We Need Local Support Groups! …Wait, phone rang….. Hey! Look! A Squirrel!

[allan wallace]

It reminds me of a time as kids, when one of my brothers stitched me up. Unless he was caught in the act of doing something wrong, I usually had his sanctions and punishments added to my own ‘in-tray’. One of those in particular still annoys me to this day, and the punishment for what he did wasn’t even that bad compared to what I had become accustomed to. It was the fact that it caused my favourite uncle to hold me in lower esteem….

I got home from school to be presented with a special soccer ball owned by my uncle that had been lacerated. I immediately blushed and unequivocally denied any part in it’s demise. I knew that my brother had been playing with it a week or so earlier, but I wasn’t a snitch. I knew that I’d get my usual serve of wallops in order to extract a confession, but even if she’d put a gun to my head I wouldn’t have been able to say that I had done it! Anyway, my weasel of a brother heard me enduring another inquisition and knew that he’d gotten away with it, and quietly slunk away. I went without pocket money for about 6 months, and got a hiding from my mum and Primate of a step-father….the loss of the shekels and the hiding were water off a duck’s back, it was the knowledge that my uncle thought that I’d done it that really cut me up. I couldn’t even look him in the eye out of shame. Shame for doing something that I hadn’t done!

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[Anonymous]

I’ve found that it goes well beyond all of the getting my feathers ruffled over something not directed at me specifically, and into direct accusations immediately from those around me. Like last week I was having an off day, and the medicine I took for my cold was NOT working well with my ADHD meds, so I called mom to see if she would grab the kids from school and before I could say a word as to why I felt poorly, she accused me of being drunk or on drugs! I am very rarely either of those things, especially when taking care of children is on my schedule, so I was taken aback to say the least. But I say this, because I do feel like people always expect the worst most horrid things from me, whether they’re something I’ve done before or not!

Anyway, I think we could start some groups in the communities we’re in, if we all support each other in the groups. Has anyone out there who’s been to a good group got any suggestions as to how to start? What sort of topics, where to get info on topics thats reliable, or how to find other ADHD adults in our respective areas?

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[Orion]

Home groups are definitely a great support resource. And yes, they need some type of structure and direction. But it must be conducive to the ADD mind.

And for the issue of having an ADDer have to plan it; perhaps several people can help do it. Maybe a rotating location or leader each time. Or a team of leaders to put it together. Maybe preselect a book for all to read, then discuss at the group, or have everyone list all the topics and issues they would like to bring up, then schedule them into the group plan. Perhaps even use online experts and websites to pre-plan or debrief the meetings.

Another great tool, as I stated before, would be for an ADD website, like this, to host a way to get others connected. A database of contact people and locations, (perhaps with a map) that are looking for local groups. I’ve seen this work well in other interest-related online groups. Heck, I’ll even volunteer to help with getting it started, if necessary.

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[Shadow Nexus]

I’v introduced a topic like that. We need local groups and a ADHD convention. I’v mentioned that idea too.

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