Often, the partners of people with undiagnosed ADHD take poor listening skills and an inability to honor commitments as a sign that their partner doesn’t care. If you’re the person suffering from ADHD, you may not understand why you’re partner is upset, and you may feel you’re being nagged or blamed for something that’s not your fault.

Adult ADHD Problem No. 4: Extreme Distractibility
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is a problem with attention regulation, so adult ADHD can make it difficult to succeed in today’s fast-paced, hustle-bustle world. Many people find that distractibility can lead to a history of career underperformance, especially in noisy or busy offices. If you have adult ADHD, you might find that phone calls or email derail your attention, making it hard for you to finish tasks.

Adult ADHD Problem No. 5: Poor Listening Skills
Do you zone out during long business meetings? Did your husband forget to pick up little Jimmy at baseball practice, even though you called to remind him on his way home? Problems with attention result in poor listening skills in many adults with ADHD, leading to a lot of missed appointments and misunderstandings.

Adult ADHD Problem No. 6: Restlessness, Difficulty Relaxing
While many children with ADHD are “hyperactive,” this ADHD symptom often appears differently in adults. Rather than bouncing off the walls, adults with ADHD are more likely to exhibit restlessness or find they can’t relax. If you have adult ADHD, others might describe you as edgy or tense.

Adult ADHD Problem No. 7: Difficulty Starting a Task
Just as children with ADHD often put off doing homework, people with adult ADHD often drag their feet when starting tasks that require a lot of attention. This procrastination often adds to existing problems, including marital disagreements, workplace issues, and problems with friends.

Adult ADHD Problem No. 8: Chronic Lateness
There are many reasons adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are usually late. First, they’re often distracted on the way to an event, maybe realizing the car needs to be washed and then noticing they’re low on gas, and before they know it an hour has gone by. People with adult ADHD also tend to underestimate how much time it takes to finish a task, whether it’s a major assignment at work or a simple home repair.

Adult ADHD Problem No. 9: Angry Outbursts
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder often leads to problems controlling emotions. Many people with adult ADHD are quick to explode over minor issues. Often, adults with ADHD feel as if they have absolutely no control over their emotions. Many times, their anger fades as quickly as it flared, long before the people who dealt with the outburst have gotten over the incident.

Adult ADHD Problem No. 10: Prioritizing Issues
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder can wreak havoc on planning, too. Often, people with adult ADHD mis-prioritize, failing to meet big obligations, like a deadline at work, while spending countless hours on something insignificant, such as getting a higher score on a video game.

I was very excited the other day after doing research on the Paleo diet and ADHD and reading the information others had posted. I told my mother about the diet research I discovered and she begged me not to tell my brother right now. She said he was going through a lot and that maybe in a month she would bring it up to him. So, out of respect for my mother who has been very drained over this, I emailed all the research info to her instead.

As it is, my father, my mother and I have been drained all week and we are barely starting to get back to normal. Last night was the first time I had a decent night of sleep after his accident. Last night my brother was also out on a date, just four days after his accident. The only thing I could think was that he was distracting himself with a date, but maybe he just doesn't see any of this as a big deal. Who knows. All I know is I must work on not identifying so much with this and not anticipating the worst either. Both are very difficult for me. I have been riding my bike still and trying not to think of how I want my brother to give up riding his now. I plan to see him tomorrow and it is going to take a great amount of external consideration for my mother for me not to spill the beans on the benefits of Paleo eating for people with ADHD!

 

[seek10]

Here is the list from my notes

# ADHD symptoms

1 sense of underachievement and not meeting one's goals
2 Difficulty getting organized - needs structure . Little things becomes big obstacle
3 Chronic procrastination and trouble getting started
4 Many Projects and trouble with follow through
5 Tendency to say what comes to mind without necessarily considering the appropriateness
6 Frequent search for stimulation - articles writing DD, tobacco
7 An Intolerance to boredom
8 East distractibility , trouble focusing , tendency to tune out
9 Often creative, intuitive , highly intelligent
10 difficult in follow proper channel. Manifestation of boredom and frustration
11 Impatient m low tolerance for frustration
12 Impulsive , either verbally and in action. Changing plans and new activities
13 Tendency to worry needlessly, endlessly, scan the horizon to worry about some thing.
14 sense of chronic insecurity. Often feel world will collapse before them
15 Mood swings , mood liability
16 Restlessness . Feeling edgy while at rest. - Imp produces brain chemicals imbalance that produces ADD
17 tendency towards addictive behavior - people pleasing
18 chronic problem with self esteem,
19 Inaccurate self observation.
20 family history of ADD or depression

# To Do's

1 Have a coach, but with a Humor. He can help organized, stay focused on task, encouragement . U need lot is encouragement due to cumulated self doubts over the years
2 give up guilt over highs stimulus seeking behavior. Try to choose wisely rather than brooding over "bad" ones
3 Listen to feedback from trusted others as they are not self observers
4 Join a Support Group
5 Get rid of negativity.
6 Don't feel chained to conventional careers. Give your self permission to be yourself. Give up Right Man syndrome,
7 Remember you had neurological condition with wired brain- genetic. Not your mistake or weakness or failure
8 Establish external structure: lists, notes to self, color coding, reminder. Firmly Follow.
9 paper work: only handle it once. - No To DO box. Piles silently building guilt, anxiety, resentment
10 Clean Desk,
11 Expect some projects will not be completed
12 Make Deadlines. Breakdown large tasks to small ones , attach deadlines
13 Priorities rather than procrastinate. ADD lose perspective.
14 It's OK to do multiple things to get things done
15 Do what you are good at.-It's OK
16 Leave time between engagements to gather your thoughts. Transitions are difficult and mini breaks help ease the transition.
17 keep notepad in car and write down the ideas. Have notes while reading and make notes
18 Have structured blow-out time. set some per week and pick some activity where you can loose in a safe way
19 Recharge your batteries. Add's need some time to waste daily with no guilt
20 ADD's have addictive or compulsive personality that get hooked to some thing.
21 Understand mood changes will happen irrespective of what is happening out there. Learn to tolerate bad mood, knowing it will pass away.- reading book or talking to friend can help
22 "ADD Blues: 1. Some thing startles your psychological system(upset or success) on small thing -> followed by mini Panic with sudden loss of perspective, world is topsy-turvy - > obsessing and ruminating over one side of situation
Breaking tech. : Divert to movies, book reading, call friend, exercise, punching bag, "
23 Learn to name your feelings, ADD's get frustrated and angry , they can't put feelings to words.
24 Expect depression after success. Due to high stimulus mindset
25 Use timeouts with Children. Take time out when over stimulated
26 Learn to advocate yourself. They are so often criticized they are defensive to propose their case.
27 Avoid premature closure of the project- conflict , deal conversation
28 Try to let successful moment last. - U discount often.
29 tendency to over focus or hyper focus at times. STOP tendency to ruminate over some imagined problem. Let it go.
30 Exercise vigorously, schedule exercise into everyday routine.
31 Pay compliments .Notice other people
32 Learn to joke with yourself & others about your symptoms
33 set social deadlines. with out dates social life is atrophy

Knowing the symptoms is a relief for the loves ones who is trying to make a difference. There is NO easy magical fix. If one believes in easy fix, they end up with evil pharma drugs. How many times my previous therapist tried to convince me to take medication?. The patient has to take ownership of his deeds/health and its impact on the family member and be persistent. If your family is on board with paleo, that is much easier.