Always happy to say hello. Finding a resource that provided information and support for ADHD changed my life twenty years ago. In time, I discovered that I loved researching and passing along the information that I find. Writing? Not so much. I depend on the kindness of others to share their work. As you see, there are a lot of generous people in the field of ADHD.
Take care.
Joan Jager
I just need good advice about treatment
For medication
In Belgium thy are so stupid about adhd
Do thy use a low doses of antipsychotic?????
I find this scary
Greetings Nadine
Nadine, You need resources closer to home. Google ADHD and Belguim to find a few websites and support groups. There’s even a conference in October. Stimulant medications, rather than antipsychotics, are the first line of meds to use for ADHD. There are also a few non-stimulants like Strattera or Intuniv.
Anti-psychotics are used mostly for very difficult behaviors that are making a child, their teachers and/or parents very frustrated. (Like Conduct disorder or Oppositional Defiant Disorder. There’s help available. Keep reaching out for information and if you feel that the symptoms sound VERY familiar, look into getting diagnosed and treated. (There are a number of useful strategies to use in addition to medication or instead of it, but it’s harder than when you find a medication that works well for you.
Good luck, Joan Jager
Please contact about Attention magazine interest
Sorry, Maureen,
I cannot figure out what you want. I am NOT associated with CHADD, the organization that puts out Attention magazine as a privilege of membership. Contact them through their website. http://chadd.org
ADDitude Magazine is also a great resource. The magazine goes into greater depth than articles on their website, but both are good.
Joan Jager
Hello Joan,
I appreciate this website. As someone who had to wait until their 30s for information about ADHD to become accessible enough for me to consider that I might have the condition, I really wish that this batch of resources was available to people like me earlier in life.
However I just wanted to bring something to your attention if it wasn’t already on your list of things to take care of. The first is that ADD is typically an outmoded term these days, and its use is considered not representative of the full picture. The second and much more important of what I’m writing to you about today is the use of images with jigsaw puzzle pieces.
These images are considered offensive in the neurodiverse community, as it is felt that the image of the puzzle piece paints an image of us being incomplete or “missing” some vital components that neurotypical people have. Indeed, the history of the puzzle piece to represent neurodiverse people started with an Autism hate group (details here: https://autisticadvocacy.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/AutismSpeaksFlyer2020.pdf)
Not here to criticize, just making you aware of some possible sensitivity edits that may make your site, and the good work you’re doing with it, more palatable to a modern neurodiverse audience.
Kindest regards, Ben
Ben,
I am aware. Thanks for being interested enough to reach out. I meant no disrespect by those choices made fifteen years ago. I’m sorry that you found them concerning. Unfortunately, I am no longer adding to my websites, barely maintain them by updating links that have broken, and am unlikely to make any changes. Also, in the last three years I have forgotten many of the tricks I used in past website development. I only keep the sites going because they remain popular with a certain audience and I stand by most of the information offered. If I continue the sites another year, I will consider doing the research I would need to find a new symbol and change the featured puzzle pieces picture.
I chose the name in response to a non-profit organization I was involved with for many years, ADD Resources. My reaction was to the need for membership to share in the many of the resources we offered, thus the use of free in my own name. My Pinterest and website pages have been locked into the name ADD freeSources since their inception. ADHD free is owned by someone else. Nor do I want to project the idea that ADHD is something that goes away with some miracle method of treatment that I offer.
I’ve also heard about the negative association of puzzle pieces within the autism spectrum community. At the time I chose the icon, ADHD was not necessarily seen as a part of the neurodiverse community. My use of the puzzle pieces refers to the difficulty of getting an accurate diagnosis because of the many comorbid conditions that accompany ADHD. Each new piece of information is a part of the puzzle that adds to the picture. This aids in developing one’s personal abilities, comfort and acceptance of self.
Again, thank you for reaching out. At least someone is still finding the information valuable. Those are both items that have bothered me as well. Just not enough to do the rebranding that changing them would involve.
Take care,
Joan Jager
ADD freeSources