Adventures in Fast Forward: Life, Love and Work for the Add Adult

This was the first book I read when I first thought I might have ADD, and it's the best for that point in learning about what you're dealing with and how to deal with it. Clear, concise, insightful. She definitely knows her stuff and how to get it across.

I can recommend this book very highly to those already diagnosed with ADD and somewhat familar with the disorder. I would not recommend it to someone who is looking for information about whether or not they might have this disorder and/or are looking for an explanation of what it involves - I think that Dr Ned Hallowell's "Driven to distraction" would be a better introduction. This is more of a nuts and bolts workbook with very practical advice for trying to anticipate the pitfalls of ADD and looking for strategies to avoid falling into them. I can pretty much guarantee you that if you read the book you will find at least one bit of helpful advice that will justify your investment in it. As an example, advice that helped me involved the use of a daily planner - this seems obvious for someone who is extremely disorganized and forgetful; however my level of disorganization and distraction has always prevented me from getting any use out of them. Dr. Nadeau lays out a strategy which involves gradually building up your reliance on it, with the first month dedicated to merely making sure you always take it along with you - nothing else. As to the criticism voiced below that Dr. Nadeau is condecending, I was unable to find any evidence of it although I was looking for it. She seems to put no value judgement on those with the disorder at all; neither " Oh you poor things " nor "Isn't ADD Great!" which I've come across in some works on the subject. After a brief introduction to the disorder and some of the treatment options the chapter topics focus on: Learning life-management skills, Building a strong marriage, Family Life: stresses and Strategies, Improving social skills, ADD in the Workplace,Continuing your education, Women and ADD, Self-Advocacy for adults with ADD: evaluating and creating resources. The book is short and should only take a few hours to read - all unnecessary verbiage seems to have been removed so that almost every line seems to provide usefull information (she knows her audience).

Kathleen Nadeau's ADVENTURES IN FAST FORWARD should be given out along with ADD as a handbook for how to function in our world. Each chapter addresses a different issue such as: diagnosis, treatment, relationships, social skills, and workplace issues (and more!). It is a positive, uplifting view of how life for the ADD adult can become even better than it is now. Thanks Kathleen for writing a terrific book! I recommend it to all my ADD adult clients!

Dr. Nadeau's book offers some very useful advice to adults suffering from ADD. Her understanding of the problems faced by the patients is amazingly accurate. This book should be read and followed repeatedly by the patients to survive and succeed in the Non-ADD world.The other book I would recommend in "Moving beyond ADD/ADHD" by Rita Kirsch Debroitner, et al.

I ordered this book to try and gain insight into my husband's disorder, ADD. We have gone through every diagnosis from alcoholism to depression to being just plain lazy. Many people aren't even aware that a child diagnosed as "hyper" in the sixties, may become a depressed, ADD adult in the 90's. Medication is a lifesaver, but our family still needs help in learning to live in peace after the ADD diagnosis. That is where this wonderful book comes into the picture. This book is written in a concise, practical form and confirms so many of the scenarios that are played out in ADD homes everyday. The best thing about this book, is that it provides a look at ADD that is positive. My family now knows, through reading this book, that leaving notes for Dad, keeping family information centralized, and keeping a good deal of humor handy are all coping skills that our family can incorporate into our structure to help our life flow a little smoother. My three young daughters and I are now seeing "Daddy" as someone to be proud of; but better yet, my husband is now seeing himself as capable and talented and his future as exciting.