California Divorce Handbook-The Do's and Don'ts of a Divorce

While this information is done by a California attorney, it's just good advice for anyone in a divorce.

Children don't have strong egos. Their sense of themselves is through their parents. When one parent criticizes the other parent it wound's a part of that child's identity.

If you love your children, never, ever say anything bad about the other parent where you children can here.

California Divorce Handbook-The Do's and Don'ts of a Divorce

Does Watching TV Cause ADHD? - Pediatrics Archives

Some people wonder if the increase in diagnosis of ADD is caused by changes in our society. They wonder if there are things that have changed about society that are causing people to have ADD. One of the suspects is TV watching. The following article gives an overview of the research behind the ADD/TV connection.

Does Watching TV Cause ADHD? - Pediatrics Archives

ABC News: The Business of Life: Fighting ADHD at Work

There are 296 million people in the United States. It is estimated that 3-5 percent of that population is ADD. So, somewhere between 8.8 and 14.8 million people have ADD.

The following article deals with how more and more people in the workplace are diagnosed with ADD. Now if we could just get more people to understand about ADD, then perhaps the workplace will be more ADD friendly.

ABC News: The Business of Life: Fighting ADHD at Work

Workplace May Overwhelm Adults With ADHD

I'm a solo practioner. I work for myself. I tell my assistants about my ADD and have them try to compensate for me. The great thing is that I can dictate my pace and control my schedule.

When I get home, I feel wiped out. A whole day of having to concentrate makes me come home not wanting to do much at all. If too many things come up at home I quickly get the feeling of being overwhelmed.

This article talks about this phenomena of feeling overwhelmed. It deals with those feelings in the workplace.

Workplace May Overwhelm Adults With ADHD

Blog Plug - Life with ADHD

I'd love for my blog to be a great resource for people with ADD, but I have to face my limitations as a person. First, I have this "law thing" that I do. Second, I have this ADD thing that often makes life somewhat chaotic. So, often I have to look for material to continue to post.

One of the best blogs for people with ADD is Living With ADHD. I subscribe to it with RSS and enjoy the variety of posts. The blog contains not just links to other parts of the web, but in addition, material written by professionals and by people with ADD.

I'd recommend it to anyone with ADD.

Singer Tanya Tucker Files Protection Order

Domestic violence is a troublesome issue for family courts. First, there is the problem of getting victims of family violence to be strong enough to end the cycle of abuse. There are so many times when a true victim will continue to go back to the abuser over and over again. The second problem is the "offensive" use of a claim of family violence. Since this can be an issue of life or death, the courts are forced to take allegations seriously. So, often people will ask for a protective order as a means of getting an advantage in a custody dispute or to punish a spouse by trying to disallow them to see the children. I've seen cases where one spouse tricks another spouse by getting a protective order and then using the children as bait to get the other spouse to violate the protective order so that they can be arrested.

This issue exists in all social strata. Here's the story of Tanya Tucker and her filing of a protection order against her former fiance.

Singer Tucker Files Protection Order

The Legal Reader: The Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005

Many people do not understand the bankruptcy system, until they really need it. Many people need only lose their income for a couple of months and they would likely end up homeless. The credit card industry has been trying to get bankruptcy "reform" passed for a number of years. It looks like this year they will finally get it done.

This article tells why this "reform" is really a bad idea. 104 non-partisan law professors, including conservatives, all feel this is a bad law. Check out this article and email your representative.

The Legal Reader: The Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005

Notes from the (Legal) Underground: Depression, The Lawyers' Epidemic: How You Can Recognize the Signs

This is a subject in which I have a vested interest. I've been diagnosed as dysthymic. This is a persistant low grade depression that follows one around throughout life. I've also suffered from several bouts of rather severe depression in my life.

It is very common for someone with ADD to have comorbid depression. The medical world is unsure if this is just a natural part of the differences in the ADD brain or is caused by the constant situational stress caused by being an ADDer in a non-ADD world.

The frustrating part for me is that I know personally just how treatable depression is. The problem is that our society views depression as something we should just be able to snap out of by ourselves. Society also tends to view depression more as a defect in character than as a legitimate biochemical process.

I recently has a client come into my office. I could tell this person was very deeply depressed. I thought about saying something about this to him. I told myself that I'm not a doctor and that even though he appeared depressed that I was his lawyer and not his psychiatrist. So, I didn't say anything other than tell him that his situation was not as bad as it seems. About a week later, the friend who referred this guy called and told me that this person had committed suicide. I know that even if I had said something that this person might still have committed suicide. There's just this part of me that wishes that I had said something that day.

Whether you're a lawyer or not, the following post is invaluable information on some of the roots of depression. Let's see, how many lawyers do I know that are pessimists and perfectionists?

Notes from the (Legal) Underground: Depression, The Lawyers' Epidemic: How You Can Recognize the Signs

Wife Can't Use Computer Spyware Evidence in Divorce Case

This is potentially a big case for divorce lawyers. I've often recommended my clients use Spector if they feel that their spouse is using the computer in furtherance of harming the marriage. It seems the Florida courts feel that this is improper and have not allowed evidence obtained this way to be used in courts. My state is a community property state, so it's likely that any computer used by one spouse would belong as a community asset to both spouses. This might make the result different in my state. In any event, you have to be careful about communications laws when trying to prove that your spouse is less than honest.

Wife Can't Use Computer Spyware Evidence in Divorce Case

My Brain and Food

My ADD brain craves stimulation. I'm always looking for new things and have such a low frustration tolerance for boredom. I wrote some time ago about my use of FreeCell as "brain candy." My son (ADHD) is quite a chubby fellow just like his father. I can see the way he uses food to stimulate his brain. He eats so much more when he doesn't take his Adderal. Some of this is due to the appetite suppressant effects of the Adderal. I have no doubt that this "side effect" of Adderal is related to the phenomenon of ADDers and overeathing.

Here is a really interesting article about the prevalence of ADD in the morbidly obese. 27.4% That is an amazing number. So, over 1/4 of morbidly obese patients are ADD, if the sample was representative of all morbidly obese patients.

Prevalence of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder among adults in obesity treatment

Medicating ADHD: Too much? Too soon?

My household should own stock in Shire. 4 out of the 5 people in our household take Adderall XR. My two sons ages 8 and 13 take it. Many people have some prejudice against taking any medication that affects the brain. I really don't understand their thinking. If my thyroid doesn't produce enough hormone, I'll supplement it. If I'm diabetic, I'll take insulin to regulate my blood sugar. Why don't people take something if their brain is deficient in Dopamine.

There is still much debate about when and how to medicate children with ADD. The listed article covers both sides of the debate. I'm prejudiced for the pro-medication side of the debate. My brain functions so much better on Adderall. I found the quote by one of the doctors particularly relevant:

"We have forgotten what our actual mission is--the relief of suffering and impairment. If the use of medication helps us do that job, stop hand-wringing about the extent to which we are using medication in this country."

-- Russell Barkley
University of Massachusett

Check out the article here:

Medicating ADHD: Too much? Too soon?

What if Einstein Had Taken Ritalin? ADHD's Impact on Creativity

ADD is both a blessing and a curse. It is both positive and negative. Most people believe that Thomas Edison and Albert Einstein were ADD. Would they have had the same impact on the world if they were taking medication? Does medication affect the ADD brain in negative ways? This article presents some unique points of view on this issue.

PsycPORT.com | What if Einstein Had Taken Ritalin? ADHD's Impact on Creativity

Misunderstood Minds | PBS

I recently linked to a PBS article on medicating kids with ADD. This is another excellent resource on the whole spectrum of learning/processing disorders. I think more information such as this will help society see that each individual has a unique brain. Just because my brain works differently from the brains of the majority of society doesn't make mine defective.

Misunderstood Minds | PBS

ADD/ADHD Outcome and Opportunity

This is a page on a site by a pediatrician who also specializes in treating ADD/ADHD in adults and children. On the page he lists some of the life issues that arise with this condition. The introduction to this page really resonates with me. It says:

"This is a plea that we must find ADD/ADHD in children early and treat them effectively to prevent their outcome and consequences"

ADD/ADHD Outcome and Opportunity

ADD Tests

This is the most comprehensive list of ADD assessment tests I have found. If you are an adult and are trying to figure if you are ADD, they have a self scoring Excel spreadsheet of the Wender Utah Rating Scale here.

Psychiatric Rating Scales for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) -- Neurotransmitter.net

I Did Not Have Sex With That Woman

Two doctors have an affair for four months. Two years later, the male doctor is slapped with a paternity suit. He claims that the other doctor kept some of his sperm and used it to impregnate herself. He sues her claiming that she caused him emotional distress.

You've got to read this story. It shows just how wacky human behavior can be. I really liked the part where the court of appeals talks about how the "transfer" was a gift.

CBS 2 Chicago WBBM-TV: Man Can Sue Woman For Sperm Theft Distress

ADD and Intuition

A recent post on the Adult-ADD-issues Yahoo group talked about ADDer's who are able to read people. The interesting thing about ADD in their relations with people is that it can manifest itself in very different ways.

I have a friend, also an attorney, who is should be an ADD poster child. One of the ways her ADD manifests itself is with her non-stop talking. She is so distracted and hyperfocused on what she is saying that she totally misses the signs others are giving to her. Signs that would tell her that the other person really wants to end the conversation and get something done. She is unfortunately viewed as annoying by many people.

As an inattentive ADDer, I'm the quiet sort you saw in school. I'm quiet on the outside, but inside my brain is going in hyperspeed. One of the things I do with the overly active brain is study the people around me.

Psychologists say that our faces will show many of our deeply hidden emotions. The unfortunate part is that those glimpses into someone's hidden side only occur in flashes of 5-10 second facial expressions. Since I'm easily distracted, I will often notice those flashes in other people. I think this is why I can often get somewhat of an "intuitive" feel for people.

It's one of the blessings of being ADD.