The Little Monster: Growing Up With ADHD [Paperback]

Robert Jergen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 15, 2004

Diagnosed with ADHD while he was a struggling college student, Robert Jergen's incredible life story progresses from being a happy child who enjoyed school and wanted to learn to a state of withdrawal and depression because of the constant reprimands from his parents and teachers.

By eighth grade, Jergen had twice tried killing himself. By college, he was an alcoholic. Finally, when he thought he was going to end up in a "white padded room," he was diagnosed with ADHD. Years of pain, anguish, frustration, anger, and rejection were suddenly explained.

Jergen describes how he turned ADHD into an asset that enabled him to get his Ph.D. in half the time as his non-ADHD peers, become a tenured associate professor at age 34, publish five books in two years, and—most importantly—find peace and happiness.

Jergen presents ADHD from the view of the child who actually has it and illustrates how constant academic and social failures can gradually wear away at the child's self-esteem and feelings of self-worth. The Little Monster is a valuable tool for any parent, professional, or individual who is touched by ADHD or similar conditions.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Robert Jergen’s The Little Monster: Growing Up With ADHD, is a must-read for parents, teachers, and employers who want to understand the world of those who have attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. The central message of this book...is very positive....chapters...offer strategies and suggestions—for those with ADHD... Jergen’s memories and ideas are insightful...and instructive. (Jerry McGovern Press-Republican (Plattsburgh, Ny) )

Jergen...tells of his struggles growing up with...ADHD, and describes how...he turned his ADHD into an asset that enabled him to get a PhD, become a tenured professor at the age of 34, and publish five books in two years. (Reference & Research Book News )

Jergen's book is one more in an increasing number of titles about how people can overcome the stigma of growing up with a disability that was unheard of during their childhoods....This is an interesting book, particularly for concerned parents of children with ADHD. (Choice )

Robert Jergen is an engaging writer and, as an autobiographer should, he knows his subject very well. Many of his points about the difficulty of diagnosing ADHD and the high incidence of misdiagnosis will be useful for readers. (Metapsychology )

Robert Jergen . . . has done us a favor by telling the story of ADHD—Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder—from the perspective of the child. (Green Bay Press-Gazette (Wisconsin) )

About the Author

Robert Jergen is an associate professor at the University in Wisconsin. He has and studies ADHD. He can be reached at [e-mail], and would greatly appreciate your thoughts regarding this book or about ADHD in general.

Product Details

• Paperback: 200 pages
• Publisher: R&L Education (March 15, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1578861047
• ISBN-13: 978-1578861040
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (39 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #273,565 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Final Understanding!, August 25, 2004

By 

Matt Wagner (Milwuakee, WI) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Little Monster: Growing Up With ADHD (Paperback)

I was one of hopefully many individuals who got to read the book "The Little Monster" By Robert Jergen. Let me first say that I myself suffer from a very extreme case of ADHD as my parents and teachers have so thoughtfully pointed out.

I first read an article in the newspaper telling me about this new book about ADHD, by the time I finished I knew I HAD to get this book. Even though I wasn't much of a reader and usually when I get excited about something it ends up in disappointment, this I just had to take a chance.

I started to read the book and it was like learning I had ADHD all over again. I felt like I was reading a biography of an alternative me. I'm starting to wonder if this is the normal life of someone with ADHD. The entire book was a roller coaster ride of emotions and feelings. From the constant reminders of how my own life was like. To kinda funny things that I am surprised I didn't do myself. For the first time in nearly 3 years I cried, it did something I never had expected, expesaly out of a book. If my life's memories were a pool of liquid this book was like a sieve and the stuff it brought up was intense. All my old memories, stuff I had buried without realizing it. (Even my ADHD itself I buried. I had totally forgotten I had ADHD over the years. Every day I'd be taking these pills and never think of WHY I was taking them.) It wasn't until I saw the article and began reading the book that these thoughts came zooming back into my head like an army of angry flies. Stuff that was too painful to reflect on and only popped in my mind now and then sending me into an automatic "mmmMm" A grumble much like Marge on The Simpsons.

This book very much reminded me of my own life. It made me face age old memories that have haunted me from the day I could crawl. And with reading more and more of the book I learned that not everything that I caused was entirely my fault. Years of blaming myself for what I did or how I acted gone with a turn of the page. Who would of thought...

I wasn't some lazy kid who had no future. Who was smart, but decided to throw his life away. No, in many cases, I was a victim, like many other people who suffer from ADHD. Course my parents as well as myself knew I had ADHD, (granted it took 6 years, but I can't really complain too much after hearing this story) but I never realized that ADHD caused such havoc, that made people do such things. I always thought ADHD just caused restlessness and made it hard to concentrate. The rest was my own fault and I had only myself to blame. This book has changed that perspective, it has taken TONS of weight off me. Things I've been carrying all my life are gone.

The book also gave me some insight on to control impulses that have plagued me all my life. Not only did it stun me with how similar my life was to the book, but it gave me help to control many things that have made me suffer over the years. It taught me a few study habits which I plan on using in my senior year of high school. Perhaps my record of going for 7 straight years without studying may finally come to an end.

In the book it also gave me some insight on how to be happy. Being happy is probably one of the biggest challenges of my life. Me saying I'm an optimist is laughable, very few times do I remember me ever truly being happy. I'd live behind a simple shell. Try to look like I'm doing ok so my school wouldn't call my parents (again) saying I'm going to kill myself.

This book has also changed the way my parents look at me at which I don't think I can ever be repaid. One of the things I've always wanted was just to make my parents proud. Now that they understand me more that goal looks brighter than ever. I was also interested to learn all of the "good" things about ADHD expesaly after I just read through Robert's terrible childhood. He much like myself, didn't seem to like his life at all and to say he'd soon grow to love ADHD was almost unbelievable.

This book has even made me recognize myself, who I have forgotten all these years. Originally me, now an 18 year old, with my future looking dimmer than a flash light low on batteries. I've realized that people do understand me and just as important I now understand myself. I've realized that people with ADHD CAN AND DO make it in this world. I can be so much.

I'm recommended all ADHDers to read this book. I find it one of the only true insights in ADHD unlike the typical ADHD book "tends to have trouble concentrating" and the same old story. Also I recommend any parents who have children who suffer from ADHD (or ADHD symptoms) to read this book. Had my parents read a book like this one 15 years ago. My life would of not nearly of been so bad. In a way you'll not only be doing yourself a favor by finally understanding your child, but you'll be doing him/her a favor. One of the things ADHDers all want out of life is just to be understood and this book comes very close to making that come true. Because of all this I will be keeping an eye out for other books that Robert has written. If it was anything like this one I'm in for quite a treat.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Looking From the Inside Out, May 27, 2004

By 

Cindy A Wanamaker (Pottstown, Pennsylvania United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Little Monster: Growing Up With ADHD (Paperback)

Rob's book is an easy read that should be required reading for all teachers and parents that interact with diagnosed and undiagnosed individuals with ADHD. It not only brings to light what it "feels" like to have ADHD but brings some practical suggestions and accomodations to the table for individuals to try. The book can also bring a ray of hope to the daily frustrations many parents and teachers experience by illustrating the success an ADHD person can achieve focusing on the strengths and positive aspects of this alternative mind wiring.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Reality with a strong dose of humor, April 17, 2005

By 

Bella Mae (Cincinnati. OH) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Little Monster: Growing Up With ADHD (Paperback)

This book has made it to my list of favorites! Robert Jergen's recollections of growing up as a child with undiagnosed ADHD is both hilarious, touching and educational. As the sibling of a child with ADHD, I can attest to the reality of which Jergen writes, a reality that probably seems unbelievable to those with no experience with ADHD. Although Jergen experienced more sadness and loneliness than most of us by adulthood, his self-diagnosis of ADHD as a young adult brought his entire life into focus and inspired him to see his "disorder" as a gift, rather than an affliction. His account of the complexities of his journey is both easy-to-read and hard-to-put-down. I highly recommend it to anyone living with or working with children with ADHD, or to anyone who just enjoys an entertaining story!