Risk it, go for it

Risk it, go for it
Life always gives you another chance
Another go at it
It's very inportant to take
Enormous Risks
-Mary Quant-

When I was a young girl Mary Quant was a trendsetter of note. She famously named the mini-skirt after her favourite motor car, and designed ever-shorter creations for knock-kneed models like Twiggy. Who could forget her 'hot-pants' outfits and the patterned tights which adorned the very-visible legs of the day?

Mary Quant took many risks, and was highly criticised by many, as a result. As a teenager, growing up in South Africa, I clearly remember various church leaders blaming the drought on Mary Quant's mini skirts. I also remember feeling liberated by her trends, much to my parents' horror, as I showed off my own knock-knees to the world. Mary Quant broke down many barriers. Her clothes transcended class and financial means, as she made fashion accessible to young people. Her designs were androgynous and bold. Thank goodness she was a risk-taker.

As children we all take risks without a second thought. I remember watching my son, who was determined to walk at 10 months. He fell a 100 times, often hurting himself, but he got up 101 times, and he walked. As adults, we become cautious, over-thinking things before we commit to anything. 'Do I dare?' we ask ourselves. 'No I don't', we answer. We miss out on so much, and so does the world, as we stifle our creative urges.

That's where ADHD comes in. Risk-taking comes naturally to many people with ADHD. They retain that childhood sense of adventure. They are prepared to make fools of themselves if it means that they will learn a new skill. They step outside their comfort zones every day. They live in the moment.

And they make the world a better place.

What a Difference a Diagnosis Makes

ADHD Awareness Week starts on Monday 20th September, and will be launched in WA by LADS (The Learning & Attentional Disorders Society of WA). I will be working with LADS to spread the scientific word about ADHD - talking about research which identifies the risks associated with ADHD and the benefits of early diagnosis and treatment.

Unfortunately, ADHD Awareness Week is also used by the anti-ADHD movement to create alarm in the community and circulate sensational stories with no scientific foundation. It is my sincere wish that the WA public will listen to the voice of reason and ignore the fanatical fringe.

On Monday, I will be presenting my research at LADS. I'm calling my talk 'What a Difference a Diagnosis Makes', and I'll be telling stories from the perspectives of children and adults with ADHD. One thing stands out clearly in my research - the earlier the ADHD diagnosis, the better equipped people are to deal with it.

Also on Monday, there will be an expert panel at LADS, consisting of doctors, psychologists, teachers, a speech therapist, and other allied health professionals. Audience members will have the opportunity to ask them any questions about ADHD. Join us please, for an evening of information based on scientific fact, not alarmist nonsense:

When: Monday 20th Sept at 6:30pm
Where: The Niche, cnr Hospital Ave & Aberdare Rd Nedlands, WA

Breaking the Silence

A new Australian report on suicide ('Breaking the Silence') paints a very sad picture, and calls for a national strategy for suicide prevention. Some alarming facts:

• 2200 Australian commit suicide each year. This translates to 7 per day.
• Almost 80% of those who commit suicide in Australia are males.
• It is the leading cause of death for men under 44, and women under 35
• More people die by suicide than from motor vehicle accidents, skin cancer and homicides
• 178 Australian attempt suicide each day, and many require hospitalisation
• In 2007, 31509 Australians were admitted to hospital as a result of self-harm
• The level of direct funding for national suicide prevention is less than $1 per person per year

Suicide and suicide attempts cause immense distress to individuals, and also to the wider community. Colleagues, friends and family members often blame themselves for not seeing the 'danger signs', and wonder what they could have done to prevent such a tragedy. Responses to suicide are also complicated by the accompanying stigma, and the perception of suicide as a failure on the part of the deceased (to cope) or the family (for not intervening or preventing the suicide).

The causes of suicide are complex. However, in reality, almost all people who attempt or complete suicide had one or more warning signs. The vast majority of people who commit suicide have contact with health services. The risk of suicide may be highest when someone is discharged from acute psychiatric care.

This new report list many strategies for governments to implement in order to decrease the risk of suicide amongst Australians. Obviously, much more money should be spent on suicide prevention services. Also, it recommends that the public be educated about mental illness and suicide, in order to reduce stigma in these areas. They recommend an annual budget of $10 million per year for at least five years be spent in order to change public and community attitudes. Let's hope that all politicians and bureaucrats who have some power over government spending take the time to seriously consider this report and all its recommendations.

The full report can be downloaded from:

www.suicidepreventionaust.org

If you need any help, or know anybody else who needs support, contact Lifeline: 13 11 14.

Are you an Adrenaline Addict?

Let's face it, when the dopamine is low people with ADHD sometimes rely on adrenaline to get them through tough situations. Adrenaline is there to give us a jolt of superhuman energy when we find ourselves in danger. Increasingly, people use it to get an exciting rush or high - skydiving and bungy-jumping create adrenaline rushes. Leaving a project or assignment until the last minute also creates the stress requireed to produce adrenaline in our bodies, and that helps us to complete the task - just in time. It is so effective, that many people consciously, or unconsciously use it as a strategy. However, constant adrenaline highs come at a physical and emotional cost. Physically, we are overusing our adrenal gland, and putting stress on the body by regularly circulating adrenaline. We are also harming our emotional wellbeing by creating the stressful situations which cause our body to circulate adrenaline.

CoachU provides the following Adrenaline Self-Test. Many are similar to ADHD symptoms.
How many apply to you:

1. I drink coffee, colas, or other caffeinated beverages in order to get going and keep going
2. I eat sugar to calm myself down
3. I tend to overpromise and then rush to get the project done at the last minute
4. I arrive at work rushed and already 'on'
5. I feel an inner rush or lack of stillness or peace much of the time and I can't get rid of it.
6. I tend to be impatient with the pace or performance of others
7. I often drive 10km per hour or more over the speed limit or tend to tailgate
8. I tend to run late or arrive just in time. After all, why waste time by being early?
9. It often seems that there is a problem, hassle, or difficult situation I'm having to deal with
10. I don't give myself enough time during the day for the things I do know will come up
11. I love a challenge, and pushing through it to reach a solution
12. I get grabbed by surprises or upsetting events and can't calm down for a day or two
13. I find it boring or difficult to simply hang out with people sometimes
14. I am at my best when under pressure, especially deadline pressure
15. Sometimes I wonder if I deliberately set myself up to wait until the last minute
16. I do not arrive at the airport an hour before my flight
17. I carry my mobile phone even when I do not need it
18. Sometimes I think I unconsciously try to find the hardest way of getting something done
19. People sometimes complain that I am not there with them, even though I am
20. I tend to be a driven type of person

Scoring Key:

15-20 You are a certified adrenaline addict
11-14 An unhealthy level of adrenaline is probably coursing through your body
6-10 You have a possible adrenaline problem
0-5 Congratulations! You appear to not have an adrenaline problem.

Coaching can help you design and implement strategies that will make you less reliant on adrenalin to get the job done. With a coach you can identify and eliminate your adrenaline triggers. You will replace adrenaline energy with a natural energy and vitality which will make you more productive than ever before.
Contact me for more information:

Mobile: 0411 067 541
Landline: (08) 6142 9456
Email: micheletoner@hotmail.com