I'm sure some of you have heard of the new best-selling book (and movie) "The Secret (http://www.amazon.com/Secret-Rhonda-Byrne/dp/1582701709)" by Rhonda Byrne.

From the book description found on Amazon:

"In this book, you'll learn how to use The Secret in every aspect of your life -- money, health, relationships, happiness, and in every interaction you have in the world. You'll begin to understand the hidden, untapped power that's within you, and this revelation can bring joy to every aspect of your life. The Secret contains wisdom from modern-day teachers -- men and women who have used it to achieve health, wealth, and happiness. By applying the knowledge of The Secret, they bring to light compelling stories of eradicating disease, acquiring massive wealth, overcoming obstacles, and achieving what many would regard as impossible."

In a nutshell, "The Secret" claims that people are overweight because they think "fat thoughts". I'd assume the author would say the same about ADDers. Do we really make ourselves believe we have ADD?

I found an excerpt from the book that deals with the weight issue: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17317691/site/newsweek/

An excerpt from the excerpt:

"Food is not responsible for putting on weight. It is your thought that food is responsible for putting on weight that actually has food put on weight. Remember, thoughts are primary cause of everything, and the rest is effects from those thoughts. Think perfect thoughts and the result must be perfect weight."

What do you think? Marketing ploy or a theory to consider? I'll read more about it later as well.

So far, the way I see it is simple - easier said than done. :rolleyes: "Yeah, hold on a second, let me think that I don't have Social Anxiety... just a sec... Ok, now you were saying?"

I actually know someone who watches the DVD version every single morning.

Hehe.. Found another article, calling The Secret a "a mishmash of offensive self-help cliches": http://www.salon.com/mwt/feature/2007/03/05/the_secret/

I am not that familiar with "The Secret" but I think the concept rings true to people with ADD. So many people with ADD only focus on the negatives and are not able to see the positives about themselves. There have been studies showing that positive thinking changes brain chemistry. No positive thinking won't "make ADD go away" but I think idea can most definitely be applied to those with ADD.

I agree Tara.
But as for being fat.
My wife was fat when I met her, because of poor food choices.
Such as out to eat, instead of cooking a healthy meal.
So (as my wife will tell you), she didn't "think" herself fat, she just got that way by making poor choices because she was lazy.
Since we've been married, I've started to correct that by doing all the cooking, and controlling what she eats.
We still have good size portions, but we don't have a countertop that resembles a buffett.
As for ADDers, I think they can focus too much on the negative, due to hyperfocus.
Negative thoughts lead to a fatalist view (if I'm going to do this, then why do that to try and change it?).
Positive thinking will get you a long way in life.

In a nutshell, "The Secret" claims that people are overweight because they think "fat thoughts". I'd assume the author would say the same about ADDers. Do we really make ourselves believe we have ADD?

**Tries to consentrate his thoughts on not haveing ADD**

.. (CANDY!)
...(DINOSOURS!)
....(THE LAMA SONG!)
.....(I need to focus!)
......(I think I have enoughf money for lunch tomorrow)
.......(Must....fo...cus....on.....n...ot...have.. .ing.....A...D.....D....)

**Head explodes from attempting to focus**

:p Comical :P

I'm with you gstein. I'm pretty sure that cream doughnut has way more calories than I need regardless of what I think.

In a stroke of serendipity, we were discussing "The Secret" today at work. One of my co-worker is a doc of psychology. She says it's pretty much the standard positive thinking, "view" altering techniques found in much of pop psychology. But it is packaged really really pretty.

I used to know a person who believed that diseases of the mind such as schizophrenia could be fixed by the power of thought...umm..its people like that who aren't on meds who really should be..

Thoughts can be powerful but lets keep things in moderation..

I would say that there definatley a link between thought, and physical behavoir.

I remember when I joined football, I was extremeley suprised by how mental the sport could be.

That extra lap was always possible if you just fed yourself the line "This is nothing, I can take it"

I actually acomplised a lot by thinking just that.

However, I made the most improvement after hearing a bit of advice that seemed to make all the diffrence.

"Be the Hammer, not the Nail"

I came into the year lifting about 110lbs, and came out with a 210 3-reps, on the bench.

And 450lbs on the bear.

I didn't see much of a diffrence in my hitting, unless I "got a little mental"

..umm..its people like that who aren't on meds who really should be..
:D I'm with you on that one..

I think thoughts play some role, especially negative thoughts. While I doubt positive thoughts can correct an existing condition (at least for most people), I do think negative ones can make it worse.

I also believe in the concept of "we are what we eat", and although I have done little research into this, I think that a non-nutritional, poor diet can worsen many medical conditions (ADD, anxiety, etc.) Not to mention that bad food habits will eventually introduce a whole bunch of new health problems... but we all know that, don't we?

What do you think? Marketing ploy or a theory to consider?

Considering they are selling a book and DVD's I would vote marketing ploy.

How we think about our selves has a lot to do with how we view our options. I tend to be hyper with a low BS thresh hold. The energy and low tolerance for BS can be a good thing or bad depending upon how I perceive it thus how I use these traits. How ever no matter what I think I cannot think myself into being some thing I am not. I can not think like a rock and become one it will only make me stubborn.

I could use my ability to execute a lot of energy to be productive and healthy, or I could use my ability to execute a lot of energy to rob banks and run really fast for a long time. My low BS tolerance I could be gripe use my capacity to channel this and use it to stand up for injustices. How I think will not erase my hyperness or my low BS tolerance but it will make the decisions as to how I will use these traits.

I am not thin because I think thin thoughts. I am thin because I have a fast metabolism and I am hyperactive. If I weighed according to my thoughts about my weight I would be non-existent. So being able to think yourself into being some thing you are not is utter “plant food”

Here is an example

I know a few women who think like men, they dress like men, talk like men, they have all the manly movements down perfectly however this thinking does not cause them to gain any extra " appendages", I have known men who are more femanine than I am {some even looking better in a dress} despite the fact they have been this way since they can remember they have not by the very nature of their female like thoughts lost any "appendages" either.

Not trying to be crude but I simply could not think of another living example to communicate the obvious limitations of this idea.

Please do not get me wrong how you think is able to do miraculous things with who and what you are how ever no amount of thinking will make you some thing you are not.

Actually,

I didn't perceive the film The Secret, other than what it is.

The power of your own individual thoughts/emotions.

Period.


Do with 'them' what you choose.

I think that the whole "mind over matter" thing would be extremely hard to achieve. Don't think fat thoughts and you won't be fat...who ever wrote that is either extremely in control of his/her mind, or the more obvious answer: that person never had a weight problem. Overriding messages being sent to your brain is possible, but highly unlikely that any body could just up and do it any time they pleased, especially when a huge jelly donut is sitting in my face. But I could be wrong.
Hey! Maybe ADD is the answer to weight loss?!

I don't need the donut...
I don't need the donut...
Wow what a sweet car that drove by...
Oh look, a bird...
Sweet my fav. show is on...
I sure could use a donut right about now...
Damn! Almost got myself away from its evil goodness... :)

I mean the whole "mind over matter" thing has some merit to it. Yes a lot of people with ADD tend to harp on the negative, and it certainly doesn't get them anywhere.

But clearly anyone who is on this board knows that ADD is not a "mind over matter" issue at all. I spent years honestly trying to do things to get myself organized and do what I needed to do. The one or two times that I did manage to do it took an unsustainable amount of effort to do. When things changed, virtually overnight, after being on medication than I knew it wasn't "all in my head."

I'm sure there is a good use for something like this, but I wouldn't bet the whole farm on it.

i think its true that "you see what you think"... So with the law of attraction, the more you think/assosiate with ADD, the more you see ADD each day...

i think its true that "you see what you think"... So with the law of attraction, the more you think/assosiate with ADD, the more you see ADD each day...

Is this to mean I will see more ADD in myself, others or the world at large? Please expound upon this idea.

See more within our selves...

Which may then flow over to the world at large.

No doubt most of us , werent diagnosed ADD at birth, for some we lived a major portion of our lives, without diagnosis.

But as soon as diagnosis is there, the sympotms seem to stand out, more so than they did before diagosis.

And the same things standing out more so than previously is a classic case of the law of attraction...

No doubt most of us , werent diagnosed ADD at birth, for some we lived a major portion of our lives, without diagnosis.
But as soon as diagnosis is there, the sympotms seem to stand out, more so than they did before diagosis.


I was wiggly in the womb according to my mom. . . .ADHD was simply a name for my wiggles. . . .but I am very different than most even most ADDers so I can see where others would have a different perspective. Many who do not have lots of wiggles may not noticed their symptoms as much {or have them complained about}

Thanks for the clarification luke. . . . I understand more of what you are saying.

I was diagnosed with ADHD as a child.
I learned slower than others, had more energy, and rarely sat still.
Ah the 70's, a dark age for ADD IMHO.
Of course I guess it was worse in previous decades.
With the help of this board, I've learned that some of my symptoms have carried over into my adult life (like that's a shock!).
This is a great place to learn more about ADD, and the many problems
(and adventures) it causes.

I've read the book and much of The Secret is based on practices and philosophies that have been around for eons. There is more to it than just positive thinking and much more to it than pretty packaging.

This isn't new information but most of it is good information.

The discussion here is whether the law of attraction can be applied to ADD.

It really depends on how deep you want to go into discussing spirituality and pure energy.

I would say YES--it can be applied at many levels. At the very highest spiritual level, before I was formed into a human being the energy that makes up "me" attracted all of the atoms together in the DNA strands they are now.
That means I came together this way WITH ADD.

That's why it's so important to learn to accept yourself. You are the way you are because at some point in your existance you chose to attract matter together into the form you are now...with ADD.

OK, talk amongst yourselves...

P.S. ADD is not a problem that needs to be cured. It is a mismatch with societal norms that were established in the stone age. We are the next phase of human evolution. If you can get your head around that...anything is possible for you.

Hey FightingBoredom have you read "the care and feeding of the Indigo children" ...??

If not, i highly recomend it...

It is the spirituality way of dealing with ADD... its a very comforting read!!

However, spirituality IMHO, doesnt seem to go down so well on this forum...

P.S. ADD is not a problem that needs to be cured. It is a mismatch with societal norms that were established in the stone age. We are the next phase of human evolution. If you can get your head around that...anything is possible for you.Societal norms in the stoneage???

I'm more inclined to think we probably fit in just fine during the stoneage,even had some advantage over our fellow hunters.I would guess ADD/ADHD hasn't been too much of a challange throughout human history until now.

It's the modern age that we don't seem to quite fit into IMHO.

I'm more inclined to think we probably fit in just fine during the stoneage,even had some advantage over our fellow hunters.I would guess ADD/ADHD hasn't been too much of a challange throughout human history until now.

It's the modern age that we don't seem to quite fit into IMHO.Actually, there are literary references to the "difficulties" of hyperactive, distractible childern and adults dating back to the Middle Ages. In fact, Shakespeare draws on the ADHD characteristics for many of his comidic foils. However I can only state this about Western cultures. I do not have the background materials for Non-Western ones.

By the way, any hunter will tell you that that poor focus and memory are not an asset in tracking.

Spirituality can be casually mentioned as long as a specific doctrine or set of beliefs/faiths isn't promoted or critized. Although it is an accurate observation that we do try to keep all discussions that are primarily of a spiritual nature in the “meditation and spirituality (http://www.addforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?=&daysprune=&f=158) section of the forums.


FightingBoredom remained within the guidelines in my opinion and right now it is the one that counts. He mentioned spirituality only enough to convey his point and went no future.

We all have our own personal opinion , it is highly unlikely we will all share the same opinion. . . remember disagreements should be aimed at the idea not the person writing them.

~Please continue to be respectful of each other exercise respect even more if you disagree with some one’s point. ~

This is just a friendly reminder from your hyperactive wiggly moderator.

Thank you for your time and attention .