Before the 1980s, doctors were dead set on the idea that ADD was a children’s problem. Most have revised that position, but there are many who still hang on to this belief. Adults with attention deficit know for sure that attention deficit doesn’t always go away when you grow up. Yet, many adults aren’t aware that the symptoms they exhibit are related to ADD, like the inability to stay organized and their problems with interpersonal relationships.

If you think you might have ADD, start online to explore the possibility. You can take some preliminary tests that will tell you if you might have ADD or not, but you will need to remember two things: 1) the symptoms have to

be severe enough to disrupt your life and 2) they must have lasted for more than six months.

It’s thought that people can go through periods of attention deficit, brought on by stress or other such causes, without really having ADD. Some symptoms are just ADD tendencies, and not full-blown ADD. But if you have had these symptoms, they are severe, and you’ve had them all your life, see your family physician for a further diagnosis.

Knowing that you have attention deficit for sure can be a relief. But some people who are just diagnosed become depressed. Don’t do that! ADD is a blessing in many ways because we’re usually highly intelligent, very creative, and we can take a project

that we love doing, hyperfocus on it, and get it done–fast! ADD isn’t a disorder; it’s not a disease. In fact, some doctors have come to the conclusion that attention deficit is the next evolution of the human brain because we move faster than everyone else, and speed is increasingly important in the modern world.

Yet, we still live in a world of linear thinking people, who just don’t understand the way we think. Because we’re in the minority, we have to adapt in order to be able to function. So, how does it work?

Focus on your strengths. You can find out what they are if you work with a good ADD coach. You’ll learn what jobs are good

for you, how to turn your hyperfocus ability on and off, and how to get along with linear-thinking people so that they do get you. Coaching can be better for you than medication, but you need to iron this out with your family doctor.

For instance, you might tell your coach, “I just can’t seem to get my house straightened up. Every time I try to get things done, I just get distracted and walk away from what I was doing. I forget all about it.” Your coach can teach you how to use timers to get you to focus on things you don’t like to do for short periods of time. [http://www.instantaddsuccess.com/ ]Everyone with ADD really needs to use

these, and they do help.

The best thing for you to do, whether you have a coach, are on medication or not, is to find a great support group. Other people who have attention deficit can understand what you’re going through, and it may help you to hear other people’s stories. Support groups can provide insights into your own issues with ADD, and give you a whole new group of friends with the same abilities and roadblocks.

Don’t look at attention deficit as a curse because it’s really a blessing. If you have recently been diagnosed, the quicker you can come to this conclusion, the easier it will be for you to work through the frustrations. ADD can be a

plus, and you should work to see it that way.

Tellman Knudson, certified Hypnotherapist and NLP practitioner, is CEO of Overcome Everything, Inc. http://www.instantaddsuccess.com/ Do you have adult ADD? Find out at InstantADDsuccess.com