social media and adhd – turning distractions into directions
DESCRIPTION
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD/ADD.) In today’s hyper-connected internet and Social age, many of us are showing increasing symptoms of “Virtual ADD:” easily distracted, expected to multi-task more than ever before, and experiencing greater difficulty to focus long-term and prioritize. Without having the important social cues we have to work with from being in person with each other, oftentimes our online networking and relationships create big mis-communications, social fax paus, and unintentional impressions of being inconsiderate to other people’s feelings. Compounding on the problem, both academics and behavioral psychologists that specialize in emotional intelligence, along with ADD psychologists and coaches, lack the serious expertise and personal experience needed to cover the effects of social media on people dealing from ADD: both “virtual” and genetic. ADD is not a deficiency in a person. Honed right, it can be an incredibly special gift. But today’s understanding of how social media affects ADD, and vice versa, has huge gaps in research. What we need today is a new type of learning: education and training from professionals with technical and communications know-how in Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, OkCupid, and many more of the online communities we spend out time in building relationships, both personal and professional. They understand people in the organic sense and the virtual sense, and understand how we are evolving like technology, and how to bring us back down to earth and make us mindful of social context, and of each other, for personal happiness and professional success. These are the new “Social Stylists.” Learn from this presentation: • The connection between Social Media and ADD/ADHD, and vice versa. • How professionals in social media and other Internet communications can master “Virtual ADD” and still stay focused, organized, and effective with their responsibilities, both professional and personal. • Social Media, and other jobs and responsibilities perfect for ADD/ADHD people. • Tools and tips for how to manage ADD/ADHD for a happy and successful, per-fessional life. • How to use distractions to your creative advantage, and how to set realistic systems in place for shutting them off. (Including constantly checking email and one’s social media walls.) • How to learn the hard-to-find social cues in digital media, and make more thoughtful communications that lead to less misunderstandings, and better relationships. • Stories from successful per-fessionals who mastered their own ADHD.TRANSCRIPT
Social Media + ADHD Turning
distrac)ons into
direc)ons
Your Presenters
Grant Crowell (Host) YouTube Marke2ng Social Video Stylist
Kevin King Chief Science Officer The Liautaud Ins2tute
Melissa Heisler Stress Reduc2on Expert, Author, Coach, Speaker
A9en)on Deficit Hyperac)vity Disorder
Aka, “Overthink-‐i)s”
Social Media Is…
People PlaGorms Par2cipa2on
And…
Please pay a9en)on!
You, Me and Virtual ADD
Virtual ADD in the Social Age Pre-‐Social Age • “The world isn’t designed
for people with ADHD. Lectures, readings, schedules, jobs, and traffic laws are all made with the way most people think in mind.”
Social Age (Age of Distrac)on) • Welcome to my world
“What has happened in society is we now have two types of people with ADHD: There are those who’ve had it since birth; and there’s type 2 – it’s an adult onset. It comes from using the internet.”
– Theodore Siggelakis
Virtual ADD is spreading rapidly
AADD “Acquired AWen2on
Deficit Disorder” – Dr. John Rateyat, Harvard University
Virtual ADD “Digi2zed AWen2on
Deficit Disorder” – Grant Crowell (not a doctor)
The advantages of Virtual ADD ADHD • *Super-‐focused • Fast-‐thinking • Fast-‐talking • Thinking outside the box • Entrepreneurial
Social Business World • Technology-‐driven • Fast-‐paced • Mul2-‐tasking • Need for speed • Always-‐on • Always-‐changing
The Challenges of Virtual ADD Cause • Constant dopamine fix from
online s2muli • Mul2-‐tasking expecta2ons • Incessant interrup2ons
from our digital devices
Effects • Easily bored • Losing focus • Late ge^ng work done • Can’t do mundane tasks
effec2vely. • Feeling socially inadequate • Diss-‐connected
Virtual ADD is a Social Disability • Lose Focus • Hyper-‐focus • Impulsivity • Lack of filter • Poor 2me management • Hypersensi2vity
• Speaking before thinking
• Poor communica2on from digital limita2ons
• Nega2ve s2muli outweighs posi2ve s2muli
YouTube is a Shopping Mall
YouTube is a Shopping Mall • Imagine each store as a single
YouTube channel • Many people enter a YouTube in
“just browsing” mode. • Even those with a clear (shopping)
goal, YouTube’s “Suggested videos” distract people from their original goal.
• The result: user straying into other stores, con2nuously. Way more 2me is spent than one planned on.
Now, think of YouTube as a Casino
Why a Casino? • Your Time is
YouTube’s money
• YouTube’s revenue stream comes from adver2sers
• Their goal is to have you stay long enough so the house always wins
SOCIAL-‐ADHD EXPERTS Social Media + ADHD
Licensed ADHD Experts Talk Social Media
Eric Tivers Michelle Frank
eric2vers.com
• Owner of Tivers Clinical Special2es • Licensed Therapist, Coach, Consultant. • Specializes in ADHD, Asperger's & Au2sm • Podcast Producer and Host, “ADHD
ReWired.” • Manages 3 Facebook pages and 2
Facebook groups for ADHD members, and a Google+ Hangouts grup
• Licensed Clinical Psychologist
• Associate Psychologist at Sari Solden, Private Prac2ce
• Specializes in working with teens, adults, and families navigate challenges related to ADHD and similar disorders.
• NewsleWer Editor for AWen2on Deficit Disorder Associa2on (ADDA)
The problems most o\en cited by Dr. Franks’ clients and their spouses or families have to do
with a few key areas:
• amount of 2me spent on digital technologies
• difficulty transi2oning off of the technology to tackle a priority task
• being distracted and using technology to procras2nate • impulsivity par2cularly regarding comments made and
pictures sent or posted on social media and tex2ng.
Examples
• Over-‐disclosing on social media
• Making inappropriate or detrimental impulsive comments on text
• Teens sending provoca2ve photos over text
• Cyber-‐bullying (being a vic2m or perpetrator)
• Losing hours a day to technology and not tackling priority tasks
• Ge^ng distracted and not being able to start or finish important work,
• Decreased engagement in face-‐to-‐face interac2ons or physical ac2vi2es.
Why ADHD individuals are more suscep)ble to digital distrac)ons and Internet Addic)on than those without: An individual with ADHD has structural, func)onal, and chemical differences than a nuerotypical brain, which includes: • Less dopamine and norepinephrine, both
key ingredients to reward and mo2va2on, • Less aversion to consequences, and; • Lower ability to ac2vate and regulate
behavior as well as emo2on
Technology gives the brain a shot of dopamine “The ADHD brain is one that struggles with mo2va2on, ac2va2on, organizing behaviors, managing 2me, and maintaining focus.
You can easily make the connec2on between ADHD and the obstacles that highly engaging and s2mula2ng technologies may pose. Because of the highly s)mula)ng nature of video games, social media, and the like, it quickly and easily engages the brain.”
hWp://learn.gene2cs.utah.edu/content/addic2on/rewardbehavior/
How the Reward Pathway plays into addic2on
hWp://www.drugabuse.gov/publica2ons/teaching-‐packets/understanding-‐drug-‐abuse-‐addic2on/sec2on-‐i/4-‐reward-‐pathway
“The truth is, we don’t have clear-‐cut
answers yet that are widely agreed
upon about the effects of this evolu2on
into a more integrated digital era. ”
A Proposed Solu2on
Build Your Emo2onal Intelligence
AND NOW… JUST SOME HELPFUL TOOLS FOR FOCUS, ORGANIZATION, TIME MANAGEMENT, AND JUST GETTING THINGS DONE
Social Media + ADHD
culturedcode.com/things
Context-‐sensi2ve Excel Export to create the Reports you need
Detailed 2me entries easily editable
Caato.de
An2-‐social.cc
MacFreedom.com
checkyapp.com
Calm.com
RESOURCES Social Media + ADHD
TotallyADD.com
Discount code for 20% off all our products on this page: totallyaddshop.com/collec2ons/our-‐products
Discount code: TotallyADD20
morethansound.net
Produc2vity in the Age
of Informa2on and E-‐mail Overload
FREE Kindle Edi2on!
FREE Kindle Edi2on!
QUICK TIPS Social Media + ADHD
Tips for Mastering Digital Distrac2ons • Turn off your no)fica)ons! • Plan your day and week in
advance • Set up a 2me calendar • Try wearing a watch, or
have a fun clock around • Focus on one thing at a
2me. • Have an accountability
partner. • Be mindful of keeping
personal media private and being inten2onal about your posts.
• Mindfulness (pause, observe, reflect, acknowledge)
• Take breaks • Get exercise • Eat and drink healthy an in
modera2on • Prac2ce building new habits,
slowly. • Try shu^ng up and only
listening for an en2re conversa2on. (Or for social media, just observing.) Wait to ask ques2ons when someone is done speaking.
hWps://www.facebook.com/help/327994277286267/
I’ll say it again.. Turn OFF your no)fica)ons!
And finally…
almost
Just 3 more slides!
hWp://www.chadd.org/Training-‐Events/Annual-‐Interna2onal-‐Conference-‐on-‐ADHD.aspx
hWp://www.chadd.org/Training-‐Events/Annual-‐Interna2onal-‐Conference-‐on-‐ADHD.aspx
Social Media + ADHD Turning
distrac)ons into
direc)ons
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