Mark Ungar

Presentation + Questions & Answers
For ADD-Holistic Discussion Group
http://www.HolisticMed.Com/add/


Date: Sun, 1 Nov 1998 22:31:23 -0500 (EST)
From: Mark Gold
To: add-holistic@mLists.net
Subject: ADD Introduction of Visiting Expert

Hi!

Our next honored Visiting Experts is Mark Ungar, Executive Director of the ADD Action Group.

The ADD Action Group is a national resource center and clearing house for information on alternative solutions for those with ADD and learning diabilities. The ADD Action Group organizes the yearly World Conference on Non-Pharmacological Therapies for ADD & ADHD. They provide many resources for parents and health care professionals related to the treatment of ADD.

It is through groups like that ADD Action Group and the Feingold Association that parents and practitioners can create a nationwide (and even worldwide) network of support and powerful holistic treatment ideas for ADD/ADHD. We are very fortunate to have Mr. Ungar visit our Internet Discussion Group to tell us more about the ADD Action Group, the resouces offered, their planned activities, and to share with us ideas for community outreach and creating support groups.

Please join me in welcoming Mr. Ungar to the discussion group! [clap, clap, clap :-)] Please feel free to share your thoughts or questions (don't be shy!) after the initial post on Monday.

Best Wishes,
- Mark
mgold@tiac.net
Home of ADD/ADHD Holistic Mailing List
http://www.HolisticMed.com/add/
Send the message: subscribe
to add-holistic-request@mLists.net


From: ADDInquir@aol.com
Date: Wed, 4 Nov 1998 12:27:10 EST
To: add-holistic@mLists.net
Subject: ADD Action Group

Dear freinds,
After a long battle with our donated computer, we are finally on line again. My name is Mark Ungar and I am pleased to be able to share with all of you information about the ADD Action Group thanks to efforts of Mark Gold.

The ADD Action Group was started as a result of our family members being told that our kids exhibited symptoms of ADD & ADHD.

Being that we all were raised with a nutritional backround and we were trained that nutrition, diet and lifestyle we the key to top mental and physical health.

So when we were told by clinicians & people that medication was the only solution for these "DISORDERS", we were concerned because we never took medications for anything and never will.

We researched non-drug solutions and found out that there were many out there. In fact we learned that there were many other people who were experiencing the same problems as we were.

We started a support group to share stategies of how to over come these issues The group grew so quickly that all of a sudden people became dependent on us to provide up to date information on the Alternative Solutions. That was in March 1996.

Today we are the ADD Action Group, is a Non-profit national organization that helps people find non-drug solutions for ADD, ADHD, Learning Differences, Dyslexia and Autism.

Our Mission Statement is :

"Because there is not one reason why these situations or circumstances exsist, there is not one solution. Each person is unique in their particular needs."

We beleive that medication should only be used as a last resort, never the first approach.

A therapy that may work for one person may not work for another.

  1. The ADD Action Group has monthly meetings where speakers from that particular area who have knowlege in non-drug solutions discuss therapies and strategies for parents, grandparents, adults, teachers, administrators, and of coarse doctors who want to start treating their patient without drugs.

  2. Membership is $25 per year and that comes with a subsciption to the ADD Action Group' quarterly newsletter which has a summary of all the meetings throughout the country including who spoke, what they spoke about and when. Our meeting summary is great for those who can't make it to the meeting. Then we have video tape list of our program which you can read about below. The suggested reading book lists are an important link to getting educated.

    Next are the meeting updates where you will find where the meetings are and when.

    A guide to "AGAP" ( Action Group Awareness Progam) is explained in the newsletter which is designed to go into the schools and help teachers, clinicians and administrators with staff development. Of coarse we have articles that will enlighten those who have the need for knowlege.

    The resource list is a very important tool in tapping into specialists who can solve aparticular condition but we urge that you first get educated as to what therapist would best work for your situation.

    Therapies may include but not limited to Eidetic Imagery, Neurobiofeedback, Allergy and Nutrition, Auditory Integrative Training, Homeopathy, Chiropractic, Color therapy, Neural-Organization Technique, Psychology, Organization / Time Management, Brain GYM, Energy Work, Holistic Psychology, Publications, Herbology, Education Support / Evaluations, Flower Essence, and much more.

    As a member a person may possibly quallify to become a CHAPTER PRESIDENT where they will get to organize monthly meetings and talk directly to therapists and authors in arranging the monthly lecture. We also guide you through this process.

  3. As a Chapter President you also recieve broadcasting rights to our weekly TV program " ROUNDTABLE " which is produced in NYC. This show explores the issues of ADD, ADHD, Learning and Developmental Delays. This not only discusses non-drug solutions but also legal advocacy as well. Guests on our show include Dr. Doris Rapp, Dr. Peter Breggin, Dr. William Crook, Dr. Ronald Hoffman, Gary Null, Patricia Lemer (DDR), Patricia Palmer (Feingold), and many more.

    If you are interested in watching this program in your area then contact the ADD Action Group @ (212)-769-2457.

  4. The ADD Action Group's web site is the link between knowing and wondering.

    It includes all the summarys of all the past meetings, articles, definitions of conditions and therapies and in the future, video streaming. http://www.addgroup.org.
We get lots of people who call who are concerned about the school system, the way in which it is interacting in a negative way with the children, its lack of knowlege in teaching the way a child needs to be taught and how schools pressure parents to medicate the child to satisfy the schools need for a zombie child.

We know your concern and we can help. Also let us all remember some important facts that you may or may not be aware of.

(a) These children that are being "labeled as ADD, ADHD, or Learning Disabled are probably non of the above. Why/? Because these children who are being labeled are in fact above average intelegence, above average in creativity and most important above average in sensitivity so they are very easily humiliated, very easily trahmatized and they experience pain much more. Does this sound like your child???

This goes for adults as well as children. This my friends we consider as gifts, not disorders, disabilities or deseases. Our society has to learn how to honor these gifted people not punish them by giving them a label and destroying their self asteem. The truth is that our society cannot deal with outspoken imaginative freeflowing beings and as a result we have national brain washing with emphasis on conditioning our families to take offensive action against our kids. This is not the not the true and healthy direction of mankind.

For families who experience children who are totally unmanagable, oppositional and angry, let me set the record straight. Your child does not having a disorder or disability attact. This is absolutly normal " Human" behavior for the given the circumstance that the child, a human being, has or is experiencing. Look deeper into the "Source of the Problem" as aposed to taking societies word for it that your child has a disorder.

The ADD Action Group not only disagrees with the diagnosis, but questions and challenges anybody who can prove that ADD even exsists!!!! Its not the diagnosis that we should give attention to but the situation and circumstance which can be changed!!!

The ADD Action Group
P.O. Box 1440
New York, NY 10023
(212) 769-2457
(212)-724-9139 fax
addinquir@aol.com
http://www.addgroup.org/

I would like to discuss ways of how we can get more of a community out reach progam going. Now lets open up for questions or solutions.
Thanks
Mark Ungar, Executive Director


From: moshenko@acsu.buffalo.edu
Date: Wed, 04 Nov 1998 15:39:08 -0500
To: add-holistic@mLists.net, ADDInquir@aol.com
Subject: Re: ADD Action Group

Hi - I would be happy to give information to the President of SEPTSA (Special Education - PTA) in our school district (Williamsville, NY). The SEPTSA group runs monthly meetings at school, though as a parent of a "special needs" (ADHD) child have found that educating others about the behaviors, causes, and treatments (other than RITALIN!!) has raised some eyebrows!! I am glad to learn there is a support group out there!!!


Date: Thu, 05 Nov 1998 06:14:18 -0500
From: Reg Reynolds
To: add-holistic@mLists.net
Subject: Re: ADD Action Group

Diagnosis is concerned with classification. Of course, ADD doesn't "exist" except as a concept used to describe a group of unique individuals who, nevertheless, have certain characteristics in common.


Date: Fri, 6 Nov 1998 14:39:54 -0700 (MST)
To: add-holistic@mLists.net
From: Mark Gold
Subject: Questions for Mark Ungar, ADD Action Group

Mark,

Thank you very much for your opening post to the group. I hope you received the post from moshenko@acsu.buffalo.edu regarding giving information to the school district.

I was hoping that you could answer a few short questions.

  1. Do you compile ADD Action Group member accounts of "cures" or significant changes in the members (or member's child) condition?

  2. Getting to view the TV program, "Roundtable" would be wonderful! However, I am not sure what you mean by "broadcasting rights." Does that mean the Chapter President can receive a copy of a videocassette to show at a weekly meeting. Or does it mean that one can broadcast the show on a local station -- perhaps a local cable access station? I could imagine that some people would just want to see a video and others might want to try to get it broadcast on a local station.

  3. By "video streaming" do you mean the ability to use Real Audio/Video to watch the TV program, "Roundtable" via the web? That would be great! Any target date on that yet?

  4. Are there materials that you provide for professionals (physicians, teachers, etc.) who can then give information to patients and parents? For example, I was wondering if a physician might subscribe to the newsletter and offer that to patients (or perhaps some other material such as a brochure).
I like your web page. The yearly membership fee is quite reasonable. I hope that your site increases memberships so that a large percentage of the population knows that there are effective, natural treatments for ADD/ADHD.

Take care!

Best Wishes,
- Mark
mgold@tiac.net
Home of ADD/ADHD Holistic Mailing List
http://www.HolisticMed.com/add/
Send the message: subscribe
to add-holistic-request@mLists.net


Date: Sun, 8 Nov 1998 21:30:58 -0700 (MST)
To: add-holistic@mLists.net
From: Mark Gold
Subject: ADD Visiting Expert Mark Ungar

Hi!

I hope that Mark Ungar of the ADD Action Group can stay with us for a little while longer to answer the followup questions that have been asked. Please visit the ADD Action Group web page at:

http://www.addgroup.org

They have many resources for natural treatment of ADD/ADHD. They also have resources related to community outreach so that others -- patients, parents, and practitioners -- can become aware that there are effective treatment techniques for ADD/ADHD symptoms.


Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1998 08:05:34 -0700 (MST)
To: add-holistic@mLists.net
From: ADDInquir@aol.com
Subject: Re: ADD adverse side effects of Ritalin and other stimulants

>Please check the Feingold Associaiton's web site, for a lot of
>information on practical help for you and your child. It's
>www.feingold.org.
>Jane

Hi jane its Mark Ungar , ADD Action Groiup. When can you come to NYC to come on our TV show?
Mark


Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1998 08:06:26 -0700 (MST)
To: add-holistic@mLists.net
From: ADDInquir@aol.com
Subject: Re: Questions for Mark Ungar, ADD Action Group

Dear Mark,
The ADD Action Group only compiles accounts of successful treatments for specific study groups which is currently under way with Gary Null. Cofidential records are in demand by many commercial companies which we deny to them info because people dont want to advertize.

Usually Broadcasting rights means that they can submit a request for a TV series to local access stations on behalf of the ADD Action Group. We cannot send tapes to individuals or Chapt Pres. because it would cost us a bundle. They can record the show on TV when it comes on in their town and then submit it to support groups.

Yes video streaming is coming to our web site but the date has not been finalized yet. It is being donated so we have to wait.

Yes we do provide mateials to doctors, clinicians & teachers and also at our support meetings too.

Thanks Mark
Mark


Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1998 23:11:28 -0700 (MST)
To: add-holistic@mLists.net
From: ADDInquir@aol.com
Subject: Re: ADD 20/20-inspired rant

Dear Linda,
We beleive the problem of diagnosing a person with ADD not only takes the attention away from the underlying problem but also will affect people socially as with the case with the military and the FAA.

If a child is diagnosed with ADD, and he wanted to someday become an astronaut, he cannot. Why? Because the military which currently is where the astronaut has to be trained to fly aircraft and then spacecraft does not accept people who have been diagnosed with ADD or ADHD. He will not have the choice of serving in the military of any branch even if the parents dont want him to go into the military.

Oh by the way tell the parents who had their children diagnosed that their child will also never have the choice of flying a civilian airplane as long as the FAA has a policy of grounding ADD people.

Do you know what it is like when a parent finds out this information after they had their child diagnosed? They are horrified that nobody ever told them the truth.

But it doesnt stop there. Adults who over came their ADD still are being descriminated against because of a diagnosis that they had no controll over as chilren.

Its wrong to diagnos a person with ADD when all they really need to do is change their situation or circumstance.

The way that "ADD" people are reacting is perfectly normal for any human being to react to according to what they are going through.

More discrimination is coming to the people who are diagnosed with ADD.

Lets solve each persons individual needs not treat the diagnosis.

Mark Ungar, Executive Dir.


Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1998 23:21:08 -0700 (MST)
To: add-holistic@mLists.net
From: ADDInquir@aol.com
Subject: Re: ADD Special Ed classes

> I'm trying to find out if putting a child that has ADD in a
> "special-ed" class in school is a good idea.

Sorry Mel,

According to the many parents that contact us, Special ED is not the place for gifted children. Ask your husband if he beleives that he is and was gifted. My guess is he is.

Society is trained to put gifted outspoken kids in a rigid prison like situation because the kids cause ripples and dont follow the norm. The hell with the norm!!!!!

LET OUR KIDS GO!!! LEAVE THEM ALONE !!!! LET THEM FLORISH!!!

Sorry I get carried away some times.
Mark Ungar


Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1998 10:08:28 -0700 (MST)
To: add-holistic@mLists.net
From: janefaus@juno.com (Jane H Hersey)
Subject: Re: ADD adverse side effects of Ritalin and other stimulants

Well, howdy!!

Good to hear from you. My brother wants me to come see his new home in CT and I want to get back to Manhasset to do an interview...but not till after the spring thaw! Can I take a rain check on your kind offer till mid '99? I like to try to combine as many ADD/social things as possible.

Best to you,
Jane

On Tue, 10 Nov 1998 08:05:34 -0700 (MST) ADDInquir@aol.com writes:
>Hi jane its Mark Ungar , ADD Action Groiup.
>When can you come to NYC to come on our TV show?
>Mark