Though ADD, (Attention Deficit Disorder) is no longer an official diagnosis in the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), having been dropped leaving only ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactiveity Disorder), as I only work with adults and adults rarely experience the hyperactivity symptoms, ADD remains a better description in my work.
The primary features of ADD include:
• Inability to focus on tasks
• Disorganized thinking
• Ease in becoming frustrated, agitated, or overwhelmed
Though these may be the “primary” features of the “disorder,” very often people coming to psychotherapy to work on feelings of anxiety or depression may have some ADD driving these other emotions.
For instance, the disorganized thinking or overwhelm in the face of tasks, may lead to avoidance of the tasks, which can easily be experiences as anxiety.
The inability to engage with the world the way you’d like can easilylead to feelings of sadness or depression.
TREATMENT
Our work in developing strategies and skills to better manage ADD will likely include:
• Mindfulness Skills
• Partialization: Turning attention away from the seemingly impossibly large pile of tasks, obligations, or challenges and tactically breaking them down into smaller more manageable chunks.
The Mayo Clinic offers a more formal explanation of Adult ADD / ADHD HERE
This is an excellent — comprehensive and highly readable book on the subject: Driven to Distraction: Recognizing and Coping with Attention Deficit Disorder