ATTENTION DISORDER - a cranky re-run

ATTENTION DISORDER

This re-run is from July 2012

ADD, Attention Deficit Disorder, is a very common diagnosis for young people today, particularly young boys.  ADD used to be called daydreaming; it can be a serious learning disability.  Are you either ADD, or not ADD?  Certainly there must be different levels of this condition. 

If you have a severe attention deficit disorder it can and should be treated.  I knew a young man who was incorrigible and unable to withstand the simplest social situation, he became a completely different, delightful, polite person when drugs allowed him to focus on his environment.

I also believe children can learn to focus without drugs.  Sometimes this disorder can actually allow a person to successfully multitask.  I know I am sometimes attention challenged, yet I can watch TV, write a blog, and carry on a conversation with Mrs. C all at the same time (Mrs. C would dispute the conversation part.)

In high school I was able to learn math without paying my undivided attention to the teacher.  A2+B2=…Damn Sally Ferguson has a nice ass…C2.  If I was on medication I might have missed out on Sally Ferguson’s nice ass, or more than likely my full attention might have been diverted totally away from math.

My oldest brother had an attention disorder completely on the other side of the spectrum.  He would be so focused on a book, an article, or just inventing stuff in his head that you could not get his attention.

“Jim…JIM…JIM…JIM…whack him on the head with a wad of paper…JIM.”

“Huh…yea…what?"

Surely my brother could have been diagnosed with Attention Over-focus Disorder or AOFD.  Perhaps he could have been treated with drugs to have a normal attention span, but then we would have missed out on a great mind, and several sonar and radar inventions which make our country safer from attack by our enemies.  Sure it would have saved the wadding up of countless pieces of paper, but I believe a unique mind is more than worth a little cajoling to get ones attention.

Attention Deficit, or attention over-focus, when either seriously affects a person’s ability to have a normal life perhaps medication is in order.  However we must be careful, especially with young children, to not destroy the uniqueness of a young mind. 

Sometimes “disorder” can just mean “different.” If we medicate “different” we may gain another “normal” mind, but lose the next genius who could help solve some of the world’s greatest problems.

Hey…I’m just sayin……damn, Sally did have a nice ass.