Substack, and my abbreviated attention span: An ancient AND current challenge.

Has it occurred to anyone else, that Substack seems to think we’re all speed-readers? In highschool, I took an Evelyn Woods speed-reading course. Can’t say it helped me read any faster, though I’m prone to skimming material that feels too long for me to ingest and integrate.

Substack seems to be able to determine how long a ‘read’ is, when you’re perusing articles on its “home” page. I tend to shy away from pieces that indicate they’re gonna be a lengthy time commitment, due to my ADD-abbreviated attention span. I wonder if some of you do, too.

A common ADD trait is to become tangential while speaking or writing. I’m undoubtedly guilty of that, though my newsletters and notes often start out (in my head) as only being ‘quickies.’ How often do I realize my ‘note’ is turning into a longform post? Frequently. And then, it’s copy and paste time.

These days, a lotta folks have ADD or ADHD traits, and don’t know it. Most of us are not diagnosable thru standardized tests that are excruciatingly long, to assess for it (how stupid is that?)!

During my MFT (Marriage & Family Therapy) intern years, I devised a fairly brief questionnaire for clients, to assess for ADD traits if I suspected they might struggle with this issue, because it can impact how efficacious therapy is. The test was comprised of only 26 yes or no questions.

The following 6 selections are just a sampling of some of those questions:

#1. I experience a sense of underachievement, of not meeting my goals (regardless of how much is actually accomplished).

#3. I experience chronic procrastination or trouble getting started (on a task).

#6. I am attracted to high stimulation activities in work, play or relationships.

#10. I have little patience for going through established channels or following “proper procedure.”

#12. I’m somewhat impulsive when it comes to spending money, changing jobs or career plans, “seizing opportunities” and entering relationships.

#15. I experience mood swings~ especially when disengaged from a project or person. There are periods of confidence and optimism interspersed with low self-esteem, inertia and gloom.

Having diagnosed myself as having ADD traits in my late 40’s significantly changed my life for the better. Thankfully I’d learned many years earlier, to forgive and be gentle with myself during a down-cycle, when I wasn’t able to feel productive and on top of my game.

My supervisor, Dr. Stephen Johnson had been one of my professors during my Master’s program. Fortunately, he was willing to let me intern under him when I finished my schooling. This turned out to a marvelous, congruent fit throughout my private practice internship. I got lucky.

During one of our supervisory consults, I mentioned a client of mine who’d arrive for session feeling inspired and charged-up to tackle various professional aims~ only to show up the next week, feeling insecure, depressed and inert. This was puzzling to me. It had been many years since I’d been troubled by these types of (up and down) cycles myself, having somehow gotten to a place of self-acceptance about ‘em.

Steve suggested my client might have ADD, during that consultation. True to form, I began a dogged, curious investigation into this pesky neurological disorder, and by sheer coincidence, soon met a woman who had a plethora of books on the topic she happily lent me. As I poured over those books, one in particular stood out~ and (surprise, surprise) I recognized myself on many of those pages!

The worst part of having ADD traits is the shame one lives with, due to neurological cycles we cannot control. And this is why I’m gonna be publishing my own book on this topic~ because unless you’ve lived your whole life with this learning disability, you think you’re defective, and the truth is, ADD’ers are typically much brighter than the average bear!

If you’re interested in reading my upcoming ADD book, you can preview it (free) in my online article, right here. I’m doing final editing on my book, and it’ll be a bit more detailed and comprehensive than the article, but I think you’ll get value from it just the same.

We CAN learn tools to workaround and live with ADD traits, which my article goes into in detail. Ya just have to try and stop beating-up on yourself for feeling like you can’t consistently perform or produce like other people do (it makes your down-cycles last much longer), and discover friendly ways to let yourself up off the mat about it!