Subject: Re: JDS = ADHD?
From: Andrew Kennis (kennis@math.GRIN.EDU)
Date: Thu Feb 20 1997 - 03:25:21 GMT
On Wed, 19 Feb 1997, Matt Kozusko wrote:
> I don't think (and, granted, it's onnly speculation) that ADHD affects
> lifestyles and occupations in any sort of consistent, predictable way.
>
I can tell you with certainty that your speculation was unequivocally
wrong. Such viewpoints as the one you just advance, albeit it in a form
of a "speculation", are in any case, dangerous. The effects of ADHD on
the lives of those that it afflicts are pervasive in almost every aspect
of their lifestyles and certainly their occupations. If this were not the
case, the disorder would simply not be a disorder, as the "chronic"
occurrence of impairing aspects would not be there. Certainly, there is a
wide variety of cases, as research has especially found out (i.e. ADD
without hyperactivity, adult ADD, etc.), but that does not mean that the
disorder does not affect the people who have it in a consistent fashion,
even within only an occupational context. There are predictable and
consistent problems that essentially every person with ADD comes to grips
with on a daily basis on the job and off. One of these problems, is an
inability to complete tasks. As the writers of the best selling book on
ADD who both have ADD have said, their greatest worry in starting the
book was for them not to be able to finish it. My friend made a very
valid point that Salinger had only wrote one full length novel and this
very well may be a sign that Salinger has ADD. It's not a sign worth
concluding with certainty that he has it, but it is definitely a sign.
This is not to say that Salinger was lazy or was not a hard worker or was
not a perfectionist. People with ADD have the ability to be
perfectionists through their unique abilities to actually channel their
hyperactivity into a focused avenue (this is frequently called,
"hyperfocusing"). When people with ADD are able to hyperfocus on
something beneficial concentrating on, they are able to accomplish some
extraordinary things......
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