ADHD Misunderstandings

ADHD Misunderstandings

4 years ago

Perhaps the biggest misunderstanding about ADHD syndrome in adults is that it is one fixed condition that remains the same throughout the years. As I have discussed before, ADHD is best looked at on a continuum between normal behavior and areas of attention, impulse control, and hyperactivity that pose problems in day-to-day living. Our personalities evolve and adapt according to environment, culture, biology and other factors. The cookie-cutter approach that some expect to fix all aspects of what we call ADHD is a hindrance to appropriate management of the condition. One of the most difficult aspects of my work as a Cleveland area psychiatrist and physician treating ADHD conditions is to attempt to educate patients who believe a simple treatment such a such as a stimulant medication would fix all the problems in their lives. Patients have to go through the stages of disappointment and anger, bargaining and hopefully acceptance to be able to address and rebuild their lives in a bio psycho social and existential/spiritual context.

Beyond Dopamine: The Human Search for Meaning Behind Craving
Beyond Dopamine: The Human Search for Meaning Behind Craving
8 months ago

As a psychiatrist, I have spent years listening to the quiet anguish that lives behind compulsive behavi...

Cultural and Regional Variations in Mental Health Concerns in Modern American Society
Cultural and Regional Variations in Mental Health Concerns in Modern American Society
3 months ago

As an introduction to my practice extending to the states of both Maryland and Ohio, in this article I would like to explore  some of the key cultural and regional differences in the presentat...

The Cumulative Trauma of Being a Psychiatrist: The Dark Side of Psychological Transference and Countertransference, and the Burden of the Self
The Cumulative Trauma of Being a Psychiatrist: The Dark Side of Psychological Transference and Countertransference, and the Burden of the Self
10 months ago

Psychiatry, perhaps more than any other medical specialty, is a field defined by ambiguity. Unlike...