Garry
05-28-03, 10:12 PM
Maegdlyn Morris wrote a pretty good dissertation on ADHD and
memory. The is only one thing here that I would disagree with, and
that _very_ strongly.
She wrote...
> Every character flaw forces us to develop others to compensate.
> Its a matter of discovering what they are.
ADHD-x is NOT a character flaw -- it's mental wiring. A character
flaw could be fixed by counseling, therapy, and behavior modification.
While those are used in many cases (but not nearly as many as they should be) with ADHD therapy, all they can do for us is help us develop mechanisms to compensate for our "problem".
ADHD is the result of the way the brain develops,
and as such is "static".
Character is learned and can be changed -- either for good or bad. So Character is "dynamic".
Another way of looking at it is that your brain is like a "application program" that you purchased from -- say -- Microsoft.
Of course, it doesn't work as it was billed. They are design
problems left in it.
So, they issue an update.
But in our case they issue it as a code "patch" that has to be started _each_ time the program is started. Slip up, and don't execute the patch code, and the program goes back to ADHD as bad as it ever had it.
I refuse to argue as to whether a Microsoft program that doesn't
work correctly is a "character flaw" or not. ;)
If I haven't described this clearly, then let me know and I'll try
later when I have more time.
Chuck
memory. The is only one thing here that I would disagree with, and
that _very_ strongly.
She wrote...
> Every character flaw forces us to develop others to compensate.
> Its a matter of discovering what they are.
ADHD-x is NOT a character flaw -- it's mental wiring. A character
flaw could be fixed by counseling, therapy, and behavior modification.
While those are used in many cases (but not nearly as many as they should be) with ADHD therapy, all they can do for us is help us develop mechanisms to compensate for our "problem".
ADHD is the result of the way the brain develops,
and as such is "static".
Character is learned and can be changed -- either for good or bad. So Character is "dynamic".
Another way of looking at it is that your brain is like a "application program" that you purchased from -- say -- Microsoft.
Of course, it doesn't work as it was billed. They are design
problems left in it.
So, they issue an update.
But in our case they issue it as a code "patch" that has to be started _each_ time the program is started. Slip up, and don't execute the patch code, and the program goes back to ADHD as bad as it ever had it.
I refuse to argue as to whether a Microsoft program that doesn't
work correctly is a "character flaw" or not. ;)
If I haven't described this clearly, then let me know and I'll try
later when I have more time.
Chuck