Some
of the most important internal experiences that interact to
influence the behavior of the student with ADD / ADHD symptoms
are:
- They perceive multiple internal images.
- These images are moving rapidly and sometimes mysteriously disappear. The images are often occurring simultaneously.
- There is a strong kinesthetic (body and/or emotional) response
to the images.
- They can't control any of these internal experiences.
Some of the common responses of students with ADD / ADHD
symptoms to this internal chaos seem to be:
1. They either try to physically respond
to everything in their internal pictures or they get frustrated
and simply give up even trying. The final result is a person
that is either hyperactive or apathetic and passive.
2. They feel they are losing control and will go to great
lengths to control their internal experience and/or external
world. The result is they spend an inordinate amount of time
and energy trying to slow things down or organize their experience
so that it is manageable.
3. They are often terrified at their lack of control and
its consequences. Much of the time they have a feeling of
being totally overwhelmed.
4. They suffer from fear of rejection and abandonment because
they believe they are "different" or "weird."
The feedback they receive from peers, parents and teachers
often confirms these fears.
5. Their level of hyperactivity and the intensity of their
emotional responses seems to be dependent on the standards
significant others (such as family) use to judge and enforce
their behavior. In other words, the stricter the parents and
the more severe the punishment (or, to the degree the child
perceives it is severe) the more hyperactive the child. Later
on, they transfer this to teachers and peers as well.
6. They sometimes have tremendous suppressed anger or rage
because of the perceived injustices in the way they have been
treated by others. This shows up in hyperactivity, impulsiveness,
and anti-social behavior.
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