VOLUME 6, NO. 2 FEBRUARY 22, 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 FEBRUARY 22, 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 DISCLOSURES AND ACCOMMODATIONS (SOCIAL, PERSONAL & VOCATIONAL).
BOOK REVIEW: MOONEY, J AND COLE, D. LEARNING OUTSIDE THE LINES. NEW YORK: A FIRESIDE BOOK, 2000. TWO BROWN UNIVERSITY COLLEGE STUDENTS TELL ALL ABOUT HOW TO MANAGE COLLEGE WHEN YOU HAVE ADHD, DYSLEXIA AND LEARNING DISABILITIES. THIS BOOK IS FILLED WITH ANECDOTAL AND SYSTEMATIC DETAILS ON THE PRACTICE OF GETTING GOOD GRADES IN COLLEGE. THE AUTHORS SHARE THEIR INTIMATE CHALLENGES WITH AN ADD UNFRIENDLY EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM, ONE THAT IRONICALLY ESPOUSESS TO BE FRIENDLY TO ALL TYPES OF LEARNERS. UNFORTUNATELY I STRUGGLED THROUGH BROWN WITHOUT THIS BOOK. I STILL REMEMBER THE ENGLISH DEPARTMENT'S REQUIREMENT. IF YOU MADE ONE GRAMMATICAL ERROR, ONE PUNCTUATION ERROR ON YOUR FINAL EXAM, YOU DID NOT PASS ENGLISH COMPOSITION AND YOU HAD TO REPEAT THE COURSE. I KNOW; I REPEATED IT TWO TIMES AND ONLY PASSED THE EXAM BY LUCK AFTER THE FOURTH ATTEMPT. I FELL IN LOVE WITH THIS BOOK; IT BROUGHT BACK TEARS AND LAUGHTER, AND I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT TO ALL COLLEGE STUDENTS, PAST AND PRESENT, WITH ADD, DYSLEXIA AND LD.
RESEARCH: IN AN ARTICLE BY BORKOWSKI, M. etal., WHITE NOISE AND SCHEDULED BEDTIME ROUTINES TO REDUCE ...SLEEP DISTURBANCES, ASSOC.ADV.BEHAVIOR THERAPY, 2001, 24(2): 29-36, IT WAS FOUND THAT BOTH A WHITE NOISE GENERATOR AND A REGULAR POSITIVE SLEEP ROUTINE SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED SLEEP. BEDTIME STRUGGLES AND NIGHT AWAKENINGS WERE GREATLY REDUCED. THE NOISE GENERATOR COULD BE THE FAN ON AN AIRCLEANER, OCEAN SOUNDS, WATERFALL OR RAIN SOUNDS AT 75db.
RESEARCH: IN AN ARTICLE BY RUGINO, T. & COPLEY, T. EFFECTS OF MODAFINIL (PROVIGIL) IN CHILDREN WITH AD/HD..., J.AM.ACAD.CHILD ADOLESC.PSYCHIATRY, 2001,40(2) 230-235, IT WAS FOUND THAT MODAFINIL WAS A VERY USEFUL ONCE A DAY MEDICATION FOR ADHD CHILDREN WITHOUT THE PROBLEMS OF WEIGHT AND APPETITE LOSS OF THE TRADITIONAL STIMULANTS SUCH AS RITALIN, ADDERALL OR DEXEDRINE. IT WAS MOST EFFECTIVE FOR THE HYPERACTIVE IMPULSIVE THAN THE ATTENTION SYMPTOMS OF ADD. DOSAGES RANGED FROM 100-400mg. THIS MEDICATION DOES NOT WORK ON THE DOPAMINE SYSTEM, BUT RATHER ON THE GABA AND GLUTAMATE BALANCE IN THE BRAIN. IT APPEARS TO HAVE LESS SIDE EFFECTS AND DEPENDENCY POTENTIAL THAN THE TRADITIONAL STIMULANTS.
COMMENT: THE MEDICATION IS FDA APPROVED FOR NARCOLEPSY OR DAYTIME SLEEPINESS, BUT SEEMS TO WORK WELL FOR SOME ADDers. UNLIKE THE STIMULANTS THERE IS LITTLE ABUSE POTENTIAL AND IT IS A MEDICATION THAT IS NOT AS CONTROLLED AS THE STIMULANTS (SCHEDULE IV NOT II). THIS MEANS YOUR DOCTOR WILL POSSIBLY BE MORE WILLING TO PRESCRIBE IT FOR YOU; IF IT IS APPROPRIATE. SEVERAL OF MY CLIENTS ARE DOING VERY WELL ON THE MEDICATION. THE ONCE A DAY DOSING IS VERY HELPFUL. IT HAS A HALF LIFE OF 12-17 HOURS. ADD ADULTS WITH A HISTORY OF DRUG DEPENDENCY MAY WANT TO DISCUSS THIS MEDICATION WITH THEIR DOCTOR.
THOUGHTS: A NEW THERAPY CALL ATTENTION TRAINING HAS BEEN FOUND VERY HELPFUL FOR INDIVIDUALS SUFFERING FROM ANXIETY OR DEPRESSION. INTERESTINGLY THE TRAINING ALSO APPEARS TO BE QUITE EFFECTIVE FOR ADDers. ATTENTION TRAINING IS DIFFERENT THAN MEDITATION OR BUDDHIST PRACTICES. YOU PAY ATTENTION TO DIFFERENT SOUNDS IN YOUR ENVIRONMENT IN THREE PHASES: SELECTIVE ATTENTION, ATTENTION SWITCHING, AND DIVIDED ATTENTION. STUDIES TO DATE ARE VERY PRELIMINARY. I'LL KEEP A LOOKOUT FOR NEW FINDINGS. PEACE!!!
Bob