Okay, we noticed, we don’t have a “Z” topic.  What is the Z of ADHD?

I can sugar coat it all I want but the truth is having ADHD sucks!

I hate it when I say things that are inappropriate or I interrupt people when I don’t mean to. That’s part of my ADHD. I can feel people looking at me thinking I’m rude or obnoxious. I try hard to regulate myself, but sometimes it doesn’t work.

I wish I had long beautiful nails, yet I pick at them. I am always moving, never still. If I have to sit for even a second I start fidgeting. Pick, pick. Even when I type.  If I stop to think, I pick pick some more until I start typing again. It’s uncontrollable.

Oprah said that everyone should sit still and meditate for at least five minutes every day. I tried.  Then I thought to myself (as I found myself picking at my nails, again), “Oprah definitely does not have ADHD.”

I hate that I procrastinate. I look at the clock and think, “OK I will get out of bed at 7:45 a.m.” 7:45 roles around and I think “Well, I could still have time to get ready if I get out of bed at 8:15 a.m.” Every morning I push it to the last possible minute. I end up running around frantic.  Late again! I know there is no reason for this.  I was awake in plenty of time to get ready and be on time. It’s so frustrating (!) because I wait to the last minute and rush — all the time.

I am bad at doing anything that requires filling out paperwork, following steps or taking direction. If it’s complicated and not fun, I don’t want to do it. I leave it to the last possible minute or sometimes do not do it at all. Even with simple things that I have done a hundred times, if it’s more than one step I lose interest.

It’s not fair that I have to have a coach when my friends don’t. Sure I’m grateful to have my coach — without her I wouldn’t accomplish much. But my friends don’t need extra help to get their homework done or get organized. So what the hell?!

Having ADHD is a hell of a lot of work. It’s exhausting. My mind runs crazy all the time. There’s no off and on switch for this stuff. I like that I have a lot of ideas, but sometimes I just want to be able to chill out.

My best friend does not have ADHD. She sits and listens to music for like hours. That is totally impossible for me to do. I have to be listening to music, playing Angry Bird and texting to be able to sit still. We complement each other but I do get jealous of her slow past sometimes.

You can see my ADHD when we meet guys too. She let’s men take control of the conversations. Me, I can kinda dominate. Guys ask her for her number because she so easy going. Guys ask me for me number because I’m fun. I wish I could be more of a combination.

I met a really cute (tall) guy on St. Patrick’s Day. I was with a bunch of friends, dancing, drinking and wearing a very short Irish kilt. He liked me and I gave him my number.

I told my girlfriend the next day that I was going to be very classy next time I saw him. I would only have one glass of wine (not four green beers) and wear a conservative black outfit.

While my game plan was a good idea, my girlfriend reminded me, THAT’S NOT ME! She wisely asked me why I wanted to pretend to be this shy, conservative, calm girl. Eventually this guy is going to see I’m always the girl he met on St. Patty’s day. So I ditched the plan and had a great second date being my outrageous self.

At the end of the day, having ADHD sucks a lot of the time. Sure everyone has some cool personality traits and some that really blow. Some people even say ADHD is a gift.  Others say it isn’t real. I say, you’re crazy!  What do you think?

Take a look at the 12 rules and you’ll see that much of what he talks about are familiar Edge Foundation topics. Want to get a great preview of what his book covers? Visit Brainrules.net where Medina has free, on-line tutorials covering the important information from each chapter.

We agree that the principals outlined in the book are important insights into living to your full potential with ADHD.  When looking them over, we noticed a few common themes we’ve shared in the posts we have written over the last couple of years.  Here’s our take on each brain rule and how it plays out for ADHD:

Exercise – Rule #1: Exercise boosts brain power.

Treating ADHD with exercise
Spark: Reduce ADHD symptoms with exercise
ADHD and anxiety:  Non drug treatments everyone can try

Survival – Rule #2: The human brain evolved, too.

Wiring – Rule #3: Every brain is wired differently.

Executive function and ADHD success/
Succeeding despite learning disabilities/

Attention – Rule #4: We don’t pay attention to boring things.

Fidgeting helps ADHD people stay focused

Short-Term Memory – Rule #5: Repeat to remember.

Long-Term Memory – Rule #6: Remember to repeat.

Sleep – Rule #7: Sleep well, think well.

ADHD students need to take their sleep seriously
ADHD and sleep
ADHD, anxiety and the sleep connection

Stress – Rule #8: Stressed brains don’t learn the same way.

Improve your focus with water

Sensory Integration – Rule #9: Stimulate more of the senses.

You can do more to manage ADHD
Fidgeting helps ADHD people stay focused

Vision – Rule #10: Vision trumps all other senses.

Gender – Rule #11: Male and female brains are different.

Girls with ADHD face special challenges

Exploration – Rule #12: We are powerful and natural explorers.

Did you read the book or learn anything here you didn’t know about how the brain works?  Let us know in the comments.

Congratulations on having a student who is ready for college! You are one of the lucky few – only 22% of high school students with ADHD go on to attend college. For most parents of students with ADHD it’s been a long journey getting here and you probably don’t feel out of the woods yet.

• Are you looking for a supportive college environment for a student with ADHD?
• Are you worried what will happen when your child leaves the structure and accountability of high school and home?
• Perhaps you’re concerned they’ll be swept up by the freewheeling life of college – and you know that having access to a tutoring center or getting extended time on their tests won’t be enough to help your student succeed on his or her own.

Read on!  You aren’t alone.

Every parent faces the joys and worries that come with pushing their young adult child out of the nest. But for the parent of a student with ADHD, the fear lies in knowing their child is totally in charge of making all of their own decisions in college – and is sometimes a recipe for disaster.

In fact, research has shown that as few as 5% of ADHD students who enter college end up graduating. The Edge Foundation knows how to help ADHD students be successful and we have facilitated a two year scientific study to prove* that our model works.

Find out today how Edge Foundation can help your son or daughter succeed in college.

ADHD Students are “At Risk” Students

Students with ADHD are vulnerable because ADHD impacts the higher portion of the brain that regulates executive functioning. ADHD students usually have executive function deficits in attention, planning and organization, prioritization, impulse control, memory, time management, and higher-order conceptual thinking.

Executive functioning levels are well known by researches to be a an important part of academic success. Experts agree that successful students usually have four qualities that help them achieve their goals:

1. Sticking with things even when the going gets tough (perseverance),
2. Ability to delay gratification and focus on the big picture,
3. Time management and organizational skills, and
4. Striking the right balance between fun and work.

If your student has weaknesses in at least one of these areas, they may be at risk to struggle with their ADHD in college.

ADHD students don’t have to be “at risk” students.  An Edge Coach can help teach the very skills your student needs to be successful in school.

Broaden Your Options

When your student works with an Edge Coach, the options of where to go to school broaden. You no longer have to find a school that caters to ADHD because your student can bring their support system with them!

An Edge Coach can help your student

• Get better organized
• Achieve personal goals

• Effectively manage time and
• Stick with things when the going gets rough

Call us (1-888-718-8886) or sign up today to find out more about how Edge Foundation’s proven model can help your ADHD student succeed in school.

Get Started Early

Students with ADHD shouldn’t have to fail before they get support.  Students and their families should think about getting started with a coach even before college begins. Many students find they have a first rough term. But for students with ADHD, it is surprisingly easy to fall behind and poor, or even failing, first-term grades can be a devastating blow to self-esteem and confidence.

Or perhaps your college student has already experienced these challenges. It’s not too late to have an Edge coach help them get back on track.

Our recently completed research* shows students who receive coaching have substantial gains in their overall approaches to learning — in other words, they become more effective students!

Would you like to learn more about the techniques the research proves helps students succeed? There’s no obligation if you call us (1-888-718-8886) or sign up today to find out more about how ADHD coaching can make the difference between success and failure in school.

Choose Your School Carefully

If you still feel like you want to look into schools that are focused towards learning disabilities and ADHD, here are two references that can help you choose a school that will fit your needs. But remember, very few colleges and universities will offer personal coaching. The skills your student needs won’t be taught in the tutoring center or helped with extended time taking tests.

• Peterson’s Colleges for Students with Learning Disabilities or ADD
• K & W Guide to Colleges for Students with Learning Disabilities, 10th Edition

Coaching Helps Students Succeed

Edge Foundation’s research study offers hope for students with ADHD because it definitively links coaching to improved executive functioning. And improved executive functioning means more success in school.

ADHD students who participated in Edge coaching sessions demonstrated statistically significant, higher executive functioning than ADHD students who did not receive coaching. *

Coaching has long been used by the corporate world to improve performance of CEOs and executives, but little study had been done until now on the impact this particular kind of intervention has on those living with ADHD.

While medication can improve academic productivity (better note-taking, scores on quizzes and worksheets, and homework completion), medication alone is not associated with skills like better learning, reading or the ability to apply knowledge, all of which are critical in a successful post secondary education.  Coaching will!

If you’re still on the fence about whether or not your student needs an Edge coach, today is the day to take the first step.  If you need a little more convincing before you sign up, why not download our free guide to college success?

FREE White Paper: ADHD and College Success

Yes! Please send me the…

Included in the guide are 60 practical solutions for typical ADHD challenges including:

• Using creative ways, like music, to keep yourself on schedule
• Working with your urge to procrastinate, not against it
• How to study smarter, not harder
• How to use fidgeting to stay focused
• 4 student qualities for success

Sign up today to receive your copy. It’s free, jam-packed with tips and ideas you can start using today, and you are under no obligation to buy anything else. What have you got to lose?

*The Edge Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to helping students reach their academic, professional, and social potential through the support of personal coaching.  For more on our research study visit http://www.edgefoundation.org/information/research/edge-research-executive-summary/.Back to top…

Included in the whitepaper are 60 practical solutions for typical ADHD challenges. Highlights include:

• Using creative ways, like music, to keep yourself on schedule
• Working with your urge to procrastinate, not against it
• How to study smarter, not harder
• How to use fidgeting to stay focused
• 4 student qualities for success

Everything you need to know about ADHD, college, and living your dreams. Download your FREE copy at the bottom of this link today!

Congratulations on being  ready for college! You are one of the lucky few – only 22% of high school students with ADHD go on to attend college. For most students with ADHD it’s been a long journey getting here and you probably a little worried about cutting it in college.

• Are you looking for a supportive college environment that’s supportive of ADHD?
• Are you worried what will happen when you the structure and accountability of high school and home?
• Perhaps you’ve been swept up by the freewheeling life of college – and you know that having access to a tutoring center isn’t what you need to get back on track.

Read on!  You aren’t alone.

College is an exciting time.  So many new opportunities and responsibilities. But when you have ADHD, and are totally in charge of making all of their own decisions for the first time – and can be a recipe for disaster.

In fact, research has shown that as few as 5% of ADHD students who enter college end up graduating. The Edge Foundation knows how to help ADHD students be successful and we have facilitated a two year scientific study to prove* that our model works.

Find out today how Edge Foundation can help you succeed in college.

ADHD Students are “At Risk” Students

Students with ADHD are vulnerable because ADHD impacts the higher portion of the brain that regulates executive functioning. ADHD students usually have executive function deficits in attention, planning and organization, prioritization, impulse control, memory, time management, and higher-order conceptual thinking.

Executive functioning levels are well known by researches to be a an important part of academic success. Experts agree that successful students usually have four qualities that help them achieve their goals:

1. Sticking with things even when the going gets tough (perseverance),
2. Ability to delay gratification and focus on the big picture,
3. Time management and organizational skills, and
4. Striking the right balance between fun and work.

If you have weaknesses in at least one of these areas, you may be at risk to struggle with ADHD in college.

ADHD students don’t have to be “at risk” students.  An Edge Coach can help teach the very skills you need to be successful in school.

Broaden Your Options

When you work with an Edge Coach, the options of where to go to school broaden. You no longer have to find a school that caters to ADHD because you can bring your support system with you!

An Edge Coach can help you

• Get better organized
• Achieve personal goals

• Effectively manage time and
• Stick with things when the going gets rough

Call us (1-888-718-8886) or sign up today to find out more about how Edge Foundation’s proven model can help you succeed in school.

Get Started Early

Students with ADHD shouldn’t have to fail before they get support.  Students and their families should think about getting started with a coach even before college begins. Many students find they have a first rough term. But for students with ADHD, it is surprisingly easy to fall behind and poor, or even failing, first-term grades can be a devastating blow to self-esteem and confidence.

Or perhaps you’ve already these challenges. It’s not too late to have an Edge coach help you get back on track.

Our recently completed research* shows students who receive coaching have substantial gains in their overall approaches to learning — in other words, they become more effective students!

Would you like to learn more about the techniques the research proves helps students succeed? There’s no obligation if you call us (1-888-718-8886) or sign up today to find out more about how ADHD coaching can make the difference between success and failure in school.

Choose Your School Carefully

If you still feel like you want to look into schools that are focused towards learning disabilities and ADHD, here are two references that can help you choose a school that will fit your needs. But remember, very few colleges and universities will offer personal coaching. The skills you need won’t be taught in the tutoring center or helped with extended time taking tests.

• Peterson’s Colleges for Students with Learning Disabilities or ADD
• K & W Guide to Colleges for Students with Learning Disabilities, 9th Edition

Coaching Helps Students Succeed

Edge Foundation’s research study offers hope for students with ADHD because it definitively links coaching to improved executive functioning. And improved executive functioning means more success in school.

ADHD students who participated in Edge coaching sessions demonstrated statistically significant, higher executive functioning than ADHD students who did not receive coaching. *

Coaching has long been used by the corporate world to improve performance of CEOs and executives, but little study had been done until now on the impact this particular kind of intervention has on those living with ADHD.

While medication can improve academic productivity (better note-taking, scores on quizzes and worksheets, and homework completion), medication alone is not associated with skills like better learning, reading or the ability to apply knowledge, all of which are critical in a successful post secondary education.  Coaching will!

If you’re still on the fence about whether or not you need an Edge coach, today is the day to take the first step.  If you need a little more convincing before you sign up, why not download our free guide to college success?

FREE White Paper: ADHD and College Success

Yes! Please send me the…

Included in the guide are 60 practical solutions for typical ADHD challenges including:

• Using creative ways, like music, to keep yourself on schedule
• Working with your urge to procrastinate, not against it
• How to study smarter, not harder
• How to use fidgeting to stay focused
• 4 student qualities for success

Sign up today to receive your copy. It’s free, jam-packed with tips and ideas you can start using today, and you are under no obligation to buy anything else. What have you got to lose?

Back to top…

Ever tried to do two or more things at once?  Like doing homeworkand listening to your music?  Or listening to a talk and doodling your notes?  Did it work for you?

Those secondary “mindless” tasks (the doodling and the listening to the music) are what the Edge Foundation’s Executive Director, Sarah Wright, calls fidgeting.

A bored ADHD brain is a sluggish brain

“Everyone thinks of fidgeting as those restless movements we do when we’re bored, but really it’s more than that,” she explains.  “One of the things we know about an ADHD brain is that when it gets bored, it gets sluggish.  Literally.  In brain scans of people with ADHD doing boring repetitive tasks, we can see that pretty quickly the pre frontal cortex slows down.  One of the reasons stimulant medications are thought to work for ADHD is that they correct for this.  When compared to the general population, it is pretty clear people with ADHD just require a higher base level of stimulation to stay comfortably alert and focused.”

Fidgeting helps people with ADHD stay focused

Fidget to Focus is the book Sarah co-authored with Dr. Roland Rotz.  They make the case that instead of being a distraction, certain mindless tasks-like listening to music or doodling on paper or chewing gum or standing up at your desk-are really ways to help self-regulate and stay focused. Fidget to Focus was just featured in ADDitude magazine online.

She explains, “All adults self-regulate with sensory-motor activities.  When we get tired of sitting at our desks, we get up for a cup of coffee.  We switch on the radio in the car to keep us interested while driving.  We maybe splash some cold water on our faces to perk up.  Even as adults we need the right balance of sensory-motor stimulation to keep us in our comfort zone.

“Kids need more.  They need more frequent, more intense, and more variety of sensory-motor stimulation than adults does to stay in their comfort zone.  If you try to take those stimulating things away, they’ll just find something else.  And this is true for all kids, not just those with ADHD.  But because of the way the ADHD brain works, people with ADHD will essentially always need more stimulation than those without ADHD. It’s just a matter of degree.”

Three tips for self-regulating with fidgeting:

Sarah and her co-author emphasize three important points in Fidgeting to Focus that you can start using today.

1.       The great thing about fidgeting is that it’s perfectly natural.  Everyone does it.  The trick is to do it intentionally.  If you do it right, you can manage your ADHD symptoms in a way that’s totally unnoticeable to everyone else.

2.       It’s important to fidget respectfully: doing it in a way that works for you but that doesn’t bother the people around you.  For example, clicking your pen repeatedly during a meeting might not be so cool, but fiddling with a paperclip under the table would be soundless and invisible.

3.       It’s important to realize that a good fidget shouldn’t compete with the primary tasks.  For instance, if you need your eyes for reading, listening to music will be a better fidget than watching the TV.  If you need to listen, doodling or pacing will be a better fidget than being plugged into your iPod.

And ADHD coach can help you figure out which fidget help you focus, and which ones are getting in  your way.  We’d love to hear from you.  What fidget works for you?

Editor’s Note:

University of Central Florida study confirms fidgeting helps kids with ADHD concentrate as reported in the Orlando Sentinal, May 25, 2009.

Teachers in Minnesota and Wisconsin have been experimenting with flexible desks that allow children the option to either stand or sit at them.  The New York Times reported that researchers from the University of Minnesota have been studying the impact of these flexible desks on the academic outcomes of children using them.

Finally, a study published in the journal of Applied Cognitive Psychology shows that doodling actually improves your ability to remember details, rather than indicating your mind is wandering.

Here at Edge, we know that fidgeting can be used successfully to help manage ADHD symptoms.  In 2005 our Executive Director, Sarah Wright, co-authored, Fidget to Focus:  Outwit Your Boredom: Sensory Strategies for Living with ADD.  Next month we’ll tell you more about this book that started it all! In the meantime, take a look at these reports – perhaps they’ll give you ideas of things to do at school or work to improve your focus.  An ADHD coach can also help you discover which strategies work best for you.

Did you already know that fidgeting was a way that helped you focus?  Tell us about it.  We’d love hearing from you about how you keep your edge!