Attended First ADD Meeting

Last night I attended my first TAASG (Toronto Adult ADD Support Group) meeting, which I had discovered on meetup.com several weeks before. For anyone who hasn't visited this web site, it is an amazingly rich collection of different groups catering to all sorts of interests under the sun.

I arrived at the location, which was a nondescript building on the UFT campus, shortly before 6.30pm. It was a bit of a convoluted journey to get to the actual room, but I still made it to the meeting before the appointed time. The room was fairly large, with several fold-down tables set up in a rectangular configuration. Attendees gradually started to come in. By 7pm most of the attendees had arrived and the meeting began. Within that first hour, a few stragglers arrived.

The facilitator introduced herself and then asked each person in the circle to introduce himself or herself. Surprisingly, I volunteered to get things underway first. Once the introductions were done, the facilitator asked the group to suggest what topics they would like to discuss at this session. A solid list of topics emerged, including a couple which I offered, which were relationships and academics.

Afterwards, our large group was divided into three smaller groups. Two of the groups went into other rooms. Our group stayed in the room in which everyone had originally gathered. One of the senior members in our group selected a topic for discussion, which, in this case, was academics. For over an hour each person (including myself) in our group related stories about their academic experiences. I told the group that I was currently collecting employment insurance and that I was going to be involved in the Second Career program. While I saw this as a golden opportunity for moving forward, I also told the group that I was terrified of failing, based on my past experiences with academics.

According to the meeting agenda, all of us should have taken a break shortly before 8 pm, but no one had really looked at the clock. All the groups had been so immersed in their own discussions that they had lost track of time. Eventually, the facilitator emerged from one of the rooms and gathered all of us together in the main meeting area.

Once everyone had settled in again, we were offered the opportunity to take a break. But since it was so late, everyone agreed to continue the meeting until 9 pm.

During that remaining time one of the other senior members asked if anyone had had a moment of enlightenment while engaged in the smaller group discussions. If so, what revelation or revelations did that person experience?

After that segment the floor was open to a variety of discussions. I added my voice to these discussions and explained that I had been involved in an intense 7-month relationship with someone and that it had ended. I asked how ADD can affect relationships and the people with whom they are involved. Unfortunately, I didn't really get the answers for which I was looking. Granted, it was only my first meeting and I wouldn't expect to get all my questions answered. These kinds of questions are likely best answered by a professional.

Overall, I was impressed with the group. It is an excellent place to network with other like-minded people and share experiences and ideas. Perhaps here, I will be able to find a path to clarity, peace and resolution.

Once 9 pm hit we adjourned and then gathered at Timothy's on College and Spadina for a social.