Stimulating the mind w/ ADD?

Question

I heard that the best way to treat and cope with ADD without medication is to stimulate the mind and do things that you (a person) might enjoy. But when it comes to studying and focusing in school, how can you stimulate the mind and continue staying focus exspecially during the times needing to study?

Answer 1

Hi
I'm 52 and I didn't get diagnosed w/ ADD until I was 42 like many older people ,the diagnosis was cause for relief and cause for amazement - how could they miss it ? I changed schools and majors many times - which is why i can answer a lot of these questions. Finally i managed to get a pair of associates degrees and will have my teaching degree in two years . I have learned many things let me share them with you;
An ADD brain is wired differently than a non -ADD brain
Standard rules do not apply, an ADD person requires a certain amount of distraction in order to focus , however too much and focusing becomes impossible. Total silence is an impossible studying environment also.
Case in point : I do my best studying in my car in an empty corner of a parking lot with the radio on and my feet hanging out of the window . i have a large cup of caffinated coffee ,a lap top but my cell phone is turned off. .I can't study in silence and there are too many distractions at home Luckily- technology allows you to do this.
when you are physically in a classroom sit in the front of the room and avoid open doors or windows to look out of . If the instructor allows it ;tape all lectures. i had the problem of yo yo grades , the stuff that really interested me i excelled at, the stuff that bored me i was tortured by and didn't do wel at all An ADD secret is the ability to hyper -focus ;this used to happen to me in algebra all the time; I would get so involved in writing ,understanding and solving the problem, that i would zone out and if the instructor asked for the answer i would have to snap my brain back into the class room.
Another issue is behavior; since your'e doing 100mph sitting still ,actually sitting still can be bit a of a problem- i still haven't figured out yet.. I fidget alot
ADD people also have a tendecy to blurt out answers lest they/ we forget them .
There is also a very long list of class clowns with ADD
What you need to watch out for is confusion leading to frusration leading to anger leading to more confusiion or exponential growth from hell. when you start getting confused STOP!!! literally and regroup further motion will not make it better.
when you get an assignment to do -get it done early
the school should provide you with help on this. I don't know whether or not you should inform your instructors. i nformed many of mine some understood it, some didn't and one informed me that he didn't believe in it and that it was just a rather bad reason to justify inappropriate behavior . I told him such behavior was covered by the Americans with Disabilitys Act
I know this is a bit wordy- sorry.
I really hope that i was of some help
do well

next day: OOPS!!! I had an ADD moment last night- gave you al;ot of informaton and didn't answer the question. If you mean that by doing things you really enjoy and that stimulate you - sure it makes sense. We all know that for a person with ADD boredom is torture, We also know that the constant quest for stimulation can lead to some very dangerous place- If you need to be stimulated[ and you do] do so safely

Answer 2

With me I have to relate the topic to something I am interested in. Use different words that mean the same. Make it a bit more intriguing. I can not just sit for a long period so I have to take breaks.
That is the only way I can study.

Answer 3

I dropped out of college a few times before I found the secret. For every class, pretend that this is what you are going to do for the rest of your life. For English, you are going to be a writer etc...

It worked me and I had to beg the principal to get out of high school.