VOLUME 6, NO. 10                                                                                    OCTOBER 25, 2001

NJ ADD/ADHD ADULT NEWSLETTER

ADD ADULT SELF HELP SUPPORT GROUP

FOR ADD/ADHD ADULTS

AND THEIR SIGNIFICANT OTHERS

MEETING: THE NEXT MEETING OF THE ADD ADULT SELF HELP SUPPORT GROUP WILL BE ON OCTOBER 25, 2001 AT 7:30 PM AT MONMOUTH MEDICAL CENTER, ROOM 114 STEINAM HOUSEMAN, LONG BRANCH, NJ.  GO TO THE RECEPTION DESK IN THE MAIN LOBBY AND GET DIRECTIONS.  THE TOPIC WILL BE:  ADD SELF-CARE.

RESEARCH: IN AN ARTICLE BY PAUL GERBER, PH.D., EMPLOYMENT OF ADULTS WITH LD AND ADHD: REASONS FOR SUCCESS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR RESILIENCE, ADHD REPORT, 2001, 9(4): 1-5, IT WAS FOUND THAT VOCATIONALLY SUCCESSFUL ADHD ADULTS DEMONSTRATED THE FOLLOWING QUALITIES OR THEMES IN THEIR LIVES: 1) TAKING PERSONAL CONTROL OF THEIR LIVES WAS PARAMOUNT.  THE CONTROL WAS MANIFESTED BY A STRONG DESIRE TO SUCCEED AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF CONSCIOUSLY SET GOALS FOR THEMSELVES.  THEY ALSO HAD AN ABILITY CALLED REFRAMING WHICH INVOLVED a) RECOGNITION THAT THEY HAD ADD; b) UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR PARTICULAR ADHD STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES; c) ACCEPTANCE OF a AND b; AND d) A PLAN OF ACTION INVOLVING ALL OF THE ABOVE.  2) ANOTHER MAJOR QUALITY WAS THE ABILITY TO PICK THE RIGHT ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL NICHE--THE NICHE WHERE THEY FIT IN. 3) A THIRD QUALITY WAS THE DEVELOPMENT OUT OF NECESSITY OF LEARNED CREATIVITY. 4) THE FOURTH WAS THE ABILITY TO SURROUND THEMSELVES WITH SUPPORTIVE AND HELPFUL PEOPLE.

SUPPLEMENT: IN A REPORT IN THE NOVEMBER 2001 ISSUE OF PREVENTION MAGAZINE, A NATURALLY OCCURING ANTIOXIDANT, NICOTINAMIDE ADENINE DINUCLEOTIDE, OR NADH, WAS FOUND TO PROMOTE ALERTNESS, CLARITY AND PROBLEM SOLVING EVEN IN SLEEPY PEOPLE.  NADH WORKS AS A COENZYME TO PROVIDE ENERGY TO CELLS AND IT PROMOTES THE SYNTHESIS OF DOPAMINE.   SEVERAL STUDIES HAVE SUPPORTED THIS CLAIM.  TWO FORMS OF NADH HAVE BEEN USED, A 10mg UNDER THE TONGUE PRODUCT CALLED ENADALERT, AND A LONGER ACTING FORM CALLED ENADA.

COMMENT: THE SUPPLEMENT IS AVAILABLE AT GNC AND REXALL STORES AND IS CONSIDERED SAFE BY THE PREVENTION STAFF.  NADH IS FOUND IN ALL CELLS.  ALTHOUGH IT PROMOTES ALERTNESS AND DOPAMINE SYNTHESIS, THIS DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN THAT IT WILL BE EFFECTIVE FOR ADDers.  MY GUESS IS THAT IT WILL BE EFFECTIVE FOR SOME OF US.

RESTLESS LEGS SYNDROME: IN THE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2001 ISSUE OF ADDVANCE MAGAZINE AN ARTICLE BY PAT QUINN, REMINDED ME OF SEVERAL OF MY CLIENTS WHO HAVE HAD GREAT SUCCESS BOTH WITH THEIR ADD AND THEIR RESTLESS LEGS SYNDROME BY TAKING A DOPAMINE AGONIST SUCH AS CINEMET.  THESE SAME INDIVIDUALS WERE TAKING EITHER ADDERALL, RITALIN OR WELLBUTRIN WITH NO IMPROVEMENT IN THEIR RESTLESS LEGS PROBLEM.  CINEMET IS USED TO INCREASE DOPAMINE LEVELS IN THE STRIATUM AND BRAIN STEM IN PARKINSON'S PATIENTS.  BOTH OF MY CLIENTS REPORTED DRAMATIC RESULTS: SLEEP WAS DRAMATICALLY IMPROVED, ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION WERE DECREASED, AND THEIR ADD SYMPTOMS DECLINED.  RESTLESS LEGS SYNDROME IS MOST DISTURBING AT BEDTIME AND MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT TO FALL ASLEEP.  THERE IS FAIRLY CONSTANT AND IRRESISTIBLE URGE TO MOVE ONE'S LEGS UNTIL ABOUT 3-4AM...  FOR MORE INFORMATION GO TO: www.rls.org. 

COMMENT: TWO ALTERNATIVE TREATMENTS ARE: DAILY EXERCISE ESPECIALLY OF THE LEGS AND ARMS; AND, DAILY IRON SUPPLEMENTATION IF YOUR IRON LEVELS ARE LOW.  IRON IS NECESSARY FOR THE PRODUCTION OF DOPAMINE; WITHOUT IT THERE ARE DOPAMINE ABNORMALITIES.  LOW IRON LEVELS HAVE BEEN FOUND TO WORSEN ADD.

This newsletter is free at: www.drlopresti.com                           PEACE!!!

                                                                                                                                Bob