ADHD Misunderstandings

ADHD Misunderstandings

3 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.

ADHD communication style, before and after therapy
ADHD communication style, before and after therapy
6 years ago

Many people who start medication therapies to treat the core ADD/ADHD symptom notice subtle changes that are not always easy to accept or manage. The character style that was considered to be a pro...

Why Everyone Is Addicted Now
Why Everyone Is Addicted Now
1 month ago

We often speak about addiction as if it were a discrete pathology—a flaw in a specific group of people w...

How Social Media Hooks the ADHD Brain—and How to Break Free with Kindness
How Social Media Hooks the ADHD Brain—and How to Break Free with Kindness
4 months ago

As a psychiatrist who works closely with people living with ADHD, I often hear the same frustration: “Wh...