Thank You

I want to thank, and to tell you about a couple of heroes who work behind the scenes to keep TotallyADD humming. Both work part time, and both put their heart into this. One is Jimi Doidge. He has the challenge of working with me and producing new videos, sales, newsletters, uploading blogs and products in the shop, creating the shop pages, linking everything together so it works, helping to develop our new quiz which we will be launching in the next week, and a dozen other things. At one point, Jimi came here to our office every day (The office being the spare bedrooms in the house.) This year he got married, and moved across the country, which I thought was a brilliant strategy. But then I learned about Skype. Now, to be fair, I tried to learn some of the processes involved in making the site work. However, it quickly became clear that the ‘back-end’ can be a pain in the back-end. I’ve concluded website design is basically black magic, voodoo, and possibly created by aliens… because it requires precision and attention to detail. Horrifying, I know! So Jimi continues to make things happen on the site, as he also starts training our friend David to take over many of the behind-the-scenes tasks required to make sure the website doesn’t implode. Or, okay, implode as often.

Our Customer Support Angel

Then there’s Pam. A talented artist, she is our Customer Support person. She gets all the complaints, problems, and upsets from people who have tried to make something work, tried to download a product, ordered a video, book, or audio… and been frustrated. (And you know how quickly we get impatient, then frustrated, and angry.) Pam stays cool as a cucumber, which always amazes me. She is so kind. That’s the word. Kind. She is always compassionate, gently pointing out that the customer has put in the wrong email address, credit card number, expiry date, zip code, or all of the above. (Hey, we have challenges!) Sometimes people are so enraged, spouting threats, calling out names, it makes a Trump rally seem like a church picnic. Pam politely explain what the problem is, and inevitably the customer is gushing with enthusiasm, apologizing for losing their temper, and often, offering to help her. Astounding. In an age when everything is polarized and on edge, I nominate Pam for Queen of the World. Pam always sends me the comments, and I’m always left smiling, often a bit misty. One message of gratitude can completely turn around my day. So last week, with the year drawing to a close, I asked Pam to collect some of the positive comments, so I could share with everyone what folks here are getting from TotallyADD. I’ve compiled a good number, starting with some directed to Pam herself. (She may blush and start crying when she reads this.) Here’s some of the highlights. I’ve removed people’s names, but left in some initials or first names. Basically each new paragraph is a different person speaking.

“Thanks Pamela!!! I knew you…

…would understand!!! :) You guys are the best and I don’t know what I would do without you!!!”

Thank you so much Pamela… for your lightning response! Happy Holidays

Pamela, I just wanted to thank you for your kind email back a few weeks ago when I was first registering. I was flattered and appreciated you saying that you found my email to be something positive enough to forward on, even though most of it was dedicated to my bumbling the registration process! That made me feel good about myself, so thank you for that! :) – Sara

It never ceases to amaze me how personally the founders of TotallyADD treat each message. Thank you for your personal attention and thanks for all the important work you are doing, you are helping in ways you will never be aware of.

“You gave me hope…

…and showed me that I can have ADHD and be happy, and often very funny because of it!!!

What you guys do is amazing and I’m so glad I have found all of these videos!! Thank you on behalf of all of the people who realize that they are not alone because of what you do.

I love-love-love Totally ADHD. Your humerus (spelling error?) and sincere approach to living with ADHD is refreshing. Thanks for all of the thought and love you all take in crafting it. – Kim

This is the first time I’ve visited your website and I’ll be back, it’s very informative and helpful. Thanks so much! – Marla

Love your products and they are so informative with a delightful touch of practicality and humor. – E. L.

I LOVE your website and the all the resources available!!! – M. W.

I was so excited to find your website and such great materials, I have ordered just about everything on your website!!!! – Peggy

You’re doing great stuff, Thanks!!! – S.

I love your site!!! Best ADHD website around!!! – Paul

“You guys are the most trusted source…

…for ADHD-related information. I read everything on ADHD and you guys are the best and the most fun! I really love the material you produce! – T.D. I just found TotallyADD, now it’s time to turn that corner with your help. You guys are awesome and always my “go to” team for advice, news, and ADD humor. Keeps me going on days that are especially rough… I’m very impressed with the work you have done, and wish you every success. Your videos are wonderful and so are you guys for making them and sharing them with all of us!!!

I’m looking forward to being…

..a part of this community! And thank you so much for running this site. Rick, you and your colleagues and team have provided a wonderful resource. I’ve consumed a *lot* of self-help stuff in my life, and while some of its failure was probably due to not being appropriate for an ADD individual.

We very much admire what the TotallyADD team does for those with ADD and ADHD – these communities are so lucky to have you in their corner.

Thank you thank you, thank you for tips to overcome such obsession and for the remind me that is okay to conserve energy for managing myself.

Our documentary ADD & Loving It?!

I have watched ADD and Loving It?! over and over again and again and I continue to find it entertaining and helpful.

I’ve just finished watching (maybe a dozen times) ADD & Loving It?! You guys have changed my life!! Thank You. – Wendy

When I first saw ADHD and Loving It?! it resonated so much!!!. I now visit TotallyADD everyday. Thanks for helping to educate folks like me about ADD and explain things in such fun and interesting ways. – J.M.

I’m looking forward to purchasing the videos and exploring this website. For the record, last year I watched ADD and Loving it?! in one of my classes.. by the end I was 95% sure I had ADHD also! Soooo in my 40s, I’ve now been diagnosed and I LOVE IT! Haha! It explains my whole life!!!

Thank you for “ADD and Loving it?!” it opened my eyes and mind. It was mentioned to us by a counselor that our son may be battling this, and he recommended watching your documentary. By the end of if, we turned to each other and were, “Yeah, let’s get him tested.” Thank you for this site. It’s been a great source of support for my husband and I.

With your permission we have shown ADD and Loving It?! more than half a dozen times to various groups. We’ve purchased four DVDs to be sure we always have one that works well. Thanks for all the wonderful work you do.

Stories of Transformation

I’m currently in the process of meeting with a psychiatrist to figure out how to be more successful in my professional and personal lives and I appreciate your website because it helps me understand myself and why I’ve had trouble getting things done all my life. I never knew or thought that I had ADD, but after speaking with friends, my doctor, my professors, classmates, coworkers, spouse, and reading online I don’t see how I have made it this far without a diagnosis (25 years). My parents didn’t believe in medication, but… it made a world of difference. I felt like a new person. Like I was awake and productive for the first time. Thoughts came to my mind, but I could easily push them away or write them down for later. I felt that I could finally think and communicate with my friends. For the first time, I didn’t feel the need to impulsively include my random thoughts into every situation. THANK YOU!!! I love your videos and will share them for sure!

I just want to tell you that your website has helped me realize that my chaotic brain is actually not normal and can be helped. I am in my 40’s and recently met another woman in her 40’s who told me she had adult ADHD. The more she talked the more I thought, “Hey, all you are doing is describing my life, that isn’t any big deal, really, is it?” Then the penny dropped. A huge penny! Her life was like my life, because of a shared trait, ADHD. This launched me in to research mode, which helped me find your site. I have now taken the first big step and have an appointment to see a psych in a few weeks. My biggest fear, is he will either not believe me, or will not consider letting me try medication. As I have tried every type of schedule, reminder service, yoga, adult coloring in (like, that lasted all of 2 minutes!) I just hope he will listen as I bare my flaws to him. So thank you, I am going to try to post this on the forums and hopefully get some reassurance! – Kelly

For years I have thought that there was either something wrong with me, or that I was special. I have always had a thousand and one things running through my mind and thought everyone else did, until I found out that no, they didn’t. I have been battling crippling self doubt, whilst often outwardly displaying confidence that belied my inner turmoil. I could not understand how a man with above average intelligence, seemed to be consistently spinning wheels on the world to nowhere. Until today. It’s like someone has literally taken my life and put it online. Well, not EVERYTHING. But the vast amount that I have read about ADD/ADHD (thank you, hyperfocus!), has left me in no doubt. I will get officially diagnosed, but as poster said below, this is both liberating and frightening. For so many years I have been fighting this internal battle and now I know what it is. I’m not crazy. I’m not useless. I’m not lazy. I feel SO much better that I have found this resource, amongst others. – A Fan

Unofficial Quiz

I really enjoy your site. The ‘Unofficial ADHD Quiz’ video made me want to spend the rest of the day on your website. Now I’m hooked, but then I do have ADD so maybe not such a big surprise to you guys!!

Thanks for all you do, Team TotallyADD. Your work has had a profound impact on the course of my life. I came across your 5 minute Unofficial ADD Quiz about six months ago, and was contentedly watching it [over the course of three days] to be a supportive spouse to my ADD partner and a supportive brother and uncle and cousin, and, really, a smug non-ADD person in a sea of ADD family. Well, of course it turned out that this life-long adventurer was at least as impacted as the rest of them, and totally oblivious and unable to see myself or my behaviours. The past six months have brought more change than I can describe. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Empowering Parents & Partners

Hi – great site! I’m helping my son who is 18 try to recognize his symptoms and this site is funny and engaging – might be working! Thanks!! – E.

I would like to “gift” an online video to my son as I know your videos would help him. I finally feel hopeful that through your website and videos my son will finally get help and see the potential he has but doesn’t yet understand how to reach. Thank you.

After my son was diagnosed with ADD, I realized “that’s me!” The realization was confusing for my parents because I was an honour roll student and graduated from LSU with a high grade point average. I see now that I am on medicine, that I accomplished this by throwing myself into crisis mode constantly. I never realized life shouldn’t be this hard until I experienced the other, calmer, more organized brain space that medication gives me. At first I regretted not knowing at a younger age. I felt like I could have rocked life and it would have been 100 times easier. But, I see now that the struggle was real and it has only made me stronger. I give credit to this website, it’s videos, emails, and Friday Funnies for helping me through this strange year of personal insight. I have never felt like anyone “got” me. Now I don’t feel like such an odd duck. Thank You!

Thank you for your website, from me and grandson! Ever since I learned how to search for web sites on google I have been looking for any helpful resources on parenting and ADHD. That is how I discovered your page, which I really enjoy. Especially the archived webinars which were very helpful. – V.M.

Thanks for everything. I think my marriage fell apart because of ADD. My husband was diagnosed but stated outright that it wasn’t part of our issues and that I wasn’t allowed to talk about it. Meanwhile my son also has it. Advocating for my son in school but having to pretend it wasn’t part of my marriage was a little much to handle. Thank you for everything. P. .S.. my son loves Friday Funnies – as do I. – Ingrid

Friday Funnies are such a great start…

…to the weekend. Thank you Rick for all you do and making me smile at least once a week!!!

I just have to say that your Friday Funnies bring me great joy! Thank you! – B.H.

The world has gone mad and the daily stressors are overwhelming. But, on Fridays I look forward to my Friday Funnies and have the pleasure of moments of chuckles and smiles. – W.

I love-love-love the Friday Funnies randomly placed in the most recent Totally ADHD email. Caught and kept my attention. Genius idea! – K.J.

Doctors and Other Professionals…

I love your descriptions of the symptoms and the examples you provide.. I’ve used many rating scales, structured diagnostic interviews & semi-structured interviews and I think your wording is the best. :) I recommend your website & videos to *all* my newly diagnosed ADHD clients. The content is reliable, clearly communicated, unbiased and, most importantly, hopeful. Thank you! Love your work at TotallyADD. It is the ONE email list that I recommend to my ADHD clients (I’m a certified ADHD coach). – L.K.

This is a ‘fawning praise’ note! We met a couple of years ago – I am an ADHD Coach in Ontario. I use your videos in my coaching frequently and find them very helpful for explaining information to clients and/or parents. I am very excited that TotallyADD is partnered with the ACO for the Coach Directory and have already had calls from this! So Thank-you! Thanks for the all you do to change the lives of people with ADHD! – J.W

You ROCK! :) You guys are literally lifesavers :) Seriously…you really are!!! – K.J.

Thank you so much for the help. You’re website and shop are wonderful. Happy Holidays and thank Rick for all the things he does that help us see we aren’t lazy and stupid. I wish you and all the staff at TotallyADD all the best for 2017 and the happiest of Holidays! You deserve some calmness from us ADDers!

And Finally…

You gave me hope through laughter. You showed me the people who really know what they are talking about. You showed me what I could rely on. How did I know you were to be trusted? Because you posted video’s for free. Completely selfless. You let me see who you were. You shared views from experts to reassure me. And then you showed me you had a website and other offers. Thank You. – D.S.