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.

When the mirror becomes our therapist: A psychiatrist’s reflection on our society’s growing obsession with perfection
When the mirror becomes our therapist: A psychiatrist’s reflection on our society’s growing obsession with perfection
9 months ago

I’ve been practicing psychiatry long enough to witness the changing fa...

Are most addictions and ADHD spectrum disorders in adults on the same continuum?
Are most addictions and ADHD spectrum disorders in adults on the same continuum?
3 years ago

My clinical background as a psychiatrist started in treating addiction disorders. I was attracted to this field because it acknowledges the biological, psychological, social, and spiritual contex...

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

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