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

Obviously not written well enough for a distracted man to read it.

After doing a lot of research on the internet and lots of problems with my 8 year old I was feeling like a failure. I knew something was wrong, but I wasn't sure what. After reading this book it told me all the steps to take to get my son evaluated by a child psychologist and at school. I had no clue where to even go so this book helped me out a lot. There are websites mentioned in the book that help too.

I think there are two ways to read this and Hallowell's other book. At first, each sentence felt like a kick in the gut to me. It felt so disabling; thinking of all the ways ADD can manifest itself and become an obstacle, how it had in my past and how it could in my future. But I think I was reading it with too much negativity. It's very easy to use these examples as a crutch, but in Delivered, Hallowell is framing his argument to be enlightening, not depressing.

Last night I started tearing up at some lines. It's so unifying, to know other people think this way, and to hear him describe it NOT as a disease or a dysfunction, just a difference in the way the brain processes information and sensations. ADDers are prone to negativity, which breeds more negativity, and so on. If you instead read this book with a positive approach, it's articulation, not punches in the gut.

To Hallowell, the only "disorder" present is that you can't bracket out the things that (supposedly) don't matter. To someone with ADD, everything matters, all stimuli is significant, all windows should be looked out, all ideas blurted out loud, all daydreams explored by the imagination. Sure this gets in the way of productivity, but I don't know if being that sensitive to input and engaged with life can really be described as a disorder.

I really believe this book will help people harness all their chaos and use it - whether it's with list-making and highlighters, the help of a good friend, planners, therapy, medication, creative outlets, whatever. There will still be chaos, but chaos with reason. Like really great guitar solos.

"We may make messes wherever we go, but with the right help, those messes can be turned into realms of reason and art." - Edward M. Hallowell.

As someone new to the idea that I probably have ADD, this book gave me a lot of touchpoints from which I could discern that I probably have that "kind of mind". Yet there was precious little as far as definitive coping strategy is concerned.

They say in the book that a person with ADD needs lots of file cabinets, because they don't have "file cabinets" in their minds. That seems to be true of me. Yet the book is seems to be as disorderly as an ADD brain if you asked me. It rambles on and on with STORIES about ADD people and STORIES about ADD solutions. But there is little in the way of ORDERLY step by step "here's what you should do" stuff.

Hopefully, there's another book out there with more of what I'm looking for.

In all fairness, the book has an extensive resource guide to other books and even local doctors and support groups. It's just that I'm looking for quick orderly step by step answers, not a droning on and on and on discussion of problems and possibilities.

Couple of ADD doctors have written this book. If YOU have ADD/ADHD, you will love reading this book.

Writing style: Easy (4 out of 5), important for an ADD reader

Structure: Well structured (5 out of 5), important for an ADD reader

What's good 1: The authors have gone about on a random walk, and thrown in lots of related bits and pieces. I got to know of many related stuff (Dore Systems, True Hope, Beluga board, etc.) through this book. I'd give a 4 out of 5 for gathering together information that may not be available easily elsewhere.

What's good 2: The resilience the authors have demonstrated and their gung ho attitude, you'd come off thinking that ADD is a God given gift or something! I'd give another 4 out of 5 on this department. Hey, make it a 5 out of 5. I haven't felt this good about myself in a long while :-)

What's is (very) good 3: If you are an ADD or if your child/dear-one happens to be one, you will find going through many of the case studies in this book an emotonal experience. Yes, EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCE. You can't escae thinking how much stress you had gone through and how much you've lost out because of ADD. It makes it so much worse (or better?) to know that ADD is so easily managed/treated! If you are not an insider you can't know what I am talking about.

By the way, if your ADD is not severe or does not come with other coexisting nasty issues, the biggest damage ADD can do for you is by confusing your base line. In other words, you will have a very had time to know smart you are or how dumb. This book is a nice place to start self-awareness and/or self-calibration.

Hey, if I can't give 5 starts to fellow club members, to who else can I ;-)