What is Attention Deficit Disorder?
Here's a medical definition from add.org:
"Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) is a condition resulting in symptoms of inability to maintain attention, impulsive behaviors and/or motor restlessness. . .
AD/HD is a neurobiological disorder resulting from problems in the dopamine neurotransmitter systems in the brain. Most cases are genetically inherited. If a parent or close relative has AD/HD there is a 30% chance that a child will have AD/HD.. . AD/HD is not caused by poor nutrition, ineffective parenting, drugs, or allergies. . .
People who can focus only on things that interest them, and disregard less interesting things, are often faced with additional problems such as an academic underachievement, lack of social skills, disorganization, or difficulty completing important tasks. These often result in difficulty with personal relationships, staying employed, or completing an education. People may also stimulate themselves by doing reckless or dangerous activities and thus complicate their lives with physical and legal problems."
Now that we've gotten the technical definition, let me give you my definition:
Imagine that you're standing in a room surrounded by televisions on all sides. ONE of those televisions is displaying what your eyes see and what your ears hear. The remaining televisions are all playing back stuff that's already in your brain: Movies you watched, places you visited, people you spoke to, books you read, television shows you watched, television commercials you watched, the argument you had with your spouse, the fish you just fed this morning, your dog barking at the mailman, your to-do list, your messy office that you have to clean, the assignment you were just working on, your favorite song, the song that you HATE but can't get out of your head, and so on.
All of these televisions are playing at the same time, and they're all changing their content continuously. Oh, and add a few radios in as well, each playing some pop song or radio ad jingle you heard recently.
Add to that the itch on your arm, the fact that you have to go pee, the eggs you are supposed to pick up from the store on your way home, the car really needs new tires, these shoes make your feet hurt, you really should cut the grass before the neighbors complain, your kid is expecting you to show up at the school play this afternoon, your boss is talking to you and did you see that bird that just flew by the window?
That bird was really big and it almost hit the window - BUT YOUR BOSS IS ASKING YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR ANSWER!
All of the televisions and radios suddenly shut off and you're left staring at your boss with a look on your face that says,"I'm sorry, were you saying something?" As the realization dawns on you that you're expected to reply in a coherent manner, you try to think of something temporary to say to get your boss to restate their request like, "I'm not sure if I understand what you're saying," but you know that if you say that and his question was "why were you staring out the window," you'll look like an even bigger idiot than you already do. At this instant, one of the radios in your head pops back on and starts playing the one song that simply won't leave your head, despite your best efforts.
"RAH RAH AAH AAH AAH! ROOMAH ROOMAH AAH! GA GA OOH LA LA! WAH CHA BA RAH MAS!" Now of course, you know that she's not actually saying "WAH CHA BA RAH MAS." She's actually saying "Want your bad romance," but because of her odd vocalization it sounds a bit ---OH MY GAWD MY BOSS IS STILL WAITING FOR ME TO SAY SOMETHING!!
Now before you ask -- Yes, this has actually happened to me. Granted, the song wasn't Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance," but you get the idea.
The mind of an ADD'er is constantly filled with sounds and images, all competing for attention. A lot of the time, there's not even a complete sound or image - just a fragment or two. I'll hear a few notes played on a guitar over and over again until hours later I can finally remember that it's the guitar riff from the Little River Band's "Reminiscing." Or I'll hear the SAME pop song play over and over in my head. All of these sounds and images overlap constantly and make it very difficult to hang onto a coherent thought. And because the sounds and images overlap, my brain will connect them to each other. For example, the word "Reminiscing" a few sentences ago reminds me of Big Daddy Kane rapping in "Back On The Block" by Quincy Jones, ". . .as I reminisce before this the bliss that exists, but now we brought about a twist. . ." which reminds me that Siedah Garrett and Chaka Khan were also singing on the same album which makes "I'll Be Good To You" start playing in my head, and didn't Ray Charles sing on that song as well. . . and so on.
ADD'ers don't "allow" their minds to wander; their minds are doing it all the time, which is why doctors prescribe stimulants to people with ADD and ADHD. Stimulants provide an extra "boost" that allow the brain to discard extraneous stimuli. Think of it like a receptionist in a busy office. The receptionist decides what information is important, what is not, and what is IMPERATIVE. The receptionist only allows the important and imperative stuff to go back and see the boss. In a regular brain, this function is automatic. In the brain of an ADD'er, this function is diminished. As an example, even as I type this, I hear Lady Gaga in my head shouting "LOVE LOVE LOVE! I WANT YOUR LOVE!" Please help me.
Attention deficit is the big above-water part of the iceberg that is ADD - the part that everyone can see and recognize. There is even bigger part; a part that is below the water and hidden. It's this hidden part that can make life unbearable for an ADD'er, and I'll touch on that in the next installment.
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