My Theory About ADD

Considering what's been going on in my life recently, it's no wonder I am having trouble with focus, memory and attention span. Between menopause and stress, I feel my IQ is several points lower of late.

I'm hopeful that, as I continue to work at getting a handle on my menopause symptoms, and when our condo flood repairs are behind us, and when I've figured out what I am going to do to revamp and resurrect my coaching/consulting business, and when I've lost 20 lbs., that my brain may return to normal. Unless there has been permanent damage, that is!

I used to have a fabulous memory. My recall ability was even something colleagues relied on. The amount of intricate detail I was able to mentally store and easily retrieve was massive.

I managed to maintain my high performing memory in the late 1980's and throughout the 1990's even while the workplace computer and e-mail invasion immeasurably increased the amount and speed at which we had to receive, process and deal with detailed information and demands. During this time, I noticed people's capacity to deal with the onslaught initially increased, peaked, and then has done nothing but decline.

This decline in our attention and retention has been reinforced by mainstream media assaulting us in this era where the 30 second "sound bite" reigns so supreme it essentially determines most political decisions/direction and forms the local, national and international views of the majority of the populace.

I've noticed, especially with e-mail (even short e-mails) that people no longer "read", they simply "scan." They don't really take the information in, and what they scan they do not remember. This leads to a lot of miscommunication, errors, duplication of effort and frustration, all of which leads to more stress and even less capacity to slow down and take in what we do need to absorb. This is what I have labelled as a societally-induced form of adult Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD).

The good news is that because it's self-induced and we are complicit in this, we have a chance to change it. But I'm not saying it will be easy. I am going to start experimenting with myself - isn't that where all change needs to start? I'll keep you posted on how it goes!

Todo bien amigas (It's all good girlfriends).