Has anybody else seen the new commercial for adult AD/HD?

I saw it last night during the Simpsons. I really think that was a good audience too..lol

I don't really pay attention to commercials either and it got my attention.

Of course I don't remember the details of it but they gave out this website address http://www.adultaddtest.com

Here's a link to see the commercial

http://my.webmd.com/content/article/66/79690.htm?z=4199_00001_2207_IN_25

I caught a glimpse of it but think I missed part of it. What I saw of it was good. Just the fact that they are letting others know that ADD exists in adults is a great thing, IMO. Too many people are under the impression that it's only temporary and goes away in all cases.

I think it's a step in the right direction. Hey, maybe before long, there will be adults who openly admit having ADD without shame and embarrassment.

Or....well....we can hope.

Well, I as an adult would gladly admit openly that I have ADD.....the shame and embarrassment are from others judging and thinking there is something wrong with me....I would like to see ADD accepted in our society as much as diabetes, cancer and other diseases where there is little stigma attached....Where I could go into a new workplace and openly admit I have this thing...and it would be okay and I wouldn't have to get defensive about it...or explain or be afraid of looking like the "problem" employee...so perhaps this commercial is a step in the right direction....

Yes, to see it accepted like diabetes would be great. I'm so sick and tired of people and even doctors (!) who don't "believe in" ADD. Like we're talking about a religion or something. It's not a matter of *belief.* Arrrrgh.

What It Is Like To Have " LTD " Linear Thinker Disorder (http://www.addforums.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1316)

I saw it last night. It's a step in the right direction, but I would probably not have recognized myself from it if I didn't know I had ADD.

Did anyone else feel this way?

I think the channel-flipping analogy is great, my family will probably recognize me in that- it drives them nuts when I watch 2 (or more) shows at one time. Thanks for the link! I'll be emailing that to friends and family so they can better understand what it's like for me.

I've yet to catch this commercial from the beginning.

Must be nice, forceforgood, to be able to send f & f a link on ADD. I can only imagine my mother laughing her head off in disbelief when the commercial comes on.

She doesn't "believe in" ADD. <sigh>

The only station I have seen it on so far is FOX.

I think the commercial is good in that it will help friends and family to see how difficult it is for me to concentrate, but bad in that it doesn't really give an accurate picture of how at least my particular ADD works-

I would have had the speaker say something like the word "lighthouse" and had that echo into another train of thought, like how you'd ridden your bicycle to the lighthouse, then going off into how you need to oil your chain, and then go off into how high gas prices are, etc...

As it was made, the images were random, and it kind of makes it seem like our brains are totally defective and that we're somewhat crazy and out of touch with reality, and that's not the case.

So lets create our own commericial

Ill start a post in Chit Chat

Hey, I saw that on TV, went to the web site and took the test.

Now, I'm afraid I'm one of you guys, but I can't be, I'm an old dude 57, and all I've ever been told is that I'm "bored"....

Could this ADD thing be what's wrong with me?

I'm scared.

TopCat dont be Scared youve been like this for 57 years nothing changed except there is a name for the way you are.

Look to the positive of everthing and then the negatives dont seem so bad

Okay, I saw the commercial in it's entirety. I do agree with aforce but I think it's a start.

I'm hoping that this is just the first of a series of Adult ADD commercials.

Hey, I heard the commercial on the radio too. That's good too. I hope it causes more people to "believe in" it one day. It would surely save many of us a lot of heartache.

Garry Lawton Thanks for the positive thougnt, but can you hear what a Dr. is going to say when I tell him I think I might have AADD?

He'll think I'm nuts......

I think you might be surprised at the doctors reaction

but do take the time to reserch the proper doctor to go to

Lots of help here to help your reserch it

You're right, I'm in the market for a new Dr. anyway I might as well try to find one that knows a little something about add along the way.

Don't know of any online sites that can help me find a Dr. like that in my area do you?

I live in Dayton Ohio.

How about it anyone, know of a good Dr. around here for me??????

check the CHADD.org website, I'm sure there'd be something there to help you. After a fashion, anyway.

They don't refer Doctors, but your best bet anyway might be to go to a few meetings (they are for adults even though the definition is CHADD) and ask people about the doctors they've seen and which ones they liked and which they didn't.

All doctors are not created or trained equal.

I saw it a couple of weeks ago. It's what prompted me to see my doctor and now she's setting up an appointment for me to see a specialist.

I just don't subscribe to the 'I should be ashamed of the way a great and awesome God made me', perspective!! I will, and have, openly admit(ed) to anyone that I have ADHD!

MightyMouse

Originally posted by joanrdtobe
Well, I as an adult would gladly admit openly that I have ADD.....the shame and embarrassment are from others judging and thinking there is something wrong with me....I would like to see ADD accepted in our society as much as diabetes, cancer and other diseases where there is little stigma attached....Where I could go into a new workplace and openly admit I have this thing...and it would be okay and I wouldn't have to get defensive about it...or explain or be afraid of looking like the "problem" employee...so perhaps this commercial is a step in the right direction....

I think the ADD commercial can be a good thing, buthere is the only problem I see with the ADD Commercial. If you have a pharmaceutical company suddenly bump up advertisement for a drug only after the legaslative passage of the IDEA HR681.2(I think that is right) admendment, people will just see it as propaganda. Watch the commercial, then go to the website. It is not about identifying persons with ADD/ADHD it is about selling the drug Stratera. Now I am not putting Stratera down, it may be wonderful, but this exposure is not about 'promoting health' by raising awareness of ADD/ADHD. It is about raising pharmaceutical sales by targeting a new market, Adult, not kids forced to take meds before they can be admitted into school. I don't mean to be a negative Nelly, - just read my previous posts - but before we go hailing this thing as a God-send and getting behind it, we need to understand who it is we are endorsing. I am the first person to stand up for the rasing of tolerance and understanding for ADHD, however, I do not want to be pitied as if there is something terrrible wrong with me (like cancer - sorry to use your specific example Joanrdtobe- no personal offense meant). I am just another guy who does things a little differently. If we want to raise awareness then it should be the ADD/ADHD community do the raising.

Some of the consequences to these commercial is the perpetuation of the ideology that ADD is NOT a 'real' disorder/disease that it is just something the pharmaceutical industry has made up to sell drugs. Now, we all know that is laughable, but their are a lot of people out there that think that is true and having exposure increased by pharmaceutical companies only adds substantiation to their argument.

Just think about it.

Mightymouse

I am not saying something good cannot come out of it. I am only saying that we should handle it carefully if that is to happen.

I agree that it's a double edge sword...

People may also be impressed that Eli Llliy is the only pharmaceutical that "cares enough" to educate the public about AD/HD. The truth is that Eli Llly is the only pharmaceutical who can advertise their product for adult AD/HD because Strattera is the only AD/HD medication which has actually been approved by the FDA for adult AD/HD.

Originally posted by MightyMouse
I just don't subscribe to the 'I should be ashamed of the way a great and awesome God made me', perspective!!

MightyMouse



mightmouse, question for you: you think when God made you, he included the add? i think not.i think that came after "He" made "Us".therefore it makes sense what joan is saying.the shame and embarrassment is there for her.and thats ok and understandable.because the add are not Gods doing.and so neither are the shame and embarrasment.they are part of the makeup of this disesae.someof us have it some of us dont.its not ALL of the disease just a part of it.and there are no should feel this should feel that.you either feel some things with add or you dont.and she feels that.

Please, no religous debates here!

pleze forgive me here tara.wenta little nuts here withthe religious debates.sorry.wont happen again:( :(

Hey Mightymouse: I hear ya....Ya want me to "preach it"??????:) Listen, I'm not a lot ashamed, just a little, and only about the part of my ADD that messes up my life.....the part that makes me slower than most, makes it harder for me to grasp things, etc. I don't openly admit my ADD to all people like you, just some.....

dannydorm. I'm sorry could you restate your reply. I have read it through half a dozen times and I just don't understand what you are trying to say.

MightyMouse

Sorry!! I posted a restatement request before I read down to LivingwithADD's erquest for no religious debates - not that that was the direction I was trying to head, it wasn't. Dannydorm is welcome to restate his answer and I will respond, but I agree that my first post was not a religious issue.

MightyMouse

Originally posted by MightyMouse
dannydorm. I'm sorry could you restate your reply. I have read it through half a dozen times and I just don't understand what you are trying to say.

MightyMouse

please allow me to clarify further the 1st post I made and give examples. One of the largest problems quickly developing from these commercials is a trend of 'fashion disase'. A lot of people are watching these commercials and suddenly pinning all of their life's problems on the fact that they have ADD because they saw a commercial that resembled something they think they are experiencing. Yes, some will see these commercials and finally be diagnosed correctly. Also, however, millions of others will see it self-diagnose and go around telling other 'they have ADD' and that's why they can't work, be on time to appointments, do good quality work, be nice to others, sit through class, ... Do you see where I'm going here. I am already seeing it in some people. When I tell some people I have ADHD they immediately say "oh. you must have seen that new commercail that's out. Right. ADHD. " My condition is immediately dismissed as being just a fashonable illness. Just like depression used to be and to some extent still is. Now, where is all the good and recognition coming from this? What little bit you recieve from the commercial is out weighed by a change in the general public's perception of ADD into an imaginary illness. In conjuction with that, a lot of other mental/learning disorders mimic signs of ADD/ADHD: depression, schizophrenia, Bipolar, dyslexia, the list goes on. So, many people are seeing these commercials, self-diagnosis ADHD and/or leading their doctors on to believe that is their problem (see DSM-IV-TR, malingering) when they need to be treated for an entirely diferrent disease, that Stratera will not help and in the process of all of this they are mis-representing what having ADD/ADHD is like and what we are infact capable of doing.
Once again let me reiterate that something good can come from these commercial; however, inorder for that to happen we need to make sure the general public is being properly educated about what ADD/ADHD really is and that having it does not make us LESS, it simply makes us different.

True Mightymouse.....And it wrecks it for those of us who legitimately DO have ADD....not a fasionable illness we developed yesterday based on a self-diagnosis from a TV commercial....I believe all of your points are valid....but how to convince the non-ADD'ers out there (and I'm talking about those that would never even think they have ADD, whether they have seen a commercial or not) that ADD does not make us LESS, it simply makes us different....I mean my biggest fear/dread/concern now is I'm interviewing for jobs now...(4 are on the burner) and I will get one and I will have to pretend I am normal....And do my best with it....Nope, not saying a thing....I've been forewarned many times on these Forums about the consequences of telling an employer about my ADD....and asking for accommodations...anyway, not to get off track Mightymouse, but I mentioned embarrassment and shame a few posts back...This is where mine stems from....Needing to hide mine, pretending I'm normal...SOOOO the job I take needs to be ADD-friendly without the employer knowing he/she is offering me an ADD friendly job!!....Thank goodness I'm aware enough now to ascertain just what an ADD friendly job looks like for me.....

P.S. What I am capable of doing? They will see that too....but not until later....I feel like I have to hide what I'm incapable of doing first before that comes....

Thanks for your enlightening posts Mightymouse....

Hey guys- the only purpose of that commercial is to prote a realitively new product by Lilly called Strattera . It is a non- stimulant medication that works much like SSRI's do, except for it's main action is on the noroephinefrine reubtake inhibitors. It is nothing all that new, as Effexor currently is the most widly perscribed noroephinefrine reuptake inhibitor. People seem to have mixed results with it. For me, however, I will stick with what works Adderall!

What you are saying is at the heart of our discussion. Go back and read a few of the previous posts if you want a more indepth idea of what we have been debating. However, be careful about Effexor. Yes it does have a nor-epinephrine reuptake inhibitor componet (NERI); however, it is considered one of the new (although it has been around for at least 6 yrears) drugs used to treat depression because it is a combination of NERI's and SSRI's. I participated in a study for it that tested to see its effectiveness for ADD/ADHDers. It was not all that helpful.

MightyMouse

Originally posted by nscott
Hey guys- the only purpose of that commercial is to prote a realitively new product by Lilly called Strattera . It is a non- stimulant medication that works much like SSRI's do, except for it's main action is on the noroephinefrine reubtake inhibitors. It is nothing all that new, as Effexor currently is the most widly perscribed noroephinefrine reuptake inhibitor. People seem to have mixed results with it. For me, however, I will stick with what works Adderall!

That is what I am saying, here. It is<b><i> our</i></b> job to educate whoever we can. I can commiserate with your employment situation, but hiding your condition does not help anyone. I have been fired before because of my condition and I have been rejected from jobs I was certainly qualified for because I told an employer about my condition. But - and this is my personal feelings here - I can sleep at night being comfortable with who I am and not having to deal with other people's issues. In job interviews, I don't call it a "disorder" I call it a "paridigm shift differential" -there's a buzz word for you, most of the time that alone confuses them unenough to pretend that they agree with what I am saying (ha!ha!)- and I outline to my employer how having an employee like me provides a benefit to the company and how I actually do a better job than a non-ADDer. Bottom-line: interviews are nothing more than a sales and marketing situations. you market yourself well enough and do the job to the best of your abilities and not only will you get the job that is right for you, but you will create an ADD-friendly employer who will look for other ADDers to hire.

We live in a post-modern world and no one is better adapted to it than the ADDer. Take a look at cotemporary commercials. Nothing more than rapid subject and attention shifts. If that isn't ADD friendly then what is? We do have deficits in some areas, but we also have benefits in others.

As far as your PS. those are questions only you can answer. I found them and so can you. If you would like to know how I did you are welcome to email me privately (aquaticflea@yahoo.com) My answer maybe right for you , maybe not, but I will be happy to tell you what I have found. All you can do is know who you are and what you can do, the rest is out of your hands.

MightyMouse

PS nscott: I agree Adderall rocks!!

Mighymouse: I am not "hiding" my condition (and yes it does help someone, it helps ME)......I simply choose to protect myself from telling those people out there who could possibly use my ADD against me....check out the thread "Have You Told Anyone About Your ADD".....There is some GREAT dialogue there....about reasons to really watch out.....and be cautious especially in the workplace.......as knowledge by our bosses or co-workers of our ADD can really hurt us....I truly believe educating the public about ADD sounds good on paper....but frankly do they care to know??? Unless of course 1) they have it themselves or 2) a family member or child has it. I think the general public doesn't really care to get educated or aware....People are threatened by other people's differences period.....So if they hear of my "paradigm shift differential"....i.e. in the case of a potential employer....I truly believe they will either laugh in my face or at least judge me behind my back....and I will never be employed or stay employed very long...and I already have a horrendous employment history....Now this is reality......THerefore as I said, I need to hide it until it doesn't matter anymore....THen I will sleep comfortably at night. I will know who am I and ONLY the appropriate people in my life, i.e. loved ones and friends, will know as well....That's me......but I appreciate your points......

P.S. WHen I see on a job qualifications list "must be ADD in order to be hired", I will let you know:)

In my personal experience, no one has ever accepted me until I have accepted myself. I am not saying that it is simple or easy and I certainly did not intend to imply that you are being lesser for "hiding" your AD/HD. If I did then I sincerely apologize. It is just that in my experience the only times I have been dismissed or discriminated against are the times I have allowed myself to be. I could really care less if someone is laughing or judging me behind my back. That is their character flaw, not mine. But if we don't start demonstrating to people that we will not be considered sick, silly, hypochondradic, troublesome, etc. then who will? Do you really think people will just start giving us more credit out of the goodness of their hearts? No. We have to give them reasons to. We have to bring awareness to the surface. They will continue to consider us troublesome until we prove to them differently.

Now, it may not even be you that reaps the benefits of this whole experience I have been writing about, but that does not mean that the next ADDer behind you won't. Their have been many jobs that I did not get that I really wanted because of my ADD, but I later found out that the company has now hired someone with ADD because of the impression I made on them. They weren't ready to take the 'leap of faith' with me, but eventually they did.

P.S. In my ad for hiring workers for my program it explicitly states, "Non-AD/HD persons need not apply."

Well good luck to you MM and I hope the non-ADDer's who are not allowed to apply don't feel THEY are being discriminated against.....:) If THEY can do the job, they legally have a right to apply....

And I do accept myself....(struggling with ADD does not mean I do not accept myself)....you have no idea...otherwise I would not have taken the leap of faith in going half way around the country the last year and half getting trained and schooled in exactly what I want to do for a living.....

But by all means, let's continue to bring ADD awareness to the surface. Let's continue to try to prove to them differently that we're really great....No harm in trying I guess -- even though you and I will be 95 before they stop seeing us as troublesome....or a possible hindrance or different...A losing battle in my opinion......And I do care if I'm laughed at behind my back...(they call that scapegoating).....If that's the consequences of making people aware of ADD, I say no thanks....I'll keep it to myself, thanks....:)

How do you know a company (that you had previously applied to) hired someone with ADD? WHy was this made common knowledge in the first place? I can see it now. I apply to a hospital as a dietitian...and they don't hire me because of my ADD....then I learn a year later they hire someone with ADD? Fat chance....Nothing would have changed.....But even if they did, my question is....How would the fact of her ADD have become common knowledge? She advertised it? Hmmmmm. Anyway, good luck MM....:) I'm staying cautious....

I must really be behind on watching TV, because I just saw it this past week for the first time. I guess the TV is not on much.

Mighty Mouse

I just scanned all the posts from start to finish about the comercial and then I saw this

P.S. In my ad for hiring workers for my program it explicitly states, "Non-AD/HD persons need not apply."


What program are you hiring ADD people for or is this an example of how you would hire some one

I am developing an outreach program for children with learning disabilities. We hire tutors, counselors, etc. They provide services to the immediate community and we have several teams - I require everyone to participate in at least one team per year - that will travel to rural, poverty-stricken areas in the US (this is focused on the Appalachian Mts regions) and we conduct community-wide programs to educate the community in both general health, mental health, and learning disabilities. I advertise "non-addeers need not apply" because 98% of who I deal with are AD/HDers.

Hope that answers your question.

MM

Has anybody seen the new commercial? They have made some changes since it 1st came out.

Nope not yet is it on the web like the last one

Where and when did you see the new one? I would really like to see it. If you happen to find another link to the new one please post it so we can see it.

Thanks,

MM

Originally posted by livingwithadd
Has anybody seen the new commercial? They have made some changes since it 1st came out.

I realized and shocked I have Add after I saw that commercial.It was like the story of my life...I started to cry :(
Anyway I already had an appoinment for the next day with a therapist (because i couldn't concentrate on anything.)
I had no idea about adult add.

I think the comercial gives the wrong idea!

Someone else mentioned earlier that there should have been some "connectives".

I dont just jump off topic at random - well sort of i do but there are always "paths" that lead you there.

Then quickly I will forget what was the topic and just go off on some tangent.

If I was not dx'ed already - I would not identify with that commercial.

- I think of it only as a sales pitch by the drug pushers! (thats what I call my Doctor). Hey.. dont feel well - heres some pills.... I absolutelly hate that!!!!!!!!!!

It has took a long time to see the symptoms in myself - But the biggest clues to me are, "ping pong head", "brain fog", "where did I put my wallet? syndrome", "What were you saying?" Walking around in circles trying to figure out what you were supposed to be doing - The overly excitted state you enter when something new attracts yuor attention....Tripping over my front steps and banging into my van EVERY morning because im rushing due to being late EVERY day.... Get the picture? These things seem to define you / me.

However I am quite succesfull in more areas than anyone I know! (arogent self centered pr**k) I just knew that there was a little something out of adjustment - for certain activities (like the ones mentioned above).

That commercial makes us look like WHACO's! Its demeaning and demoralizing not to mention highly inaccurate.

Either that or maybe I dont have adhd after all!

An accurate portrayal would be helpfull.

Again - I see it as a lame advertizing campain to sell more drugs with no regard to weather a person realy has "it" or not.

Im going to another thread to find more on the subject of "just different wiring"

Just my 2cents worth - Cheers!