Delivered from Distraction: Getting the Most out of Life with Attention Deficit Disorder

Finally a book on how to deal with ADD. Enjoyed the practical and easy explanations which is a good read for those of us who do have ADD. Talk about hitting the nail on the head with descriptions of those of us who have ADD! Yes, and I even started reading the end of the book before I started at the beginning which is a habit we ADDers have as written in the book. The book is written so you can skip around the chapters without missing information. There is even a special chapter if you can't finish the entire book. I recommend reading this book for those who have ADD and those who have ADDers in your lives.

I've got the audio version of this book, but I bought the paper version for my girlfriend. It has been immeasurably helpful in my pursuit of ADHD treatment.

This is one of those books that is both a gift... and very upsetting. - - When I was coming up, the terms ADD and ADHD were just becoming popular... only they were becoming so popular a lot of people were having trouble taking them seriously. - - It seemed like a faddy diagnosis and an excuse to medicate any kid who the television set couldn't babysit for adequately... At that time, I should note that it was clear that I had some kind of learning disability - -yet was a supposed "gifted underachiever" - - meaning I had a supposed "borderline genius" IQ but was too "lazy", "disorganized", "unfocused" even "bored" with school work.
(Back then the only treatments were "punishment", "tolerance" or counseling to deal with the "problem behaviors")
Ironically enough, just after I finished HS the SIMPSON'S became popular, and the term GIFTED UNDERACHIEVER also became a popular term... When I went to school however, bad grades meant STUPID... and there is no doubt, I carry some of the trauma and ridicule today (*Teachers just LOVE calling on ADD kids when they're not paying attention and singling them out.... supposedly to shame them into paying attention, but in reality, as an ADD'er I think it was just one trauma built on another!)

O.K. Years passed... and because of my inability to achieve in conventional settings I can't begin to describe all the problems, conflicts and restlessness I had in life... (and here is where I begin to get back on topic....)
HAVING READ THIS BOOK I actually read chapters of my own life story to such a point that had a been able to go back 28 years and been told "this is your future" - - I would have actually been able to read it and have SEEN my future (as well as perhaps get help.)

Anyway, recently I learned that I had ADHD, and you can have ADHD without being "hyper" - - and in looking deeper I realized that my life was a text book on ADD and it explained everything - - so here's my point:
Dr. Hallowell makes a lot of suggestions and leaves it open to the reader to choose... medication, therapy, coaching, 12 step program - - even yoga, medidation and nutritional supplements. Some may very well be quack therapies, others may be under-explored answers - - throw all bias aside fact is this: Had somebody given me this book 20 years ago... (long pause) I probably would have lost it (<-- ADD joke.... sorry.) But seriously... had I read this book a long time ago the anecdotes alone would have given me a lot of insight and helped circumvent a lot of pain.

In conclusion:- - No, the book does not offer an all in all 100% proven solves all single cure... but it offers OPTIONS... as well as anecdotes that not only demonstrate what its like to have ADD, but are cathartic to read as well... so I see this book as a gift... Looking back, I now realize I suffered because this wasn't common knowlege when I was a kid... on the other hand ADD is nothing new... there have been unfocused, disorganized yet creative people since the begining of time... now however, a syndrome that describes a condition that many people like me have is being formally studied and treatment options are being explored.

In conclusion, this book not only makes an insightful read, but may very well be a gift waiting to be given.
ORDER MULTIPLE COPIES ! ! !

Although I have read extensively on this topic, I thought this book did a good job of summarizing symptoms and uncovering new insights into ADD.

As a highly stressed ADD'ed individual working in the information systems / design industry, this book has helped me tremendously and I have as a result recommended to many of my friends.

Written by two Harvard Medical school graduates, both of which have ADD, this book demonstrate through real-life examples how to live one's life to the fullest.

Written in ADD-friendly writing style--lists, dialog, etc.--the book serves as an excellent guide to hack your life:

1. How to take advantage of all the pros that come with Attention Deficit Disorder.

2. Steps you can take to manage the cons that come with Attention Deficit Disorder.

Highly recommended.

/SML