Editorial Review
With over a quarter million copies in print,
You Mean I'm Not Lazy, Stupid or Crazy?! is one of the bestselling books on attention deficit disorder (ADD) ever written. There is a great deal of literature about children with ADD. But what do you do if you have ADD and aren't a child anymore? This indispensable reference -- the first of its kind written for adults with ADD by adults with ADD -- focuses on the experiences of adults, offering updated information, practical how-tos and moral support to help readers deal with ADD. It also explains the diagnostic process that distinguishes ADD symptoms from normal lapses in memory, lack of concentration or impulsive behavior. Here's what's new:
- The new medications and their effectiveness
- The effects of ADD on human sexuality
- The differences between male and female ADD -- including falling estrogen levels and its impact on cognitive function
- The power of meditation
- How to move forward with coaching
And the book still includes advice about:
- Achieving balance by analyzing one's strengths and weaknesses
- Getting along in groups, at work and in intimate and family relationships -- including how to decrease discord and chaos
- Learning the mechanics and methods for getting organized and improving memory
- Seeking professional help, including therapy and medication
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Customer Reviews
You Mean I'm not Lazy, Stupid or Crazy? 
2008-08-29
This book is great. I now realize what my problem was when I was younger. Everything is finally making sense. It is a great book for people that have ADD people as friends, family and partners to learn what the life is like for a person dealing with ADD.
Really glad I purchased the book. You should too.
Best of Intentions Gone Awry 
2008-07-24
If you have recently been told that your ability to organize and process information is severely impaired by ADHD then you should NOT attempt to read this book.
The formal features of Kelly and Ramundo's work make it obvious that the publishers did not take any cues from their writers about how to help ADHD readers with learning disabilities cope in an intimidating world of words!
The book is impossible to access because: A) Small comic like font B) Letters too close together, C) Sentences with a narrow space between sentences, D) Dark stark letters against a bright white page, E) Topics that go on forever without new information, F) Organization difficult to track.
In short, I'm surprised that more readers have not discussed the sensory overload they must have experienced when trying to literally TACKLE this book. Even after medication and skill based therapies, I still cannot get past a few pages before I begin skimming and skipping. A phenomena that no longer presents a problem for me with more difficult reading.
I think buyers are attracted to the sentiments expressed in the title but surely, may find it daunting to complete. The editors must re-think their approach. Other books are much more accessible and succinct.
I really wanted to like this 2008-05-13
An OK book, but I wouldn't recommend it as your first book to read on ADD. Better to check out Delivered From Distraction.
I really wanted to like this book. The authors seem like nice, dedicated people. But I found little of use in the book, except for the last few chapters. I've noticed that I have this problem with ADD books written by people with ADD: but where Dr. Hallowell's book is also piecemeal and all over the place, he gives you important information, and things you can use.
There was a little of that in this book, but I feel the authors spend way too much time urging the reader that it's OK to have ADD, and it doesn't make them Lazy, Stupid, or Crazy. I knew that going in: I want to learn about effective strategies and skills to deal with ADD's challenges. Like some other ADD books, there's a ton of buildup and anecdote, leaving me wanting more.
This book could be 30 % shorter, and still provide the helpful information that it provides. A little too breezy a style for this ADD reader who needs it in digestible chunks.
Strictly states the obvious. More a confirmation. 
2008-05-09
Before I got this book, I read the reviews. They were all good reviews. But, after reading the book....I think most of the readers missed something. This book is great for confirming a suspicion that you may have ADD. But, doesn't really help you on any other level. Some of the info is even slanted toward the female side of things. (Which, being written by two women it would be, somewhat). But, in some points of the book you get that, "women have it much harder than men", feeling. Which is a real turn off for those of us (MEN) that have had it SO very hard trying to exist with this "deficit"! Much of the medications that are prescribed for ADD have a laundry list of side effects. I was prescribed several pills years ago and lost memory of the entire time frame as the drugs effect your memory! I went off the meds and have never returned. But, it is a very tough life without them. I gave the book two stars because it only confirms a suspicion. It doesn't go anywhere as far as "help". You will need to look elsewhere. It didn't discuss "job hopping". Which is a MAJOR problem for ADDers. I would have thought that would have had a whole chapter. It got a mere mention! This was very short sighted. So again; Great for confirming your suspicions. But, little else.
GREAT SERVICE 2008-05-02
Not only did the book come in great condition and a timely manner, the seller was willing to point out other books that would be of help to me on the subject I was dealing with.
2008 updated edition 2008-04-25
With over a quarter million copies in print,
You Mean I'm Not Lazy, Stupid or Crazy?! is one of the bestselling books on attention deficit disorder (ADD) ever written. There is a great deal of literature about children with ADD. But what do you do if you have ADD and aren't a child anymore? This indispensable reference -- the first of its kind written for adults with ADD by adults with ADD -- focuses on the experiences of adults, offering updated information, practical how-tos and moral support to help readers deal with ADD. It also explains the diagnostic process that distinguishes ADD symptoms from normal lapses in memory, lack of concentration or impulsive behavior. Here's what's new:
- The new medications and their effectiveness
- The effects of ADD on human sexuality
- The differences between male and female ADD -- including falling estrogen levels and its impact on cognitive function
- The power of meditation
- How to move forward with coaching
And the book still includes advice about:
- Achieving balance by analyzing one's strengths and weaknesses
- Getting along in groups, at work and in intimate and family relationships -- including how to decrease discord and chaos
- Learning the mechanics and methods for getting organized and improving memory
- Seeking professional help, including therapy and medication
Awesome! 2008-03-24
Great book! I found myself saying "wow! that's me!!" over and over! Life with ADD has become much easier after reading the book. It all makes sense now!
Great Help in Understanding ADDers 2008-03-24
This book is written in clear, concise language by ADDers. It lists symptoms but also the drivers behind behaviors. It give insight into the life (and brain) of an ADD person. It gives encouragement to ADDers and those who must deal with them. It gives neither license nor excuse to ADD persons...but also gives neither license nor excuse to those who must deal with them. It is practical, well organized, and non-clinical, so it is not so easy to put aside before finishing. Well done.
Not User Friendly 2008-03-01
I've had this book at home for over a month now and haven't gotten more than a few pages into it (yes, I have ADHD and yes I generally enjoy reading). I have found this book to be discouraging in the following ways: a. it is overly simplistic in so far as the authors seem to be trying to hard to talk in 'plain language' and avoid any 'big words' but having ADD doesn't mean that you are stupid, as the title seems to acknowledge. Furthermore, the book's tone is, thus far (chapter 1) depressing - I feel like ADHD is a life sentence of difficult behaviour patterns that I'm stuck with, making me a bumbling fool in life, a scatter-brained worker, a bad friend and a horrible life partner (although this might be true....I want to learn how to be better, not how bad it is!). In their effort to be 'simple' the authors have resorted to repeating information over and over, sometimes in slightly different ways. They indicate that they have ADHD, but they must not have the impatient, easily-frustrated type like me who is gravely and rapidly annoyed by repetition of boring details. Maybe I am lazy, crazy and stupid, or maybe this book could be re-written in a more clear, concise manner that focuses on the truly important information that we need to know (how to help ourselves function better with less pain and struggle).
Helpful, readable intro to ADHD 
2008-01-20
I was recently diagnosed at the age of 47 with adult ADHD. While it came as quite a shock to me, in retrospect and upon further reflection, I was forced to accept that some elements of the condition had been there all along. I was eager to learn more about ADD, and my therapist recommended this book as a good place to start.
The book is quite hefty at about 450 pages, perhaps an intimidating factor for those with shorter attention spans. However, the chapter layout and the more conversational writing style makes the book easy to read and allows you to skip directly to the topics that interest you most.
I felt the beginning of the book was a little hard to get into, mostly because of my personal preference for writers to lay more of an academic, clinical, and theoretical base before drawing on individual examples, particularly based on their own experiences. For some readers, however, this style could provide the kind of intimate, revelatory approach that will resonate with them.
I'm only a third of the way through this tome, so I cannot comment on its overall merits or deficiencies. I can say that, aside from occasionally disruptive and superfluous interjections by the authors, what I've read so far has proved quite helpful. I wish the writers had more/some professional training in the field, but as fellow ADDults, they offer the powerful insights of people who've "been there."
I recommend the book to those with ADHD or know someone who lives with it. It's the kind of volume you can scan and skip, pick and choose, allowing the reader to glean from it the information and examples that are sure to increase his/her understanding of this complex and perplexing condition.
