The reception of my memoir One Boy’s Struggle by people with ADHD and without ADHD alike, and professionals, has been phenomenal.

As most anyone knows, who has been reading my blog, you know I did not originally intend to publish. It all started as a therapeutic effort on my part to get my thoughts and experiences out of my head and on paper, something I could read back to myself and make sense of it all. Well, while I was making sense of my life I started to include all the things I believed would have helped me had it been known that I had ADD (ADHD), and while I did that, it was then that I decided, or rather, it came to me that I needed to share my life with you. It was not an easy decision, but I know it was the right decision. 

Today I found an online review of my book that touched me so deeply and emotionally. This is part of what drives me to continue writing, to be a voice and meet new people each and every day. To help a mother and daughter bond through the words I wrote, what a humbling treasure that is.

Cixous39, if you happen to read this: Thank you! Seems we have helped each other. I hope you don’t mind that I copied your review of One Boy’s Struggle: A Memoir here:

What makes this book special? On a personal level, my Mom and I BONDED over it. While reading it, my mother found me crying and asked what was wrong. I told her what this memoir was about, and let her read it. Once she finished, we cried together. We also laughed because it helped make sense of my own experiences with AD/HD, which went undiagnosed until I was 35. Though Mom had read a few of the “popular”, recommended AD/HD books, she had never before understood my behaviors or my feelings.

Wow, what an overwhelming response from the new PDF I sent out yesterday! Thank you to all of you who responded with comments and suggestions!! Okay, I changed up the document because many of you had nearly the same suggestions. I included some of the more ‘controversial‘ articles and what seem the current favorites: Is it ADHD or bad luck & Is Sex important to someone with ADHD?. Those of you that wrote me mentioned these articles would make you more likely to share the file with others. I also included the quote that I have on my blog – it was interesting that several mentioned it; I didn’t realize it was so popular Here’s the updated file:

ADHD_A_Real_Life_Story_Bryan_Hutchinson (download)

Most people who see me and are generally around me on a regular day, usually have no idea that I have ADHD (ADD). Or, for that matter, realize I am dealing with anything out of the ordinary. That is, unless they have read about me online, someone told them or read my book, I told them – stuff like that.

It hasn’t always been that way.

I was listening to an audio book recently: Challenge to Succeed by Jim Rohn. I recommend it to anyone interested in self improvement. In the audio Jim makes many good points about wealth, health and state of being. The most important point he makes is this: “What you don’t know will hurt you.”

Any late diagnosed ADDer will tell you that this is too true. What if we had known 10 years, or, 20 years earlier? What if our parents had known and we were diagnosed as children? What a difference would that have made? We can deal with ‘what if’s’ all day long, but, what about today? Today there is a wealth of information available in books and on the internet. There is no reason we cannot self-educate ourselves about our condition, not in an information packed world such as ours.

Inside My Room

Out the window I can hear them play, the laughter, and the fun – the other kids from the neighborhood, playing, funning and laughing together. I don’t want to go outside. Trouble is out there. I want to stay here…

Inside my room.

My room is my castle, it is my spaceship, it is my universe, where I am the hero, I am the ruler – I can stay out of trouble in my room. My room is safe. I make too many mistakes. I don’t understand why I am so wrong, always wrong, always saying the wrong things. I have my room. My room is safe.

Inside my room.

I believe in the law of attraction, The Secret, if you will, I believe it whole heartedly. The Law of Attraction is a very sensitive subject and the cause of too many arguments and denouncements amongst a group of people who simply have not found a way to make it work for them – they are too busy believing and explaining that The Secret isn’t possible. When you read what they have to say they always seem to be protecting others from getting their hopes up or from being hurt, but, if you read closer you find the pessimism and negativity which is at the core of their very own beliefs from their very own experiences.  The bottom line is that negativity and pessimism works just as well with The Secret and seems to come naturally, especially if one has ADHD.

(The very last paragraph is very important, as well as the middle part… info for you)

If I were to tell you that 3 million copies of my book “One Boy’s Struggle: A Memoir” has been sold, what would your first thoughts be? Keep in mind that “One Boy’s Struggle: A Memoir” is only sold online and is not available in any traditional bookstores (that I know of). Do you think it is possible? Do you think there is enough interest to support such a claim, if I were to make it? Do you think the lessons learned from my life, told in a way which could help millions of people suffering from ADHD, their families, friends and mentors, are worth 3 million copies being sold?