| For most of us the friendships we made early in life | | | | Some individuals with attention deficit hyperactivity |
| have served us well through the years. We can | | | | disorder, especially those who are unusually |
| always call on those old friends for advice when the | | | | hyperactive or restless, may feel the need to |
| situation arises. But imagine if there was no one to | | | | interrupt conversations and situations where they're |
| call or for that matter there were very few people | | | | not invited by constantly interrupting others, or |
| that wanted to talk to you simply because your | | | | behaving in a hostile, arrogant fashion. Most of us |
| personality seemed overbearing, rude, self centered, | | | | would agree that this type of pushy behavior not |
| impulsive, or just flat out strange. Welcome to the | | | | only makes people mad but labels the pushy person |
| world that many of those with attention deficit | | | | as rude and inconsiderate. |
| hyperactivity disorder reside in. | | | | Finding help |
| ADHD symptoms can make it very difficult for | | | | While biological neurotransmitter balancing stimulant |
| anyone with attention deficit disorder to make and | | | | medications will reduce symptom in seven out of ten |
| maintain friendships. Their symptoms make simple | | | | instances they can't teach new skills or improve |
| communication skills such as picking up on | | | | interpersonal challenges. One of the types of |
| communication cues and translating nonverbal cues | | | | treatment most often suggested for dealing with |
| into appropriate action almost impossible. This will | | | | both the person upset that social shortcomings |
| eventually to lead them to shy away from social | | | | deliver and learning strategies to better fit in to |
| interaction, in favor of a safer life consisting of | | | | societal norms is that of cognitive behavioral therapy |
| solitude and isolationism. | | | | or CBT. |
| Another set of social skill problems often seen in | | | | CBT is a form of treatment that combines elements |
| ADHD individuals of all ages is the failure to see the | | | | of both behavioral therapy and cognitive therapy. |
| need to nurture relationships and keep them growing | | | | Together, these two forms of treatment work to |
| and going. They may also forget about friends needs | | | | help the ADHD individual make positive social and |
| leading potential friends to believe they are simple | | | | personal changes by altering the way they think and |
| too self centered to have a two way conversation. | | | | act using an intricate web of conditioning and |
| Individuals with ADHD may not feel the need to text | | | | association. In other words a CBT professional will |
| or call their friends, send a friendly email just to say | | | | use these four steps: First explore the situation or |
| hello and catch up on old times, remember birthdays | | | | situations where problem ADHD behavior exists, |
| and other important dates, or remember to console | | | | develops a strategy for better handling it, work with |
| them after a personal emotional disaster. This lack of | | | | the ADHD individual to implements that strategy |
| caring may leave this potential or soon to be ex | | | | successfully, and last but not least assess the results |
| friend alienated and hurt making it next to impossible | | | | and makes the appropriate adjustments to achieve |
| for the friendship to move forward in a positive way. | | | | the intended behavioral modifications. |
| No time for you! | | | | |