What Does Everybody Else Know That I Don't?: Social Skills Help for Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD): A Reader-Friendly Gu

by Michele Novotni and Randy Petersen

Book Overview

Focusing on social skills training for adults with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorders (AD/HD), this book offers solutions for tackling behavior that is often inattentive, impulsive, and... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1886941343
• ISBN13: 9781886941342
• Release Date: October 1999
• Publisher: Specialty Press (FL)
• Length: 314 Pages
• Weight: 1.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.4" x 8.6"

Customer Reviews

Not helpful

I bought this book as someone with adhd. The book is outlined in a very elementary way, which might work for some people but felt very condescending to me. I didn’t learn anything from this book that I didn’t already know, and ultimately didn’t offer any helpful advice on how to manage adhd. You know what the takeaway message I got was? Go see a therapist. She mentions that therapists have methods to help manage adhd without mentioning what those methods are at all. It all felt like some self-help scheme. Ultimately don’t recommend this book to anyone who actually struggles with adhd as it will probably frustrate you more.

consider buying it

Hi this is my first review and i'm reading alot of adhd books lately. This book is about social skills, the skills that may not have been learnt easily when you have adhd. In fact after reading this book I felt like an alien learning the rules that everyone knew and realise how I was alienating everyone else with my adhd symptoms. What I liked about this book was it was quite helpful. The information is very simplistic, yet there is a difference between understanding the information and actually knowing it, meaning practicing it. I like to use a metaphor to explain things quicker about this book. It's like sports for example, you have rules to follow, you are expected to know it, or you would get fouled out and you won't even be in the next game. Learn the simple rules first dispite it's decieving simplicity, then get better at the game later when you know what your doing. Real life is not a game, you will get isolated extremely quickly not knowing the social rules. I wish I knew the rules before though, there aren't too many books with this content since your all suppose to know it. So what I liked about this book was there was a check list of all the skills you are suppose to practice, exercises and a summary at the end of a chapter. My complaits are it has too many pages, I can only read so much and stuff not relating to social skills yet adhd is not that great compared to other books. I conclude that this is a good book for it's purpose, it's necessary, I couldn't figure all these rules myself before. Also I realise if you are in business for adult adhd, or working, you won't suceed without social skills even if you learnt everything else from other adhd books with different topics about adhd. I want you to really consider this book, I found it extremely helpful and necessary. I'm starting to apply it now, I feel more aware of my social mistakes, I thank the author for writing this book.

This is so real, so clear, and so helpful!

There are so many clinical books about AD/HD, but this book is different. It goes behind the diagnosis, treatment and struggles to talk about an often missed area of problem...the social skills area. Without addressing this, the person continues to function without knowing how he comes across in the world. Even the brightest person can alienate others in the social settings and work settings too. I also love the very emotional book of The Other Me, Poetic thoughts on ADD for adults, kids and parents, by Fellman. It touched my heart so...I cried for all those painful times. Thanks to these two authors for addressing the feelings of ADD!

Excellent guide for AD/HD adults & parents of AD/HD kids

Michele Novotni, Ph.D., has more than 20 years of experience as a psychologist working with children and adults with AD/HD. She is an Assistant Professor in the graduate counseling department of Eastern College, Saint Davids, Pennsylvania. She has also co-authored Adult ADD: A Reader Friendly Guide to Identifying, Understanding and Treating Adult Attention Deficit Disorder. Both her son and her father have AD/HD.This 314-page book has footnotes at the end of each chapter, an index, a bibliography and several useful appendices, including two social skills checklists. The book discusses the importance of social skills, why adults with AD/HD may not have learned all the social skills they need in their childhood, and systematically teaches these missing social skills. This excellent guide is clearly and concisely written. Each chapter ends with a very helpful, gray-highlighted box called "Just the Facts" which lists the major points of the chapter for ready reference.It is true that many of the social skills covered in this book are very basic, like remembering to say, "please" and "thank you" and always saying, "hello" when you enter a room and "goodbye" when you exit. However, Dr. Novotni goes much deeper than this level. For example, she covers the important area of observation of subtle social cues, using "I messages" and conflict resolution techniques, all of which most so-called "normal" adults don't know. I believe this book is useful not just for adults with AD/HD, but for parents of AD/HD children, as well. Dr. Novotni has helped me see in a very complete and concrete way the social skills my two AD/HD teens need to acquire by adulthood.

How can you ever TEACH the rules if no one taught you?

As an ADD parent of an ADD child, I found the book enlightening. It opened my eyes to things I do sometimes, and the social consequences. I also see things that my children do. With suggestions from this book I now have tools to help myself and in turn, help them. I liked that it gave examples of the right words to say, which is sometimes a problem for me.

ADD Expert Michele Novotni turns out another excellent book

Michele Novotni, in only her second book, has established herself an expert on the subject of ADD. Her other book, Adult ADD, was also excellent and very helpful. Novotni's newest release provides advice that ADDers can apply to their daily lives. Although some of the subjects may seem simple at a glance, Novotni provides valuable insights and points out things that you may never have realized about yourself and about how ADD effects you before. I strongly reccomend that anyone with ADD, or anyone who just wants to read an outstanding and well written book, purchase this title today.