Diagnosis and Treatment of ADHD

There has been some significant conversation around sleep disorders and ADHD here lately.  Research suggests that sleep disorders and ADHD can go hand-in-hand.  In fact, there is even some conversation about whether or not some people with ADHD actually suffer from Sleep Apnea, the symptoms of which are similiar to those of ADHD (hyperactivity in children, distractibility in adults).  So here is a link (NOTE: original link has been broken.  Go to the treatment/sleep area of this website.

Is ADHD affecting your marriage? It would be rare if it didn't, but traditional marriage counseling often isn't very helpful unless ADHD is diagnosed and treated.

Many are curious about non-medicinal treatments for ADHD.  Here's a quick overview of the basics.

This past Sunday, The New York Times ran an opinion piece by L. Alan Sroufe called Ritalin Gone Wrong. Dr. Hallowell offers a much different point of view, one based on his strength-based, whole-person approach to treating ADHD.

I often am asked about why a person with ADHD should try meds, and one response I give is that meds can give you the clarity and calmness of mind to finally have a chance to let the talented, interesting person “inside” shine through without interference from ADHD symptoms.  Along those lines is the story of Andres Torres, who helped the SF Giants win the World Series in 2010.  He struggled and underperformed for years until he finally accepted his diagnosis of ADHD and decided to treat it. 

Okay, I admit I stole this idea, but I will give full credit to Experience Life Magazine staff for writing a bit about why it’s important to think carefully about this year’s successes before setting your New Year’s resolutions (you can read the article here).  This is a particularly smart idea for couples who’ve been struggling with ADHD issues for a while.  Let me give you my specific thoughts…

Are you an ADHD partner who has trouble consistently following your treatment?  If so, you wouldn't be alone.  But not remembering to take your meds has a bigger impact than you might imagine.  Here is how one man describes his on again / off again relationship with meds and my thoughts about how to become more consistent while also improving his relationship with his wife:

There has been a lot of talk recently about executive function issues and ADHD. What are "executive functions" and how are they related to ADHD?

John Ratey, author of Spark!, has just posted a wonderful new website that explains the science behind why it's so good for people with ADHD (and also people without) to exercise.  He explains in detailed but understandable language how exercise's impact on the brain helps with ADHD, stress, anxiety, depression, addiction, age-related memory loss and more.

I’ve recently had the pleasure to “meet” (long distance) Kathrine Ellison, the Pulitzer Prize winning journalist who is the author of a new book on ADHD.  It’s called “Buzz” (her son’s nickname) and tracks a year in her life with her ADHD son as the two of them learn to get along better.  She also has ADHD, so apparently the result is a book that is funny, heartwarming, and full of information about how you can help a teen with ADHD.

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