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I haven't tried drugs, but yeah, much of what you describe sounds similar to my experience. A couple of articles I found have descriptions that really resonate with me -- first a more clinical description and then a more informal description of the same information.

I haven't tried drugs, but yeah, much of what you describe sounds similar to my experience. A couple of articles I found have descriptions that really resonate with me -- first a more clinical description and then a more informal description of the same information.

I'm sick of people like you, who think their way is the right way. I leave people like you alone to do whatever they wish to do, so long as it doesn't affect me. Why the hell can't you provide the same courtsey?

First off, I agree that if somebody is actually watching the TV, then turning it off is rude. I wouldn't do it. But a lot of times, TVs are just left on in public and semi-public spaces when nobody cares. Or even worse, when everybody present actively wants them off.

And we are gradually realizing that television, although sometimes enjoyable, is not entirely benign. Scientific American published a fine article on the addictive potential of TV. It seems that TV, especially programs made with modern editing styles, trigger hardwired behavior to look at motion. It also appears to cause Attention Deficit Disorder in children. And everybody knows how distracting it can be, how it gets in the way of conversation.

So to me, TV in public and semi-public spaces seems pretty analogous to smoking. Some people enjoy it, but the common mode of use means it bothers others. The big difference is that smoking requires an active smoker to do something every few minutes, whereas the TV runs until somebody actively turns it off.

The question, then, is how to negotiate the use of common space. Everybody just wants to be let alone to do their thing, but some people feel that involves having a TV on, and others feel that involves having the TV off. Personally, I think the search for a simple, universal answer is a waste of time. As with smoking, I think the important thing is that people find an answer together, one that everybody can live with.

We, the undersigned consortium of 75 international scientists, are deeply concerned about the periodic inaccurate portrayal of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in media reports...

The central psychological deficits in those with ADHD have now been linked through numerous studies using various scientific methods to several specific brain regions (the frontal lobe, its connections to the basal ganglia, and their relationship to the central aspects of the cerebellum). Most neurological studies find that as a group those with ADHD have less brain electrical activity and show less reactivity to stimulation in one or more of these regions. And neuro-imaging studies of groups of those with ADHD also demonstrate relatively smaller areas of brain matter and less metabolic activity of this brain matter than is the case in control groups used in these studies...

This is why leading international scientists, such as the signers below, recognize the mounting evidence of neurological and genetic contributions to this disorder...This is in striking contrast to the wholly unscientific views of some social critics in periodic media accounts that ADHD constitutes a fraud, that medicating those afflicted is questionable if not reprehensible, and that any behavior problems associated with ADHD are merely the result of problems in the home, excessive viewing of TV or playing of video games, diet, lack of love and attention, or teacher/school intolerance.

We, the undersigned consortium of 75 international scientists, are deeply concerned about the periodic inaccurate portrayal of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in media reports...

The central psychological deficits in those with ADHD have now been linked through numerous studies using various scientific methods to several specific brain regions (the frontal lobe, its connections to the basal ganglia, and their relationship to the central aspects of the cerebellum). Most neurological studies find that as a group those with ADHD have less brain electrical activity and show less reactivity to stimulation in one or more of these regions. And neuro-imaging studies of groups of those with ADHD also demonstrate relatively smaller areas of brain matter and less metabolic activity of this brain matter than is the case in control groups used in these studies...

This is why leading international scientists, such as the signers below, recognize the mounting evidence of neurological and genetic contributions to this disorder...This is in striking contrast to the wholly unscientific views of some social critics in periodic media accounts that ADHD constitutes a fraud, that medicating those afflicted is questionable if not reprehensible, and that any behavior problems associated with ADHD are merely the result of problems in the home, excessive viewing of TV or playing of video games, diet, lack of love and attention, or teacher/school intolerance.

We, the undersigned consortium of 75 international scientists, are deeply concerned about the periodic inaccurate portrayal of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in media reports...

The central psychological deficits in those with ADHD have now been linked through numerous studies using various scientific methods to several specific brain regions (the frontal lobe, its connections to the basal ganglia, and their relationship to the central aspects of the cerebellum). Most neurological studies find that as a group those with ADHD have less brain electrical activity and show less reactivity to stimulation in one or more of these regions. And neuro-imaging studies of groups of those with ADHD also demonstrate relatively smaller areas of brain matter and less metabolic activity of this brain matter than is the case in control groups used in these studies...

This is why leading international scientists, such as the signers below, recognize the mounting evidence of neurological and genetic contributions to this disorder...This is in striking contrast to the wholly unscientific views of some social critics in periodic media accounts that ADHD constitutes a fraud, that medicating those afflicted is questionable if not reprehensible, and that any behavior problems associated with ADHD are merely the result of problems in the home, excessive viewing of TV or playing of video games, diet, lack of love and attention, or teacher/school intolerance.

These same psychological deficits in inhibition and attention have been found in numerous studies of identical and fraternal twins conducted across various countries (US, Great Britain, Norway, Australia, etc.) to be primarily inherited. The genetic contribution to these traits is routinely found to be among the highest for any psychiatric disorder (70-95% of trait variation in the population), nearly approaching the genetic contribution to human height. One gene has recently been reliably demonstrated to be associated with this disorder and the search for more is underway by more than 12 different scientific teams worldwide at this time.

Numerous studies of twins demonstrate that family environment makes no significant separate contribution to these traits. This is not to say that the home environment, parental management abilities, stressful life events, or deviant peer relationships are unimportant or have no influence on individuals having this disorder, as they certainly do. Genetic tendencies are expressed in interaction with the environment. Also, those having ADHD often have other associated disorders and problems, some of which are clearly related to their social environments. But it is to say that the underlying psychological deficits that comprise ADHD itself are not solely or primarily the result of these environmental factors.

This is why leading international scientists, such as the signers below, recognize the mounting evidence of neurological and genetic contributions to this disorder. This evidence, coupled with countless studies on the harm posed by the disorder and hundreds of studies on the effectiveness of medication, buttresses the need in many, though by no means all, cases for management of the disorder with multiple therapies. These include medication combined with educational, family, and other social accommodations. This is in striking contrast to the wholly unscientific views of some social critics in periodic media accounts that ADHD constitutes a fraud, that medicating those afflicted is questionable if not reprehensible, and that any behavior problems associated with ADHD are merely the result of problems in the home, excessive viewing of TV or playing of video games, diet, lack of love and attention, or teacher/school intolerance.

Agreed.

My psychology professor said it best when he said "People with ADHD just have a lot of difficulties in life."

In my case of severity, I'd say it's not disabling enough that I could be labeled "handicapped" but it certainly is enough that I have difficulty with almost every normal aspect of life.

Most people don't realize how much effort it takes to do things when you have ADHD. Medication has changed my life completely. It doesn't take away the problems, but it lets me deal with them rationally. I save hundreds of $$$ from not impulse buying, alone.

I do love ADHD though. There are so many great benefits. I lost the link I was looking for, too. Oh well. Organization is not one of my strong points. :)

Ah, here it is: Fifty (or so) Great Things About ADD