10 Simple Solutions to Adult ADD: How to Overcome Chronic Distraction and Accomplish Your Goals

10 Simple Solutions

by Stephanie Moulton Sarkis

A straightorward and succinct guide to dealing with adult ADD includes chapters that are no more than five to seven pages long that outline strategies for each problem associated with ADD to help sufferers concentrate better and have sharper memories, enhanced focus, and greater self-confidence. Original.

Genres: Adhd, Psychology, Self Help, Nonfiction, Mental Health, Reference

144 pages, Paperback

First published January 2, 2006

Reviews

[Katya Kean]

I read this a few months ago because my Dad gave it to me. I don't know if i finished it. Probably not. I think it was good, I don't remember, and honestly, I wasn't really paying attention.

[Loriann Oberlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

New Harbinger Books never disappoints me. As a licensed therapist who is also a bibliophile and recommends self-help reading very often to clients, I found this little gem of a book to be an easy read with well-planned chapters on:

-Understanding ADD
-Medication
-Reduce Clutter and Get Organized
-Stop Being a "Loser"
-Manage Your Time
-Make Your Money Work for You
-Practice Good Self-Care
-Find a Job That Fits You
-Improve Your Social Skills
-Enrich Your Relationships

Honestly, which human being on the planet doesn't need to work on each and every one of these things? ;-) Hence, the contents makes this a primer on adulthood whether you're challenged by executive functioning gone awry, social skill deficit or struggling in any way.

In the Notes on the Second Edition, it's very clear that today's technology got incorporated into the writing/research of this. The author mentions our "paperless" lives enriched by "apps" -- fodder for some of the tips in this tome.

Excellent resources end each chapter, including books by Gottman, Hallowell, Nadeau, and others. Recommended websites and organizations add to the utility and in parts there are graphics such as "first visit notes" when going to the doctor.

A practical, simplified must-read for anyone with attention deficit or honestly anyone looking to improve his/her own life!

-- Loriann Oberlin, MS, LCPC

[Eli · Rating 3 out of 5]

Starts strong and ends in flames.

The book works best when discussing how a person with ADD can get their individual life in order. But the sections on getting along with coworkers and social acquaintances focused almost exclusively on how people with ADD can (and should) bend themselves to the expectations of neurotypicals, and paid little attention to how NTs can adapt to and help them (beyond accommodations under the ADA). And the section on friends and significant others viewed those relationships through a transactional lens that left me chilled.

[Candace Beach · Rating 3 out of 5]

You don't need to have ADD to benefit from the sound, actionable advice in this book. Self help junkies like myself would recognize much of this material as general productivity best practices with a few more specific ADDer challenges and solutions mixed in.

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

While there were some interesting facts and useful suggestions, I found the book as a whole to be extremely patronizing and simplistic. A good first read, but I'll be looking for more in-depth discussion and strategy in the future.

[Alaa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simply Informative.

[Ashley · Rating 1 out of 5]

AWFUL.

First Chapter
Two "case studies" showing to people supposedly with ADD

"Approximately 4.4 percent of adults in the United States have ADD, also known as ADHD..." Uh, what? No. Wrong.

"Symptoms include
"-having mood swings
"-abusing substances..."

WTF?! All on page two?! This is a terrible book!

Solution #1 - know what it is

Seriously? That's your first "simple solution to adult ADD"? Okay, fine. Moving on.

Solution #2 - medication
"Medication is a foundation that will make other count strategies more effective." So my ONLY option is to start with drugs, or else nothing is worth it? Bull.

"A common misconception is that you will become addicted to medication for ADD. Most medications used to treat ADD are in a class of drugs called 'stimulants'. These stimulant medications are regulated by the US government and are not addictive if taken as prescribed."

BULLSHIT MOUNTAIN

Solution #3 - reduce clutter and get organized

Hey an organization buddy to help you? What if your method is different from their method? What if they discard something you need? What if they're constantly asking you questions about different items so you get no work done?

Feng shui? Seriously?

Solution #4 - stop being a "loser"

Wow, what a title, but I get where it's going.

Have a place for everything. Establish a ritual. Accept you're still gonna lose stuff, and come up with a plan to stay calm during that time. Not all bad information, but overly simplified.

Solution #5 - manage time

Totally disparages paper planners; rude. Then turns around and recommend a physical chore chart.

"Remember, even people without ADD are not perfect. Give yourself a break, and allow yourself to relax." How?!

"Just do it." Ever heard of executive dysfunction?!

Solution #6 - financial planning

"People with ADD have more debt and money-related stress than people without ADD." Where's your citation for this?! How depressing and rude!

Don't go to the grocery store hungry? That's your advice? Keep track of receipts? After the last two chapters, you want to add receipts to the pile? Pay your bills? No sh!t, Sherlock.

Solution #7 - self-care

"There are six dimensions to wellness: physical, social, occupational, spiritual, intellectual, and emotional." Then they go on to list some things in each category.

Who hurt this author? They harp on substance abuse a lot. And what's wrong with tv being a part of emotional wellness? It specified violence. Okay, so don't watch violent stuff. Jeez!

I'm gonna mention executive dysfunction again here. Too many options being thrown at the reader!

Solution #8 - occupational wellness

There was too much in chapter 7, so they split occupational wellness into its own chapter.

Let's start of with more broad, depressing factoids about those with ADD being "lesser" at jobs than non-ADD people.

"People with ADD do best in jobs that
"[insert list of contradicting job descriptions]"

"...it helps a lot of your boys had ADD..."

Yeah, because that's something you can just ask during an interview. WTF?!

"LEARN THE UNWRITTEN RULES OF THE OFFICE" People with ADD don't do well with "between the lines" stuff. How are they supposed to learn unwritten rules, moron? Oh, you tell us. "observe, get comfortable, then ask" How stupid is this book?!

Solution #9 - social wellness

There was too much in chapter 7, so they split social wellness into its own chapter.

depressing

depressing

depressing

medication would have made your childhood better

depressing

"Learn How to Read Nonverbal Communication" If only it were that easy! It's something many ADDs struggle with!

Have a buddy with you at all times to send a secret signal that you're too loud, too talkative, too close, or whatever else. Everyone knows people with ADD need a constant babysitter! (<-- sarcasm)

LEARN THE ART OF SMALL TALK - The name of someone with ADD's existence. No thank you.

Learn Proper Etiquette?! There's too much for a "normal" person to remember proper etiquette in all seriousness! How is someone with ADD supposed to remember it all and not go into a panic attack?!

Solution #10 - relationships

depressing

depressing

Realize people will misunderstand you all the time. Huh? How are they supposed to do that?

Constantly ask "What do you need from me right now?" Because THAT won't annoy people to death. (<--sarcasm)

Don't use your ADD as a crutch. Well, if they're not allowed to explain WHY their ADD is making something the way it is, how are they supposed to explain themselves? Neurotypical will see this as an excuse, as a crutch.

FIND ACTIVITIES THAT EVERYONE CAN ENJOY - Not possible. Next.

SCHEDULE FIGHTS - Set a time and a place to have an argument with someone. What kind of cockamamie BS is this?! "Let's go sit at the kitchen table and discuss this." - that's fine. "How's Tuesday at 2pm for you?" BS.

Find a Compatible Partner - no sh!t, Sherlock.

[Cesar Lara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Te ayuda a comprender lo que es realmente el TDA y que a pesar de que una persona puede tener este trastorno no significa que mo pueda tener una vida plena. Parte de este libro ayuda a saber como hacer tu vida más llevadera, tranquila y como alcanzar tus metas paso a paso.

Como recomendación podría sugerir que los ejemplos y datos sean más generales y no se enfoquen solo en EEUU, sino en otras partes del mundo para entender que en todas partes existe esto.

Un buen libro de cabecera para las personas que sufren este trastorno, como para las personas que conviven con alguna persona que lo padece.

[Two Readers in Love · Rating 3 out of 5]

I work with several excellent colleagues who self-identify as having ADD/ADHD, so I picked up this quick read from the library to educate myself about what I can do to be a good team member. Most of the advice on coping with ADD is basic good advice for anyone: don't overschedule, make a budget, have a place for everything and put it there, find a space to work that is conducive to your style, etc. However, it did give me an idea as to why this good advice is harder when your attention style is not aligned with the current culture.

[Brenda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very basic life tips for people with ADD. Some overly simple and obvious, but also depends on your level of ADD. Obvious advice like “use automatic payment” so payments are not late, “eat before grocery shopping” so you don’t buy things you don’t need. Some advice is better like setting deadlines and breaking those deadlines down into smaller deadlines and rewarding yourself after each deadline. Probably a good book for training teenagers or young adults entering college.

[Yulia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Written in a very easy format, almost point form. It would probably be a good quick reference for someone recently diagnosed with ADD, especially young adults, who is just beginning their journey. As a family member of someone who's been diagnosed with ADD, I found this book lacking in substance and overly simplistic with regards to suggested solutions. I was looking for more.

[Amanda Gee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of the first books that I read on Adult ADHD. It was a great starter book and I recommend it to anyone newly diagnosed.

[Pamela Emryes · Rating 5 out of 5]

ADD Solutions.

Great information on ADD with Practical solutions relating to specific issues. Interesting easy read. And what else to say, read it n see.

[Pamela · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s fine? The advice is good just in general, but a lot of it didn’t apply to my own personal version of ADHD. Much of the advice felt incredibly basic and wasn’t really useful to me.

[McKay Menden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid book, helped me understand a lot better. A little overly simplistic and prescriptive at times.

[Kekoa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Offers some good advice on being organized and productive that I think anyone can benefit from.

[Jamie CULPON · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short, bullet points, sweet references. Not for everyone, very good for my kind of Adulting while ADHD.

[Tony Gordon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite the fact it took me months to read this tiny tome, I love it. I took notes as I read because it's full of helpful information. The advice is actually useful, as it comes from someone with ADD. It's definitely out of date with technology and terminology, but there's still a lot in here to help the modern adult ADHDer.

[Reinad Abu Rabah · Rating 3 out of 5]

hence I've heard that I have some "adulting" problem .. I had to look for a book that gives me one good sight about how to "adult"..

The book is well organized and bit of simplicity to understand ... The book shows how to improve yourself and your life in a way that avoids you from losing things, people or even your self-motive to be a better person .. It tips you with solutions of how to break the obstacles of social skill deficit , self destroying & time box !

Being away from papers and writing and switch them with apps is what the author called " paperless life" !

Those small reminders help you to adult somehow .. Yet helps you more to merge yourself more into " more of your often world" which lacks your existence at many times . stop being a loser , manage your time , find a job that fits you , improve your social skills & enrich your relationships isn't something that's related to adults .. It's something related to being a successful person whether you were a young child or an old white-haired grandpa!

the definition of "adult" is misleading in this book & that might be for all of the people trying to adult on this blue planet

[Sasha Boersma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title says it is for ADD, but relevant to those with ASD, PTSD, and other mental health conditions that interfere with executive functioning skills.

For those who are ADD/ADHD or ASD -> there are a lot of suggestions in the book. But that is what they are, suggestions. Not everything will work for everyone.

For myself, I was thrilled to see many of the little things I've started doing over the past year actually written in book! So often the process of articulating these bits of processes are met with strange expressions, or suggestions of being ridiculous, or "live a little". But seriously - minimalizing life, planning more buffer time, accepting that half day a week where you just need to shut down, how to eat well, how to better manage finances, all excellent tips.

Personally, I picked up the book more for inspiration on how to feel better about just working differently than others. While this book didn't do that, it was comforting to read that what I am doing isn't that strange.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

The title is misleading -- which are the 10 simple solutions? But the book does contain some good organization and life tips. I'll share a few here.

Going through the same routine each day can help you save time and avoid losing things. Write out the steps you take getting ready in the morning and then laminate that list. Use a dry-erase marker to cross through the items as you go.

Use the five-box method, a streamlined process for tackling clutter. When going through clutter, create and use four boxes:
* fix it - first consider if worth the time/money to fix
* keep it
* give it away
* don't know - revisit in a year
Also use a trash bag (the fifth "box").

The next time someone is upset with you and you do not know what you did to cause the person to be angry, ask, “What do you need from me right now?”

[Dean Italiano · Rating 2 out of 5]

To put this in context, I have already read Scattered Minds by Gabor Mate, AND the Adult ADD: A Guide for the Newly Diagnosed by Sarkis. As the third book, I found it fell short. Two of Sarkis' books back to back overlapped, and I know it's to make sure each can stand on its own but reading both was unnecessary. This book has a few little good tips, and it's a tolerable length for ADD Adults for sure. Personally, I found it too simplified. *Any* adults that are not using these "tips" can't be functional. If you've read other books about Adult ADD, this one can be passed up.

[Elissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I learned from this book is that I have a mild case of ADD, and that is why I notice it mostly when I'm sleep deprived (like after the birth of a child). I also realized by reading this book that I have figured out a lot of these solutions on my own through trial and error in life. I think this book would be immensely helpful for someone with extreme ADD and insightful for those who are related to someone with ADD.

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay, so some of these tricks are not simple at all. Not for someone with serious ADD. I felt that this volume was based a lot around technology tricks, where one needs a smart phone and might have to suffice to send an e-card than a handwritten birthday card to a loved one. Still, there are a lot of good pointers and some of the chapters feel vital- list making, finances, organizing. I think the most important one is the second, which explains how to seek out help.

[Sally · Rating 2 out of 5]

The suggestions in here are very simple. Make a menu, use coupons to save money, etc. If you're not already doing a bulk of these things, whether or not you have ADD, I feel for you! ha ha

The person with ADD has trouble implementing the very strategies that are necessary to function better, hence the lists that never get attended to....

[Patsy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned that I have ADD over ten years ago, but it is always good to read a book like this and refresh myself of things that are helpful to do so I don't make myself or others miserable with any of my tendencies.

I recommend this book to anyone who is struggling with ADD or knows anyone who has it.

[house targaryen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Was reading this to try and understand a friend, and it really glossed over the interpersonal issues that can stem from ADD. I guess this book is a gentle intro to how to best overcome this, and in many cases it may be enough, but those with severe cases may benefit from knowing better how their actions impact others.

[Beneth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good simple read with headings that are "ADD-friendly."

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of good suggestions packed into this small sized book which is easy to travel with.

[Melinda Crumblin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some great ideas, but not one of the better books on this topic. Easy to read.