Journeys Through ADDulthood

August 19, 2002
Solden, who herself has ADD and is the author of Women with Attention Deficit Disorder, believes that many adults, whether diagnosed or not, are suffering needlessly from ADD symptoms, which include difficulty focusing on certain tasks, meeting deadlines, and interacting with people. Solden describes the frustration of several people who seemingly "fail" in job after job because of the symptoms of ADD and describes her own "absentmindedness" and disorganization. Yet she lectures and counsels others about ADD. Her three-step approach begins with a focus on the brain, then on the self and finally, on the self in the world. For each part of this journey, Solden offers specific steps designed to help ADD sufferers. For example, Solden says that people need to spend time observing how their brain works at different times and in different circumstances. She describes the "Tightrope Effect" of balancing the variables to keep life running smoothly. Furthermore, Solden believes in relying on the help of others—for cooking, paperwork, or other tasks—without feeling helpless. Perhaps most useful are the dialogues that are included to help readers handle situations that have been problematic in the past. Surprisingly, Solden provides only a cursory discussion of medication. Since her strategies are likely to be utilized by people already on medication, a more complete discussion of other treatment options would have been helpful. Still, this book should prove beneficial to ADD sufferers and their families.