Gift of Adult ADD by Lara Honos-Webb

Author:Lara Honos-Webb [Lara Honos-Webb, PhD]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781608820672
Publisher: New Harbinger Publications

What If Firefighters Took Adderall?

If Scott is on to something—and neurochemically he is correct in linking adrenaline with pharmaceutical stimulants—this leads to some interesting speculation. One line of research has shown that if you give animals a neurotransmitter, they will be less motivated to engage in actions that naturally stimulate this chemical. For example, one study found that giving monkeys oxytocin (a neurochemical that generates intense positive feelings in nursing mothers) caused the monkeys to stop nursing their infants (Turner et al. 2002). If adults with ADD need intense situations to get their fix, how would their lives change if they were medicated? Would firefighters taking chemical stimulants be less inclined to jump into the middle of a fire or other dangerous scene?

By Scott’s account, the natural adrenaline rush allows him and his firefighters to stay calm, to create the sensation of time slowing down as they take in huge chunks of information and generate many possible courses of action. Consider how very many important jobs require both creative problem-solving skills and a willingness to head straight into an emergency rather than run away from it. Maybe the ADD brain has an important function to serve in society just as it naturally is.

Scott has shown us that creativity plays a key role in what firefighters do. The more possibilities a firefighter can generate for approaching a fire, the more likely it is that the firefighter will be able to overcome any obstacles encountered. And the better a firefighter can scan a scene, taking in details but not becoming fixated on them, the more effective the firefighter will be.

Who would have guessed that Scott’s preoccupation with leaves falling and airplanes flying was building an interest in aerodynamics? It was also generating skills in close observation. In particular, his interest in leaves shows a connection and respect for the forces of nature, a gift of ADD we’ll explore further in the next chapter. On a deeper level, a leaf falling from a tree is a potent image of the death and loss inevitable to the life cycle. Maybe as young Scott stared out the window at falling leaves, he was etching deep into his psyche a view of life and death that would give him the courage to face his future vocation’s possibility of death. A possibility few of us could bear.

Activity: Translate Distractions into Destiny

Scott’s childhood “distractions” trained him to observe closely interactions between objects and air currents—a skill that would later enable him to read smoke, saving lives and putting out fires. Although he was punished for these distractions, in hindsight they were clearly vital to his preparation for his life vocation. In this activity you will practice translating your own distractions into hobbies, interests, or even another vocation.

In your journal, make a list of five interests or activities that distract your from what you are “supposed to be doing.” No matter how frivolous or unimportant an activity may seem, put it on the list. Whether it’s watching sports on

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