Can I just say that I really love WordPress? Yes, I even have a t-shirt. These emails are another reason I love WordPress. Each time you “Like” your own article you receive an email like this – and no matter how many times I “like” my articles and receive this email, I still get a kick out of it.
WordPress acts humorously.
I wasn’t diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) until I was an adult, that said, in retrospect the symptoms were fairly clear throughout my childhood and teenage years. ADD is traditionally associated with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), but ADHD is actually a type of ADD. ADHD is best known b/c it has all the symptoms of ADD PLUS a huge bundle of energy and externally inappropriate behavior (e.g. talking in class, running when one should be sitting, etc.) that are highly visible. Someone with ADD can much more easily fly under the radar since most of their symptoms will be internal rather than external.
The cerebellum is largely responsible for coordinating the unconscious aspects of proprioception. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Anyways, I’ve written up this short post for those who have asked me how I manage being ADD. This article fits nicely alongside my previous article, “Surviving the Darkness: A Crash Course in Muddling Through Anxiety, Depression, And So On.” Now I just need to write another article on Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (emphasis on Scrupulosity) and I’ll have shared my coping techniques for all my major mental ills.
Mental Disorders should be diagnosed by a professional (psychiatrist/psychologist). Why? Because the various disorders can overlap in various ways. For example, my anxiety may appear as ADD as it drains all my attention from what I need to be focusing on. Or conversely, my anxiety could be caused by my inability to focus which is in turn caused by my ADD. You really don’t want to try and treat the wrong thing. While there is overlap in the symptoms, the treatments are oftentimes significantly different – and you could spend years unsuccessfully battling ADD when you really have x (or nothing at all).
So, I suggest talking to a psychiatrist/psychologist as a first step if you believe there is something amiss with your brain.
I know, I know, you don’t want to hear about medication – but I’m going to tell you about it anyways. I don’t want to suggest that folks go on pills if they don’t need them – on the other hand, if your psychiatrist believes you have a disorder and thinks medication is a good mode of treatment – I’d encourage you to consider it, especially for ADD. Why? Because you will be able to tell within a few days if you respond to the medication. For me, I think the first day I started taking Adderall it made a huge difference in my ability to focus…and has continued to have significant dividends for me.
I currently take the generic form of Adderall XR at a dosage of 20 mg per day – this is a relatively low dose. See the end of this article for an Appendix discussing in more detail medication – but for now, I just wanted to raise it as a possibility.
It is important to understand the nature of your illness, why it occurs, what makes it worse, what makes it better, and so on. This is a process of psychoeducation. I’ve read two excellent books on the subject – and they are both excellent and I would recommend reading both. The first is Taking Charge of Adult ADHD by Dr. Russell A. Barkley. The second is Delivered from Distraction by Drs. Edward M. Hallowell and John J. Ratey. If you have to choose just one – go with Taking Charge of Adult ADHD.
These books will help normalize your experiences – demonstrating that you are not alone in what you feel and think. They will also provide you with information on medications and numerous other forms of treatment. If you don’t want to see a doctor right from the start these can provide a good starting place with their self-evaluation quizzes which demonstrate the likelihood of your having this disorder in a preliminary manner.
I play video games – particularly, historical, turn-based strategy war games…any turn-based game will do though. Why turn-based? B/c the computer takes a turn, which means you have nothing to do for a period of time – and during that time you can get some work done (e.g. homework). No, you can’t do this at work – but for tasks at home, it can be a real help.
In my case I might play a five minute turn, then begin doing research / whatever for the next twenty minutes, then take another five minute term and so on.
To some extent we have to live with the fact that we have a REALLY hard time staying on task. This just isn’t going to go away. Take the time to learn how to manage tasks and ensure that you are getting done what really needs to be done. David Allen’s excellent book Getting Things Done is a great tool in this area.
My smartphone is crucial to my successful in everyday life. My mind wanders at a million miles a minute. Without my smartphone beeping at me to eat, to attend meetings, to remember holidays – I would not, and I did not (my wife will bear witness!).
Take the opportunity to find people who have strengths in your weak areas. If you are on a team at work, try to ensure you get someone who is disciplined, orderly, time-oriented, etc. on your team. You may be a great idea person, an energetic creator – but your ability to get everything done in the required order on time may be insufficient. There is no shame in accepting the assistance of others to do better.
When I write these articles I think to myself, “Do I really want to write this? Folks are going to think I’m crazy. What if they don’t want me to work for them, or think I can’t be responsible b/c of the illnesses I struggle with?” I feel shame and guilt over my weaknesses – but the truth is they are real and I’ve got to live with them…and, honestly, most folks who interact with me don’t know I have these issues – unless they read an article like this or I tell them.
Our illnesses are a weakness, but they are also oftentimes a strength. They allow us to see things from a different perspective and to attack problems from a different angle. In spite of these weaknesses I don’t find myself producing inferior work to others…though I do find myself producing inferior work compared to my potential. But each day I progress a little further in my ability to manage these handicaps.
Don’t let others shame or guilt you if you struggle with these forms of illness. Don’t let folks make you feel stupid or like a dead weight – you aren’t. Most importantly, tell the little voice inside your head to shut up when it criticizes you, b/c that is the harshest voice of all.
There was some concern about Adderall in the past causing death in some patients. From what I understand more recent studies have shown mitigating circumstances to be involved in all deaths by patients on Adderall (but go look at the reports and ask your doctor…I’m no clinician).
When I first took Adderall it caused heart palpitations. Now, I have Wolf-Parkinson-White syndrome, so right there I have a heart condition which makes my case a bit abnormal compared to most.
That said, I took Adderall for some time and the palpitations decreased in frequency. Eventually I moved to XR (extended release) b/c Adderall is a quick-acting medication which is flushed out of the system in a matter of hours and I needed something that would help me focus throughout the day – not just for four hours. Once I began taking XR, palpitations ceased entirely, though when I later took a regular release Adderall I again experienced heart palpitations – so I stay away from them.
Again, I have WPW and have heart palpitations on occasion (and have had them for years before ever starting Adderall).
“But Dave, I don’t want to rely upon drugs.” Do you drink coffee, tea, energy drinks? Consume large amounts of sugar? Then you are already relying upon a drug. I just take one in smaller amounts under the supervision of a doctor. Which do you think is safer/healthier? 
The Singularity may be defined in different ways depending upon whom you are talking to. In this article, I’m particularly interested in discussing the utopian vision posited by Ray Kurzweil and supported by Singularity University. In this sense, ‘the singularity’ is a point of technological innovation to be pursued that will result in a fundamental disconnect from reality as we now experience it. This culmination of technological process will continue to escalate and result in beyond-humans or perfected-humans.
Ray Kurzweil at Stanford Singularity Summit. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
I’m an IT Geek. I spent the last six years working full-time in the IT world and spent most of my self-aware life before that immersing myself in technology. So, I’m interested in the singularity and I am especially interested in the ways in which technology can be utilized to improve the world we live in, for example:
I get really passionate about the ways that technology can change our lives. My smartphone has changed my life – just ask my wife. I am now a more responsible version of me b/c I have a “brain enhancement” in my smartphone that alerts me to upcoming meetings and ensures I don’t miss them.
I am an early adopter when it comes to using technology to improve health – I bought a Zeo, want a Withings, use Noom, and so on.
At the same time, I am also a Christian. I went to Cairn University for Pastoral Studies, have spent nine years as a youth minister, the last two to three years pastoring, and now am full-time as a pastor. I am passionate about Jesus in an evangelical way. I believe that Jesus has changed my life and continues to do so – and I believe He can change yours as well. Yeah, I know, I know – you may not like that – but I’m just being honest.
I believe that God has intervened in history (through Jesus) and will bring history to its ultimate consummation at some junction in the future. I believe I will become a beyond-human or perfected-human and that I have that life in seed already within me.
In other words, I believe in a Christian singularity, but I also am fascinated by a technological singularity…and I think the greatest challenge to Christian belief in the future will not be from another traditional religion (e.g. Buddhism or Islam) but from The Singularity.
“But the Singularity isn’t a religion.” In one sense it is not, but in another sense it is. It is the “higher power” to which men call out in hope of a better future. It is the way many are looking for ‘salvation’ to be realized.
“Singularity is more of a philosophy.” The fields of philosophy and religion overlap. Both are inherently a worldview which represents how one lives and acts in the world. But I digress, I don’t need to convince anyone it is a religion to suggest that it could replace religion.
I don’t want to spread FUD[1] and encourage Christians to be afraid of the singularity or to think those spearheading it are evil. I believe people who are pursuing the singularity are well-intentioned – desiring to see a better world. I do want to encourage Christians to interact more intentionally with the concept of the singularity and to talk more deeply about how it interacts with Christian theology.
Theoretically – what would keep us from “saving ourselves” via technology? The traditional answer is that we will keep ourselves from saving ourselves. But is this a legitimate answer? And if it is not, then what role should the Christian take in pursuing the singularity? Should the Christian be opposed to the singularity?
I pursue technological innovation, I pursue medical innovation, I advocate for better lives lived now – yet I also believe in Christ and His sole ability to reconcile us to Himself and one another. How do I (we) balance our belief in technological/natural progress with the belief in the necessity of divine progress?
I know this will skirt on the fringes of heresy [2] – but I think it is an important question for us to interact with: “Could God use the singularity as the means of bringing about His intended reconciliation?”
In the Singularity we are facing a variant of humanism, but perhaps it should have a different name – technologyism. We recognize our inherent flaws, but believe we can rectify them through technology (see for example, Peter Kramer’s[3] excellent book Against Depression which discusses the disease processes behind depression and how we may soon be able to “cure” these problems).
Obviously, for premillennial[4] Christians there are significant issues with a divinely guided singularity redemption, but for postmillennials or amillennials perhaps there is not such a dilemma?
At this juncture, I am positing that while it is theoretically possible that a technological singularity could “redeem” mankind, that it is practically impossible. That is, that humankind’s interactions with nature[5] and each other will ultimately sabotage such an effort. That while life exists on earth there is always the “hope” that man could “save himself” through technology, but that in reality this cannot occur. That is, in all possible universes that God could have created while retaining humanity with the freedom and design He has given us, there is no universe in which humanity would embrace technological salvation, thus the necessity of Christ’s sacrifice.
This is a variation on the Law. That is, just as the Law could theoretically result in a beyond-human/perfect-human yet it never will,[6] so a singularity could result in the same, but it never will. If it was possible, Christ would not have needed to die and rise again.
On the other hand, I am willing to contemplate the possibility that God would divinely utilize a singularity to bring about the perfection of His people. This tastes bitter to my tongue and rough to the touch of my hands – I cannot (barely) imagine it as such – but if we as Christians believe that humans[7] could be so wrong about the Messianic prophecies – is it possible we could be wrong about the end-of-the-world prophecies? Could the conquering hero come as suffering servant? Inconceivable! I cannot imagine it! But could He? I will not limit Him, I lay the matter in His hands, while embracing what seems the clearer teaching of Scripture.
“Boy, Dave, this rant came out of left-field.” Well, not exactly. It was inspired by Steve Aoki, Angger Dimas, and My Name is Kay’s music video “Singularity.” (HT: Tom Olstead/Mashable) I’ve embedded it below. Note, it is quite disturbing – it doesn’t contain offensive language or sexual content but it does portray a disturbing reality including some disconcerting forms of becoming beyond-human.
Image via CrunchBase
Jordan Novet (GigaOm) reports on Google’s upcoming API enhancements for Android devices which will allow developers to track location with minimal battery impact, trigger activities based on entering/exiting a defined geographical area (think Locale), and analyse movement patterns to determine the mode of movement (e.g. walking, bicycling, car, etc.).
I recently wrote a summary with some comments on a scholarly research journal article regarding scrupulosity – the religious form of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) on Dave Enjoys. I don’t want to turn Dave Enjoys into a blog about OCD, but I did read another article on the topic and it is probably the best article I have ever read on scrupulosity. I wrote a full summary with extracts and comments over at OCD Dave and also linked to a free PDF version of the article. So, if you are interested in the topic – go read it! If not, then just scroll on past this blog post and expect something more relevant to the site’s name (Dave Enjoys) to be coming along in the near future…
