1. All or nothing assessments of self or others: Treating people and situations as all good or all bad.
2. Generalizing an isolated experience to a never ending pattern of defeat. Example: A friend breaches a trust, and you think no one can be trusted.
3. Mental Filter: difficulty shifting attention away from one negative detail which then “ruins” the evening.
4. Disqualifying the Positive: Example: not accepting a compliment
5. Assumptions we make believe on our personal thinking that are not true. Example: You see a friend and he doesn’t say hello, so you decide he doesn’t like you.

ADHDers tend to be night owls. It’s the part of the day with fewest distractions: the phone stops ringing, the kitchen is closed, other family members are in bed, and your ADHD brain is still going. That is not to say ADHDers need less sleep. Instead ADHD folks often develop what’s called phase delayed sleep - going to bed too late and getting up too late. The lack of sleep then exacerbates the inattentive symptoms in a vicious cycle. Living on a 9 to 5 schedule can be very difficult for someone with ADHD.  What should you do? The answer is, whatever you can to sleep better! This might involve medication and non-medication approaches.

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For parents with a newly diagnosed child, these couple of tips published on yahoo health may be a good place for parents to start.  

• Keep your child on a regular schedule for activities like waking up, going to bed, play time, homework and meal times.
• Make sure your child understands house rules, and the consequences for not following them. It may help to write them down.
• Reinforce good behavior with rewards and praise.
• When giving your child directions, speak slowly, clearly and keep it simple. Also ask the child to repeat the directions back to you.
• Supervise your child at all times, particularly when with friends. Social skills may be more difficult for children with ADHD to master, so it’s important to give positive feedback for good behavior.

One of my favorite topics to discuss is mindfulness and ADHD!

For people with ADHD, a busy mind is almost constant. As people with ADHD learn how to take control of their internal world, they soon experience less mental chaos and increased quite, and naturally feel happier.

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One of the benefits of the Internet is that it can remove the distance between people, allowing diverse communities of like minds to get together. If you’d like to speak with other families and people with ADHD try www.addtalk.org.

My hope is that these guidelines will eventually address children’s physical activity requirements. If so, this could help us win the battle against ADHD children missing recess during the school day. Perhaps this is one small step in the right direction……

Associated Press - October 26, 2006
WASHINGTON - There’s a food pyramid to help guide people’s eating habits, so why not one for exercise? The Bush administration said Thursday it would develop guidelines for physical activity.

When the guidelines are ready in late 2008, federal health officials hope they will help people live healthier lifestyles, which in turn, could slow soaring health care costs.

“Obesity is an epidemic, and chronic disease inevitably follows. It has become a major quiet killer,” said Mike Leavitt, the health and human services secretary.

More than half of adults in the United States do not get enough of the kind of physical activity that actually benefits them. One-quarter are not active at all in their leisure time. Overall, more than 60 million adults are obese, Leavitt said.

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From an article in The Pittsburgh Tribune Review:

Some tips for adults with ADD:

• Use internal structure, such as datebooks, planners, lists, color-coding, reminder notes and regular routines.
• Choose “good addictions,” using exercise or other healthy activities to “blow off steam.”
• Design projects to minimize frustration: Break down large tasks into smaller ones and set priorities.
• Take a time-out to calm down and regain perspective when you’re upset, overwhelmed or angry.
• Ask colleagues and partners to use humor and sensitivity as they push you to stay on track.
• Learn more about ADD and become an advocate for people who cope with the disorder.