<![CDATA[Adult ADHD - Health.com]]> en daily 1 Subscribe with My Yahoo!Subscribe with NewsGatorSubscribe with My AOLSubscribe with BloglinesSubscribe with NetvibesSubscribe with GoogleSubscribe with PageflakesSubscribe with PlusmoSubscribe with The Free DictionarySubscribe with Bitty BrowserSubscribe with Live.comSubscribe with Excite MIXSubscribe with WebwagSubscribe with Podcast ReadySubscribe with WikioSubscribe with Daily RotationSubscribe with My Yahoo!Subscribe with NewsGatorSubscribe with My AOLSubscribe with BloglinesSubscribe with NetvibesSubscribe with GoogleSubscribe with PageflakesSubscribe with PlusmoSubscribe with The Free DictionarySubscribe with Bitty BrowserSubscribe with Live.comSubscribe with Excite MIXSubscribe with WebwagSubscribe with Podcast ReadySubscribe with WikioSubscribe with Daily Rotation <![CDATA[ADHD Affects Women Differently: What to Look For and How to Fix It]]> http://feeds.health.com/~r/health/adult-adhd/~3/F85QPzLkx2A/0,,20283301,00.html

Episodes of forgetfulness and distraction happen to all of us, and for most that’s all they are—episodes. But nearly 5 million American women have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, a neuro­behavioral condition marked by poor memory, the inability to concentrate on important tasks, and a tendency to fidget and daydream, among other symptoms. For them, this kind of distraction isn't temporary at all and can actually be crippling.

When adult ADHD (or ADD—the H is sometimes omitted because hyperactivity often isn't a symptom, especially in adults) goes untreated for years, women may end up plagued by anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem.

"They may feel as though they're constantly being judged—as flighty, inept, late, disorganized, scattered," says Tracy Latz, MD, a psychiatrist and associate clinical professor at Wake Forest University Medical Center. And even if women seek help, the condition may go overlooked or be misdiagnosed.

Because women are less likely than men to be classically hyperactive, their symptoms can be more subtle and easily missed. For instance, a woman with ADHD may come off as chatty, peppy, or extroverted, or even as a dreamy, artistic soul. In reality, she may feel deeply frustrated by seemingly simple tasks, from picking out clothes to grocery shopping to keeping files organized at work. And her condition may lead to fights with her spouse or difficulty on the job.

Hormonal changes can exacerbate the effects of ADHD too. When a woman enters perimenopause, she may be even more likely to forget names or key bits of information.

The good news? When women do receive a diagnosis of ADHD or ADD, many feel relieved to have discovered the answer to a frustrating question: "Why am I like this?" What's more, treatment usually brings greater productivity, better organization, and a newfound sense of control. Here, meet three women who have found their focus—and learn how to get the help you need if you suspect you have ADHD.


Next Page: Simply getting a diagnosis helped
Simply getting a diagnosis helped
For years, Lacey Galbraith, 32, felt like a failure because she had to work so hard to focus on tasks that others seemed to breeze through. During college and graduate school, she gladly contributed to class discussions, but taking tests was agony. "I'd read the question, hear the person next to me breathing, think about the sandwich I was going to eat at lunch, agonize over the answer, think about the sandwich, then reread the question yet again," she says.

The struggle to stay focused continued into her working years and took a toll on Galbraith's self-image. She saw a therapist and was prescribed meds for depression and anxiety, but nothing helped. Despite her success as both a teacher and a writer, Galbraith says, "I was always on edge, afraid that I’d mess up."

Experts believe ADHD has a fairly strong genetic component. If one person in a family has the condition, there’s a 25% to 35% likelihood that another family member has it as well. (In the general population, the probability is only 4% to 6%.)

Sure enough, for Galbraith the breakthrough finally came last year after her mother was diagnosed with ADHD at age 62 and brought home several books on the condition. As soon as she read the list of symptoms, Galbraith recognized herself. She raised the issue with her therapist, who soon confirmed her hunch. "He wondered why he hadn’t thought of it before," she says.

The therapist then gave Galbraith a detailed questionnaire, part of the standard procedure in ADHD diag­nosis. (Before a formal diagnosis of ADHD can be assigned, most women also need a physical exam to rule out hyperthyroidism, which has some symptoms in common with ADHD; in some cases, formal psychological testing is conducted.)

When Galbraith looked back to her childhood, she saw classic signs of ADHD behavior, which helped to confirm her diagnosis. "ADD is a lifelong issue," Dr. Latz says. "If a person doesn’t remember having any of the common signs usually seen in childhood, they likely do not have ADD."

Decades ago, ADHD was infrequently, if ever, diagnosed. And as recently as the 1980s, experts believed that children with ADHD would eventually outgrow the condition.

Today, that thinking no longer holds true, and it’s believed that up to 60% of children with ADHD will still exhibit symptoms as adults if left untreated—which suggests that there may be a sizeable number of undiagnosed adults living with the condition.

These days, Galbraith is able to fully concentrate on her work, thanks to a combination of therapy (she sees her psychiatrist every three months, which helps her work through any emotional issues and self-defeating thoughts) and a prescription for Adderall, a stimulant that, along with Ritalin, is the most commonly prescribed drug for ADHD. "Putting a name to how I've felt all these years has been the biggest help in getting past it," she says.

This is common among women with ADHD, experts say. "Many feel vindicated and validated after receiving the diagnosis," says Jon J. Markey, MD, a psychiatrist with the Center for Human Development at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Mich. And Galbraith's happy ending is not an exception: Nearly 70% of adults who are treated for ADHD improve substantially, Dr. Markey says.


Next Page: Medication is my missing ingredient
Medication is my missing ingredient
While Galbraith discovered that she had ADHD because her mother was diagnosed first, it's more common for a parent to follow in a child’s footsteps. "Many adults seeking help for their children recognize symptoms in themselves," Dr. Markey says.

Take Beth Reisman, 55, whose stepdaughter's fourth-grade teacher recommended that the child be tested for ADHD. "Sitting through a battery of tests and interviews with Rachel, I realized I was silently giving the same answers she was," Reisman says. She recalled difficulty she’d experienced at one job: "I felt like a caged wild animal; I wanted to be up and moving around. My boss told me I wasn't cut out for office work."

After her own testing, Reisman learned that many of her lifelong struggles—the tendency to daydream, her impulsivity, her difficulty with reading, the way she couldn’t seem to get organized, her constant fidgeting and inability to sit still—could be explained by ADHD.

Even her hypersensitivity to noises (as a child, she couldn’t stand to hear people eat salad) was simply one way that the characteristic distraction of ADHD is manifested. Instead of tuning out irrelevant sounds, Reisman tunes into them—to the point that sounds actually seem amplified. "When I empty the dishwasher, the sound of silverware banging together in the drawer literally hurts my ears," she says.

Like many women with ADHD, Reisman found that her symptoms worsened as she approached menopause. Today she controls her condition with a twice-daily dose of Adderall, which allows her to focus, stay organized, budget time effectively, and complete projects. Reisman is in the majority when it comes to treatment methods for ADHD. In one recent survey, more than 80% of adults with ADHD said they relied on medication to help them manage their condition.

"If you make a cake and leave out an ingredient, the cake won’t turn out right," Reisman says. "I feel the same way about Adderall. It doesn’t suppress my appetite (I wish it did) or give me extra energy. It’s just my missing ingredient, the thing that helps me stay on task."


Next Page: I use the 30-second rule
I use the 30-second rule
For some women with ADHD, the answer may not be therapy or meds, but a strict, self-imposed set of behavior changes. That’s what worked for Desi Downey, 51, of Franklinton, La., who frequently drove herself—and her family—crazy by setting an object down in the wrong spot and then spending the next hour looking for it, starting projects that she’d never finish, and jumping from subject to subject in conversations.

In her 30s, tired of being dismissed by friends, family, and co-workers as scatterbrained or "a typical blonde," Downey picked up Driven to Distraction: Recognizing and Coping With Attention Deficit Disorder from Child­hood Through Adulthood by Edward M. Hallowell, MD, and John J. Ratey, MD. The book was a huge eye-opener, she says.

Though never formally diagnosed, Downey learned to function by using compensation techniques recommended for people with ADHD. She makes numerous to-do lists, leaves sticky-note reminders for herself all over the house, and employs what she calls the "30-second rule": "If I’m using the scissors and the phone rings, I answer the phone, but I don't put the scissors down. Then, no matter what, I take 30 seconds to put the scissors back where they belong. Otherwise, it will take me 45 minutes to find them the next time."

Downey found that she was able to incorporate these and other helpful behavioral changes into her life to reduce her ADHD without taking drugs. Many therapists who work with people with ADHD use similar behavior-modification techniques successfully. The majority of patients who use such strategies report improvement, Dr. Markey says.

A therapist can also help an ADHD sufferer cope with the self-esteem issues, guilt, shame, or sense of failure that may accompany a history of struggling with the condition—as well as issues with family members. "A woman with severe ADD can have anger and resentment issues with family members that need to be addressed," Dr. Latz says.

In addition to working with a therapist, experts say that many adults with ADHD may benefit from joining a support group, or working with an ADHD coach to help manage problem behaviors and improve productivity.

Learning about ADHD changed Downey’s life. "I was relieved to discover that there’s a legitimate reason for the way that I am," she says. "I never thought of ADD as something wrong with me. All I had to do was learn to manage it within the scope of my life, or manage my life within the scope of ADD. And I have."

This article was first published in Health magazine, June 2009.
]]> http://www.health.com/health/condition-article/0,,20283301,00.htmlhttp://feeds.health.com/~r/health/adult-adhd/~3/Z9JoXIvfIG4/0,,20283301,00.html <![CDATA[Are Adult ADHD Medications Effective? And Which Ones Work Best?]]> http://feeds.health.com/~r/health/adult-adhd/~3/7SxpZPoeM7E/0,,20283291,00.html

These meds affect the activity of two key brain chemicals, dopamine and norepinephrine, and this can affect individuals in different ways. (That’s why Adderall might help one ADHD sufferer, while Ritalin works best for another.)

For people without ADHD, these medications work as stimulants, increasing activity and speeding up response time. But they have the opposite effect on people with attention disorders. Instead of being hyperstimulated, a person with ADHD will feel calmer, more focused, and less impulsive—hence, she may get more done in less time, but she won’t feel jittery or “speedy.”

A newer, nonstimulant drug, called Strattera, is another option. It may be a better choice for women who also suffer from anxiety, have a history of substance abuse, or have experienced insomnia or weight loss with amphetamine meds, says Tracy Latz, MD, a psychiatrist and associate clinical professor at Wake Forest University Medical Center.

Its downside? Strattera must be taken for two weeks to have effect, while amphetamines often bring instant relief.

This article was first published in Health magazine, June 2009.
]]> http://www.health.com/health/condition-article/0,,20283291,00.htmlhttp://feeds.health.com/~r/health/adult-adhd/~3/9BUknG0oiUM/0,,20283291,00.html <![CDATA[What Could My Strange Obsessive Symptoms Mean?]]> http://feeds.health.com/~r/health/adult-adhd/~3/a4i0hOn46QY/0,,20266758,00.html

Behaviors such as attention problems, repetitive actions, and obsessive thoughts may signal several different conditions whose symptoms often overlap. While only a doctor can diagnose the actual root of these issues, here are a few of the most common causes.

Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
For people with full-blown OCD, this chronic anxiety disorder can be downright disabling: They become plagued by persistent, unwelcome thoughts—such a something bad happening to a loved one—and feel that the only way to prevent these thoughts is to engage in rituals such as repetitive hand washing or checking door locks, for example.

Body dysmorphic disorder
Sufferers of this condition obsess about a perceived flaw in their physical appearance, like moles, freckles, scars, acne, or body hair. People with the disorder frequently check themselves in the mirror, avoid having their pictures taken, and repeatedly check, touch, or measure the imagined flaw.

Hypochondria
This intense preoccupation with physical health can cause sufferers to worry that minor and imagined physical symptoms are signs of a serious illness. They aren't reassured when tests or doctors' diagnoses come back negative. Read one writer's experience with hypochondria.

Trichotillomania
People with trichotillomania have an irresistible urge to pull their hair from their head, eyebrows, or body. Pathological skin picking (also called neurotic excoriation, psychogenic excoriation, and dermatotillomania) is similar.

Tic disorders
This group of disorders includes Tourette syndrome, in which sufferers make impulsive sounds or movements—like blinking their eyes or shrugging their shoulders—over which they have little control. Although Tourette syndrome may be best known for the uncontrollable tendency to blurt out curse words or other inappropriate words or phrases, this symptom (called coprolalia) actually occurs in only a small number of patients.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
This condition is often misdiagnosed, especially in adults, because patients do not in fact have to exhibit symptoms of hyperactivity. Some adult ADHD sufferers can appear quite laid back, even lazy or lethargic, and without the ability to stay focused on important tasks. Instead, people with ADHD often "hyperfocus" on, or become obsessed with, trivial project details or hobbies.

For more information on mental health and anxiety disorders, visit our A-Z Health Library.
]]> http://www.health.com/health/condition-article/0,,20266758,00.htmlhttp://feeds.health.com/~r/health/adult-adhd/~3/w-Ubxg-SgVU/0,,20266758,00.html <![CDATA[The View from the ADHD Roller Coaster—Both Sides ]]> http://feeds.health.com/~r/health/adult-adhd/~3/OEl7FWayt54/0,,20262700,00.html
The following text has been excerpted from Is it You, Me, or Adult A.D.D. by journalist Gina Pera. Read an interview with the author here.

Monday, 8 p.m.
The monthly meeting comes to order in the heart of Silicon Valley, a world center of leading-edge technology. Household names such as Google, Yahoo, Apple, YouTube, Netflix, and Hewlett-Packard dot this short stretch of coastal California between San Francisco and San Jose. In attendance this evening are software developers and computer scientists, some from these very companies.

What’s on tonight’s agenda? The Next Big Thing in high-tech? Not exactly. Not unless you have adult ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder). In that case, keeping track of your keys can be a very big thing indeed.

Phillip*, 32, a talented software programmer with a beautiful smile and an engaging personality, begins: “Okay, I’ve been practicing some of the suggestions we talked about last time for keeping track of my keys, and I can’t believe how well they’re working.” No one snickers. No one rolls their eyes. Most people attending this support group for adults with ADHD chuckle and nod in agreement, relieved to hear someone speak openly about an embarrassing problem that they, too, have, or a problem similar to theirs.

Make no mistake: Silicon Valley might be a worldwide magnet for people with ADHD, what with their stereotypical love of the new and novel. But even here, ADHD is not limited to young men who tinker in high-tech, and its challenges aren’t limited to lost keys. The people gathered tonight—male and female, professionals and blue-collar workers, teens and retirees, long-time locals and new immigrants from many different nations—find themselves dogged by a few or many of these other difficulties:
  • Losing track of priorities
  • Arriving late to events and missing deadlines
  • Having trouble initiating tasks and following through to completion
  • Being chronically disorganized
  • Managing finances poorly
  • Losing their temper easily
  • Overspending, smoking, video gaming, and other addictions
  • Not being “present” in relationships

Next Page: Seeing the lightbulb flash on
As you would expect, behaviors like these seldom won them kudos from bosses, coworkers, family members, or even grade-school teachers. As a result, some people have lost jobs, partnerships, houses, large fortunes, and self-worth. Or, at best, they believe (or have been told often enough) they have fallen far short of their potential. Some have been unsuccessfully treated for anxiety or depression for years without knowing that, in fact, untreated ADHD was making them anxious or depressed.

Many of these late-to-diagnosis adults have long suspected that they were a bit “different.” When they finally learn about ADHD, most wish they’d learned sooner. Much sooner. It explains a lot about how their unwitting actions generated unpleasant consequences as well as why, just when they started getting traction in life, they’d often slip on that invisible banana peel.

Meanwhile, tonight, as these adults share their triumphs and difficulties, ones that their families and the public frequently fail to understand or accept, you can almost see the lightbulbs flashing on. Apprehensive newcomers relax their jaws. Arms unfold. Possibilities expand as they realize that they are not alone, that other smart people, accomplished people, well-meaning people ride the same roller coaster. They begin to realize they’re not “lazy, stupid, or crazy,” as that breakthrough ADHD book title goes. Most important, they learn that practical solutions exist for helping them optimize their abilities. For many, this is the only gathering where they feel truly understood.

But if you stumble on this group while looking for the Toastmasters meeting down the hall, and if you stay a while to listen and watch, you might wonder why these “normal-looking” adults have never picked up certain “mature adult behaviors,” like getting organized or getting to bed at a decent hour. You might ask yourself:
  • "Didn’t their parents teach them?"
  • "Don’t they realize why these issues are important?"
  • "Do they just not care?"

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The short answer: ADHD challenges have little to do with intelligence, caring, the lessons their parents tried to teach, or what they know to be right or wrong. It has more to do with
  • having difficulty focusing one’s attention right now,
  • on the most critical task, speaker, or activity, and
  • once focus has been achieved, maintaining it instead of yielding to distraction.
As one prominent ADHD expert, psychologist Russell Barkley, says, “The challenge is not knowing what to do. It’s in doing what you know.” So, instead of calling it an attention-deficit disorder, we could call it an intention-inhibition disorder. That’s because it’s a condition in which the best intentions go awry.


Next Page: Partners have support groups, too
Same meeting room, the following Tuesday, 8 p.m.
Be careful talking about good intentions to newcomers at this week’s gathering! It’s the same room but a very different crowd.

The people gathered here tonight aren’t adults with ADHD; they are their partners. And most have had it with good intentions. They are also done with being doormat and “dumpee,” warden and watchdog, crisis manager and caretaker, and a parent instead of a partner.

Ironically, the two meetings that take place one week apart—one for adults with ADHD and the other for the partners of adults with ADHD—typically show little overlap. That is, one partner or the other in a couple is either “in denial” about ADHD or feels no need to learn about it. It’s too bad, because when couples act as a team in learning about ADHD, they tend to speed through the learning curve—with fewer bumps and bruises, too.

The group assembled tonight has come seeking knowledge. They also seek clarity and hope that they can somehow stabilize their lives with partners who seem focused on destabilization. Until recently, most did not know that adult ADHD exists, much less that it can affect their lives so profoundly. Or they’ve suspected ADHD for a long time, but they just can’t get their partners to consider the idea or do anything about it.


Next Page: The floodgates open
When they finally hear other people voicing similar threads of befuddlement, the floodgates open. Let’s listen in as the new folks introduce themselves:

  • "Communication problems" plague Donna and her husband. "When we started dating, we had great conversations. Now I can’t speak a word before he changes the subject or zones out. I hate the way this makes me feel, like I’m boring or not worth listening to. When I try breaking off the relationship, though, he becomes attentive again, only to backslide two weeks later. He finally told me last week that he has ADHD, but he insists it is an asset. I’ve read some Web sites that advise us spouses to be more understanding, but that’s not helping."

  • Jose’s partner has a spending problem. "On impulse, she bought 20 expensive handbags on sale months ago, planning to sell them online. She’s procrastinated and they sit in the spare bedroom, along with the other ‘bargains.’ I love her, but we can’t afford this. If I complain, though, she says I make her feel bad. She’s been treated for depression for years, but a friend recently suggested learning about ADHD."

  • Sheila’s husband gets distracted while watching their child. "He left our squirming baby on the changing table when the doorbell rang—and stayed to chat with the mail carrier! Maybe he has ADHD, as our therapist suggests, but is that an excuse? To top it off, he got angry with me when I pointed out the risk! But what do I do when I can’t trust my husband with our child?"

  • Surrounded by clutter, Lauren feels she’s "catching" ADHD. "Our home is so crammed with my partner’s crafts projects that I can hardly move or think! I’ve read about the association between ADHD and hoarding, and came to learn more."

  • Brenda’s fiancé is the love of her life, but his difficulties at work are driving them apart. "Paperwork takes him twice as long as it does his coworkers, who seem half as smart as him. He loses track of time, works until midnight, and then forgets to phone me. He was diagnosed with ADHD as a kid but says he outgrew it. I don’t think so."

  • Does Dan’s new girlfriend find him a boring kisser? "I like her so much, but she keeps showing up late—or not at all—for dates, and later she’s super apologetic. And, while we’re enjoying a long kiss, she’ll get distracted by the least little thing. One time she blurted, ‘Forgot to feed Rex!’ That’s her dog. She says she was recently diagnosed with ADHD, but maybe she’s just using that as an excuse and she’s really not interested in me."

  • Doreen’s teen son says his Dad has ADHD, too. "Our son won’t accept that he has ADHD, but he’s failing in school. He also asks why he should take medication if Dad won’t. My husband ‘copes’ with his own ADHD by drinking beer and riding herd on our son. Their constant fighting is driving me nuts."

  • Eric went from being a "catch" to "dropped" in three months flat. "My new boyfriend wanted to be with me all the time and was over-the-top thoughtful. But when it stopped suddenly, he implied it was my fault, which made no sense. I’m just trying to understand what happened."

  • Jade discovered her husband’s credit-card debt after the honeymoon. "He owes $30,000! At first he said he’d hoped to pay it before I found out. Totally overoptimistic! Then he blamed me for overreacting. I’m feeling some kind of emotional whiplash, from our honeymoon to this. Our pastor suggested looking into ADHD, but is lying a trait? He’d told me he was entering the marriage debt-free. I love him, but I’m not sure I can forgive this betrayal."

  • Liz is tired of other people holding her responsible for her husband’s failings. "He’s my sweetheart and now we finally know why he does what he does. I’m not angry with him, but I am angry with the people, including his family, who blame me for not making him do things they expect of him. They don’t believe in ADHD and think it’s the woman’s role to be a 24/7 executive secretary for her husband."

  • Frank can’t compete with his wife’s BlackBerry. "When she learned she might have ADHD, my wife researched it and hyperfocused on getting better organized. She claims her BlackBerry helps her focus on the job. Great, but where’s the focus on me? If I take more than 30 seconds to say something, she eyes her ‘CrackBerry’ for the latest text message. We both work hard, but she never turns it off."
As these introductions continue, comments echo all around the room: “Your partner does that, too?” Some people laugh in amazed relief, but others fight back tears. Sure, they’re grateful for the long-overdue validation, but reality can hit hard:
  • "You mean our problems aren’t all my fault—not me being rigid, anal, controlling, demanding, or ‘no fun’?"
  • "You mean our problems aren’t all my partner’s fault—not bad temper, selfishness, or apathy?"
  • "You mean the invisible enemy we’ve been battling not only has a name, it has a solution?"
Most group members here tonight still love their partners. That’s why they’ve come to this meeting. (Some, though, are straining to remember why they went on that second date, and a few are asking for referrals to good divorce attorneys.) The confusion crept up on them stealthily, they explain, and most of their partners’ behavior grew sharply more problematic with time and new responsibilities. They tackled each particular set of problems as it turned up, and so the roller coaster ride smoothed out, lulling them into the idea that their lives would stay less chaotic for a while. But then the next dip happened and the next and the next. And, so the roller coaster will continue, until they either stagger to the exit sign, succumb to permanent emotional whiplash, or develop awareness about ADHD and get on a new track.

* Not his real name. Descriptions of activities and individuals throughout this book are drawn from composites created from multiple accounts.
]]> http://www.health.com/health/condition-article/0,,20262700,00.htmlhttp://feeds.health.com/~r/health/adult-adhd/~3/xM_6QfuiTCY/0,,20262700,00.html <![CDATA[When Someone You Love Has ADHD: Frequently Asked Questions About Helping Your Partner and Yourself]]> http://feeds.health.com/~r/health/adult-adhd/~3/r1dDr8a4XB4/0,,20258679,00.html
When journalist Gina Pera married a man with undiagnosed attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), she embarked on a wild ride that took her from frustration and confusion to understanding and advocacy. Today she runs support groups for people with ADHD and their partners, and her book Is it You, Me, or Adult A.D.D.? was published in 2008.

Q: How did you realize that your husband had ADHD?

A: My husband is a brilliant scientist, and I had never dated a scientist before I met him. You know the stereotypical absent-minded professor? At first I figured that he must be it.

When we first started dating, he used to miss our exit all the time when driving down the freeway in San Diego. Then he had two fender benders in probably the first three weeks we were dating. ADHD tends to create problems with driving because it involves concentration on so many levels. The first time he said it was because he was so excited to have me in the car with him. And I made logical excuses for him: He grew up using the subway; he’d learned to drive, in Paris, only the previous year. It’s not that there weren’t little red flags everywhere; I just didn’t know what they were.

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But those red flags soon became bigger problems. Promises were ignored and not even acknowledged. He was doing really thoughtless things and I knew he wasn’t a thoughtless person. We tried counseling, and the therapists just loved to hear our stories: They could tell we loved each other and they were thoroughly entertained by our problems, but they just couldn’t give us any good suggestions.

One day at the library I came across the book Change Your Brain, Change Your Life by Daniel Amen, MD. I was fascinated by his description of ADHD and the way it physically affects the brain; it really seemed to describe my husband all the way back to his childhood. I took the book home and said to my husband, "Do you think this could be you?" And he said, "You know what? This really makes sense."



Next Page: Why do you use the term ADD instead of ADHD?
Q: In the title of your book, you used the outdated term "ADD." Why that instead of ADHD?

A: I have several issues with the name ADHD, as I know a lot of doctors and researchers do too. First, the "H" for hyperactivity: Most adults don’t exhibit these hyperactive symptoms, and because of that a lot of people don’t ever consider the fact that they could have this condition. That’s why the official name is AD/HD, with a slash, to indicate that the hyperactivity is optional; that it’s a subtype of a larger condition.

My husband has what I call "stealth ADHD" because I always thought he was so relaxed; his eyes weren’t even ever open all the way when I first met him. Turns out, he was just exhausted because his time was managed so poorly.

In general, both terms (ADD and ADHD) present obstacles to understanding the true nature of the condition. For example, "attention deficit" isn’t exactly true, because people with ADHD can still focus on certain things. In fact, they often hyperfocus—spending way too much time on one thing, like playing video games or reading about hang gliding on the Internet for eight hours straight. They stay up all night; they’re sleep deprived the next day. It’s not an attention deficit problem; it’s an attention regulation problem.


Q: What are the biggest issues that get in the way when one partner in a relationship has ADHD, based on your experience with support groups?

A: Not knowing that ADHD is involved is probably the biggest and most detrimental problem, because both people misattribute each other’s behaviors. The partners will conclude “He doesn’t love me; she’s so selfish; he doesn’t care about our family,” while the people with ADHD think they are being unfairly criticized, because, not realizing that they have ADHD or what it truly means, they have tunnel vision and think everyone functions the same way they do.

Money is also huge, especially in this economy. One large survey showed that ADHD costs adults $77 billion a year in lost household income, due to lower education levels, lower-level jobs, and unemployment. Even if someone is employed, they might be missing out on promotions or raises because they’re constantly in trouble, missing deadlines, or getting bogged down with little details.

The third thing is just the unreliability of a person with ADHD. A lot of spouses I know complain about having a partner who’s like another child: They feel like they have to scold them constantly and remind them to clean up their messes, they can’t rely on them to pick their kids up from school, they’re always worried about another car accident or surprise credit card bill. That can be a real relationship killer, and it can cause a lot of bitterness.



Next Page: How else can ADHD affect a family's financial situation?
Q: Besides problems at work, how else can ADHD affect a family’s financial situation?

A: Some people with ADHD do a lot of self-medicating with shopping, for example. In my support groups, we always laugh at the number of people who have closets at home filled with eBay or as-seen-on-TV products. Scientists know that dopamine, the brain chemical released in anticipation of buying something or trying to win something, also has something to do with attention disorders. So some people with ADHD are more drawn to the thrill of spending money—even though once they get the actual product they lose interest.

Even if they’re not chronic spenders, many people with ADHD tend to have other financial problems. In my house, we spent a ton of money just on overdue library books. My husband would forget to mail his mother’s birthday present ahead of time, so we’d spend a fortune overnighting it to Canada. Unpaid bills, late fees, speeding tickets, higher insurance rates due to car accidents—all these things can add up to big problems.


Q: Can ADHD cause a spouse to neglect his or her partner?

A: Yes, and it can be as sudden and dramatic as a light switch going off. Some people with ADHD can get really fired up during courtship; the experts call it "hyperfocusing." They meet a new person, they want to be together all the time and have sex all the time, and they pursue their new love like crazy—but then once they’ve "got" him or her, once that dopamine stops flowing, they can’t help but move on to a new obsession, like a video game or yet another hobby.


Q: Are you a big advocate of medication for ADHD?

A: Surprisingly, I am. But my first inclination is to always do things holistically. My mother is Italian, and we grew up eating healthy foods, drinking lots of water, and not taking medicine unless absolutely necessary. So with my husband, at first I thought, "It must be his terrible diet." I gradually encouraged him to cut out his coffee and sugar, and then we tried an herbalist, an acupuncturist, various supplements, more exercise, and so forth. We tried everything, and nothing worked.

I was amazed what a difference medication can make when it’s prescribed properly. My husband is now the attentive, caring person I always knew that he was deep down. Equally important, he is much happier in his life and in his work, where he is exponentially more productive and fulfilled. I will never say that everyone needs medication to control their ADHD, but I also think it’s definitely worth a try if behavioral techniques and lifestyle changes don’t help.



Next Page: How do women with ADHD differ from men with ADHD?
Q: What’s different about the female in a relationship having ADHD, versus a male?

A: ADHD has traditionally been diagnosed more in men, but scientists have realized that it may be just as common—and often missed—in women. And in my support groups, I often have the most compassion for the men who are seeking help for their female partners with ADHD.

Why? Because in our culture, the conventional wisdom is that women are caretakers. It’s normal for them to get their husbands to see the doctor, to notice health issues, to nag their husbands about excessive TV watching or sloppy habits. But the idea of a man encouraging his wife to see a doctor or a therapist, and complaining that she’s messy, or that she lets old food collect in the fridge, or that she can’t do laundry because she leaves the clothes in the washer and they get moldy? People look at him and think, "What a chauvinist pig! You’re mad that your wife is a bad housekeeper."

But he’s not complaining for selfish reasons; he’s genuinely concerned about his wife’s habits and the effect it’s having on their marriage. A lot of these men are earning the money, working full time, and doing all of the chores, getting the kids to school, and paying the bills, because their wives can’t manage. I knew one young father who got a job closer to home so he could visit at lunchtime to check and make sure his wife wasn’t asleep while their toddler was up.

That’s an extreme case, of course, But I think most men shy away from seeking "support"—because they might see it as a sign of weakness that they can’t handle the situation. So by the time I see a concerned husband at one of my support groups, I know his wife probably has pretty severe symptoms. That’s starting to change more recently, though, as women with ADHD who themselves have initiated the diagnosis are asking their partners to become educated.


Q: Can living with an ADHD person make you feel like you have a problem as well?

A: If you had a friend whom you’d arranged to meet for lunch at 1, and you go to the restaurant and she never shows, and later she says, "Did we say 1? No, I think we said 2," your immediate impulse is to think that maybe you were wrong. Living with someone who has ADHD is like that all the time: You second-guess yourself, you lose sleep because of your partner’s irregular sleep patterns, you get frustrated with the lack of organization and order, and you’re constantly trying to put out fires set by your ADHD partner.

But then people say, "Relationships take work; give it time; you need to compromise more," so you brush things off and give your partner the benefit of the doubt. But meanwhile, you’re getting more and more turned around because of his or her habits. A lot of spouses I know joke that they have "ADHD by osmosis."



Next Page: How can a partner ensure their ADHD spouse is receiving the right treatment?
Q: What can the partner do to ensure that their ADHD spouse is receiving the right treatment?

A: If your partner sustained a blow to the head and was walking around with brain trauma—forgetting things and miscommunicating—would you leave him or her alone to get treatment? ADHD is a physical condition in the brain that can affect self-observation and perception. That’s why it’s important for a doctor to get input from other people in the patient’s life in order to see the whole picture: The patient may not always realize what the problem is and may unwittingly mislead the doctor by putting blame on other people or claiming that everything is fine.

And even once your partner gets diagnosed and decides to try medication, you can’t just sit back and wait for the treatment to start working. Far too often I see irresponsible and shoddy prescribing practices—doctors just say, "Here’s some Adderall," and ask the next month, "How do you feel?" First doctors and patients should work together on establishing treatment targets so they have a method for assessing the medication’s effectiveness. Also, many doctors start their patients on very high doses of stimulant medications, and that’s when side effects occur. People decide, "Whoa, the treatment is worse than the condition. No thanks! End of discussion."

Doctors should be starting patients off on a very low dose of medication and tracking their symptoms and improvement or side effects. It’s frustrating to think that a person who has so much trouble organizing and prioritizing now also has to manage his or her doctor as well, and that’s why it’s important to get the partner involved and make it a team effort.


Q: What’s the difference between a spouse who has ADHD and a spouse who’s just insensitive, forgetful, or lazy?

A: Symptoms of ADHD are often missed because ADHD does indeed resemble the human condition: We all procrastinate, we all forget, we lose sight of the big picture and get distracted by little things. But with ADHD, it’s an order of magnitude more—these incidents happen more often and to a greater scale. Until you live with the person, you may not see the full extent of it. Many people with ADHD put their best face forward in the public light, and it’s only when you see their personal lives do you realize the extent of their challenges.

I started dating my husband during the '90s dot-com era, when everyone was just starting to amp up on cell phones, PDAs, electronic gadgets, and double espressos. I thought for a while that his distractibility and irritability were just products of these; that everyone in high-tech was getting wigged out by all this stimulation. But for a lot of people with ADHD, these gadgets are their lifeblood; they’ll play with them for hours because they provide the higher amounts of constant stimulation they crave. It took me a while to realize, though, that not everyone was affected the way he was.



Next Page: Have you seen relationships end because of ADHD?
Q: Have you seen a lot of relationships end because of ADHD?

A: In my support groups, I’m used to seeing the people who have figured it out—the partner who’s realized what’s going on and is willing to consider ADHD and really wants to save the relationship. I also moderate a local group for adults with ADHD, and there are adults in that group who are getting help even though their spouses know little about ADHD; some think it’s an excuse or they just don’t think they need to learn about it. Many in the adult groups are, in fact, high-functioning, so that may be the case.

When the adult with ADHD is in denial, that’s really tough. That’s a lot of what we deal with in the partners’ support group. Many people don’t want to be evaluated for ADHD because they think it means they’re crazy or weak, and many don’t even believe that ADHD exists. And they’ve been like this their entire lives: They don’t know that there’s any other way to be. And that’s really sad, because ADHD is considered the most impairing outpatient disorder—even more so than anxiety or depression—but it’s also highly treatable.

I believe that most people can be reached; they just have to be acknowledged first. Sometimes it’s the partners of adults who don’t want to learn about ADHD. I can spot them in my lecture audiences; they’ve been dragged there by their partner with ADHD, and they sit there with their arms folded and jaws set, looking resistant. They’re afraid I’m going to be another one of those experts who say, "You just have to understand your partner’s differences, their gifts." But once I can acknowledge their own personal experiences, their own real frustrations, and emphasize that ADHD is not an excuse for bad behavior, they are more likely to be receptive to learning more and working on strategies with their partner.


Q: Does anyone ever come to your support groups and then decide that their partner really doesn’t have ADHD?

A: I expected to see a lot more of that, but I’d say that about 90% of the time if someone does the research and becomes educated on the symptoms and suspects that the person he or she is living with has ADHD, that’s probably correct. Yes, ADHD can mimic symptoms of depression and anxiety, so it’s important to consult a qualified expert who can consider all of the possibilities. But if the spouse has gone this far to seek out a support group, he or she generally has a good idea of the problem.

To clarify, it’s not like they want to know that their partner has ADHD. They don’t! They often don’t want to know that their partner has a brain condition. They’ve spent years thinking that if they just help their partners change their habits and attitudes, or that if they just organized the home differently or set up their schedules differently or communicated differently or stood on their head and spit wooden nickels, that they could fix things. Usually by the time I meet people in support groups, they’ve been to four or five therapists to try and solve things another way.


Q: Are you saying that traditional marriage therapy probably won’t work?

A: If the underlying issue is not addressed, namely ADHD, therapy is only going to be a very temporary solution—and it can often make things much worse. I’ve talked to women who have gone to marriage therapists or pastoral counselors, where they’ve been told things such as, "Let your husband be the man. Give him his power back; let him manage the money." "You need to embrace his creative ADHD nature; accept him for who he is."

Without knowing what the real problem is, it’s easy for either partner in these relationships to get depressed, to become isolated, and to lose their faith in marriage. When you’re raising kids, it’s that much worse—especially because there’s a high likelihood that your children can have ADHD symptoms as well. So instead of just acting as a passive caretaker and accepting the chaos that’s dragging all of you down, it’s important to take charge, get the facts and realistic strategies, and really help turn the situation around.



Gina Pera is author of Is It You, Me, or Adult A.D.D.? Stopping the Roller Coaster When Someone You Love Has Attention Deficit Disorder.

Read a book excerpt on Health.com, or visit Pera's blogs at ADHDRollerCoaster.org and ADHDPartner.org.
]]> Gina and her husband at their wedding (GINA PERA) http://www.health.com/health/condition-article/0,,20258679,00.htmlhttp://feeds.health.com/~r/health/adult-adhd/~3/8TPwHT3bXLI/0,,20258679,00.html <![CDATA[Attention Sappers: 5 Reasons You Cannot Concentrate]]> http://feeds.health.com/~r/health/adult-adhd/~3/KyvmY1qO11A/0,,20257442,00.html
attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), this chronic inattentiveness becomes debilitating.

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What's your biggest attention sapper, and how do you deal with it?
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“We see an influx of adults being diagnosed around age 38,” says Timothy Wilens, MD, an associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. “That’s right around the time people start multitasking more, juggling jobs, families, a home, and other personal obligations—and problems focusing and staying alert seem to get worse,” he says.

But not everyone who slacks on work or forgets appointments has ADHD; there are plenty of other reasons you may be losing focus. Here are five things that could be sucking your attention span dry. Plus: When you should consider seeing your doctor. View the Slideshow
]]> ISTOCKPHOTO http://www.health.com/health/condition-article/0,,20257442,00.htmlhttp://feeds.health.com/~r/health/adult-adhd/~3/8S7Yv4H-FoQ/0,,20257442,00.html <![CDATA[Celebrities With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder]]> http://feeds.health.com/~r/health/adult-adhd/~3/1mp6F432EDg/0,,20257443,00.html
attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)—also commonly referred to as ADD—so it's no surprise that some of America's most acclaimed athletes, actors, and musicians make up part of that mix. Left untreated, the disorder is characterized by poor concentration and disorganization, and can lead to emotional and social problems.

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Are these celebrities good ADHD role models?
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About 60% of children diagnosed with ADHD will continue to experience these symptoms well into adulthood. And some people with the disorder don't receive an official diagnosis until middle age.

See which celebs have suffered with an ADHD diagnosis since childhood, and which have learned to manage their disorder as adults. View the Slideshow
]]> http://www.health.com/health/condition-article/0,,20257443,00.htmlhttp://feeds.health.com/~r/health/adult-adhd/~3/MXit4L-KK-Y/0,,20257443,00.html <![CDATA[Adult ADHD and Substance Use: Exploring the Link Between Drugs, Alcohol, and Risky Behavior]]> http://feeds.health.com/~r/health/adult-adhd/~3/svcLy9TPthM/0,,20257305,00.html
attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a condition with which he was diagnosed at age nine.

About 60% of children with ADHD have symptoms that persist into adulthood. Phelps no longer takes medication for ADHD, and his mother has said he is now able to focus his attention using physical training (including swimming) and behavioral modification he learned as a child.

While the 14-time Olympic gold medalist is generally seen as an all-American role model, this most recent photo was not the first blemish on his record: In November 2004, Phelps—just 19 at the time—ran a stop sign and was arrested for driving under the influence.

In recent days, several blogs have raised Phelps’ ADHD in connection with the party photo, suggesting that he may have been "self-medicating"; that lots of people with ADHD smoke pot; or, at the very least, that they tend to act before thinking. Other commentators have suggested that Phelps is simply a normal 23-year-old cutting loose after years of rigorous training and self-discipline.

No one can say if ADHD played a role in Phelps’ behavior. However, the episode does serve as a reminder that there are unanswered questions about ADHD's impact on impulsive decision making and substance use—and the importance of seeking diagnosis and treatment as soon as possible, before problems develop.


Next Page: ADHD kids more likely to drink, use drugs
Research suggests that children with ADHD are more likely than their non-ADHD peers to drink alcohol and use drugs later in life, specifically as teenagers. A 2003 study published in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology found that more than a third of the ADHD participants (out of 140 teenagers who had been diagnosed as children) reported smoking marijuana, compared to just over a quarter of the non-ADHD control group. Nearly twice as many in the ADHD group reported being drunk more than once in the previous six months.

For children whose ADHD continues into adulthood, the overall risk of developing a substance use disorder is as high as 50%, by some estimates. (Substance use disorders include a range of problematic drinking and drug-use patterns, not dependence or addiction alone.)

Inattention and impulsivity both play a role
Although the exact connection remains unknown, experts believe ADHD and substance use are linked by a complex blend of environmental and genetic factors.

"Some of the risk factors for ADHD are also risk factors for substance abuse," says Stephen Faraone, PhD, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at SUNY Upstate Medical University. "The apparent genetic link between ADHD and substance abuse is pretty well validated by family studies and twin studies."

Several questions about the link between ADHD and substance use remain unanswered, however. It is unclear, for instance, whether the symptoms of ADHD—most notably impulsivity—lend themselves to substance use (and abuse) or whether negative effects of those symptoms (such as difficulty with school, work, or relationships) steer people toward drinking and drug use.

In the 2003 study, the use of drugs and alcohol was correlated most strongly to the adolescents' levels of inattention, which, along with impulsivity-hyperactivity, is considered one of the main characteristics of ADHD.

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This finding was somewhat surprising, says study coauthor Brooke Molina, MD, an associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Researchers who study substance use and ADHD have tended to "zero in on impulsivity," she explains, because studies have shown impulsivity can predict alcohol, drug, and tobacco use over the long term.

Although impulsivity clearly plays an important role in ADHD and substance use, Dr. Molina suspects that inattention—which can cause academic and social problems that can in turn contribute to substance use—may prove to a more important factor than has been thought.


Next Page: Job and relationship stress may affect ADHD adults
The role of age in substance use among people with ADHD is also an open question. Most studies have looked at teenagers, rather than adults in their 20s and beyond,so the ways in which ADHD affects substance use in different stages of life remain unclarified.

In a 2007 study, Dr. Molina and her coauthors reported that childhood ADHD predicted heavy drinking in 15- to 17-year-olds, but not in 18- to 25-year-olds. It's not that the young adults with ADHD suddenly stopped drinking, Dr. Molina explains; it's that they entered the age bracket, which includes college students, in which frequent and heavy drinking is most common.

Dr. Molina and her colleagues plan to follow the study participants into their late 20s, when heavy drinking in the general population tends to subside as people marry and pursue careers. But adults in that age range with ADHD, she notes, tend to experience difficulties with job performance, social relationships, and other common life experiences.

"We have a hypothesis that a substantial number of those ADHD heavy drinkers will not mature out of it," Dr. Molina says. "There are quite a few impairments that will follow a number of these kids that should in theory contribute to continued drinking problems."


Next Page: Can medication help prevent substance use?
Phelps was diagnosed with ADHD in elementary school, Phelps's mother told the New York Times in 2008, when his teachers remarked on his lack of focus and inability to sit still. Between the ages of 9 and 11, he took Ritalin, a stimulant medication prescribed for ADHD. Ultimately, he asked to be taken off the medication because he felt stigmatized by going to the nurse's office every day.

Some research suggests that children with ADHD who are treated with stimulants may be less likely to use drugs and alcohol. (Some observers, on the other hand, have suggested that stimulants, which can be abused, may actually predispose children with ADHD to substance use.)

A 2008 study that followed a group of adolescent women with ADHD for five years found that the participants who had been treated with stimulants were nearly 75% less likely to develop a substance-use disorder than those who were not, while other research has shown that the use of ADHD medication in young men reduces the risk of later substance-use disorders by 85%.

Although the reason for this apparent "protective effect" remains unknown, Faraone (who was involved in both of the studies) says the symptoms of ADHD seem to play a role. "It's very possible that symptoms such as impulsivity put adolescents at risk for substance abuse," Faraone says. "If you're an impulsive adolescent, and you're at a party where someone is passing around a marijuana cigarette, you're more likely to say 'I'll try that' if your impulsive symptoms are not controlled well by stimulants."

Is the ADHD brain drawn to drugs and alcohol?
Another explanation may be genetic. Both stimulant treatment and substance use involve dopamine and catecholamine, chemicals in the brain involved in pleasure, reward, and stress.

Studies in hyperactive rats have shown that stimulant therapy decreases hyperactivity as well as the appetite for alcohol and other substances, according to Faraone, which suggest that stimulants may act on ADHD symptoms and substance use in similar ways.

"A medication like a stimulant affects the way the brain works," Faraone says. "And when you affect the way the brain works in a child, what you're doing in the child's brain to help ADHD may somehow also be preventing substance abuse at a neurological level, as opposed to a behavioral level."

But not everyone is convinced of this, according to Dr. Molina. "The jury's out" on the effects of stimulants in relation to substance use, she says. "More research is needed."
]]> Phelps lost a lucrative sponsorship after being photographed smoking pot. He was diagnosed with ADHD as a child. (GETTY IMAGES) http://www.health.com/health/condition-article/0,,20257305,00.htmlhttp://feeds.health.com/~r/health/adult-adhd/~3/pyFOLg4XBSk/0,,20257305,00.html <![CDATA[ADHD and the Myth of Multitasking: How to Regain Your Focus]]> http://feeds.health.com/~r/health/adult-adhd/~3/uiF9iu1OGHY/0,,20255244,00.html
adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or are just a busy person on the go, you've probably developed your own strategies for multitasking: paying bills while checking email, preparing for a meeting while cooking dinner, or spending time with your kids while scribbling down to-do lists. And you probably think you're pretty efficient when you multitask, right? Think again.

A growing body of research shows that people who try to manage more than one unrelated task at the same time typically don't perform as well; drivers chatting on cell phones, for instance, take longer to reach their destinations, a 2008 University of Utah study found.

“That’s the myth of multitasking,” says Edward Hallowell, MD, ADHD specialist and author of CrazyBusy: Overstretched, Overbooked, and About to Snap! Strategies for Handling Your Fast-Paced Life. “It’s like playing tennis with two balls: Your game’s not as good as it would be with one ball.”

How to stop?
Strive to give each task your full attention. Dr. Hallowell tells of a lawyer who negotiated an amazing deal. Later, the adversaries couldn’t believe they’d agreed to such terms. The savvy lawyer’s secret? He focused on the deal only, while the other team checked their PDAs.

You can achieve this type of focus if you go linear—do one thing at a time, moving from one task to the next. Try it: Instead of talking on the phone while answering emails and helping your child do homework, go linear; it won’t take longer and you’ll be sharper.

This content was first published in Health magazine, August 2008. Read the full article, Making Time for Me.