Because I want to write about ADHD- predominantly inattentive type, I've been thinking I ought to do a bit more reading on what others have said on the matter. I'm attracted to the subject because (1) I have ADHD, predominantly inattentive and (2) not that many people seem to talk about it. It seems like when I talk to clients about inattentive challenges, these massive blinking lights go off, because no one "got it" before. I hope I can blog about some of the stuff that I keep figuring out with clients over and over again, that we aren't finding elsewhere. But in the meantime, while it feels like there isn't much information out there, I realize I haven't exactly done an exhaustive literature review, so I'm starting my search. I'd like to ask my readers to share (in the comments) anything you've read about inattentive stuff that particularly struck you. I also wanted to share this overview that I think is pretty terrific. I found it on CHADD's National Resource Center on AD/HD, and it is an information sheet called AD/HD Predominantly Inattentive Type and you can find it here.
I think it fairly addresses a number of the issues around diagnosis and definition of Inattentive Type. I particularly like fact that they cite a list of questions developed to help assess adults for inattentive symptoms:
1. Do you often make careless mistakes when you have to work on a boring and difficult project?
2. Do you often have difficulty keeping your attention when you are doing boring or repetitive work?
3. Do you often have difficulty concentrating on what people say to you, even when they are speaking to you directly?
4. Do you often have trouble wrapping up the final details of a project, once the challenging parts have been done?
5. Do you often have difficulty getting things in order when you have to do a task that requires organization?
6. When you have a task that requires a lot of thought, do you often avoid or delay getting started?
7. Do you often misplace or have difficulty finding things at home or at work?
8. Are you often distracted by activity or noise around you?
9. Do you often have problems remembering appointments or obligations?
Individuals who have significant chronic impairment from six or more of these symptoms are likely to have AD/HD if they also meet certain other criteria for diagnosis that are specified in the DSM-IV.
This list is useful if not exactly a complete reflection of the experience of inattentive symptoms. It also succeeds in highlighting the fact that general ADHD assessments may not be sufficient for capturing adult and/or inattentive ADHD.
I'm also pretty impressed with the Wikipedia entry on the subject. What have you read that has helped you, struck a chord, or even made you mad- on this subject?
1. Do you often make careless mistakes when you have to work on a boring and difficult project?
YES!
2. Do you often have difficulty keeping your attention when you are doing boring or repetitive work?
YES!
3. Do you often have difficulty concentrating on what people say to you, even when they are speaking to you directly?
YES!
4. Do you often have trouble wrapping up the final details of a project, once the challenging parts have been done?
YES!
5. Do you often have difficulty getting things in order when you have to do a task that requires organization?
YES!
6. When you have a task that requires a lot of thought, do you often avoid or delay getting started?
YES...lol
7. Do you often misplace or have difficulty finding things at home or at work?
YES!
8. Are you often distracted by activity or noise around you?
YES or I totally tune them out!
9. Do you often have problems remembering appointments or obligations?
Kind of....
Looks like I have Inattentive ADHD....but I already knew thatQ
Posted by: Tara McGillicuddy | July 01, 2008 at 05:04 PM
thanks for bringing this up...i am 57 and
only found out 1 1/2 years ago i'm add..
i heard the positive traits of add-highly
intuitive, creative, visionary etc. and was
stunned and said thats me!! one of the
people i have been learning about being
not only the inattentive type, but also the
EXTREMELY sensitive type from is lynn weiss.
i don't think i could be making it without
her books "a.d.d. and creativity" and "add
and success" wherre she has a different
add person tell their story and how they
found a way to use their creativity and
be happy in the linear world..as a highly
intuitive person, routine doesn't always
work for me..lots of times answers come to
me when i least expect it and usually my
intuition leads me in unplanned ways to
wonderful answers and synchronicities that
make me very happy...i am learning ways to
tune in to that intuitive knowing and to
also do routines that are very loose for me
and nourish and encourage my creativity..
i love your blog, thanks so much...i am so
glad to finally connect with some a.d.d.ers
who know and admit to being add...when i was
trying to figure out if i was add no one
would believe i was and minimized it..i can
definitely say i am but am the inattentive
creative type who didn't cause trouble but
didn't know why i had so much trouble with
linear things..
brenda
Posted by: brenda louise | September 14, 2008 at 11:18 PM