A friend of mine shared her favorite explanation of ADHD and I thought it was pretty interesting
“Imagine
a symphony orchestra in which each musician plays his or her instrument
very well. If there is no conductor to organize the orchestra, to
signal the introduction of the woodwinds or the fading out of the
strings, or to convey an overall interpretation of the music to all
players, the orchestra will not produce good music.
Symptoms
of ADD can be compared to impairments, not in the musicians but in the
conductor. Typically, people with ADD are able to pay attention, to
start and stop their actions, to keep up their alertness and effort, and
to use their short-term memory effectively when engaged in certain
favorite activities. This indicates that these people are not totally
unable to exercise attention, alertness, or effort. They can play their
instruments very well – but only sometimes. The problem lies in their
chronic inability to activate and manage these functions in the right
way at the right time.”
of ADD can be compared to impairments, not in the musicians but in the
conductor. Typically, people with ADD are able to pay attention, to
start and stop their actions, to keep up their alertness and effort, and
to use their short-term memory effectively when engaged in certain
favorite activities. This indicates that these people are not totally
unable to exercise attention, alertness, or effort. They can play their
instruments very well – but only sometimes. The problem lies in their
chronic inability to activate and manage these functions in the right
way at the right time.”
