Greetings to all. I am a new male member (63 years old) and came hear to listen (read), speak (write) and learn (absorb) your personal experiences (good and bad) in love relationships and how you have managed to make them last or why you think they didn't. I personally have been married 6 times (not to mention girlfriends in between) and after much therapy have been made aware of the following contributing causes:
A. 5 combat tours in Vietnam and having PTSD as a result
B. being exposed to Agent Orange (AO) which damaged my reproduction system thus never had children, a glue that binds couples together
C. developing prostate cancer which affects your love life dramatically
D. having ADD, which can make you very difficult to live with due to your disorganization, projects left unfinished, blurting (saying) things that hurt the feelings of loved ones, finishing sentences for them (disrespectful), answering questions before they're completely asked (rude), tuning people out when you are hyperfocused on TV, a project or something else (even ruder), and the many other faux pas (social blunders) that drive our loved ones absolutely nuts.
I'd like to know how ADD affects(ed) your relationships, how you dealt with the aftermath, how your family/spouse reacted either by helping or walking out the door. And any recommendations/suggestions for books to read, tips or strategies for coping with this stress in a positive way.
I am currently reading "Driven to Distraction" (recommended by therapist) which is EXCELLENT and read "I Am Not Lazy, Crazy or Stupid" which I read when I was first "diagnosed" about 13 years ago.