For people like me, who have ADD/ADHD, it is very difficult to stop being impulsive. This means that I indulge a lot in impulsive spending. This is one of the major symptoms I have of ADD/ADHD. Unfortunately, I tend to buy first and think later.

I have a room in the house that is especially used to store all the new purchases I make. I am afraid of this symptom of ADD/ADHD because I do not want to be in debts like thousands of other impulsive spenders.

Fortunately, I have a very supportive family and together we have worked out a few things that help to a certain extent in controlling the urge to spend impulsively. I am sure if you have ADD/ADHD, you too will benefit from these simple tips.

The first thing that I had to do was to become aware of my impulsive spending habit. My family knew about it but wanted me to recognize the problem. I did and then this set precedence for rest of the impulsive spending prevention program. Earlier when I used to go out shopping, I used to do so without a shopping list and end up buying things that I did not need. Now whenever I go out shopping, I am armed with a shopping list and make sure that I stick to it. This has helped me from over-spending each time I go out.

Without ADD/ADHD, having a credit card is dangerous. Just imagine my plight with my impulsive spending. So now I take just cold hard cash to do shopping and trust me it does hurt to see all that money leaving my wallet!

My family came up with a better solution to deal with my ADD/ADHD symptom of spending without a reason. They started sending me out with an empty wallet to look at things. This made me go back home and think about whether I really needed to buy them. If I felt that I couldn’t live without the items, I took cash and bought them the following day.

The treatment of Adult ADHD is a long arduous process but it can change the life of ADHD victim [http://www.adult-child-add-adhd.com/categories/general/add_adhd.php]beating adult ADHD . To finding the right ADHD treatment is not difficult now because you can get lot of information about this topic at [http://www.conqueraddadhd.com]defeat ADHD add . Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is a chronic condition and it may impact badly on the life of children.

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There has been much discussion in recent years of ADD ADHD disorder. Is it real? If it is real is it over diagnosed? Can women have the condition? Can it affect adults? You probably have heard some of these same questions as well. In this informational article titled “ADD ADHD Disorder” I will discuss the three forms of ADD ADHD along with a few helpful ideas on managing this very real condition.

ADD ADHD disorder is a condition that starts in childhood and in many cases continues into adulthood. It is often recognized by the early elementary school years. For a diagnosis to be confirmed inattention must be recognized along with substantial difficulty in at least two settings with the most common being at home and at school.

There are three basic types of ADD ADHD; the inattentive type, the impulsive/hyperactive type, and the combined type.

* Inattentive type – Those with ADD ADHD of the inattentive type are often mislabeled as dreamers or student who fails to achieve their full potential due to lack of effort.  Inattentive ADD ADHD is characterized by failure to pay close attention to important details, reluctance to take on tasks which require sustained focus, is forgetful, is easily distracted, and fails to follow through on tasks. The inattentive ADD ADHD personality loves to start tasks but can’t muster the resolve to finish them.

* Impulsive type – Those with ADD ADHD of the impulsive variety tend to be those kids who both teachers and parents believe are out of control. They can’t seem to stay seated for very long, if they do stay seated they tend to fidget with their hands and feet. These children blurt out answers inexplicably, talk endlessly (a predominate symptom in girls), interrupt others constantly, and have a problem waiting their turn.

* Combination type – The combination type is the most often diagnosed type of ADD ADHD. Some experts suggest that this form is mostly responsible for the 80% academic underachievement rate experienced by those with this condition. This form is most often found in elementary school boys and adolescent girls.

The subject of treatment is one that sparks a great deal of controversy. Most conventional forms of treatment revolve around the use of prescription stimulant medications to improve brain function combined with a number of different forms of counseling. While this approach has proven effective many parents are leery of the side effects associated with stimulant medications such as Ritalin.

The side effect issue has convinced many parents to consider natural treatments such as homeopathy. Homeopathic [http://purchaseremedies.com/adhd.html]remedies for ADD ADHD disorder have been shown to be very safe and are effective in relieving inattention, impulsivity, erratic behavior and hyperactivity. If you are a parent searching for a natural treatment option homeopathy is worth considering.

R.D. Hawkins is an enthusiastic advocate of alternative natural health products and supplements with over 10 years experience. To learn more about homeopathic natural health visit Purchase Remedies.com

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Can you remember a situation where you believe that you have been clear in your communication, and listened carefully to the other person? Yet, you still left the encounter feeling frustrated, angry, sad or demoralized? In typical AD/HD fashion, you may start ruminating about the incident to the extent that it takes up so much of your head space that you have little time to think of anything else. It may even end up affecting how you operate in your day to day life.

You may find that you:
are unable to concentrate on other tasks.

have problems sleeping and eating.

become edgy with friends, family members colleagues and, even strangers you encounter during your day.

and, perhaps, stop doing your self-care routines, like exercising.

If you do any of the above because of the thoughts swirling about in your head, it is time to take a time out, get grounded and look at the truth of your reality. Yes, it is true that your perception is your reality. Is it the truth, though?

It is typical for ADDers to think in terms of black and white. Though we know that there are many other perspectives, we just do not see them in the moment.

So, it is important to analyze the conversation in a more dispassionate way in order to counter this tendency. By taking a step back, and giving yourself some space you can see what is really true and what is your perspective. You can also create a follow-up plan. I know this is not easy. It will take practice, but you can do it.

With a particular incident in mind, answer the following questions.
What actually happened? Focus on just the facts of the situation at first. That is, describe what happened. For example, you go into talk to your boss and he says that he can not talk right now.

How are you feeling about the situation? After this conversation with your boss, maybe you start feeling mad that he does not have time for you

When you have these feelings, what are you thinking? Maybe when you became mad, you may have thought that your boss dislikes and/or does not respect you.

Is there another way that the conversation could possibly be interpreted? Do you know that the boss really dislikes or disrespects you?

How would you feel, if you accepted other interpretations? How would you feel if you thought the boss was just incredibly busy on that day?

What do you want? In this case, it could be that you want to be liked and respected by your boss.

What are you willing to do to get what you want? Are you willing to have a conversation with your boss to check out your perspective?

This is challenging exercise to go through by yourself. If you think it might help, ask someone to do it with you. You might even ask for their perspective on the situation.

As we all know, perception is reality, right? However we also know that our perception is not always the truth.

If you are not sure, check it out.

Marla is a Certified Professional AD/HD Coach. The focus of her private practice, Cummins Coaching and Training, is providing AD/HD Coaching, training and resources for college students and adults with ADD – AD/HD. She also speaks on topics related to AD/HD.

Visit http://www.marlacummins.com to request your FREE newsletter, “ADDed Perspective,” filled with strategies and tools to help you live more effectively with AD/HD.

Share your comments on her blog, “ADDed Perspective,” http://marlacummins.com/wordpress/

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We all know the necessity of physical exercise in the maintenance of good health.  Physical activity can help children with ADHD/ADD channel their boundless energy and focus better in school or other tasks. Not all sports are appropriate for ADD/ADHD children, and not all children will like the same sport, so you might have to experiment a little bit. There are some activities that have been proven to be successful and generally enjoyed by children. The list below offers a good starting point for introducing physical activity to a child who is struggling with ADD/ADHD.

The first thing that can be done to increase the level of physical activity for your child is easy and affordable. Simply spend more active time outdoors! Spending more time in nature is a proven remedy for relieving many mental disturbances and increasing the levels of endorphins and serotonin, hormones associated with emotional well-being. Add some physical activity and reap the benefits! Children usually like to go for daily walks, visit playgrounds, ride bikes or hike on forest trails. Daily active time outside is a proven and fun way to increase your fitness level and is good for the whole family.

Swimming is a popular sport for many children and adults with physical and mental disabilities. While a great exercise which burns a lot of energy, swimming is also relaxing and soothing for the ADD/ADHD child. Many parents find that their children enjoy swimming and derive great benefits in behaviour from it. Michael Phelps, the Olympic swimmer – who has 16 career Olympic medals, 14 of them gold – has ADHD. He was diagnosed with ADHD when he was 9 years old. He used a combination of medication and behavioural therapy. After a few years, he was able to manage his ADHD without the medication.

Animals are frequently used in rehabilitation settings, so it’s no surprise that horseback riding makes this list. The presence of this powerful yet gentle animal has a positive effect on the child with ADD/ADHD and it provides a great exercise as well. The children with ADD/ADHD also enjoy the one on one instruction that horseback riding lessons allow and the lack of competitiveness with peers. Children who master the skill of horseback riding emerge feeling more self-confident and improve their view of themselves as the result.

Another individual sport that might help children with ADD/ADHD is martial arts. Famous for its ability to increase concentration and focus, martial arts can be a great learning tool for children. They will learn to control their body and mind, focus their energy and respect themselves and others. All important lessons for the ADD/ADHD child!

While engaging in active outdoor play and organized activities is crucial for proper development, it is also beneficial to go a little bit beyond the basics if your child struggles with ADD/ADHD. There are several useful products on the market, such as indoor jungle gyms, therapy swings, or swing set accessories like gym rings, trapeze bar combo, rope ladder which you can install right in your home. These products can provide a useful physical break when attention wanes, such as during homework time. The best part is they are ready to be used anytime and regardless of the weather.

Just like all children, and perhaps a bit more so, children with ADD/ADHD will have days when they are eager to participate in new activities and “off” days when they will not. As a parent you know your child best and what his/her interests are. It is always better to let your child guide you in choosing a new physical activity rather than trying to force your own preferences on them. Remember, the more your child is enjoying the activity, the more likely he is to continue doing it and reaping its benefits. The most important aspect of physical activity after all is actually doing it!

DreamGYM™ [http://kidsdreamgym.com/indoor_jungle_gym.html]indoor jungle gym is great for children in need of physical therapy to develop gross motor skills, to improve balance and coordination and to stimulate normal development. By playing on our jungle gyms children can increase their independence, mobility and social adjustment.

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The importance of “dealing with adult ADD” is some what quite significant to how we can achieve a positive life. Attention deficit disorder is not just common in Young kids, but also hugely unrecognized in young and old adults, its still a rather difficult issue to pinpoint the exact root cause of it. Some common signs of adult ADD and ADHD can be, and is medically misunderstood for depression are, stubbornness, poor organizational skills, procrastination, poor financial management, very moody, easily bored, and rather forgetful, these are the more common signs that have relation to ADD and ADHD.

A spouse that has ADD can have most of the attention from those around, but can still feel that they are being judged or not understood, this makes it very hard for someone with it to maintain a long term relationship, and for a partner that doesn’t understand, its very hard to want to stay with somebody who creates so much grief. But the facts are they do not even know that they are doing anything wrong, and when there becomes the situation when there are children involved, it becomes a beginning of a negative cycle of misunderstanding for them!

But on the positive note to reading this article, with understanding and tools that can be learned, you can change the tide of this what is seen to be a disability, and use it for the positive ability, underneath all that confusion there is great life, in fact some of the world most exceptional people have been diagnosed with ADD and or ADHD, the main difference is recognition and understanding.

Something as little as a diet change can bring amazing results to these things, particularly with young kids, but with adults that have been unrecognized you need to get into a little more learning and understanding of why we function the way we do.

Ropata is part of a charitable organisation who is dedicated to learning and behaviour which specialises in these fields. And being an undiagnosed man with ADD he understands the difficulties, I highly recommend you take a look to see how you can Deal With Adult ADD-ADHD.

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Parenting a child with ADD/ADHD can be very challenging. Parenting does not cause ADD/ADHD, but how parents interact with their child can make things better or worse. Here are ten ways to make things better:

1.    Provide a structured environment. ADD/ADHD children function better in a structured, scheduled, predictable environment. Is your home somewhat hectic and chaotic? If so, the unpredictability and lack of structure and routines may be adding to the difficulties of your ADD child. To increase structure, develop daily schedules and routines, predictable rules and consequences, more supervision, more organization, etc.

2.    Create incentive. Incentive makes a big difference in behavior. Incentive exists when the task at hand is more interesting or fun, or there is a predictable and meaningful reward or consequence. ADD/ADHD children need to know it’s worth their effort to behave appropriately.

3.    Action, not words. ADD/ ADHD children misbehave most often not because they don’t know what is right, but because they have a performance problem. Lectures, nagging, and tirades are not helpful. Children learn best from the consequences of their behavior. Use immediate consequences—rewards for good behavior, penalties for misbehavior. Don’t delay.

4.    Set up for success. Before tackling a problem, it sometimes helps if we can take a step back and look at what may be contributing to the problem. We can then work on changing those things first. Here are some ideas to consider: rearrange the environment/develop consistent routines/make sure your commands and requests are clear, polite, and understood/treat each other with care, respect, and love/teach new skills/clarify rules and expectations/be consistent with limit-setting and discipline.

5.    Positives before negatives. A good relationship with your child, one that emphasizes the positives of the child and your appreciation of good behaviors, is important if discipline methods are to be effective and self esteem is to be maintained. Catch your child doing something right. Be fast and liberal with praise. Make sure your child receives large doses of positive attention on a consistent basis. Provide meaningful rewards for good behavior. Focus on strengths. Increase positive interactions.

6.    Be careful what behaviors you allow to succeed. Be careful not to reinforce misbehavior by giving too much attention, giving the desired payoff, backing down or arguing in a power struggle, etc. Parents often inadvertently reinforce misbehavior (whining, temper tantrums, defiance, sulking, etc.). Identify the payoff maintaining a repetitive misbehavior, and withhold it.

7.    Become skilled in delivering appropriate consequences for your child’s behavior. Pay attention to your child’s behavior—good and bad—and follow up with appropriate consequences. Children learn behavior and are motivated by the outcomes and results of their behavior. For good behavior, make sure it is recognized and rewarded immediately—specific praise, tangible rewards, positive attention, special privileges. For bad behavior—ignore unimportant misbehavior, set limits on more significant misbehavior and follow through consistently with negative consequences. Determine in advance what consequences are appropriate and make the punishment fit the crime. Make sure the rules are clear beforehand.

8.    “Stop, think, make a plan.” Promote good problem solving skills and help your child reduce impulsive behavior by coaching your child to catch himself, slow down, and think “what will happen if…,” in key situations. Teach and prompt your child to think before acting using three steps: 1) “STOP”—catch yourself; 2) “THINK”—about possible actions and potential consequences; 3) “MAKE A PLAN”—to best deal with the situation. Parents can help their children learn to problem solve by prompting and reinforcing the use of this strategy.

9.    Anticipate problems and have a plan. ADHD children often repeat the same problems in similar situations over and over again. You can anticipate what settings may be difficult. Prepare and have a plan for these situations. As you enter an anticipated situation, follow these steps:
1) review the rules; 2) set up a reward for appropriate behavior (incentives), 3) set up a penalty for disobeying the rules; 4) give positive attention for good behavior; 5) follow through
with consequences.

10.   Change unhelpful thinking. Many children with ADHD become negative thinkers over time due to the accumulated negative experiences they have. Self esteem can suffer. Help your child to identify their own negative thoughts, and counter the unhelpful thinking with helpful thinking. Ask: “Why did you think that?” and “How do you feel when you think that?” Then help your child to think of more helpful thoughts to replace the unhelpful ones. Try to model realistic, positive thinking. Learning how to cope with mistakes and failures is important for ADHD children. Emphasize that making a mistake does not mean that he is stupid or bad.

William Morgan, Psy.D. is a psychologist and ADD coach in the greater Philadelphia area. For more information on his e-book TIPS ON THE MANAGEMENT OF ADULT ADD go to http://www.ManageADD.com/ebook.html or visit his website at http://www.ManageADD.com for other helpful resources.

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What does ADHD stand for?

ADHD stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder.

Behavior Problems for the ADHD Child
Your child will do things on impulsiveness. For example, he or she will hit someone when the other person was telling a funny joke. The child gets excited and cannot help his/her impulsiveness.

Your child most likely does not listen to his/her teacher. He or she causes disturbances as he/she is not paying attention.

Your child fidgets and moves around a lot. Your ADHD child seems to constantly be moving around and unable to focus on the task at hand.

Your child may have a bad temper. Your child may seem to get upset very easily.

What Can Be Done to Help Your ADHD Child

Your child can go on medication prescribed by your pediatrician. Be sure to give an accurate health history as the drugs prescribed may not be good for the child’s heart. Studies have shown that the medications cause the child to lose one half inch per year of height growth. Your child may suffer from some of the medication side effects which include dry mouth, not hungry, a very hard time falling asleep, and a zombie-like state.

Alternative to Medication for the ADHD Child

Your child can function if he/she goes on a special diet that is very healthy for just about any person. The food is high protein, complex carbohydrates and Omega-3 fatty acids. Your child must stay away from certain foods. Add exercise into your child’s daily routine and include nature time. Organize your home and teach your child how to organize for him or herself.

What Will Happen Once Your ADHD Child is Treated

You will notice the impulsiveness start to diminish. Your child will be much calmer. Your child will be able to focus on a task. Your child’s grades most likely will improve. Your child will get into much less trouble at school. Your child’s temper will calm down.

Summary

All of the behavior problems listed above can be treated with medication or the alternative diet, exercise, nature walks and organization. http://www.adhd-survival-guide.com

Kelley Lang is a marketing consultant for Dr. Ron Receveur.

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Complementary and Alternative Treatments

Nutrition and Supplementation

Nutritional deficiencies are a factor in many psychological disorders. Many children with learning disorders have an allergic reaction to casein and gluten. Casein is a protein found in milk, so it may be wise to eliminate dairy from your diet. Gluten is found in grains, making wheat, spelt, oats, barley, and rye problematic. Common food allergens are corn, soy, eggs, tomatoes, yeast, and peanuts. Eat instead a diet high in protein that also includes high-fiber fruits and vegetables, plus brown rice, lentils, and potatoes. Obtain protein from fish, poultry, lamb, and non-animal sources, such as beans and legumes, raw nuts and seeds, and tofu. Avoid alcohol, caffeine, canned and packaged foods, carbonated beverages, chocolate, all junk foods, refined and processed foods, saturated fats, and sugar. Also avoid foods containing artificial colors or ingredients, as well as fatty foods.

Enhance brain power with the following daily supplements (if for a child, check with a health professional for appropriate dosages):

Most Important

calcium (1500 mg)-essential for normal brain and nervous system function

magnesium (1000 mg)-helps calcium absorption

vitamin B complex (50 mg 3 times daily with food)-essential for normal brain and nervous system functio

Also Recommended

choline (500 to 2000 mg)-improves brain function; use only under professional supervision

coenzyme (as directed on label) improves brain function

dimethylglycine (100 mg)-carries oxygen to the brain

vitamin C with bioflavonoids (5000 to 20,000 mg in divided doses)-a free radical scavenger

vitamin E (200 to 600 IU)-improves circulation and brain function

N-acetyl cysteine (as directed on label) important because of its antioxidant qualities

Herbal Therapy

Red clover, hawthorn berry, lemon balm, and bacopa are recommended for calming the nervous system of an extremely active child. See a qualified herbalist for details on using them.

Traditional Chinese Medicine

Acupundure Because attention deficit disorder is thought to be cause by heart and liver Imbalances, traditional Chinese medical practitioners treat them accordingly. An acupuncturist seeks to correct any energy imbalances in the meridians that correspond to these organs. Practitioners also may use acupuncture to promote relaxation and alleviate stress, which canexacerbate the condition.

Chinese Herbal Therapy Herbal preparations that can be used to calm the central nervous system and balance chi include Ginseng and Zizyphus Forumula, Astragalus Combination, and Concha Marguerita and Ligustrum Formula. Other herbs that may be prescribed with the preceding formulas for ADD are Schisandra, Biota or Arbor Vitae seeds, and Wild Chinese Jujube.

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Everyone has heard of Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD).  It may even seem like everyone else’s children have it.  Studies show that between 3 and 5% of all children have ADD.  Putting that into perspective, in any given classroom there is probably at least one child that has ADD.  Children with ADD appear to be out of control.  They show signs of being unusually active.  They tend to function by impulse and without thinking.  They seem to not be able to pay attention for very long at all.  Usually their lack of attention comes last in the sequence.  It may take months for the child to demonstrate such abnormalities.  It is common for children with ADD to go undiagnosed because their behavior is written off as a discipline issue.  It is easy to believe it is related to discipline because the development of the symptoms is generally gradual.  A child that has historically been well behaved slowly becomes less in control, thus adults take the reasons in stride.  As difficult as it is to notice potential ADD, the issues may very well be a disciplinary problem.  One clue is if the child demonstrates all three traits; hyperactivity, inattentiveness and impulsiveness.  It is essential a professional make the diagnosis, because it is very possible the symptoms are not ADD.

Although ADD typically involves young and very young children, it does have a lesser history with teenagers and even adults.  In addition to the typical symptoms discussed above, teens and adults feel a need to always be busy doing something.  They tend to multi-task.  They feel guilty if they aren’t highly active.  Teens and adults tend to retain impulsiveness.  The resulting gratification they achieve from impulsive behavior is immediate, but short lived.

There are lots of possible causes of ADD.  Perhaps a previous brain injury is the source.  Maybe it is genetics, allergies, or even diet.

Many other medical concerns may accompany ADD, or they may be present in patients without ADD.  Some of these disorders are Tourette’s Syndrome, learning disability, bipolar disorder, anxiety and depression.

The treatment for ADD is determined on a case-by-case basis.  Each patient will respond effectively to a treatment program designed specifically for them, their specific degree of disorder and body chemistry.  Although each patient receives a treatment customized just for him or her, it is almost always a treatment of medication.  Other elements that might be a part of the treatment process are behavioral therapy, psychotherapy, skills training and support groups.  When the ADD patient becomes a teenager, even more special knowledge and perhaps addition training will most likely be needed.  The typical challenges facing teenagers are doubly difficult for the teen with ADD.  Teenage drivers are far too often involved in traffic crashes for a variety of reasons, mostly related to inexperience behind the wheel.  ADD teens are almost four times as likely to have a crash as a non-ADD teen.  The family may want to elongate the amount of time required of the new drivers before turning them out on their own.  The added experience as a driver (with supervision) may have significance in the long run for the ADD teen.  It may make a major difference with their self-confidence.

Parents and other family members may find it helpful to take part in specialized parenting training.  They may need to work with the child’s school to insure staff has appropriate knowledge of how to properly handle ADD children.

The first and best thing parents, family and friends can do to get ADD help is to get an education.  The Internet is full of informational sources.  The Internet has many forums and blogs that might be just the ticket.  Support groups are also abundant; and are an excellent form of face-to-face help.  Your family doctor should be able to provide you with any local sources.  An ADD specialist will provide you with information and training as a part of the treatment process.

Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to ADD

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