Expert: Sharon Crandall - 12/16/2009

Question
I was tested for add as a teen and child. The results were said that I could be treated with medication but I didn't score low enough (which was boarder line). For a while in high school I was placed in special courses that I worked myself out of and later enrolled college. I always had the symptom of add , highly forgetful never remember things I just learned, terrible organization skills, and zoning out quit frequently. I now at 28 want to do something about it because I'm married and want kids.
So recently I have been on the internet looking at treatment plans and seeing side of the many medication. Everything raised the blood pressure and i now have been having those issues too. What should I do?

Answer
Hi Jamal,

Most of the so-called symptoms of ADD are actually personality traits that we are dealing with.  You may just be low on the traits of both Oral Memory and Visual Memory. Some people are not very good at organization becajuse they have other gifts.  Without seeing you I cannot tell but I can suggest a few things.  Zoning out usually comes from a very high aptitude for concentration. When something catches your mind then you get absorbed in that thought and can't hear other things going on.

There are websites that have exercises to develop your brain. I would check them out. You can retrain the brain. I have heard The Drake Institute advertised that sounds good.

As to memory you can develop a better memory by doing different things. The main thing is to practice, practice, practice. Take a picture and look very carefully at each thing in it and then cover the picture and write down as many things as you can remember. Memorize poems. Speak out loud. Make tapes or CDs of things you want to memorize and listen to them as you walk around. Some people's brains work better when they are moving around.

There are games you can buy in booklets that develop memory.  The more you use that part of your brain the more you can develop memory.

I wish I could see you and then I could tell you what is going on and what traits you need to work on, but I would check out different programs to help develop your brain and I think you will find help there.

I do hope this helps.

Sharon Crandall
www.personalityconsultant.com