Sparky brain chemistry runs in my family too, addiction, depression, OCD. I definately couldn't hack the commercial world, and my relationships have been problematic too, (nothing too "Jerry Springer" but just a lot of introversion). One of the main reasons the private trading and related activities suit so well. I am most happy and least symptomatic when i have my mind buried in the flows of numbers. I have recently taken the next step and started to channel my efforts into mathematics, and basically work my way through math textbooks while I watch the markets with one eye. If I ever blow up, I am going back to school for maths. This whole conversation reminds me of the recent book about Roget, the guy who came up with the thesaurus. An imbalanced guy to be sure, but his imbalance got channeled into something productive. Anyway, right now because researchers know little about the brain, "non-standard" reactions are labeled as disorders. It could be that the people who are now labeled as disordered, really are still within normal ranges, but just a deviation or 2 from the mean. Nothing wrong with that, but I think it is important for someone who is a little sparky to make sure they find a life path that suits their temperment. This can be tougher then it seems given societal expectations, the pressure to make a living, etc. but it can be done....
there was a doctor on a public tv station maybe 10 years ago who treated an 8th grade boy with add or another chemical misfire disorder by having him sit at the table with the bridge of his nose and forehead against the edge of a piece of plywood,looking at a peice of paper on each side,with a pen in each hand. He would draw something similar on both pieces of paper. The idea was that somewhere in your brain there is a small neuron center that sends electrical currents,messages,back and forth between the left and right brain. This excercise strengthened that transmitters ability to transmit. The left side of the body is controlled by the right side of the brain and vice versa. The object of the excercise was that your left eye couldn't see your right hand so the right brain had to tell the left brain what the right hand was doing. At the end of the 8th grade the kid who couldn't finish a book and was at the bottom of his class finished in the top 3. Never saw the program again nor heard mention of it.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a psychiatric anxiety disorder most commonly characterized by a subject's obsessive, distressing, intrusive thoughts and related compulsions (tasks or "rituals") which attempt to neutralize the obsessions.
Soxx, question. "I have recently taken the next step and started to channel my efforts into mathematics, and basically work my way through math textbooks while I watch the markets with one eye. If I ever blow up, I am going back to school for maths." I'm curious. The market is a math problem (?) hence if you "blow up" you are going back to school for math. What if the market wasn't a math problem? Regards
When I was a kid, all of these "disorders" were more commonly known as just being a pain in the ass. A simply spanking or the fear of the belt, kept me in-line. While I do not advocate violence, the pussification of society and a parents inability or laziness to deal with their own kids is the problem-- not any specific childhood behavior. Thank god these drugs and "treatments" weren't around when I was a child, as I was the original posterboy for ADHD and fear I'd be a zombie wuss now.
My personal feelings is that a ADD/ADHD diagnosis is usually driven by the american school system. Kid has problems paying attention in class (normal). Teacher complains (since they can no longer discipline). School forwards the complaint to the parents in the form of a threat ("Control your child or he/she will be removed"). Parent cant afford to stay home with child and/or cannot afford alternate schooling. As a result, they are forced to suppress thier child's growth with drugs so that the school can accomplish thier curriculum and get funding. Unfortunately, it is the parents who demand that thier kids not be disciplined in school which causes the whole mess (and a vicious cycle). America is so caught up in a fear of child abuse right now that we are drugging our children to the point that they cannot misbehave. Of course, those same children are getting to the point now where they are starting to graduate highshool and "entering the real world" without ever learning howto handle themselves. This causes them to either become criminals or a burden on thier family for the rest of thier lives. We have become so "civilized" that we can no longer understand that all good emerges from pain and suffering. It will be the downfall of our nation (assuming our nation hasn't already fallen).
Disagree, I am sure being a pain in the ass kid is often misdiagnosed as ADD but its a condition and one you have to actively struggle against. I was 43 before I could pinpoint what my problem was, or rather obtained revelation as to what my problem was. Once I recognised that I was struggling with difficulties others don't have I decided to focus on things that appealed to my strengths and did not require skills where I am weak. it doesn't mean I have given up developing, it just means I am lookig to fit my profile better. You are right in a way though, arguably the difference between high functioning autism and autism (assuming no clinical retadation) seems to be whwther or not someone made your life hell if you exhibited sympons of autism. Those saying idt doesn't exist are those who don't know what its like to struggle with this or who mistake ordinary lack of attention with ADD. It is difficult getting as far as tertiary education/professional qualification when you can only taje in a page in a book for 5 minutes and have to stop altogether after 15 as you have forgotten what you just read.
I would also like to add, that alot of these "problems" children have are a direct result of their own parents behavior. Whether it is too much attention or lack thereof, kids today are incapable of fending for themselves and thus need drugs to divert the attention away from the actual problem-- that they are not equipped to handle lifes problems.
Treating Autism, ADD or any other behavioral disorder with drugs is tantamount to torture and these people should be hung by the rafters. My girlfriend had an autistic little boy who now after 13 years of hard work, diet modification and various exercises is almost completely (99%) functional. He is an incredible kid and she worked extremely hard and persisted but it all paid off. Drugging people is just an excuse because the people that are treating them are too lazy and do not care enough to work hard and educate themselves to find answers. Autism / ADD can be treated and cured if you have the will, strength and faith in God.