HUNTSVILLE, Ala., July 21, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- Michael Spalding, though severely burdened by Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), wrote his autobiographical account of this disruptive, debilitating condition in his new book, Drifting Too Far From Shore. In it, he addresses many of the widely held misconceptions about the disorder and raises some pertinent questions about the development and treatment of ADD, all the while entertaining the reader with one bizarre adventure after another.
His central theme is that ADD is an extremely serious disorder with disastrous consequences if left untreated, and not an invented childhood condition used to cover up bad parenting, as many seem to believe. His question of whether or not children outgrow the condition is answered by his own personal experience of lifelong, unremitting ADD. His life adventures, as dramatic as they are, examine this pertinent issue through weathered, adult eyes.
Spalding takes the reader from his opulent upbringing in England to misadventures at hippie communes in Greece to hitchhiking across continents and wild days in Europe, America and Mexico. His true account, filled with lost love, family feuds, sex and money, reads like a sizzling novel. Yet its message is a serious one, not to be taken lightly.
Ultimately, he finds the path to redemption through enlightenment, therapy, medication and his own powerful will. He presents these solutions through a tortured life's journey that finally brings him to grips with his ADD and all of its reactionary symptoms.
Spalding's tale is a view of ADD from the inside, a must-read for health care providers, parents, educators and other professionals who deal with ADD and other mental or emotional disorders. For the general public, Drifting Too Far From Shore is a fast-moving adventure filled with color, humor and scintillation.
Among the many testimonials for the book is the following from reviewer Heather Froeschl: Drifting Too Far From Shore is a true story that reads like a wild ride of fiction. Michael Spalding shares his life story to date, and how he dealt with Attention Deficit Disorder before it was even a recognized condition... The stories he tells are fraught with great difficulties in school, a father who couldn't understand why his son couldn't comprehend, mischief galore and so much more.... It is a life story that is easily recognized as a struggle, but he also had fun along the way. The purpose here is to shed some light on the reality of ADD, as well as tell an interesting story. You will come to know how it feels to have it and also come to understand those who deal with it. Mostly, readers will come to know Michael, an irresistible character, who just happens to be real."
Drifting Too Far From Shore is available online at Amazon.com, Booklocker.com and at www.michaelspalding.com, where you may read excerpts from the book.