My Child Survived an Overdose
A YEAR AGO, MY YOUNG ADULT DAUGHTER, after nine years of sobriety, overdosed on heroin in our home. Because she survived, we are more fortunate than many families. My purpose here isn’t to relive her overdose or frighten readers unnecessarily. If you know someone affected by the disease of addiction, my experience may give insight…
Read MoreTripping Over Pebbles
”Men stumble over pebbles, never over mountains:’ -Marilyn French Which college course is most frequently failed? It may surprise you to learn that the one-hour college orientation or Introduction to College course is among the finalists. In fact, some students fail it multiple times and must petition to retake it. At most colleges, intro to…
Read MoreBuilding Relationships in the Classroom
SCHOOL CAN BE A VERY LONELY PLACE for children with ADHD or learning differences. Thanks to programs like Sanford Harmony, their school lives may soon feel far more welcoming. Sanford Harmony is an innovative, social-emotional learning curriculum that provides classroom teachers with tools and strategies that help all students feel they belong and have something…
Read MoreManaging Thoughts that Get in the Way
BEHAVIOR THERAPY is a recommended intervention for children with ADHD. Parenting programs that use behavioral techniques typically involve supporting parents in improving child behavior by modifying antecedents (giving effective instructions, for example) and consequences (such as rewards, loss of privileges). When these parenting programs include teacher involvement, they can be even more helpful because parents…
Read MoreBecoming Partners Again
The Problem: Unequal Status That No One Likes ONE OF THE MOST COMMON ISSUES THAT COUPLES FACE when struggling with how to respond to ADHD in their relationship is an increasingly unequal distribution of responsibility between the partners. This happens over time, as the partner who has ADHD inconsistency encourages the non-ADHD partner to pick…
Read MoreHow to Be Angry Better
MANY OF US, INCLUDING SOME PEOPLE WITH ADHD, have anger behavior problems. We know emotional dysregulation is a common reason for this. In their study on ADHD and emotional dysregulation, Philip Shaw and his colleagues define it as “an individual’s ability to modify an emotional state so as to promote adaptive, goal-oriented behaviors.” To modify…
Read MoreWhen ADHD and Substance Use Disorders Coexist
FOR PEOPLE WITH ADHD across the lifespan, the co-occurrence of other disorders is generally the rule rather than the exception. Experts estimate that at least 60-80 percent of children, adolescents, and adults with ADHD have at least one other condition. Conduct disorders, oppositional defiant disorder, learning disorders, and anxiety and mood disorders are the most…
Read MoreWhat’s Up with All This Anger?
Here’s how you can reduce your frustration, manage intense feelings, and live with more contentment. YOU KNOW THE MOMENT. The moment when something goes wrong or someone says a few words that set you off. A switch has flipped and suddenly there’s a bubbling volcano of angry, negative emotions inside of you waiting to erupt.…
Read MoreHelp! My Child Only Has Virtual Friends
From Cajoling to Collaboration–Learn How to Help Your Child Develop True Friendships IF YOU HAVE KIDS WHO ENGAGE WITH OTHERS on any social media or gaming platform, you’ve said it before: “Those people are not real! They are not your friends. You don’t even really know who they are! Why do you spend so much…
Read MoreIf Not Now, When?
ADHD in Women of a Certain Age MANY OLDER WOMEN WHO HAVE ADHD (or think they might) make a determined choice to use the last decades of their lives to learn more about themselves. They want to understand how their brains work and discover new ways to make a difference in the world, perhaps using…
Read MoreCHADD Awards Presented at the 2018 Conference
DURING the 2018 Annual International Conference on ADHD, CHADD recognized a number of individuals and programs for their service, achievements, and dedication to improving the lives of children and adults affected by ADHD. The conference was held November 8-12, 2018, at the Hyatt Regency St. Louis at the Arch. Lifetime Achievement Award Russell A. Barkley,…
Read MoreFrenzied, Frazzled, and Overwhelmed: The Interaction of Hormones and ADHD in Women in Midlife
MANY WOMEN STRUGGLE at midlife with undiagnosed and untreated ADHD complicated by hormonal changes, which often span two decades. They typically report feeling overwhelmed, inadequate, misunderstood, and distressed at a time in their lives when they often have the greatest demands on their time and energy. Their problems can be exacerbated by the denial of…
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