What about some of the typical behaviors or symptoms, if you will, that result from this condition? Can we explain how they manifest themselves in a student with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) symptoms? Let's consider some of them.

Hyperactivity -- If you had multiple images flashing simultaneously in your head and you had a demand from a parent or teacher to "act right" or "behave" or "do better," what do you think you would do? Many students with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) symptoms respond by focusing on the internal pictures and trying to control them. And since they are typically very physical in nature, these fast-moving internal pictures generate an abundance of nervous physical energy. If they have suppressed rage, the fast moving pictures just add to the nervous energy and rage, which then speeds up the pictures. So they act to relieve the body tension in the best way they know how –

THEY MOVE THEIR BODIES!!!

This hyperactivity is on a continuum with passiveness, as follows:

Passiveness -- Sometimes the individual decides that the task is impossible and they literally give up and decide to withdraw and not do anything. The result is that they are passive and inactive and very inadequate in communication. They cannot find the words to stay up with the fast moving images and decide to not even try. The obvious prolonged silence and groping for words is the result. Socially, they feel they cannot cope. If you confront them, they withdraw even more, because the confrontation speeds up the internal images.

Impulsiveness -- This goes hand-in-hand with the hyperactive behavior. Because the students with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) symptoms are trying to physically react to their internal experience as quickly as possible, they often respond by "doing it" before they consciously realize that the degree of their response isn't necessary. In other words, they don't have the time (or take the time) to think about what they are about to do. This phenomenon is similar to a compulsive behavior in the rest of us. The students with the ADD symptom of compulsion simply move faster and change quicker. Again, suppressed rage only adds to the problem. This shows up in relationships because of the suppressed rage about the injustices that have been meted out to them in their past. This makes them especially sensitive to how others treat them and they are sometimes very argumentative and rebellious.

 Distractibility -- Often the impulsive children described above are also labeled as distractible because they can't stay focused on one task. Their mind is often pulled off the task at hand by an idea that carries more kinesthetic weight to them. A prime example of this might be when they hear an unexpected noise (such as a police or fire siren or another student doing something unusual). They will immediately make an internal image of the possible cause and have to check it out by looking (because of the excess energy they have). Depending upon the nature of the distraction and the importance it carries internally for them, it may be extremely difficult for them to get re-focused. This is particularly true when compared to a school lesson or assignment which may seem boring to them.

Keep in mind that the students with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) symptoms are experiencing a multitude of pictures moving quickly through their heads. Trying to keep up with 10 to 15 different images and trying to select appropriate responses to each would make most of us oversensitive to extra stimuli. The more angry and/or enraged they are, the worse it is.

Most students with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) symptoms have not learned yet how to take a general idea and break it down into its component parts while still retaining the general idea. Nor can they take many specific points and generalize the pattern they are observing. In a given moment, they are either general or specific or the ideas in their mind are unfocused, scrambled and/or jumping all over.

For example, if a typical student has a science project, he knows the overall purpose of the project, and the steps it will take to accomplish the project. He will be able to sequence the steps in order to efficiently accomplish the task. He will also be able to track the steps and the amount of time it will take to accomplish all of this in order to project a timetable for the project. A student with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) symptoms experiences great difficulty in doing this because he cannot stabilize the pictures.

Forgetfulness -- Remembering requires a clean, logical connection between the external cue which tells you when it is time to do something and the internal experience which tells you what to do. Since students with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) symptoms are experiencing rapidly moving and changing internal images, it is difficult for them to establish that clean connection. Also, the thing to be remembered must carry significant kinesthetic weight for them or it will be overwhelmed by all the other images and forgotten. Besides, if they have suppressed anger, forgetting to do things that others want them to do is a good way to battle with authority figures.

 Procrastination -- Often what is labeled procrastination is simply inaction. The inaction results from an inability to make a definite and final decision that they can act on comfortably. This inaction is a natural result of being unable to process the rapidly changing, excess of information in their mind. They do not know when they have all the information they need to make a decision. Also, like in forgetfulness, not doing things at the proper time is a way to rebel and fight those authority figures with which they are already angry.

This article was written by Don A. Blackerby, Ph.D. founder of Success Skills, Inc.

Success Skills specializes in helping struggling students of all ages who are experiencing all sorts of different kinds of difficulties. Penn Henthorn currently runs Success Skill, Inc., and the processes that he uses are very different from the normal type of help struggling students receive. He is a personal development coach. He teaches students HOW to use their mind to succeed in school. He teaches them learning strategies that really work. He also teaches them ways to think about school and learning that "turn them on" to school and motivates them to want to succeed.

 He also specializes in helping students who have been diagnosed with learning disabilities such as Dyslexia and Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD).

Contact Penn Henthorn today for a free initial interview to find out how he can help by calling him at 1-405-562-6670 or by e-mailing him at info@nlpok.com. More information can also be obtained off of the web site www.nlpok.com.