Dear ADD, ADHD and HSP people
I am Jochem, the founder and lead writer of ADDcharacteristics.net. During my lifetime, I was diagnosed with ADD. After that, the labels HSP (High Sensitive Person) and HSS (High Sensation Seeker) also came to me. In 2011, I started this website to offer a more positive sound for people with labels like ADD, ADHD and HSP. What I often noticed is the huge dose of negativity around AD(H)D and HSP. ADDcharacteristics.net highlights precisely those bright sides too.
Besides the necessary positivity, you will find plenty of tips and advice here, as well as inspiring and informative articles. Sometimes written by me and sometimes by one of the fantastic guest bloggers. Many of the guest bloggers have been diagnosed with AD(H)D or are Highly Sensitive themselves. As a result, the articles are often a breath of fresh air of recognition. What is also much loved are the recognisable submitted life stories of fellow AD(H)D'ers and HSP'ers.
Over the years, I have learned an incredible amount and have not only become an expert in the field of ADD, ADHD and HSP, but also in subjects such as self-healing, nutrition and NLP. Through this website, I try to help you on your way to a better life in which you are empowered and can live fully from your true self. Below you can read more about my life story and my journey to balance. You can also read about all the struggles I encountered along the way and why I started this website.
Do you recognise this?
Your head keeps thinking. You feel restless, cannot concentrate on anything, get bored easily and are easily overstimulated. In addition, you seem to possess an intuitive wisdom that others do not. A kind of feeling as if your consciousness is operating on a different frequency. You can't explain everything when asked 'why', you just feel it.
A personal aspect I have also always carried with me is that I try to fix everything that is wrong in the world. All the lies, misery, power games. I can take it very badly when I see injustice. I want to fix it all. As if it is my mission to help the whole world where I always make too little time for myself. On the one hand, maybe a nice trait but on the other hand, a pitfall because it takes a lot of energy. Especially in a world as it is being shaped today.
My story...
The past few years have been a long journey of awareness for me. I have been very involved in self-healing through nutrition, alternative medicine, epigenetics, natural supplements, NLP and mindfulness. In the process, I have learned all kinds of things and seen a variety of therapists, alternative healers, coaches, doctors and psychologists, and I have spoken to many fellow ADDs, ADHDs and HSPs. I also read a number of inspiring and helpful books (not my strong suit, haha).
The biggest reason for this long search was that in (June 2009), suddenly overnight, I was diagnosed with CFS/ME, or chronic fatigue syndrome. This was a major turning point in my life that ensured I really had to start working on myself from now on. How I was living until then was obviously not the right way. I had been living all those years in a way of always going on and not complaining. Suppressing and hiding my symptoms and surviving on adrenaline.
It soon became clear that merely taking rest was not going to make me better. My life was slowly being taken over by this severe fatigue with all the accompanying symptoms. For me, it felt like I literally had to 'reset' in order to recover.
Early years at school and the development of complaints
In retrospect, the CFS/ME I just mentioned was a process that had already started in my adolescence. I think the underlying reason for my CFS/ME was the increasing imbalance in my body and mind due to ADD and high sensitivity, which I found difficult to deal with. Always tiptoeing around me, being easily overstimulated, little motivation and a brain that doesn't stop thinking.
Somehow, I just couldn't find my niche at school either. You know the sayings. You can do it but you don't want to. In primary school, I got through it and that was actually a really fun time too. High school became a bigger problem. I really wondered why everyone was so good at listening to that 'brainwash'. At least that's how I saw it. I was just looking for action, interesting stimuli and learning which enlarged my soul. In retrospect, that was really my AD(H)D side. I was not looking for knowledge that stores itself in a lobe of the brain and that decays when you die.
From the age of 14, I started developing symptoms like depersonalisation, tinnitus, fatigue, dizziness, brooding, depression, social anxiety and so on. I don't remember exactly what started it first but probably because of one thing came another. Perhaps it also had to do with the fact that I felt little 'real' connection with other children. This while as a child I was always very cheerful and adventurous and always full of energy. Climbing trees, on rooftops, bicycle racing and so on. In childhood, I was really more of an ADHD'er, haha. Things could never be crazy enough for me. Yes, an adrenaline junky I was. That kept me going even in my adolescence. My biggest outlet back then was freestyle snowboarding. The adrenaline kept me on my toes and relatively happy at that time.
Apart from this, I did various jobs from catering to tuk-tuk driver to on-call stuntman for a stunt team. Everything to keep feeling the adrenaline that calmed me down. This allowed me to feel no symptoms such as overstimulation, the constantly running thoughts, restlessness, insecurity, etc.
Broken upper leg and trip through Australia/Asia
To make matters worse, when I was 21, I broke my upper leg in a snowboarding accident. Just a few months before I was supposed to go to Australia for a year. Fortunately, that did go ahead, despite the fact that I was in a lot of pain for the first few months there and had to leave a lot behind. Halfway through, I flew over to New Zealand for a few more weeks and at the end of the year I went to work in the snow in Australia's snowy mountains. I worked there in a hostel and as a dishwasher in a restaurant. In addition, I could be found snowboarding on the mountain every day.
After this year, I flew via Hong-Kong where I stayed for a week to Bangkok and spent another three months backpacking through South-East Asia in Thailand, Laos and Cambodia. I really liked that free feeling of going wherever you want and not having to take anything or anyone into account. If I liked it somewhere I stayed, if not I left again. The most free feeling I had was when I rented a motorbike in Thailand and went on an adventure. Always taking every road I didn't know, which brought me to the most beautiful places and beaches.
During my backpacking trip, for the first time in my life, I met really inspiring and fun people with whom I was really in tune. Like in terms of depth, humour, creativity, etc. I would safely say that most of the backpackers you meet in those countries could almost all carry labels like ADD, ADHD and high sensitivity, for example. Anyway, it was a very special time!
The beginning of CFS/ME and many operations
After returning from my trip, severe fatigue began to set in within a year. It was not yet CFS/ME, as I could still work as usual. I remember exactly how, after several months, CFS/ME kicked in overnight. As if something had 'changed' in my system so that I no longer rested from sleep and had to recover for days from every little exertion. Maybe I had also contracted something like lyme or some parasite. I don't know. Extensive blood tests were never allowed to show anything, only that I had antibodies for Pheiffer, but that could have been from years ago. However, a therapist from live blood tests did tell me that I would have candida in my blood. At the time, apart from a short diet, I never really did anything with that.
Unfortunately, it could all be worse because even though I could barely walk due to the fatigue caused by CFS/ME, my concentration had now really dropped to a 0-point as far as it could get worse and I felt like my brain had become a grey mass that only left my organs to work so as not to drop dead, I was from then on given an operation to repair my leg length difference. This leg length difference had occurred due to the fracture. In addition, the screws had broken in Australia, causing an additional more than half a cm of shortening. Something my doctors, by the way, had sworn what could not happen. No matter how hard I would jump or do, the screws would never break! Well, they don't know me yet, you might think. If there is anyone who always pushes the limit and preferably crosses it, it is me. Anyway, this became the beginning of 3 years of drama in which I had to undergo a total of 8 major operations. You get the picture, the extreme fatigue that had already taken over my life now became even worse.
I am not one to sit back and relax. So despite everything, I wanted to keep moving and started studying SPH (social pedagogical assistance). How I did it, I don't know, because there was no real human existence left, as I was literally a dried-up zombie manoeuvring through school on crutches all those months. Still, I got good grades and wrote good theses and reports. Sometimes it seems like a kind of 'primal drive' is released in me when I am struggling. As if that's when it really becomes a challenge. That may be my AD(H)D side, which I think is actually a very nice characteristic.
Unfortunately, I was forced to stop this study after 3/4 years. Well, when you fall down and shake on the floor and feel like you could die at any moment of the day, you wonder whether you should continue like this.
In retrospect, I now also understand why my leg did not want to recover right away from the 1st leg extension surgery. A body with CFS/ME is in a continuous chronic stress state. That means the sympathetic nervous system is activated 24/7. In that state, your body does not heal and you only produce adrenaline. You are ready to fight or flee but this of course completely burns up all the reserves you have in you. When your system calms down and your parasympathetic nervous system is activated, your body can heal itself. Well, unfortunately these are all things I found out later and they don't care about in the hospital. I had asked them so many times, "Doctor, is it wise to do this leg lengthening now since I feel so extremely tired every day?" The answer every time was that it could not be a problem.
A journey to awareness, healing and recovery
Fortunately, I am now recovering very well from all the symptoms and my energy level is now almost normal (June 2015 time of writing). This also resulted in my thigh bone finally starting to grow together. By now, my thigh bone has been growing really well for a year and I am able to longboard regularly. Snowboarding I also did again once. As long as I don't exert too much effort, I don't fall back into fatigue and my leg pulls through just fine.
As you now understand, this healing could also only happen because I brought my body back to rest about which you will read more below. In terms of my CFS/ME, things are going very well now provided I don't fall back into old patterns. I need regular time for myself and just shouldn't try to live like others do at all costs. I'm just not like that and I actually like that. If I stay with myself and my diet persists, it goes well! By the way, the same goes for other complaints I always had due to my ADD and HSP such as overstimulation, unclearness, fog in the head, concentration problems and restlessness. People often really have no idea what food does to you. I also benefited greatly for a while from the natural supplement LTO3. Meanwhile, more and more people with ADD and ADHD are taking it. I prefer to do it without taking anything, so I focus mainly on meditation exercises, NLP and nutrition. LTO3 is also quite pricey, but if you can afford it, I definitely recommend giving it a try. Here I wrote a full page of information about it.
To recover, I did have to learn a lot about myself. That is why I went to every therapist, coach and alternative healer you can think of. And yes, this has cost me loads of money! I think I could have bought a very nice car by now.
From the alternative healers, a lot of them were unfortunately quackery and frankly just bagging, which didn't help me at all. But yes, I wanted to get rid of the CFS/ME at all costs and felt desperate. There were days when I could only go up and down the stairs once after which I had to recover for the rest of the day, or several days. Seeing a friend for 5 minutes also resulted in 3 days of rest in bed. But thanks to continuing to look for the right help and not focusing on all the negative reports, I became increasingly aware and gained a lot of valuable knowledge. These gave me very good new insights which ensured that I continued to recover from the CFS/ME. The symptoms of ADD and HSP also got better and better. The subjects I dealt with and still deal with are nutrition, meditation, alternative medicine, epigenetics, natural supplements, NLP, mindfulness, etc. Now I actually see my ADD and HSP more as a strength and can live with it much better. I also wonder if these labels are disorders in intent.
ADD and ADHD a disorder?
In my opinion, the negative side of ADD and ADHD is overemphasised. We are too concerned with seeing ADD and ADHD as a disorder. In my view, this actually applies to almost all labels people are given these days. In some ways, I understand this. Of course, this is because it seems like a burden rather than a strength in our current society. Because yes, I too suffered a lot and even developed CFS/ME because of it. In fact, it has been found that 70% of people diagnosed with it in adulthood have since developed other problems as well. Many well-known external psychological disorders in ADD and ADHD are depression, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCS), anxiety disorders, personality disorders, burnout and so on. By the way, this is also common in HSP.
But don't forget this. Scientists still argue about whether things like ADD and ADHD can really be named as disorders. Sure, the pharma companies do this, but then again, they make billions. But remember that there is nothing to measure. No blood test, no X-ray, nothing. Yes there is sometimes evidence of other brain activity. But this also appears to occur in people who experience no symptoms at all. I was told this when I underwent 10 neurofeedback treatments. Therefore, this cannot be a deciding factor and, in the end, it comes down to the fact that all these labels can only be determined on the basis of certain characteristics someone experiences. But you can also ask why this behaviour is expressed. A variety of external factors often come into play here. Factors that disturb the balance between the human body and mind. Incidentally, I had little benefit from neurofeedback at the time.
Don't get me wrong, I don't want to trivialise anything at all. I have personally experienced how tough life can be and how you are confronted with your symptoms day in and day out. Half my life consisted of 'surviving' and, in fact, I still do. I was also desperate and looking for that one magic pill that could make all my symptoms disappear. But it just doesn't work like that. I even tried Ritalin and Concerta for a while but this was a no go for me! Losing weight, heart palpitations, anxiety and so on. No, for me it was clear that medication was not the way for me.
The 'robot mode'
That it is very difficult these days to participate in society in a somewhat normal and pleasant way is obvious. I think we can all agree on that. We see this in the large number of growing patients in mental health care. This is running at a red-hot temperature and how much medication is being swallowed? In the Netherlands alone, 1 million people are on antidepressants and hundreds of thousands on stimulants such as Ritalin and Concerta. In America, the ratio is many times higher. It really has become alarmingly high! But why? Well, the world has become damn fast. Money, greed and power play the biggest role. Can you imagine there are people living on a different consciousness who are completely stuck in this society? At the same time, no one is asking questions about the madness we live in today. It seems like everyone has gone into a kind of robot mode and no one knows what life is really about anymore. Is now really the only thing that matters working, working, working, busy, busy, busy, money, money, money, money and buying the latest stuff?
The beginning of ADDcharacteristics.net
On the internet, I come across a lot of information about ADD and ADHD. Unfortunately, I find that it is often very negative. I myself have gained a huge amount of new information by reading books and learning from other therapists as I have described. One such book that really opened my eyes is 'The Davinci Method' by John Loporto. Yes, believe me, I used to hate reading but Loporto approaches our traits in such a beautiful way that I finished the book in one sitting. This really is a eye-opener for all people diagnosed with ADD, ADHD and adjacent diagnoses that you simply should have read. Besides my own views, which I have always held on ADD, ADHD and HSP, this book was one of the biggest inspirations for me to start the website ADDcharacteristics.net in late 2011.
More about Loporto's inspiring book 'The Davinci Method' can be found here. You can also see his super inspiring video there in which he shares his message as an introduction to his book.
ADD and ADHD looked at from a positive side
Unfortunately, if you enter 'ADD' or 'ADHD' in Google, or any contemporary label, you will almost exclusively find websites that assume disorders. Entire websites are full of them and forums are filled with people who just talk each other into the doldrums and try to find support through complaining, which of course is counterproductive in the end. All looking for that one all-encompassing super pill that is going to make life perfect. All time you could have spent on yourself.
So that is not my intention of this website. I don't approach all these labels as a disorder. I see it as a body getting out of balance and that starts in childhood. Also food often plays a role in this. I like to focus on anything that helps us get back into balance so that you experience fewer symptoms and can live life with joy and happiness. I also prefer to look at the possibilities and positive qualities that are often hidden behind the negative aspects of these labels.
Think of beautiful, powerful qualities we possess such as your high awareness, your strong intuition, your drive for challenge and thrills, your days performing for 300%, your hyperfocus, your creativity, your insane ability to come up with solutions to problems, your adventurousness, your humour, your passion and so on. Strong qualities we possess in abundance, mind you! Otherwise, take a look at these 10 wonderful benefits of ADD and ADHD.
Did you know that a large proportion of all celebrities such as, movie stars, rock stars, artists, inventors, dancers, artists, entrepreneurs and great leaders have been diagnosed with ADD or ADHD or can very much identify with the characteristics? Check out this interesting videos about celebrities with ADD and ADHD. That does indicate the extent to which these people have a certain higher consciousness and how much can be achieved with this. These people need a passion in which they can express their energy, creativity and other special powers. Only then can they really live from who they really are and that is what you see in them!
Living from your passion and true 'I'
When you regain balance, are confident and feel that spirit within yourself and can express your passion and creativity, you can be a person who is very inspiring to 'normal' people. A person with a close engagement with life, a rich emotional life, high awareness, full of creativity, a broad thinking mind, a social being, reliable, humorous and with very good intuition. The roles of feeling different will then turn. The 'sheeple' as they are often called will then see you as a strength they are only too happy to learn from. But if you keep getting stuck and often think negatively about yourself, you will become more and more negatively laden and tired and the above beautiful qualities will mostly remain in the background. In the long run, this often results in secondary psychological complaints, later even burnout or even CVs/me as was the case with me.
There are several ways to get closer to yourself again and learn to cope better with ADD, ADHD and HSP in everyday life. For example, take a look at the link below:
> 9 valuable tips for your life with ADD, ADHD and HSP
The purpose of ADDcharacteristics.net
For many people, ADD, ADHD and HSP unfortunately result in a life full of problems, setbacks, getting stuck, over-stimulated, burn-out, anxiety, depression and so on. Through all the information, tips and advice I give you tools to be stronger with your ADD, ADHD and HSP and to live from your true 'I'. I share with you all the knowledge I have. The knowledge that can give your life a positive spin as an ADD, ADHD and HSP sufferer. I share all the information I have learned from coaches, therapists, alternative healers and from books and documentaries, my own intuition and experiences and what I have done myself in my journey towards healing and understanding. I also try to inspire you and others to look especially at the beautiful and strong sides of ADD, ADHD and high sensitivity watch.
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Lots of reading and recognition fun at ADD features.net
Greetings, Jochem!
More on my identity... You might be wondering who Jochem is then. I totally get that! There are a number of reasons why I do not reveal my full identity which I will explain below.
Good evening,
What a fine page you have - my eldest son also has ADHD. Now I have recently written a book which I would like to tell you about.
https://www.boekscout.nl/shop2/boek.php?bid=12810
My booklet Langs de lijn is specially written for children whose parents are getting divorced. For young primary school children who have attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD/ADD) or the various forms of developmental disabilities (ASD). As a parent, this illustrated read-aloud booklet can be read step by step with the child to make the major changes understandable and visual. The booklet is clear, has clear illustrations and does not contain unnecessary stimuli.
I would like to ask if you are interested in posting it on your page for those parents who need day. As extra support in this difficult process in their lives.
Waiting for your response.
Sincerely,
Laura Maas
Bye Jochem,
I have add but also asperger's. Think both diagnoses are correct. But there is also the other side, having your head in the higher dimensions. Long thought I only had add, diagnosed 11 years ago. 6 years back was diagnosed with asperger's. Recently got t book "looking differently at autism" on my "path", I get the itch from spiritual terms, summary of the contents of t book is actually the fear of grounding for hsp'ers. Finally someone, Merel Boogaard, who largely told my story. Being different means you have to stay with yourself, for which I am now very grateful. Meanwhile, t he difficulty in making and maintaining contact is resolving itself, although I will remain selective to a degree and that is totally fine. Wanted to do a short piece so I'll leave it here.
Greetings to all neuro-typical people, ?
Hello people,
Very much would like to get in touch with people who are also HSPs, and have already tried a lot, medication, meditation, supplements (already take B12) and are still stuck.
I am 66 and have already tried all kinds of things, have just stopped taking antidepressants, but find it all quite difficult and would like to exchange thoughts with people who recognise my story.
Your story is very familiar to me, your symptoms are really very similar to a b12 deficiency, note: what GPs often see as a normal limit before you have a deficiency is already a deficiency, all in all GPs are not familiar with this at all and it is also called the ?b12 the unknown/forgotten disease? a friend of mine, and that's where I got this information from as well, ran with the same symptoms as you..adhd/ tired/ dizziness/ tinitus/ hearing loss/ depression etc etc.
And what turns out she has been using the melt tablets b12 from vitaminb12tekort.nl (no advertising) for a 4 weeks now and apparently the adhd/add diagnosis was a misdiagnosis because she has not been taking her ritalin for a fortnight now, she is living in the here and now again, no more depression, no more dizziness etc etc.
It sounds too good to be worth it!
Hi Sanne, how nice.
I will check out the website. Have heard about it before but when I took measurements at the GP's my value was indeed always good. Towards the lower limit, though.
So which one would you recommend to start with?
Bye Jochem,
Yes, general practitioners often use this lower limit as a good thing, while this is not the case at all and therefore not good at all (with regular doctors, that is).
I also have ADD and here I have recovered anyway but still have ADD, tired, easily dizzy, anxiety, I don't live but survive every day it seems.
But that b12 does help and anything that helps me is nice, unfortunately it doesn't work for me like it did for that friend of mine.
I myself especially notice a relapse when, for example, I have been on a nice holiday or do something that increases dopamine (fun things) and then when I return home the dopamine plummets so much that I feel enormously depressed/anxious and tired, this is very annoying and how this can be so strong I have no idea, seems like the rebound after a ritalin what you sometimes hear, however, I have to take a high dose of the ritalin otherwise I don't notice anything, but I don't want to be high dosed.
Pfff sometimes I don't know anymore.
By the way, below is the b12 I use
https://vitamineb12nu.nl/
What a story, and so many things so recognisable to me
I too am an HSP/HB er....I have known this for a few years now, more and more things are becoming clearer to me and I understand myself better.
I am the way I am, a sponge that absorbs everything, I feel, hear experience everything intensely which takes a lot of energy.
But I am now at the point where it is starting to become my strength, more and more my sensitivity is becoming my strength.
I am a driven little person, my life is fun again and I enjoy every day more and more
Dear Jochem.
A question about side effects of LTO3:
I am not allowed to take Ritalin etc because I have glaucoma.
Is LTO3 safe for eye pressure?
Meanwhile, I did (impulsively) order it....
Thank you.
Cathien
Hi Cathien,
LTO3 is a natural product and you cannot compare it to a medication like Ritalin.
Nothing is known about such side effects with LTO3.
dear jochem
I have an urgent question
How can LTO3 help against better sleep if you take it before bedtime
but also that it makes you feel more allergic?
I'd love to hear
Hi Deborah, I answered that question for you ages back ;)
Bottom this page with all information about LTO3 is at the top of the comments your question and my answer to it.
Briefly, this is because the calmness in your brain makes you alert during the day. This calmness also allows your brain to easily relax in the evening and produce substances like melatonin that make you sleepy. This then allows you to sleep more easily. For further explanation, you can find the answer I wrote to you earlier.
Greetings Jochem.
Dear Jochem,
With tears in my eyes and full of recognition is reading your story. I am sometimes at my wit's end. Living consciously, seeking adrenaline rush and self-medication are my methods. I never manage to sustain anything, anything at all, for long. One moment I get frustrated, the next depressed. Maddening! Where is the best place to start?
Dear Jochem,
Am a young man of 20 and have been diagnosed with ADD+HSP since the age of 6. A few months ago, I discovered this site. So far, many tips you give have already helped me like taking LtO3 and making green smoothies in the morning.
Now that I've come across your personal story (before that I hadn't visited this text) the site has taken on even more meaning. The similarities I see are very eye-opening and sometimes even a bit grim ;) .
I'm not going to write too long a text here (because I could do that). I just wanted to say that for a couple of months now, I have been visiting a psychotherapist who uses free association (therapy). In the last few months, I really notice that I am in a kind of evolution. In which the IC comes more to the fore. Like yourself, I have the urge to want the best for everyone and to pretty much eliminate myself. This characteristic has certainly not gone away but I look at it differently now. My past years (since about 14-15y) I have also been dealing with tinnitus, depersonalisation, depression, ... As you say yourself, one provokes the other, I see that now too.
I think the realisation you had at 24-26 is happening to me now. In particular, realising that the lifestyle you maintained just doesn't belong with the disorder/trait ADD and HSP. Starting it now, I think this is a get-a-away ticket for myself not to fall victim to a worse disorder that you unfortunately did have to experience (of course, you did learn a lot afterwards). There's still a lot I need to learn but I love learning about it.
I myself wanted to ask you if you can relate to my story. You also say you've seen just about every coach, therapist.... So my next question is whether you ever ended up with someone who did free association techniques? If so, what was your experience?
I hope you come back online sometime and maybe respond (after all, we are 2018 by now ;) ). If not, I just wanted to thank you for taking the initiative to put this site together. No doubt there are very many people who benefit from your posts, even if you don't hear or see them.
Sincerely,
Geert
PS: I have exams soon but can't stop reading this site. ;)
Hi Geert,
How nice to hear from you.
It does me good to hear that you got something out of my story. That's what it's there for :)
Sharing my experiences to give others a certain awareness that could possibly give them a positive spin on their lives.
You are on the right track! It may be a road of trial and error but that's part of it, I still have that too. The form of healing is also not a linear process and in fact, all of life is not.
The list of therapists and (alternative) doctors I have seen is indeed endless but free association techniques sounds new to me.
If you like it, you can contact me personally via the contact form. Wonder how it helps you.
And yes, unfortunately I don't really get around to updating the website anymore. Life goes on and for a number of years this is where I focused my full attention.
Now it is also time for new things. The great thing is that the information and my story is there. Pretty much everything I have wanted to share I have done :)
Good luck and maybe I'll speak to you again via e-mail.
Greetings,
Jochem
Dear Jochem,
Jeez very recognisable this... it feels like coming home....
I am now many psychiators, , medication and counselling further and just home from me last admission.
Ever since I can remember, I have been anxious ( extremely insecure ) , always tired, nervous, restless and spoke& thought differently about life than me peers and often somewhat people-shy. Often also very fascinated in animals and the language they speak without speaking. I felt stupid at school but disguised that with looks and being popular... I think that was a survival mechanism. At 14, I was so stubbornly detached and totally unaware of the fact that I needed to be helped that I started abusing alcohol to function. the first ritalin I learned about then and I didn't know what hit me... I knew immediately that the calmness it brought me was addictive. Speed also had a calming effect. People thought I was doing well, but unfortunately I was only functioning on drugs and booze. I weighed almost nothing and got pregnant with my first child. I had to quit though and go through life sober. My son was hospitalised at 2.5 months. I experienced a traumatic event that sometimes I still think I wake up from. I got pregnant again during that period and after my daughter was born I really collapsed... this was really survival every day.... I knew the day would come when I would pick up the phone and tell a loved one to please take over the kids because I really needed help quickly because I was not a good mother and not able to take care of the children. I sought a lot of help but unfortunately over the years I have learned to always come across as better than I really am. I didn't get help because I wasn't bad enough... This time the whole world was allowed to know that I could no longer function without drugs, alchol and medication. i wanted help so badly but alas.... september 2016 i called and ended up in hospital in late february due to a deliberate overdose attempt to take my own life.... Now in retrospect, i'm glad i'm still here and immediately got an admission of 7 weeks of diagnostics. They put me firmly under the magnifying glass and the results are almost in. ptsd, borderline, high-sensitive, and some form of add or adhd and luckily on time with an incipient eating disorder. I am happy about it to the extent that I am finally starting to talk about it as if it belongs to me. At the moment, I am trying to see the kids every other weekend for a few days and be a mother again as I should be. Unfortunately, so far I have taken time out every time due to overexhaustion and overstimulation, which has forced me to disappoint myself and the children by ending it early. I just notice that I still can't enjoy myself and after starting the day I'm overthinking in no time, running around like a headless chicken, starting everything but not finishing anything, lacking energy, not being able to eat because of tension around the stomach or having enormous eating kicks. depressive days, which fortunately I understand better now than I ever did before. I start getting up later again to avoid going through the whole day as it just really takes me too long. I spend whole days unconsciously watching the clock... where do I want to go so soon and why ? Now the news about ritalin gave me quite a shock this week. I also know the other side of this junk. Now I have heard about lt03 before and tried to get it at shops but unfortunately they don't know it anywhere. I don't normally believe in natural products that actually have an effect. I have just ordered a jar and read very good comments about its use. I am quite desperately looking for a certain peace in my daily life and am fighting hard for it... Hopefully this will make life a little less difficult for people with hsp - add - adhd... I really hope that people with hsp will draw more strength from it instead of developing depression. This site is really a push in the right direction for a lot of people I believe... Thanks.
Greetings,
Anonymous
Hi Jochem nice that you speak so clearly about these issues,
what strikes me is that nowhere do you talk about the hemp, CBD,THC oil while it works so much on the neurotransmitters and even restores them.
Do you have n reason for that this is a very natural supporter besides healthy food after all.
Thanks am curious to hear your reaction on this.
Greetings Lois.
Hi Lois,
Thanks for your addition.
I am currently looking into this a bit more. THC oil is just not available on the legal circuit, CBD is.
Wonder what this could all mean.
Greetings Jochem.
It's been a while since you posted this comment, but do you think THC helps against overstimulation?
Hello,
Just posting a comment here because I don't know where else. I am looking for a forum/chat room like thing where you can talk to each other about life with ADD. can that be on this site somewhere?
Greetings, R
Hi,
There used to be a forum but it is so much work to moderate it all day. Moreover, people often become negative towards each other because it creates an unpleasant atmosphere. Unfortunately, it is too time-consuming to moderate a forum all day.
Jochem,
Diagnosing ADHD, ADD, HSP etc>> well I keep finding this difficult. In my opinion, everyone has symptoms of ADHD at times.
From the blood, they cannot test it.
Have you yourself used LTO3 ? and if so how many capsules and for how long ?
Hi Pauline, I got lto3 myself for a while. It definitely did work. More peace of mind and overview. Now I do without it. I eat well, meditate regularly and do NLP exercises.
Greetings Jochem
Hi, nice read. But reallytt veeeeeery and very difficult for me. I am add-er+ hsp. I have known this recently.
Maybe it's an idea to make videos/audio.
listening to something that interests me works much better than reading Laps of texts.
I think I am not alone in this.
Greetings Rosh
Hi Rosh, is sometimes my AD(H)D ailment to keep writing like that ;) But it does vary a bit per person with not being able to read through. If I read something I find really interesting I have no trouble with it and many AD(H)D'ers have that. I never liked reading either but when I have a really good book, I read it out in no time. Maybe it just wasn't for you ;)
Greetings Jochem.
Can identify with a lot of what you state here Jochem, pleasant!!!
Hi I did wonder what kind of diet you used and what else you do besides meditating? For me, sports and meditating help well but sports sometimes exhaust me too much....
Hi Lotte, the food I have been eating for over six months now I write more about here http://www.addkenmerken.net/goede-voeding-bij-add-adhd-hsp/ It comes down to the Paleo diet but to make it a bit easier on myself I do eat rice, potatoes and oatmeal in the process. Besides meditating, I also do some kind of NLP/mindfullness exercises in which I break through negative patterns. So patterns that make me feel bad or that make me lack energy, etc. I started this based on a therapy I started for my CVs/me. For me, really physically demanding sports often have a big impact on my energy level and I can sometimes be tired for days. Skating and cycling do go just fine, though.
Hey Jochem,
Thanks for your site and your story.
I recognise a lot of myself in parts of your story and in HSP/ ADD, from back in the day my parents said doctors had wanted to test me for adhd, was a bit of a 'separate' child.
As far as I can remember, always busy with something in my head, know what is going on with friends before I even get a phone call, have very much the nurturing role, at work, at home, basically everywhere. Often feel exhausted from all the impressions and emotions. Also very chaotic and messy because of so many roles, wanting to do well, makes me feel restless a lot, and then exhausted again.
Am considering taking Lto3 to keep myself balanced a bit easier ( I hope) and find more peace.
Love, Marieke
Hi Marieke,
That sounds recognisable yes, wanting to help others and sensing everything in advance. Lto3 can indeed be a good remedy to give you more peace of mind. For many people, it really turns out to be a godsend for ADD, ADHD and HSP.
When you are at Smartvital use this discount code '8564B6' you will get 3 euros off your 1st order. Nice touch.
Let's hear again how it goes. :)
Greetings Jochem.
Hi Jochem,
I am 16 years old now and was diagnosed with ADD/Autism six months back from what I now know is NOT correct! Because of your website, I now know it's not autism but HSP. Which, by the way, made me have a panic attack in the middle of the night. Because thinking for six months that you have autism and getting peace of mind with it and then finding out that it's not true is no fun. Unfortunately, I still have ADD. I now want to start a website myself, only for young people. Because there aren't any! But I don't really know when, because I'm starting my training as a doctor's assistant this year and I don't know how busy I'm going to be. But I hope it will help a lot of people in the future.
Thank you very much for your help though you don't know you helped me for this response.
Greetings Simone.
Jochem, how beautiful that you can put it all into words like this!
I myself also have ADD and can really relate to what you write!
Greetings Pieternel
Thank you Pieternel :D That's very nice to hear.
Hope you can do something with all the information.
Should you be interested. You can find life stories of other people with ADD, ADHD and HSP here > http://www.addkenmerken.net/levensverhalen-add-adhd-hsp/
Greetings, Jochem.
Extraordinary story, good to share, I think many people could benefit from it. When I think of my 15-year-old son, he still has a long way to go, because reading this is really not an option. I have found a good coach for him, very happy about it, I wish that to everyone.
There's still a way to go for society as a whole, but people like you are already making a difference and that's bound to expand. Thank you for sharing! I am curious about the future....
You thank you for your nice comment Marjan. All the best to your son.
Hello Jochem,
My 17-year-old daughter has HSP and has been taking LTO3 for 3 weeks. She takes 1 capsule every morning and she has benefited very much from this, finally having peace of mind.
Now since then she has been extremely tired, out of school she goes to sleep for a while and also in the evening she goes to bed very early.
Could this still be a side effect of LTO3 and maybe we should go to the 2 capsules ?
Greetings Renate
Hi Renate, nice that the LTO3 works so well for your daughter!
As for that fatigue, it could be that the body is really resting again and really needs to get used to it. Then it may well be that this fatigue will subside. With highly sensitive people, the symptoms are sometimes more intense in the beginning. It is best to ask Smartvital. They do know and can help you well.
I think that fatigue does subside after a while and you can think of it as a kind of 'reset'. If you do a detoxification treatment, for example, this can also cause symptoms like fatigue for a while. This is normal.
Good luck and let's hear how it goes again! :)
Greetings Jochem
I am very happy with your site Jochem. I am 65 now and have known for about six years that I have ADD. Found it on the internet. So many pieces fell into place. I think for 95% recognition. I didn't function anywhere. Had so many jobs.
Grew up with a narcissistic father, which also shaped me into a negatively anxious person.
After reading various things on the internet, I started to understand myself better and also how I come across to others. Not tactical. Not understanding that what I was saying could not be!!!
I have come a long way out of the negative spiral. Especially through your site. You make us special people. And we are.
I am creative. Made a thousand things with our five children. Have a solution for everything. Five years ago, I discovered that I can paint. Abstractly. And now paintings of mine hang in houses and offices.
I was diagnosed two months ago by a lovely psychiatrist with a lot of understanding for this. This is the spectrum of autism, ADD and PDD-NOS. And with this I can move forward to know and recognise myself more.
You give people back so much self-esteem.
I am very happy to have found your site. I think a year or two ago and took a lot of strength from it. Thanks for everything you want to share with us.
Hi Lies, how nice to hear that my site was able to help you with that! That's what it's all about!
Hold that strength, everyone is special! :D
Greetings Jochem
I have the CD Buddha's Brain, but I cannot find anywhere which song represents which theme.
Which one for relaxation, concentration etc. Who can help me?
Hi Tineke, sorry, I hadn't seen your comment! On the back of the CD, the 3rd bit of text says exactly what you want to know ;) Let me write it out for you. > Listen to Alpha Buddha (track 1) or Buddha Learning (2) to get your brain into the ideal learning state. Listen to Buddha Vacation (number 3) to take a 10-minute holiday from your daily workload. Listen to Buddha Concentration Power (4) to give your brain a concentration boost and if you want to relax yourself more (e.g. to fall asleep easily), listen to Total Buddha State (5) or Buddha Brain (6). Good luck! Greetings, Jochem
...I sometimes get very tired of it....but anyway ...I wouldn't trade my adhd son for anything in the world. How much I learn thanks to him....especially in dealing with people. ..How to address different people...what can you do to prevent things from happening. ..and above all. ..if there is a problem...He always knows a solution! Those brains are running at full speed. .So quick solutions! let him speak out or explain how he came up with it...Often there is a super good logic behind it! He is often labelled as not social...but believe me...he is just that! !! Only injustice he really can't stand. ..If you can bring yourself to approach them with a lot of humour and respect then you really don't have a problem hear...but don't we all want to be treated like that? ??? I can't teach the world to deal with our son. ..So I am teaching him to deal with the world! !!!
Super to read. I have such a special grandson. It was first searching how to deal with him. But when you get to know him better he is such a wonderful child. He is six now. Barts of energy and joie de vivre. The teacher at school is so happy with him. That is also very special.
I am going to give this site to my daughter.
Jochem writes so simply and positively. And from experience. Compliments.
This way, we can continue to teach our grandson to be positive about everything.
Hi Lies, what a nice post from you! This also motivates me again in what I do. Thank you so much! :D
Greetings Jochem
Hello Petra,
A mother senses when her child is different from those around him. Pay attention to his awareness and intelligence. They are not that crazy, but do not follow the rest of the world blindly. And that bothers the world because they are authentic. These golden children are capable of more than many realise, but they fight, often with behaviour, against the harness people want to cram them into because those around them have a less developed consciousness.
Standing by your child is the most essential thing you can do as a parent. Once he gets past his adolescence, with a safe home (that is a requirement) then things often work out.
The balance is then established and he is in his power. Especially the children who are not supported by their parents lose themselves and will suffer in their adult life.
Heej Jochem!
how happy I am with your site! Good that you are doing this! I get a lot of positive energy from it. We don't need therapists;p We can get there with logical thinking! Life is demanding and we adhd /hsp adders feel it a bit more. But we have the strength to look again at the little things that most people forget. Let's put a positive spin on it together!
Greetings RIa
Hello Jochem,
How good, how much I like your website on brain learning. You are really knowledgeable and show that you are an expert by experience. Great that you share this with us and so is a good support for education, therapy etc.
Question; I am curious to know if you receive reactions from the incumbent and what issues you would like to see changed in this ?
yours sincerely Alphon
Hello Jochem, how happy I am with your site! It does help me start understanding myself as much as possible and find a turn in my own chaotic life.
I'd like to ask you if there is any information about relationships where both have add? I'd rather a light bulb go on for me about my husband...that would explain a lot and would really like to read more experiences about that.
I hope to hear from you.
Greetings,
Lianne
Hi Lianna,
Do a search on the book AD(H)D in a relationship.
Hope you get some use out of that.
Greetings, Jochem.
Hai Lianne,
Recognisable is this, my husband has ADHD, I myself have ADD with depression..we had a very difficult time...until we really started to understand things after diagnosis..very late.
Exactly what Jochem writes, there are books about this..I have 1 myself, is upstairs..come back to it, if I may, partly because of that book, I am not only fussed at myself..but now recognise that from my husband too...sometimes we just have to laugh at our hassles....
We are now several years further on, we have taken and encountered many bumps and bumps, but now we know what we have to gain from each other... I wish you the same! Kind regards v Marina
Hi Jochem,
I am also HSP and have gone through the route of psychologist, psychiatrist, inpatient and group therapy for almost 20 years.
Recently, I started seeing a hypnotherapist and she is going to help me manage my train of thought and overexcitability a bit.
I find it all very tricky and don't really know what to do with it all yet.
Am still very much searching.
Could YOU give me any advice?
Thank you in advance,
Greetings Marjon
Dear Jochem,
Is LTO3 safe to combine with St.John's wort and vice versa ?
The latter herb is a natural remedy for mild to moderate depression. And seems to work as well as pharmacological anti-depressants. But this herb is also known to give interactions with other drugs. The question now is, can they (lto3 and st.janskruid) be combined, do they cancel each other out, do they reinforce each other's effect or does it give unpleasant side effects ?
What is known about this.
With thanks,
Michiel
Hi Michiel, LTO3 is a natural remedy that, in the past 10 years of use in Canada, has never been found to be incompatible with other remedies. This applies to medication as well as other natural and homeopathic remedies. So you don't have to worry about unpleasant side effects. I have written more about it on this page > http://www.addkenmerken.net/lto3 All the best. Greetings, Jochem.
Dear Michiel and Jochem,
LTO3 can be used alongside St John's wort.
Depression occurs from overstimulation, fatigue and often magnesium deficiency. Also inform yourself about Meta-relax.
The videos on Jochem's site have been on our site once, and the latest one is about my son. I saved him, from symptoms caused by HSP HB, by keeping him home from school, going into nature, Metarelax, St John's wort and now he uses LTO3 regularly. And very important with this group, Organic food.
His sensitivity is a quality overloaded by today's hectic society but also the negativity caused by our lifestyle) of human beings.
These children often get stuck at school. Get them out of the environment if you notice your child getting overexcited. You can use Section 11G of the Compulsory Education Act on this. Rest, nature and space will make them recover and you can rebuild from there. Beware of misdiagnoses because they show behaviour that will resemble ADD, ADHD, ASD but even Tourette's. These disappear with de-stimulation. Also see if your child has high awareness, this could be related to a giftedness recognisable here. This again regularly goes combined with HSP.
Those children, when left in the wrong environment and inappropriate education for long periods of time, all exhibit behaviours that can also be found in the DSM.
Check out edu-smart.co.uk for more tips and tools for survival in education.
Good luck parents!
Dear Jochem, it is encouraging, for everyone!
I understand you don't write under your real name.....
People who read this and are sincere will appreciate your story
Thanks in advance! Kind regards v Marina
Hi Michiel, St. John's wort I also used years ago, it helped, but unfortunately the depression got too bad at one point. Even got acupuncture, until this also didn't help anymore. Too bad, am a big fan of it.
Unfortunately then switched to regular drugs....what was that bad..I became a 'nobody'...this is now very long ago, thankfully.Took myself off, wanted to live, despite that nasty depression. Now have my 3rd pot of the LTO3 in late 2015/early 2016...for my ADD and depression.
Am late diasnogticised, approx 2009, am now 56.
Have been able to read a lot about the LTO3, as it is also for depression and Michiel, no one is the same and everyone has his/her own reaction....but it helps me a lot!
My husband noticed it after only three days...myself later...it's not a miracle pill, but something, which triggers heea with me, and literally too;)
Am also still often very tired, but nutrition, really does a lot, really! Everything is just a (new) beginning...
So in a slow way, pace that suits me, I am switching more and more to Rawfood, together with my husband.
Sugar is the biggest culprit....
I experience the ADD side much more now, as my 'being'...I am trying to use it constructively, along with the depression, which has now become heeeeeeeeeery much milder.
St John's wort can interact with medications...I was not allowed to take it anymore, because of blood pressure pills...but there is plenty to find out about this.
I wish you all the best...fri v Marina
I am beginning to recognise it, dear Jochem, my ADD as POWER. For some time now, I've been surprised to see AD(H)D'ers here and there bringing a message of hope with all their might, while I, as a late-diagnosed person (only 47, I'm almost 53 now) was still wallowing in "my misery". However, until that diagnosis some 6 years ago, I also had the idea of having lived nothing but POWERFUL. Nice that you highlight the distinctive character of so many AD(H)D'ers here! We all have a lot to offer. Once we are all convinced of that, we will "kick some ass" (as we sometimes say here ...) "They" don't know us yet!
Dear Jochem, Maksim alerted me to your website and I went through your explanation of the different forms, your tips and the benefits. Well done Jochem, my compliments.
My youngest son Ivan has ADHD type 3. Fortunately, he is gradually learning to live with it. I recognise a lot in these benefits in him. I have sent him the links and hope he will take a look.
My thanks for the work you do!
Recently, both my children (boys aged 12 and 9 years young) have been diagnosed. Partly at the request of school. Youngest even prioritised (arranged by school), put on medication (ritalin). This appears to have no effect on him and his moods become very unpredictable. Now the school has indicated that both children are no longer manageable, and that we have to find other education for them as soon as possible. Grmpfffff. .. So this is how society is for special children. Am extremely angry, disappointed and sad. Your site has come at the right time to help us see the positive side again.
Thanks Jochem, will read around a lot there.
Gr. Josefien
Hello Jochem,
How super that you have gained so much knowledge! I will add this website to my favourites so I can find it easily... And will definitely do a lot of reading here... Thank you!
Greetings,
Esther
Hello Jochem,
How good that you have created a website with a positive perspective. I notice in my work with children with ADHD, that there is often a negative stigma attached to it. While these children are so much fun! Full of energy, original ideas and always on the move! Good luck!
kind regards,
Karin