Comments for ADDitude

Comment on When ‘Careless Mistakes’ Aren’t: Dyscalculia, Math Anxiety, and Learning Strategies That Help by Mrscvolpe

Mrscvolpe — Thu, 16 Jan 2025 15:21:51 +0000

This is an excellent article. I would suggest for the 2nd picture (the one that shows the units), to add on the arrows (larger and smaller) that the larger the unit, the smaller the number; the smaller the unit, the larger the number. I present this to my students by having different groups measure the same item (example: desk) using different metric units (cm,mm,dm, m) then they share and discuss their answers.

Comment on Our Kids’ 10 Favorite Classroom Fidgets by kimahop

kimahop — Wed, 15 Jan 2025 14:29:47 +0000

I’m a parent of a child with ADHD, probably have it myself, and I’ve taught elementary school for 28 years. I’ve yet to see a child with or without ADHD who can use a hand fidget of any kind and still focus on instruction. I think they work better for adults or maybe teens. The pen might be an exception. I haven’t tried it. Wiggle seats and bouncy bands are much better. Also, it helps if the teacher gives them something to do with their hands, like filling in notes or taking short notes. I always say, “Hold up your paper to show me when you’re done.” This accountability always gets them on task.

Comment on You Can’t Train Away ADHD Executive Dysfunction by autonb

autonb — Tue, 14 Jan 2025 17:17:49 +0000

well written article with good advice. some of the techniques I have been using, others I plan to implement. thank you for sharing your expertise.

Comment on Happy Meals, Happier Children by DebiRose

DebiRose — Sat, 11 Jan 2025 22:40:20 +0000

Really, it has already been said… we’re ADHD [or, as in my case AuDD] and VISUAL.

Please add photographs. Please.

I’m sure most of us don’t care about the ‘prettiness’ of it all, we just need to know how to do it for ourselves.

Thank you.

Comment on Can a Busy Schedule Help ADHD Symptoms? A New Study Says Yes. by gismowest

gismowest — Fri, 10 Jan 2025 00:33:22 +0000

I agree. I have had periods where my work has been very intense, with critical projects that require sustained focus over long periods of time. During that time, I have been very productive and switched on, with fewer obvious ADHD symptoms.
However, I have found that for me, it takes a toll. Other areas of my life were neglected, and once the project was finished, I became ill and had significantly higher ADHD symptoms/difficulties. For me, it’s kind of like being calm in a crisis… once the crisis is over, that’s when I fall apart!

Comment on Neurotypical Budgeting Tips Don’t Work for ADHD Brains. These Do. by bethlose

bethlose — Tue, 07 Jan 2025 00:20:55 +0000

Can you suggest an updated resource?
Thank you!

Comment on Can a Busy Schedule Help ADHD Symptoms? A New Study Says Yes. by b2curious

b2curious — Mon, 06 Jan 2025 18:21:40 +0000

I’m not sure why they’re surprised that “A Busy Schedule Linked to Reduced ADHD Symptoms.” There are a few acronyms to explain when people with ADHD are able to focus. My favorite is FINCH: Fun, Interesting, Novel, Challenge/Competition, and Hurry (urgency of the task). If a task is fun, interesting (to us), something new or novel, some sort of challenge or competition, or urgent, we have less symptoms. If our life is super busy and lots of things are urgent, it makes sense that we’d have less symptoms. When my job gets super busy, and work is piling up faster than I can complete it, I can focus like nobody’s business.

Comment on 9 Paper Planners & Journals That May Change Your Life by FreckleBean

FreckleBean — Sun, 05 Jan 2025 16:31:39 +0000

The Planner Pad organizer with its funnel system has worked best for me. It’s a week view in a spiral notebook size. Writing topic specific “To Do” lists in the top 1/3 of the page allows you to funnel down to daily To Do in the middle third, and finally schedule in daily itinerary in the bottom third.

Helps you break down larger tasks into smaller ones. You can construct daily and weekly “To Do”, habits, FlyLady routines. If you write a lot , get the Executive size. Once you get the hang of it, you can switch to personal size. Pros and cons of each size.

Comment on Cymbalta by JenJen1973

JenJen1973 — Mon, 30 Dec 2024 02:21:54 +0000

I cannot even begin to state how terrible this medication was. I was on CYMBALTA for close to a decade, & during this time felt aa if I was in a coma. I had zero emotions, zero interest in doing things, & zero interest in life. I gained 40+lbs, & my ADD & depression was out of control.
After many years of being on the Rx, I began having complete sweat attacks-soaking me from head to toe, which is something I’d never experienced before. It became so unbearable my PCP decided I needed to discontinue usage.
BUT, there lies the huge problem. Getting off of CYMBALTA took 6mos w/strict supervision from my Dr. This included having to open the capsules & counting out a certain number of the “beads” each day. The side effects from discontinuing included severe fatigue, memory loss, brain fog. muscle aches & pains, ringing in my ears, & this strange sensation that the ground was being pulled out from under me. I was so unbelievably nauseous that even now 6-7yrs after discontinuing CYMBALTA & transitioning to Trintelix, I still taking RX Zofran.

Comment on ADD Test: Do I Have Inattentive ADHD? by LateBloomer

LateBloomer — Sun, 22 Dec 2024 00:27:34 +0000

I agree that this feels like a test for hyperactive individuals. I am definitely hypoactive. If I have to sit still for any length of time I tend to fall asleep. It was a source of ongoing amusement for some of my coworkers, before I retired, to watch me fall asleep in meetings.

Comment on “Girls with ADHD Need to Hear You Say These 5 Things” by acadosi

acadosi — Fri, 20 Dec 2024 19:15:38 +0000

I am now 81 years old. I was diagnosed with ADHD in my 50s. I also have dyscalculia. As I struggled with math, my father, who was a science and math whiz, told me a) I wasn’t trying hard enough b) I was afraid of math, uh, yeah, c) I had my head in the clouds,(duh!),I wasn’t paying attention (of course!). When I was a student at Cal, I had a nuclear physicist as my physics professor. This was 15 years after the bombing of Hiroshima, and he was part of that team, BTW. At the end of the semester, he called me into his office and told me, “You understood all the concepts, you took every test, you turned in all your homework. However, all your calculations were wrong. I should fail you, but I’m going to give you a D. You’re an English major and I’m sure you don’t want to have to take this class over again.” Bless him! It’s hard to be a bright kid and hear all the discouraging things people told me. That professor did one of the nicest things anyone had ever done for me. He respected me, and he understood. Now, in the age of computers and calculators, I don’t worry about basic math. As for algebra, I’d rather do geometry, thak you very much. At least I could see a picture of what I was doing!

Comment on Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria: Symptom Test for ADHD Brains by doscher

doscher — Wed, 18 Dec 2024 00:35:18 +0000

Psychotherapy can definitely help with this and commonly does. I’m actually pretty confused why anyone would say it can’t.

Comment on “I Need a Digital Detox. How Do I Break a Social-Media Habit?” by Dogsaver

Dogsaver — Sun, 15 Dec 2024 19:18:12 +0000

I get SO irritated when people with ADHD “confess” that they are addicted to their phones or, worse, that the reason they can’t listen well to friends and family is that they have to respond to or scroll through all email or text messages immediately. If you had diabetes, would you stock up on candy? You have a condition–eliminate the things that exacerbate the condition just as you would stop eating sugar if you had diabetes! I have ADHD; therefore, I do not have a smartphone and I have texting blocked on my flip phone. You know what? You can survive without texting constantly or talking on your phone at the grocery store. Your phone addiction also makes you dangerous to the rest of us. If you can’t give it up, then leave it at home and save your scrolling and texting for when you are sitting on your couch.

Comment on Strattera by leor392

leor392 — Tue, 26 Nov 2024 17:23:26 +0000

I’m a 28 yo male, just got diagnosed with Adult ADHD, Inattentive type.
I’ve never been on stimulants, so my PCP wanted me to start on Strattera (generic). Went from 40mg Week 1 to 80mg on Week 2, which I then kept the 80mg dose for more than 6 weeks.
The initial terrible side effects subsided within days, but then longer term side effects stayed (dry mouth, sexual side effects, sleep disruption, fatigue). Definitely would very highly recommend taking it in the morning, AFTER having eaten a good breakfast to avoid violent nausea. I saw small improvements in emotional regulation but no other benefits. The fatigue made it even more difficult to work, which is quite unfortunate for an ADHD treatment. Since the benefits definitely are far from outweighing the disadvantages, I’ve elected to taper off the medicine.

Comment on The Motivational Matrix by 1maddogg

1maddogg — Thu, 21 Nov 2024 01:52:25 +0000

EVERYTHING becomes urgent and important to me, and as I procrastinate and put things off, even the less important things become urgent to me, if for no other reason than that I’ve put them off for so long!