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Embracing ADD: A Healing Perspective
Rather than treat ADD/ADHD as a disease, Dr. Lynn Weiss celebrates this "brainstyle"—a diversity in thinking—and provides a caring, humanized perspective. Via insights and exercises and using her experience as a counselor and social scientist, Dr. Weiss harnesses the positives in ADD/ADHD rather than the negatives by giving readers the tools they need to embrace their unique brainstyle.
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First published August 3, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
February 12, 2018
Wow, mind blowing. I have been diagnosed with type II ADD. It runs in my family -- but in different flavors and degrees. This angle on ADD - that it is one side of a continuum of traits that create a 'brainstyle' makes a hell of a lot of sense vis a vis my personal experience. Much more than the idea of it as a 'disorder' which has set science fruitlessly searching for exactly what is 'missing' or 'wrong' with the ADD brain.
I’ve done a bit of research since reading it, and I can see that the trend in psychological circles is moving in this direction - so this isn’t some rogue idea.
Weiss basically describes ADD as a conglomeration of traits that are oriented towards a style of thinking and processing information that she calls 'analogue' vs the other side of the continuum --'linear'. You can be anywhere from super linear to super analogue and anything in-between. Each style has strengths and weaknesses, but the linear style is much more the accepted paradigm in advanced western cultures. Therefore, having a more analogue style can be very problematic because it doesn't fit well with the paths to success in this culture. A perfect example is Einstein. He didn't do well at school. Wrong brain style. But he was so damn smart, that in the end these cultural barriers were overcome. Not everyone has traits to balance the disadvantages. And of course one common trait of ADD is sensitivity and inward thinking. Often a bar to success - since success often requires a willingness to fail, and get over it.
But the point of course, is IS THIS IDEA HELPFUL? Well yes. Obviously, first of all, it is so much more empowering to think of yourself as a human being, whole and complete, and move from there to what do I want and what do I have to do to get there. This as opposed to "I’m broken, what can I do to force my crippled brain to do what ‘must' be done the ‘right way’?”
If one doesn’t assume that there is really a ‘right way to do it’ - the linear way — one can get much more creative and open to exploring the different ways to find our paths to fulfillment. It is a waste to ignore the very definite qualities of the ADD brain - or as Weiss would put it - the advantages of analogue thinking.
Yes there are definite advantages. I mean look at some of the famous people commonly suspected to have ADD. DaVinci, John Lennon are a couple off the top of my head - when I read about them, I know it's true. They're LIKE ME.
Of course, the farther along you are on the continuum, the less you will be able to straddle both types of thinking. Often, bringing the dreams and visions that come from the subtle understandings of patterns, the sensitivity, the imagination, and the energy of the ADD mind to fruition, requires a lot of linear thought: Making it to the meeting on time; remembering to email the power point; remembering what you said three sentences ago and what you meant to say in the first place. Planning ahead all the intricate steps to your final goal. A lot of us, simply can’t do this stuff. It’s just so... linear. Though we keep trying. Stubbornly. Perfectionistically. And in this culture that reveres self-sufficiency and the strength of the individual to conquer all, it is all the more tempting to batter ourselves bloody against that brick wall.
But I say, if I embrace my style of thinking, I’m much more likely to relax and figure out a way to work with and enjoy the diversity of the rest of the world's brains - and after all - isn't that what it’s all about? So if you’re ADD or - well human — I HIGHLY recommend this book.
I’ve done a bit of research since reading it, and I can see that the trend in psychological circles is moving in this direction - so this isn’t some rogue idea.
Weiss basically describes ADD as a conglomeration of traits that are oriented towards a style of thinking and processing information that she calls 'analogue' vs the other side of the continuum --'linear'. You can be anywhere from super linear to super analogue and anything in-between. Each style has strengths and weaknesses, but the linear style is much more the accepted paradigm in advanced western cultures. Therefore, having a more analogue style can be very problematic because it doesn't fit well with the paths to success in this culture. A perfect example is Einstein. He didn't do well at school. Wrong brain style. But he was so damn smart, that in the end these cultural barriers were overcome. Not everyone has traits to balance the disadvantages. And of course one common trait of ADD is sensitivity and inward thinking. Often a bar to success - since success often requires a willingness to fail, and get over it.
But the point of course, is IS THIS IDEA HELPFUL? Well yes. Obviously, first of all, it is so much more empowering to think of yourself as a human being, whole and complete, and move from there to what do I want and what do I have to do to get there. This as opposed to "I’m broken, what can I do to force my crippled brain to do what ‘must' be done the ‘right way’?”
If one doesn’t assume that there is really a ‘right way to do it’ - the linear way — one can get much more creative and open to exploring the different ways to find our paths to fulfillment. It is a waste to ignore the very definite qualities of the ADD brain - or as Weiss would put it - the advantages of analogue thinking.
Yes there are definite advantages. I mean look at some of the famous people commonly suspected to have ADD. DaVinci, John Lennon are a couple off the top of my head - when I read about them, I know it's true. They're LIKE ME.
Of course, the farther along you are on the continuum, the less you will be able to straddle both types of thinking. Often, bringing the dreams and visions that come from the subtle understandings of patterns, the sensitivity, the imagination, and the energy of the ADD mind to fruition, requires a lot of linear thought: Making it to the meeting on time; remembering to email the power point; remembering what you said three sentences ago and what you meant to say in the first place. Planning ahead all the intricate steps to your final goal. A lot of us, simply can’t do this stuff. It’s just so... linear. Though we keep trying. Stubbornly. Perfectionistically. And in this culture that reveres self-sufficiency and the strength of the individual to conquer all, it is all the more tempting to batter ourselves bloody against that brick wall.
But I say, if I embrace my style of thinking, I’m much more likely to relax and figure out a way to work with and enjoy the diversity of the rest of the world's brains - and after all - isn't that what it’s all about? So if you’re ADD or - well human — I HIGHLY recommend this book.
December 22, 2021
Throws around the worst self-help cliches to people working on living with a complicated and neurological disorder. I have read countless books on ADD (my son is off to an excellent college despite having very serious ADD and other learning disabilities.) This is among the worst since it encourages a rejection of effective therapies. Note: I read this a very long time ago and received it free from Librarything Early Reviewers -- obviously that did not impact my review.
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