Co-morbid disorders are conditions that exist at the same time as another disorder. Depression and anxiety, drug and alcohol addiction all commonly accompany ADD or ADHD. The big question is: which came first?
Many people think that the ADD comes first and exacerbates the other disorders. It's certainly true that if your mind is jumping around all over the place, it could be hard to deal with other conditions that may crop up in your life. If you're impulsive and easily bored, restless and unable to calm yourself, you will probably be more likely to be depressed, anxious or addicted to something.
However, many people are diagnosed with depression, anxiety, OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder), bi-polar disorder or some kind of addiction before they are diagnosed with ADD. That's what happened to me. I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety a couple of years before my psychiatrist added the ADD diagnosis. I've often wondered if the symptoms of depression and anxiety include behaviors that seem ADD-like, and lead to an ADD diagnosis, but aren't actually ADD.
On the other hand, it would explain a lot about how I ended up depressed and anxious if I started out with an ADD brain. Unable to focus and apply myself to tasks, my self-esteem may have suffered to the point where I became depressed. Feelings of restlessness and an inability to soothe myself possibly laid the foundation for anxiety. (I personally believe that depression and anxiety almost always go together; i.e., are co-morbid.)
Some would argue that it's possible to recover from clinical depression and anxiety, but not from ADD. All you can do with ADD is learn how to live with it. This would seem to support the idea that the ADD comes first. But knowing which came first doesn't necessarily aid the process of recovery and learning to cope. The fact is, co-morbid disorders complicate the recovery and coping process.
What often happens is that it isn't until one or more conditions are dealt with that the ADD becomes evident. In my case, it's possible that I had to start to recover from the depression and anxiety before my psychiatrist could discern what lay beneath them: my ADD. At the same time, recovery from the depression and anxiety has been hampered by the type of brain I have. This is the very nature of co-morbid disorders. The lines are not clearly drawn between them.
A diagnosis of ADD doesn't automatically mean that you're going to suffer from other disorders as well, but it is a possibility and something that ought to be considered. The reverse is also true: if you suffer from one or more mood disorders, it might be worth your while to have your doctor determine if you also have ADD. If you do, that might explain why you're having trouble recovering from the other disorders. You need to learn how to work with the brain that you've been given.
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
Monday, March 31, 2008
Eternal Childhood
Does a person with ADD ever grow up?
One misconception about ADD is that it only affects children. Research and medical opinion now agree, however, that ADD can and often does continue into adulthood. But the idea of being an adult with ADD is seen by many as ludicrous. Not just because ADD has been traditionally seen as a childhood condition, but also because ADD is so incompatible with what we think of as adult behavior. An adult with ADD is seen as being child-like: irresponsible, impulsive, easily distracted or bored, unable to stick with one thing until it's accomplished. She often wonders if she is ever going to become a responsible, steady and mature adult. "Will I ever grow up?" she asks herself.
If being grown up means being boring and unimaginative, enslaved to one's job and settled in a routine, then the answer is, "No, probably not." But if it means broadening one's perspectives, being willing to take risks and daring to dream, the answer is, "Yes." The person with ADD who has not been made to feel guilty about her "immature" behavior can be a person of great joy. The ADD person might seem flighty or irresponsible, but can also be seen as always curious, willing to learn new things and free of inhibitions. If it isn't beaten out of her (literally or figuratively), her "child-like" qualities can add much to the human experience.
Jesus advised us to be like little children. He didn't mean that we should be irresponsible. He meant that we should be open to God's mercy and bountiful goodness. That we should be open to life. We are not to be encumbered by society's rules and restrictions, but live our lives in simple faith. ADD women would be well-served if they are able to accept themselves the way that they are. That doesn't mean that they don't need to find mechanisms to help them cope with their lives. They still have to be at work on time and feed their children every day. But if they can come to understand the great blessing that ADD can be, they will be free of self-judgment and low self-esteem.
One misconception about ADD is that it only affects children. Research and medical opinion now agree, however, that ADD can and often does continue into adulthood. But the idea of being an adult with ADD is seen by many as ludicrous. Not just because ADD has been traditionally seen as a childhood condition, but also because ADD is so incompatible with what we think of as adult behavior. An adult with ADD is seen as being child-like: irresponsible, impulsive, easily distracted or bored, unable to stick with one thing until it's accomplished. She often wonders if she is ever going to become a responsible, steady and mature adult. "Will I ever grow up?" she asks herself.
If being grown up means being boring and unimaginative, enslaved to one's job and settled in a routine, then the answer is, "No, probably not." But if it means broadening one's perspectives, being willing to take risks and daring to dream, the answer is, "Yes." The person with ADD who has not been made to feel guilty about her "immature" behavior can be a person of great joy. The ADD person might seem flighty or irresponsible, but can also be seen as always curious, willing to learn new things and free of inhibitions. If it isn't beaten out of her (literally or figuratively), her "child-like" qualities can add much to the human experience.
Jesus advised us to be like little children. He didn't mean that we should be irresponsible. He meant that we should be open to God's mercy and bountiful goodness. That we should be open to life. We are not to be encumbered by society's rules and restrictions, but live our lives in simple faith. ADD women would be well-served if they are able to accept themselves the way that they are. That doesn't mean that they don't need to find mechanisms to help them cope with their lives. They still have to be at work on time and feed their children every day. But if they can come to understand the great blessing that ADD can be, they will be free of self-judgment and low self-esteem.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Distracted
It's been a year and a half since I started this blog and I've written one post. To say I've been distracted is an understatement. At least I've been consistent.
There are a couple of reasons why I've dropped the ball here. One is that I am a classic example of distractibility. My brain tries to take in everything at once and ends up bouncing from one thing to another. I think I want to start a blog about ADD Women, but then I think of four other topics I'd like to cover in a blog and I start them only to be distracted by something else. One of the theories is that the ADD brain needs stimulation so much, it will create its own if it doesn't have enough to keep it going. (The good news is that the person with ADD can be a great multi-tasker. Note the words "can be." This is true only if the ADDer has learned how to make the most of this character trait. More about that in future blog entries.)
The second reason why I didn't keep up with this blog is that I don't have enough self-confidence. I'm convinced that I don't have anything interesting or important to add to the discussion about women with ADD. Or that I don't have the talent to write about it in a clear and entertaining way. (One thing an ADDer abhors is boredom.) What does that have to do with ADD? Nothing directly. It's just that people with ADD often suffer self-esteem problems because they've been berated all their lives for being the way that they are. "Pay attention! Sit still! What's the matter with you?"
There is no magic wand that makes it easy to live with ADD (or to understand someone who has it). There are medications that help, but I'm convinced that the real hope comes from learning 1) to accept yourself the way you are, and 2) to work around and with your "condition" to find alternate ways of coping. For example, if you know that you're easily bored, mix up your day's activities. Think in terms of finishing a job step by step instead of all at one time. Find creative ways to make your tasks less boring.
One important thing to remember is that there is no one right way to cope with ADD, because we all experience it differently. What distracts or bores you is different than that which distracts or bores me. Because we have different interests, we won't choose the same things to liven up our lives. (Some people are thrilled by stamp collecting, for instance, while another person is into extreme sports.) So, the bottom line is: the better you know yourself, the more easily you'll be able to find ways that work for you.
There are a couple of reasons why I've dropped the ball here. One is that I am a classic example of distractibility. My brain tries to take in everything at once and ends up bouncing from one thing to another. I think I want to start a blog about ADD Women, but then I think of four other topics I'd like to cover in a blog and I start them only to be distracted by something else. One of the theories is that the ADD brain needs stimulation so much, it will create its own if it doesn't have enough to keep it going. (The good news is that the person with ADD can be a great multi-tasker. Note the words "can be." This is true only if the ADDer has learned how to make the most of this character trait. More about that in future blog entries.)
The second reason why I didn't keep up with this blog is that I don't have enough self-confidence. I'm convinced that I don't have anything interesting or important to add to the discussion about women with ADD. Or that I don't have the talent to write about it in a clear and entertaining way. (One thing an ADDer abhors is boredom.) What does that have to do with ADD? Nothing directly. It's just that people with ADD often suffer self-esteem problems because they've been berated all their lives for being the way that they are. "Pay attention! Sit still! What's the matter with you?"
There is no magic wand that makes it easy to live with ADD (or to understand someone who has it). There are medications that help, but I'm convinced that the real hope comes from learning 1) to accept yourself the way you are, and 2) to work around and with your "condition" to find alternate ways of coping. For example, if you know that you're easily bored, mix up your day's activities. Think in terms of finishing a job step by step instead of all at one time. Find creative ways to make your tasks less boring.
One important thing to remember is that there is no one right way to cope with ADD, because we all experience it differently. What distracts or bores you is different than that which distracts or bores me. Because we have different interests, we won't choose the same things to liven up our lives. (Some people are thrilled by stamp collecting, for instance, while another person is into extreme sports.) So, the bottom line is: the better you know yourself, the more easily you'll be able to find ways that work for you.
Sunday, June 25, 2006
Solidarity
Women with Attention Deficit Disorder (with or without Hyperactivity) are a special breed. We are not what anyone expects. Not only are we adults, but we are female, and that doesn't fit the stereotype of the person with ADD. But we are real and have a real disorder. Not only that, but being a woman adds special features to the ADD profile. One is that a woman's role in society makes her look and feel like she has ADD even if she doesn't. So imagine how much more difficult it is to feel functional and normal if she does have the disorder. A person with ADD never feels normal, and that is all the more true when one is a woman.
I am a woman with Attention Deficit Disorder, Inattentive (I'll get into classifications later). I wasn't diagnosed until I was 48, which is not at all unusual. Even if a girl is diagnosed with ADD, for a long time it was not thought that ADD continued into adulthood. And girls are much less likely to be diagnosed than boys are in the first place.
My ADD may well be aggravated by my age and the fact that I'm going through menopause. Both conditions can affect your memory and sometimes that's what ADD feels like: that you've lost your memory, especially short-term. But that's only one part of the ADD picture. What I hope to do with this blog is flesh out that picture, for the sake of my own understanding and perhaps the understanding of others. I'm supposing that other women with ADD will be interested in hearing from one of their own, especially since there are relatively few of us. (ADD is thought to affect approximately 2-4% of the adult population.)
When women with ADD hear each other's stories, it is as if they've come home. Finally, there is someone who understands. Even your doctor, however sympathetic, cannot give you that feeling. Reading about ADD helps you to understand what's going on with you, but it doesn't really describe how it feels. When another woman describes what it's like to be her, you feel as if she knows you. And you find that you'd like to get to know her better.
So, here's a chance to get to know one another and hopefully, by doing so, learn to stand together. Possibly the worst thing about having ADD is that people don't believe that you have it. We can stand for all the women who suffer from this injustice and help them to stick up for themselves. We can experience ADD solidarity.
I am a woman with Attention Deficit Disorder, Inattentive (I'll get into classifications later). I wasn't diagnosed until I was 48, which is not at all unusual. Even if a girl is diagnosed with ADD, for a long time it was not thought that ADD continued into adulthood. And girls are much less likely to be diagnosed than boys are in the first place.
My ADD may well be aggravated by my age and the fact that I'm going through menopause. Both conditions can affect your memory and sometimes that's what ADD feels like: that you've lost your memory, especially short-term. But that's only one part of the ADD picture. What I hope to do with this blog is flesh out that picture, for the sake of my own understanding and perhaps the understanding of others. I'm supposing that other women with ADD will be interested in hearing from one of their own, especially since there are relatively few of us. (ADD is thought to affect approximately 2-4% of the adult population.)
When women with ADD hear each other's stories, it is as if they've come home. Finally, there is someone who understands. Even your doctor, however sympathetic, cannot give you that feeling. Reading about ADD helps you to understand what's going on with you, but it doesn't really describe how it feels. When another woman describes what it's like to be her, you feel as if she knows you. And you find that you'd like to get to know her better.
So, here's a chance to get to know one another and hopefully, by doing so, learn to stand together. Possibly the worst thing about having ADD is that people don't believe that you have it. We can stand for all the women who suffer from this injustice and help them to stick up for themselves. We can experience ADD solidarity.
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