I am sure that at least some teachers will respond to the things I have said above with a single word: Why? Why should we go to extra lengths to find alternatives to the way in which we presently deal with ADD/ADHD (i.e. medication) in the classroom? This is a fair question. Medication seems to be so effective in keeping the symptoms of ADD/ADHD in check that many feel like saying ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!’ The reality is, however, that the system is indeed seriously broken and actively harmful to children. It exerts, moreover, a powerful negative influence on the educational achievement of entire cohorts (not only those directly affected by ADD/ADHD) as they move through the educational system.

I realize that these are very bold claims but I am also convinced that they are well attested by research and by the experience of teachers and parents across the length and breadth of North America. Here are some of the compelling reasons why ADD/ADHD medication and the classroom should not mix:

1)    Impairment of brain function: The brain is by far the most complex organ in our bodies and ADD/ADHD medicines have powerful psycho-stimulant effects on it. They may act ‘positively’ in the sense that they will initially ‘dampen down’ some of the more obvious symptoms of the condition, but at what price? What will the long term effects on the proper function of the brain be if parts of it is impeded through the use of a chemical substance. This question is obviously a serious one and one of the main reasons that we counsel our children against the use of illegal drugs. Yet, many people see no problem with allowing their children to use legal medications that can have a similar impact on the brain.

2)    The ‘law of diminishing’ returns: At the initial stages of drug treatment relatively small doses are needed in order to suppress the symptoms of ADD/ADHD. It seems, however, that the body will soon ‘get used’ to the level that is administered, necessitating an increased dose. This ‘ramping up’ of dosages can lead to the administration of dangerously high levels with ever decreasing effectiveness.

3)    A ‘Band Aid’ solution: The flip-side of the previous point is that medication is simply a temporary ‘solution’. Medicines may win you a bit of peace and calm for a while but in many cases the condition will be back with a vengeance after a relatively short time. This at the price of pumping dangerous chemicals into the bloodstream.

4)    Risk of addiction: If you have been in education for a while you will almost certainly be aware of the fact that ADD/ADHD medication is now the ‘drug of choice’ on many school and university campuses. This should cause us to pause for reflection. If these drugs are essentially harmless why are they being trafficked? The simple truth is that many drugs are similar in their composition to some of the hard drugs being peddled on street corners. You wouldn’t want the kids in your class to have access to this stuff, why should a fancy label and million dollar ad campaigns change this fact?

5)    Various side effects: ADD/ADHD drugs have been implicated in a raft of serious mental and physical problems. The list reads like a horror script of things teachers and educators would never wish upon the children in their care. Depression, anger management issues, listlessness and even suicidal thoughts are all commonly observed in children who are medicated for ADD/ADHD. To make matters worse, ADD/ADHD drugs have also been implicated in several homicides including some high profile school shootings.

Upon reading all of this you probably think: ‘There must be a better way!?’ Indeed there is and this is exactly what this guide is all about. It is possible to address ADD/ADHD in ways that are natural and that address the underlying causes rather than merely trying to stick a Band-Aid on. Next week we will begin to look at some of the elements of the ‘3 Steps ADD’ approach before going on to apply this on the design of an ‘ADD/ADHD Friendly’ education.

(I am often asked by parents and teachers about the best techniques and methods for an ‘ADD/ADHD Friendly’ education. My articles over the next few weeks will therefore focus on this subject. If you are not a teacher it does not mean that these articles are not for you. The principles that I will be sharing will draw upon years of experience of dealing with parents and children that are coping with ADD/ADHD and will work in many different circumstances. They can therefore also be applied to homeschooling situations and to the general home environment.)

It is the moment that every teacher dreads the most… You have done everything you could to prepare for this class. You made sure that everything you are about to say is engaging, that it will challenge students at different levels of ability, that it will achieve clear pedagogical goals…the whole nine yards. Yet one disruptive student is about to make all your hard work go up in smoke! It might be that some of the thoughts that run through your mind in times like these are not exactly fit for publication but I’m sure that the gist of what you are thinking almost always comes down to one thing: If only I can get him/her to sit still, pay attention and cooperate.

Thinking along these lines is only natural! You would, in fact, be almost superhuman if you are not possessed with an almost overwhelming desire to want to make things better – both for the child that is being ‘difficult’ and also for the rest of the class who are being disadvantaged by his/her behavior. It is, also, only natural to think that some of the children in your care might be dealing with ADD/ADHD and would therefore greatly benefit from diagnosis and treatment.

I have worked with parents of children affected by ADD/ADHD for long enough to recognize a typical chain of progression from the suspicion of ADD/ADHD to eventual treatment (through medication in the vast majority of cases). My purpose in sharing these thoughts on an ‘ADD/ADHD Friendly’ education is to help you as a teacher to avoid the last link of this chain – namely the administering of powerful (and very dangerous) psycho stimulant medication. I am convinced that ‘treatments’ offered by ‘big Pharma’ are really only beneficial to one group in society namely the pharmaceutical companies themselves. I will explain next week why I believe this to be the case. Suffice it to say for the moment that any approach to ADD/ADHD in the classroom that can avoid medication will be good both for the teacher and his/her charges. My purpose with the articles that I will post here over the next few weeks is to share some pointers on how such an education could be achieved.

One important principle that should be noted before we continue is that you should work very hard to resist the temptation to make an ADD/ADHD diagnosis yourself. ADD/ADHD is a very complex condition that is not, even after years of research, fully understood. Its diagnosis should therefore be left to those who have been properly trained to ‘make the call’. Applied to the classroom this means that we should recognize that there can be many reasons why a child might be distracted, disruptive, unfocussed or ‘dreamy’. ADD/ADHD is just one possible explanation! To almost instinctively label every ‘difficult’ child as having ADD/ADHD is therefore not only unfair but also potentially very dangerous (in the sense that serious underlying conditions can be missed due to a rushed and inaccurate ADD/ADHD diagnosis). I would therefore like to make a heartfelt appeal to you to make sure that you investigate all alternatives before referring a child to be tested for ADD/ADHD.

While we are on the subject of referring students it might be good to also touch on this very sensitive subject. It is, sadly, the case that many medical professionals can be ‘relied upon’ to come up with an ADD/ADHD diagnosis almost every time that a disruptive child is brought before them. This can be seen in the fact that some pediatricians maintain prescription rates (for ADD/ADHD drugs) that are, in some cases, several times the national average. I am sure that you will agree with me that sending a child to a professional where he/she is almost guaranteed to be diagnosed with ADD/ADHD does not serve his/her best interests and that it could possibly lead to serious problems down the line as this child is needlessly medicated with dangerous drugs. Bottom line: Resist, as far as possible, the temptation to refer a child straight away and, if you do decide to refer, please refer to a professional who can be trusted to take a holistic approach and who will pursue other avenues of investigation besides ADD/ADHD.

Why is all of this important? Simply because I believe that the dangerous medication of an entire generation (a result of sky-high diagnosis rates), is dangerous and actively harmful to the education system (and therefore by extension to you). I will explain next week why I am making this very bold claim. See you then!

Some of the most common effects of the condition on the lives of adults include the following.

• Labeling: People who are dealing with adults with ADD/ADHD obviously do not know what is going on inside their brains! This means that they can very easily misunderstand and judge them. It is not uncommon for adults with ADD/ADHD to be labeled as lazy, unmotivated, stupid or even willfully obstinate. This kind of labeling can obviously have a devastating effect on the self-esteem of those targeted by it, even to the extent that they begin to believe some or all of it themselves!  It is therefore not uncommon to find that adults with ADD/ADHD suffer from low self-esteem.
• Relationship Strain and Breakdown: The impulsivity, forgetfulness and even the hyper focus of adult ADD/ADHD can severely strain relationships. If the non-ADD/ADHD partner is not aware of the existence of the condition he/she will almost certainly interpret certain behaviors as insensitive, reckless or even calculated to cause harm and distress. This is obviously compounded if the adult with ADD/ADHD does not himself/herself recognize the existence of the condition and therefore does not know how to manage it within the context of a relationship. It is, in light of this, hardly surprising that many adults with ADD/ADHD struggle to maintain healthy long-term relationships.
• Professional and Financial Problems: There are certainly some jobs (which we will look at later on) in which adults with ADD/ADHD tend to thrive. There are, however, many others (most notably routine office jobs) which they find very difficult to cope with and therefore to hold down. Major contributing factors to this would be impulsivity (it is obviously a very necessary skill to know when to ‘hold your tongue‘ within an office environment), difficulty to focus on uninteresting or uninspiring tasks and general  disorganization. Many adults with ADD/ADHD try to deal with these issues by firmly resolving at the start of each job to radically reform themselves. If, however, the underlying causes and patterns are not addressed these efforts at reform tend to be very short lived; with predictable consequences for job security. It does not take a genius to work out what the financial impact of drifting in and out of jobs (as many adults with ADD/ADHD do) can have on long-term financial security. Sadly the financial stress that many adults with ADD/ADHD suffer from is compounded even further by their lack of organizational abilities being transferred to the management of their cheque-books.
• Mental Health Problems: All of the issues mentioned above can combine to tip the adult with ADD/ADHD into serious mental health problems. Some of the most common among these are compulsive eating, substance abuse, stress and low self-esteem.

It should be clear from the above that the perception fuelled by Hollywood that adult ADD/ADHD is something to laugh at (think of how many times on television you see somebody comment that ‘She is bit ADD’) is way off the mark. This is a serious condition that deserves serious attention.

It should also be noted that what is mentioned above is only half of the picture. Adult ADD/ADHD is not and should not be seen as an unmitigated disaster. There are many positives associated with the condition including the ability to interact in innovative and creative ways with the things life throws up. (I will focus on some of the positive aspects of adult ADD/ADHD in one of the following articles).

Recognizing that they have ADD/ADHD is sometimes a massive relief for adults with the condition. They have been going through life, vaguely aware that ‘something is wrong’, but have never quite been able to put a finger on it. Giving the condition name means that they can do something to proactively address its impact on their lives. If you suspect therefore that you may have the condition I would urge you to give serious attention not only to identify its existence but also to address it in ways that will significantly enhance the quality of your life and that will allow you to fully capitalize on the positive aspects that are associated with the condition. The ‘3 Steps’ program was engineered to help you to do exactly this. It is a natural, proven and easy to follow lifestyle that will push you beyond merely trying to survive to a place where you can thrive!

We are continuing with our look at Adult ADD/ADHD. You may recall that with last week’s article I began to focus on some of the ways in which the condition can be recognized in adults.  I focused on four possible signs that someone might have the condition. They are: 1) A history of childhood ADD/ADHD 2) Difficulty concentrating and lack of focus 3) Forgetfulness and disorganization 4) Hyper focus. With this week’s article I would like to continue along these lines by focusing on some other signs that you should be on the lookout for. I would like to emphasize once again that the presence of any (or even all!) of these signs does not mean that ADD/ADHD is definitely present. It just means that you might need to seriously consider the possibility.

Sign 5: Impulsivity. This is perhaps one of the signs of ADD/ADHD that adults with the condition find the most troublesome. Adults with ADD/ADHD often struggle to control their behavior and responses. This means that they will often speak out of turn and when they do they will make comments that might not be entirely appropriate. Many an adult with ADD/ADHD have deeply regretted comments that were blurted out without properly thinking them through. Impulsivity also shows up in hasty decision-making without necessarily weighing all the alternatives or consequences. All of these factors mean that impulsive adults have trouble to react in socially appropriate ways and have a reputation for recklessness. While this may make them exciting people to be with, it can also translate into serious problems in the work environment. In fact, most adults with ADD/ADHD who struggle to hold down a job would identify their impulsivity as one of the major factors in their lack of career stability.

Sign 6: Hyperactivity. Adults with ADD/ADHD often feel like they are always on the run, as if they are being driven by some kind of hidden engine. Such people find it very difficult to sit still and will constantly be on the move. They talk excitedly in excessively and have a reputation for trying to do several things at the same time. In many cases, however, the symptoms may be a bit more subtle, especially as some people do manage to control the worst aspects of their hyperactivity. In such cases the hyperactivity will take the form of inner restlessness and agitation as well as their minds racing at 100 miles an hour. It should be noted that although hyperactivity is present in very many adult ADD/ADHD cases that it is not an indispensable part of an ADD/ADHD diagnosis. It is clear that some people do have the condition without displaying some of the classic hyperactive behaviors described above.

Sign 7: Lack of emotional control. Whereas it is often the case that childhood ADD/ADHD is easily observable through disruptive behavior or other patterns arising from inattention, the same is not always true of adult ADD/ADHD. It can very often be a hidden condition due to the fact that some symptoms will surface primarily on an emotional level. Many adults with ADD/ADHD find it very hard to manage their feelings, especially when it comes to dealing with emotions like anger and frustration. This can translate into a very short fuse and regular angry outbursts. Other emotional effects that are commonly reported are feelings of restlessness and agitation (many people report that they can never truly feel ‘at peace’ with themselves), a nagging sense of underachievement, radical mood swings, hypersensitivity to criticism, low self-esteem and feelings of inadequacy. Emotional problems such as these can obviously also be caused by a variety of other circumstances and conditions it is, however, important to also explore the possibility of ADD/ADHD if you recognize yourself in any of the descriptions above.

Stating some of the signs of ADD/ADHD like this does not convey the very negative consequences that it can have on the life of an adult if it is not recognized and addressed. The fact is that adult ADD/ADHD is serious. It should never be seen as simply a minor ‘holdover’ from childhood but should be dealt with in the best way possible. People who do not have the condition sometimes find it difficult to appreciate this fact, even going so far as seeing adult ADD/ADHD as an excuse for laziness or disorganization. The best way to address this misperception is to focus on the very real consequences and effects of the condition on real human beings. It is to this aspect of the condition that we shall shift our focus with next week’s article. See you then!

Sign 1: Childhood learning and attention problems. In the vast majority of cases the diagnosis of adult ADD/ADHD can be described as the discovery of a pre-existing condition rather than the identification of a more recent problem. To put it another way, if you have ADD/ADHD as an adult you most probably also had it as a child. Your first step, in attempting to identify adult ADD/ADHD, should therefore be to cast a critical look back over your childhood years. Could it be that you had particular problems with paying attention? That you were often described as a very fidgety child? Did activities that required sustained focus cause you major problems? You may even now deal with the consequences of some or all of these factors due to the fact that you were not able to excel academically, or in other areas, as you hoped you would. It should again be emphasized that noting these traits in your past does not automatically identify you as having ADD/ADHD. You should, however, ask some serious questions if they were indeed features of your past.

Sign 2: Difficulty concentrating and lack of focus. What is true for the childhood years will probably also be true for adulthood. You should therefore not only look back but also take a critical look at your current ability to concentrate and to stay focused. Adults with ADD/ADHD often find it extremely difficult to ‘stay on track’ while busy with their daily tasks. They find that they are extremely easily distracted, that they ‘bounce’ from activity to activity and that they are very easily bored. These types of symptoms are often very difficult to spot because people tend to think that that is ‘just the way they are’. The fact is, however, that where ADD/ADHD is actually identified in such cases, the lack of attention can very easily be dealt with, with massive increases in efficiency and productivity as a result.

Sign 3: Forgetfulness and Disorganization. All ‘scatterbrains’ do not have ADD/ADHD but extreme forgetfulness is certainly one of the major warning signs when it comes to adult ADD/ADHD. If you find that you:

• are constantly late
• underestimate how long tasks will take to complete
• frequently lose objects of value
• your workspaces are extremely cluttered

It might be worth investigating the possible reasons for the fact that your life is constantly hovering on the edge of chaos.

Sign 4: Hyper-Focus. It may seem paradoxical to associate focus with ADD/ADHD. Hyper-focus is, however, one of the most common signs of adult ADD/ADHD. This involves the ability pay sharply focused attention to a task or assignment that is of particular interest. This focus is often to the exclusion of everything else. The hypothesis is that hyper-focus evolved as a coping mechanism for those dealing with ADD/ADHD since it allows them to filter out the distractions than would normally frustrate their efforts to pay close attention to anything. Hyper-focus can obviously be a very positive thing if it is channeled in the right direction. There is, in fact, strong evidence that many of the creative geniuses of the past were able to get themselves ‘into the zone’ and concentrate fully on the task at hand. If it is, however, not channeled in the right direction it can actively harm relationships as complete isolation from what is going on around you is bound to irritate other people if used in the wrong contexts.

I want to emphasize, once again, that many of these signs often don’t register in our consciousness since we think that their presence is simply a reflection of our personalities. It might be a good idea therefore to ask someone close to you to give you honest feedback on these areas as a way of trying to determine whether the presence of these signs are so overwhelming that further investigation is required. Next week we will continue to discuss some of the more common signs of the presence of adult ADD/ADHD. See you then!

Somehow the FDA was not impressed with the overblown rhetoric contained in the marketing material for this product (including the Waiting Room Brochure, Brochure Holder, and Parents’ Guide). It lists its problems with these materials under the devastating heading: “Overstatement of efficacy”! Let’s look at some of the claims and taglines that the FDA had a problem with:

• “Does your child’s ADD/ADHD treatment get to what matters?

Reveal the kid within: A difference the whole family can see”

• “The symptoms of ADD/ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder) can hide who your child really is and disrupt family life. If you can separate the kid from the symptoms, you and your family may see more of the great kid inside. That’s where INTUNIV comes in. Revealing a difference the whole family can see”

The promotional materials also include the exhortation to “Imagine the moments ahead” as a tagline throughout its marketing material.

The company claims, furthermore, that Intuniv can be effective in helping parents to deal with:

• “Bedtime blowups”

• “Toothbrushing tantrums”

• “Homework hassles”

• “Dinnertime defiance”

• “Sibling struggles”

• “Excessive energy”

• “Mall meltdowns”

Instead of these ghastly scenarios it offers:

• “Manageable mornings”

• “Assignments accomplished”

• “Drama-free dinnertime”

In response to all of this overblown hype the FDA’s letter states: The overall impression conveyed by the above claims and presentations is that treatment with Intuniv will improve individual behavioral problems in children with ADD/ADHD that “the whole family can see.” FDA is not aware of substantial evidence or substantial clinical experience to support this implication.

Getting a letter like this, especially from an organization which, to put it mildly, does not have a sterling record of holding big pharmaceutical companies to account, must have been devastating for Shire Pharmaceuticals as they attempt to replace their revenue base. We should, however, not shed too many tears for them. These overblown claims simply show once again what I’ve been saying all along namely that big multinational drug oligarchies are simply chasing after the bottom line. On one level we cannot blame them; the desire to maximize revenue is ingrained in most companies. On another level, however, their complicity in the drugging of a significant proportion of an entire generation is deeply troubling.

The example of Intuniv shows the almost desperate lengths to which some of these companies will go to secure positive ADD/ADHD diagnoses so that people can take up their preferred ‘solution’ to it. The FDA highlights parts of the marketing material that actively encourages parents to look for ADD/ADHD symptoms before encouraging them to ask for their specific product as a ‘remedy’: “Tell your child’s doctor about temper outbursts, fidgeting, and irritability You may not think of these as symptoms of ADD/ADHD”  This is followed by a graphic of children playing a board game together nicely as their parents smile at them, in conjunction with the claims, “Ask the doctor if once-a-day INTUNIV could make a difference for your child” and “Parents and teachers reported that INTUNIV improved symptoms”

This case should not surprise us. We’ve had the same kind of overblown claims for years and years and for a variety of different products. In most cases the FDA looked the other way. It is only now (perhaps due to the greater public awareness of the dangers of ADD/ADHD medication) that they feel forced to comment on particularly egregious examples of false advertising. My advice is, as it has always been, to avoid ADD/ADHD medication at all costs. They are dangerous, addictive and have horrible side effects. So why do people use them? Simply because the drug companies tell them that they are so effective and that they are the only things that can turn the lives of their children around. This is, however, exactly what we would expect them to say even if it is not exactly true. The rare times when companies are ‘caught out’ playing this game should alert us to the fact that there is probably much more of this going on, undetected and unremarked upon. Let the buyer beware and preferably keep away as far as possible! The ‘Three Steps’ will teach you to do just this!

For the full text of the FDA’s letter to Shire Pharmaceuticals see:

http://pharmalive.com/News/index.cfm?articleid=715054&categoryid=30

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College campuses in North America are in the grip of a drug epidemic. The nature of this epidemic is probably radically different from what you might expect. It does not, in most cases, involve hard drugs traded on street corners. Its focus is, instead, on medicines that can be bought perfectly legally over-the-counter at the nearest drugstore. This does not mean, however, that these drugs are any less dangerous than what is traded on the street. I am, of course, referring to the trade in drugs normally prescribed for the treatment of ADD/ADHD.

It is easy to see why college students are attracted to these kinds of drugs. There are plenty of stories of how they can help them to improve their concentration and even to pull all-nighters before important exams. There is obviously also the issue that there is much less of a social stigma attached to getting your ‘high’ from prescription medicine than from illegal Class-A drugs. What many students fail to realize, however, is that prescription drugs can be just as addictive and can have the same disastrous effects as the illegal varieties. It should also be noted that improper use of prescription medicines (especially trading them) also falls foul of the law.

Many parents derive a great deal of comfort from the last point. They are convinced that their children would never stoop so low as to buy prescription medicines from their friends. This might be a naive assumption in some cases, but let us assume that it is true for most students. Does this mean that there is nothing to worry about and that students who are unwilling to get medication under the table would automatically be protected?

This is, sadly, certainly not the case. Why so? Simply because ADD/ADHD is ridiculously easy to fake. If someone can make the right noises and push the right buttons, he/she can very easily go to the campus medical centre and emerge with a prescription for an ADD/ADHD drug half an hour later. The ease with which descriptions for dangerous psycho-stimulant medication can be obtained was highlighted once again in an article in the latest issue of the journal Psychological Assessment. The article entitled Detection of Feigned ADD/ADHD in College Students assesses the effectiveness of the normal methods of diagnosing ADD/ADHD (i.e. self-evaluation checklists etc) in distinguishing between students who actually have the condition and those who are simply faking it. The results are startling. In a very strong statement the researchers state that self-evaluation checklists are of ‘no value’ in detecting those who are simply feigning the condition. The reason for this is clear. Even people with just a very basic knowledge of ADD/ADHD will know what to say in order to get the desired piece of paper.

The implications of the study are certainly troubling. It leaves us with the impression of a medical system that is happy to prescribe dangerous mind-altering drugs to anyone who took the time to Google the symptoms of ADD/ADHD before going to an appointment! Considering that ADD/ADHD drugs are so sought-after on college campuses there must be a lot of this kind of activity going on, with campus medical centers doling out these drugs virtually on demand.

We are so often told that ADD/ADHD is a recognized psychological condition that can be identified through standardized diagnostic procedures. It turns out, however, that these procedures are anything but rigorous and are open to a wide variety of interpretations. An exact science it is not! You should therefore be very reluctant to simply accept an ADD/ADHD diagnosis at face value. Especially since the diagnostic process can also be predetermined from the ‘other side’, namely that of the medical professional. There is an old saying that if you only have a hammer everything looks like a nail. If it is therefore the case that you believe that only medication will solve the inattention and difficult behavior of the person in front of you then you will look for any indication that he/she might have ADD/ADHD. You will be ‘guided’ in this process by the fact that the instruments that are normally used for diagnosing the condition are so inexact and open to interpretation that you can simply read your own conclusions into them.

Allow me to end with two words of warning. Firstly to those who are considering the use of ADD/ADHD medication to help them get through college: Don’t! These drugs are dangerous and addictive and have horrible side effects. Secondly to those who are facing an ADD/ADHD diagnosis, please don’t accept this as the last word. ADD/ADHD diagnosis is not an exact science (as this article once again confirmed) and you should therefore make sure that you get other opinions and investigate alternative explanations. Reading some of the material presented here on ‘3 Steps ADD’ will certainly help you to weed out other probable causes. Please take the time to do so!

When we hear the term ADD/ADHD our attention almost immediately turns to children. This is simply because the problem of childhood ADD/ADHD is very relevant and visible due to the massive rise in diagnoses over the past few decades. We are also in the midst of a fierce debate on the destructive effects of ADD/ADHD medication on young minds. Childhood ADD/ADHD is, however, certainly not the full story.

Many adults have the condition and face significant struggles to get through life because of it. I often call adult ADD/ADHD ‘Invisible ADD/ADHD’ since it is certainly not a problem that is in the public eye. It is also very often undetected by those who are faced with it. This is because adults don’t live their lives in the highly controlled environment (read ‘classroom) of most kids where attention problems are bound to show themselves through behavior and interaction. When these problems surface in children there would normally be a well-defined route towards diagnosis and treatment. This is not altogether a positive thing because this route mostly ends with medication, but we should at least acknowledge that early detection of childhood ADD/ADHD is fairly common. This is obviously not the case with the adult form of the condition.

By calling adult ADD/ADHD an ‘invisible’ condition I am certainly not implying that it is not serious. Anyone who battles with adult ADD/ADHD will tell you that this is simply not the case. Undetected and unaddressed adult ADD/ADHD can wreak havoc on the personal and social lives of individuals.

Over the next few weeks I will focus the spotlight on ADD/ADHD in adults. We will begin by clearing up some misconceptions before focusing on detection methods and ways to address the condition. I trust that you will find this series of articles beneficial and I especially want to urge those adults who think they might have the condition to pay close attention.

Let’s dive straight in by looking at some of the misconceptions about adult ADD/ADHD:

Misconception #1: “I was not diagnosed as a child so I cannot have ADD/ADHD.”

The basic misunderstanding underlying this misconception is that ADD/ADHD will always be accurately diagnosed during childhood. This is obviously not the case! Many people went through childhood thinking that their inability to pay attention, their fidgeting or other symptoms were simply down to ‘the way I am’. In such cases giving a name to what they experienced can actually be quite a relief since it implies that something can be done about it. It can also be the case that symptoms that were very much in the background during childhood can ‘flare up’ later in life.

Misconception #2: “I am not hyperactive so I cannot have ADD/ADHD.”

The classical image of ADD/ADHD in the minds of many adults is of a hyperactive child ‘bouncing off the walls’. Since this image does not correspond with their own experience they think that they cannot have the condition. The fact is, however, that with adult ADD/ADHD the emphasis should be placed much more on attention deficit than on hyperactive. When the spotlight shifts to the lack of focus associated with the condition many more adults will be able to recognize themselves in what is being described.

Misconception #3: “It is not ADD/ADHD, I just lack willpower.”

Many people (especially employers) look at adults trying to cope with ADD/ADHD and come to the conclusion that the real problem is simply a lack of willpower. They point to the fact that such people can pay very close attention to things that interest them and conclude that they simply lack the basic motivation to focus on more mundane matters. According to this, erroneous, assessment all that is required is that adults with ADD/ADHD should ‘up their game’. This analysis completely misses the point. ADD/ADHD is a complex condition linked to the functioning of the human brain and cannot simply be addressed through calls to ‘pull up your socks’!

Misconception #4: “Everybody has ADD/ADHD symptoms and intelligent people are able to master them through various techniques.”

According to this way of looking at the condition full-blown adult ADD/ADHD is simply indicative of the fact that some people cannot manage to respond to certain common aspects of the human condition in intelligent ways. This is obviously a very insulting and prejudiced position to take since ADD/ADHD has absolutely nothing to do with intellectual abilities. It can, in fact, be shown that some of the greatest geniuses of our time had to deal with the condition.

Next week will continue this discussion of adult ADD/ADHD by looking at some of the most common signs and symptoms of the condition in adults.

In the previous article I said that to err on the side of caution when it comes to ADD/ADHD would be to eliminate all other explanations before even thinking of a formal diagnosis. By making this statement I am of course implying that there are many conditions and sets of circumstances that can lead to erroneous ADD/ADHD diagnoses. So what are these conditions and circumstances? I am planning to bring out a complete guide to ADD/ADHD misdiagnosis in the near future where this question will be answered in detail. I would encourage you, in the meantime, to carefully check for the following things that can very easily lead to a misdiagnosis.

Sleep Deprivation: Most children do not sleep nearly enough and the lack of attention and fidgeting that are sure signs of sleep deprivation, can very easily be mistaken for ADD/ADHD. I would therefore recommend that one of your first responses to behavioral issues should be to increase the amount of sleep that your child gets. I realize that this will probably not happen without a bit of resistance, but this is a battle that is worth winning.

Giftedness: It is sobering to think that many of the geniuses of history would probably have been diagnosed with ADD/ADHD had they been alive today. Our highly standardized education system does everything in its power to put people into ‘appropriate’ boxes. Really gifted people will always struggle with being boxed-in in this way and may respond with restlessness and even disruptive behavior. If you have an exceptionally bright child who gets into trouble quite a lot, the problem may not be ADD/ADHD but rather that he/she is completely bored by what is served up in class.

Addiction: The possibility that your child is abusing drugs or alcohol is something that no parent would like to face. It could however be that heavy use of these substances (and addiction to it) may be behind the behavioral problems of some children who are ultimately diagnosed with ADD/ADHD.

Bipolar disorder (or some other psychiatric condition): In most cases of ADD/ADHD misdiagnosis the real cause behind behavioral problems is much less serious than full-blown ADD/ADHD. In some cases, however, it might be that there are more serious explanations. A case in point would be that bipolar disorders in some young people have been missed due to the condition being mistaken for ADD/ADD/ADHD. It is therefore highly recommended that the state of a person’s mental health be thoroughly investigated before a final ADD/ADHD diagnosis is made.

Bloodstream diseases: Some interesting work has been done over the past three years about some of the blood stream-based diseases that are spread by ticks. Two of the most dangerous types of bacteria spread by these critters are bartonella and babesia, both of which can mimic the symptom of ADD/ADD/ADHD. Both types of bacteria can be easily detected through a blood test and can be treated with antibiotics.

Adverse personal circumstances: It has been shown that children who recently suffered bereavement or experienced the divorce of parents are much more likely to be diagnosed with ADD/ADHD. The simple fact is however that the ‘acting out’ that set the diagnostic process in motion is usually much more indicative of attempts to cope with very difficult circumstances than it is of serious neurological malfunctioning.

Deficient diet: The human brain is a highly complex system that requires several key building blocks in order to function properly. These building blocks are obviously derived from our food intake. If there are certain vital ingredients that are not present in our diets this can obviously have a seriously detrimental effect on optimum brain function. It is my firm belief that changes in nutrition can often be one of the key ways of avoiding an ADD/ADHD diagnosis and also of dealing with the condition if a diagnosis has been made.

Alternative learning styles: It is a fact that human beings learn in a wide variety of ways. Unfortunately most schools are so focused on one particular style and any other learning style exhibited by a child would immediately be regarded as a problem to overcome.

Shortsightedness/Hearing problems: The ADD/ADHD diagnostic cycle most often begins in the classroom and is most commonly triggered by a student being disruptive or not paying attention. One of the first questions that I always ask in situations like this is whether a particular child can actually see and hear what is going on. If this is not the case it would be only natural for such a child to be bored and to ‘act out’ in various ways. If, therefore, the pressure for a diagnosis comes from a classroom getting sight and hearing tests done should be very high on your agenda.

The items listed above represent just some of the avenues of investigation before a formal ADD/ADHD diagnosis can be arrived at. I would certainly encourage you to first eliminate all of these possible causes before proceeding any further down the path towards diagnosis. Doing so will be the responsible and, indeed, the cautious thing to do.



During the past week a user of the ‘3 Steps ADD’ premium website made the following comment: “…many people who do not have that are diagnosed with it. True ADD’ers go through hell.” This statement neatly summarizes the two sides of the ADHD debate. It is very true that some people go to hell and back as they struggle to come to terms with the condition and its fallout. It is also true that many other people (a much larger group in my opinion) are wrongly diagnosed and therefore sent down a path of treatment is that they simply do not need. If you doubt this last statement you can simply take a look at the rate of ADHD diagnoses over the past few decades. You will see a graph that resembles the trajectory of a rocket taking off. Now ask yourself: Is this a true reflection of reality? Can it really be that a condition that was almost unknown a generation ago now affects (if you believe the statistics) almost 1 in 10 of young people, or are there some other factors at work here?

I sincerely believe that there are indeed other factors at work and I have written extensively about this in the past. I am convinced, in summary, that aggressive marketing by drug companies (who developed very lucrative drugs to throw at the problem) and a radically changed educational environment (where anything outside highly standardized behavioral ideals will be ruthlessly dealt with) combines to make an ADHD diagnosis almost inevitable wherever there is the slightest question about a child’s behavior. It has therefore become almost fashionable to label children as ADHD and to then proceed to drug them into submission.

Many parents are vaguely aware of this bias towards a positive diagnosis but feel ill-equipped to question and challenge it. Some also believe that it is better to err on the side of caution. This line of argumentation goes more or less like this: ‘While we cannot be sure if Johnny really has ADHD it can surely not be harmful in any way to get him on medication just in case?’ The three words ‘Just in Case‘ have, in fact, become one of the chief weapons in the arsenal of those who would like to pressure parents into accepting radical treatment options. The big question, however, is at what side ‘caution’ can really be found! I am totally convinced that the prudent, careful and responsible course of action would be to avoid a formal diagnosis for as long as possible and to only accede to it when all other possible causes and strategies for their alleviation have been eliminated. Why do I take this position? Allow me to explain:

ADHD Diagnoses can easily lead to labeling: I have often warned about the dangers of the labeling that so often accompanies ADD/ADHD diagnoses. The word ‘She has ADHD‘ can so easily be used to justify different treatment of a child. The most insidious form that this can take is the lowering of expectations. Many teachers simply will not push students whom they believe have ADD/ADHD to the edge of their capabilities because they are convinced that they are not capable to achieve anything more than basic classroom compliance. Is this really what you would want for your child? Would a cautionary approach not rather be to stay as far away from labels as possible?

Overzealous diagnosis harms those who really have the condition: I think that part of the frustration of the commenter mentioned above is the fact that in the stampede to diagnose as many people as possible with the condition the true sufferers are forgotten. ADD/ADHD is a highly complex condition and a lot of research is required to get to the best possible ways of detection and treatment. It is, however, sadly the case that research agendas are being confused by the fact that (if the drug companies are to be believed) just about every Tommy, Dickie and Harry has the condition. This widening of the research pool makes focused research on the condition very difficult and it is getting more difficult with every irresponsible diagnosis.

Many ‘treatments’ are highly dangerous: If the standard treatment options for ADD/ADHD were essentially benign the ‘just in case’/'err on the side of caution’ approach would have made perfect sense. The fact is, however, that the vast majority of ADD/ADHD diagnoses lead to treatment with one of ‘Big Pharma’s‘ flagship ADD/ADHD products. To be blunt: These products are extremely dangerous and have been associated with addiction, self-harm, aggression, long-term passivity and even suicide. Why on earth would anyone want to walk down this kind of road – ‘Just in case’!?

Old maps often contained the warning: “Here be dragons”. The message was simple – Don’t go there! I am convinced that most ADD/ADHD diagnoses are made with undue haste and a lack of rigor and should therefore carry the same kind of warning. The ‘3 Steps‘ and the other resources that I have developed will help you to avoid this dangerous road.

Most of us associate illegal drug use with shady deals being struck in the seedier parts of our major cities. This is, however, just a small part of the true picture. We are currently facing an unprecedented epidemic of drug misuse that has on the surface a much more benign profile. But that is just as dangerous. I am, of course, talking about drugs that are commonly prescribed for the treatment of ADHD. The true extent of this problem has once again been brought home to us by a study conducted by the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System managed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

According to the study a staggering one in five (or 20%) of all teenagers abuse prescription drugs. Just let that statistic sink in for a moment. One in five! Next time you see a group of five young people walking down the street think about the fact that statistically one of them will be popping pills. The CDC study does not specify what particular drugs are abused the most but it does not take a genius to figure this out. It is a well-known fact that the legal drugs favored by today’s teenagers are those that contain Methylphenidates, the active ingredient in many treatments for ADD/ADHD. It is not for nothing that these drugs are often referred to as kiddy-cocaine and that active trading networks for them exist in many high schools and on college campuses.

This development is obviously highly troubling and as people of goodwill we can certainly not sit back and simply accept the drugging of an entire generation! So how do we start attacking this disaster? I believe that a basic first step is to question the very rationale behind the existence of these drugs namely that they exist because they are supposedly very good at dealing with the symptoms of ADD/ADHD.

The fact is, however, that prescription ADD/ADHD medication does not address the core issues surrounding the condition. ADD/ADHD medications do not calm children down, instead they increase their focus and interest in a topic. Besides the long list of physical side effects associated with these medications, there are a slew of social and psychological implications that come with the prescription. Dr. Stefan Kruszewski an eminent psychiatrist states: “[Children on medication] do not learn to develop coping strategies that work as they move through different developmental stages…they learn to rely on drugs to solve problems, rather than their creative potential to solve problems on their own or with the help of family, friends, schooling, music and the arts, church, social outings, recreation and sports.”

By prescribing ADD/ADHD drugs doctors are tampering with one of the most finely tuned and sensitive systems imaginable: The human brain! Who knows what the long-term consequences will be of pumping the brain full of dangerous chemicals. Am I exaggerating about the danger levels? Sadly not: The chemical makeup of methylphenidates is very similar to that of cocaine. We should therefore not be surprised at either its addictiveness or the grim side effects.

The list of possible side effects of most ADD/ADHD drugs reads like the script of a horror movie. Patients are warned about things like irritability, sleeplessness, depression heightened risk of cardiac arrest and severe mood swings. This is just the things that they feel free to tell you. The hidden effects are, in fact, much worse. ADD/ADHD drugs have been successfully linked to suicides, homicides and severe depression. This leaves us with the question: Who in their right minds would allow their children to take such medication? The answer is clear, mostly unsuspecting parents who are told by people they trust that it is in the best interest of their children.

I see it as part of my life’s mission to break through this well-meaning but dangerous ignorance. I do this by exposing the fact that the real motive behind the actions of the drug companies is a mad dash after profits, and not a desire to make the world a better place. I am also dedicated to show that there is another way. The ‘3 Steps’ will show you a natural, drug-free, way to conquer ADD/ADHD.

We are in the middle of an epidemic. Some people would dismiss the seriousness of this by claiming that the drugs involved are essentially harmless. They are not. ADD/ADHD drugs are dangerous. Nobody should be using them, especially not our children who are still developing and run the greatest risk for side effects like depression, anxiety, heart problems, or death. Join with me in resisting their spread. Not by questioning why these drugs are so widely and easily available but by going further in asking whether they should be available at all. You can answer this question by resolving not to have any part of this widespread drug racket. So begin your resistance by doing what you should always do when offered a dangerous drug: Just say no!

If you believe the line that was so carefully crafted by the drug industry, which can obviously recognize a good cash cow when they see one, there is really only one explanation for ADHD. This is that there is something inherently wrong with in the brain of a person diagnosed with the condition. The only way, according to them, that this can be put right is through the administration of powerful psycho stimulant medication. It just so happens that they stand ready to provide this medication at exorbitant prices! The creation of this consensus and the recruitment of teachers and medical professionals to perpetuate it was a very lucrative move by the drugs companies.

The problem is, however, that this way of looking at ADHD is positively dangerous for our children. The almost automatic prescription of medicine messes with their brains in profound ways that can negatively impact them for the rest of their lives. It also leads to powerful side-effects and the creation of underground prescription drug trading networks at schools and colleges up-and-down our nation. Any development that challenges the reigning consensus by pointing to social factors as contributing to ADHD diagnoses should therefore be welcomed. Simply put if we can point to causes that are not purely biomedical it would be logical to also propose treatment methods that do not simply rely on drugs.

Over the past few years research pointing to social factors as a major contributing cause to ADHD increased from a trickle to something resembling a deluge. There is therefore a growing understanding that ADHD is a complex condition that cannot simply be addressed by drugging people into submission. One of the most exciting studies in this regard was published in the past week. It is significant because the number of children included in the study is massive. More than 8000 in fact!

The study was conducted by the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm (Sweden) and was published in the latest issue of Acta Paediatrica. Researchers sifted through data on 1.16 million school children and examined the health histories of nearly 8,000 Swedish-born kids, aged six to 19, who had taken ADHD medication. They did this through examining almost every scrap of information that they could find on the medical and behavioral history of these children from a variety of sources. A detailed investigation was also launched into the family background of these children.

They found that the following factors, among others, correlated positively with a high incidence of ADHD:

• The educational level of parents – Children of parents with a better education were less likely to be diagnosed with ADHD.
• The makeup of households – Children from single-parent households were more likely to receive a positive ADHD diagnosis
• The welfare status of families - Children from families on welfare benefits had much higher diagnosis rates.

Lead Researcher Anders Hein summarized the implications of these findings as follows: “Almost half of the cases could be explained by the socioeconomic factors included in our analysis, clearly demonstrating that these are potent predictors of ADHD-medication in Swedish school children.” The implication of this is that in about half of all Swedish ADHD cases you could predict that a diagnosis would be made simply by looking at the social and economic background of the child. This would not be the case if ADHD was a purely biomedical phenomenon, since it would then presumably affect children across the board, regardless of social factors. What seems to happen is that ‘normal’ behavioral problems associated with certain social factors gets ‘medicalized’ and then treated with drugs. It also seems to be the case that people in the named demographics are less able and/or willing to resist the almost unrelenting pressure to go down this route.

A much better approach would be if these social factors could be recognized and their behavioral consequences be dealt with in non-medical ways. This is exactly the approach that I have been advocating all along and that is at the heart of the ‘3 Steps ADD’ philosophy. My message is essentially one of hope. Yes there are some environmental factors that will make behavioral problems more likely to occur. This does not mean, however, that you have to give in to the strong arm tactics of those who want to push you towards very radical and potentially harmful ‘solutions’. You can instead identify the factors and deal with them in positive and constructive ways. It is my passion to help you to do exactly this. Thank you for turning your back on the lies and joining me on this exciting journey!

A central part of the strategy that I propose in my bestselling book ‘3 Steps to Conquering ADD-ADHD’ is the active avoidance of substances that are harmful (summarized in the book as Avoid the Bad). You may be surprised to learn that I sometimes include fruit and vegetables in this category. “How can this be?” I hear you ask. Well, it is often the case that fresh produce have been treated with so many types of chemicals, pesticides and insecticides that by the time it reaches our tables it is positively dangerous for us. My advice has therefore consistently been that you should take great care in selecting fruit and vegetables in order to make sure that you source products that will indeed be good for you.

Claims about the potential harmful effects of pesticides have consistently been denied by the chemical industry. Their standard response, up to the present, is that studies that identified negative outcomes due to exposure to pesticides dealt almost exclusively with subjects that had exposure way above what could be considered normal or safe levels (e.g. farm workers, fruit packers etc). A groundbreaking new piece of research is showing up this claim for what it actually is: a public relations exercise.

The study (jointly conducted by School of Public Health at Harvard University and the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health at the University of Montréal) took a very broad-based approach in testing its hypothesis about the harmful effects of pesticides. It did this by analyzing the urine samples of 1,139 children in order to determine the levels of pesticide byproducts. These levels were then cross referenced with the incidence of ADHD among the children.  Results were nothing short of astounding. Children with high levels of pesticide byproducts in their bloodstreams were, on average, more than twice as likely to have been diagnosed with ADHD.

It is not difficult to work out why this would be the case. Most pesticides rely on organophosphates as its core ingredient. Organophosphates work by attacking the nervous system of the pests that are targeted by pesticide products. It is therefore quite logical that organophosphates that somehow make it into the bloodstream will have a similar disruptive effect on our nervous systems. Dr. Maryse Bouchard (lead author of a study on this research that recently appeared in the Journal Pediatrics) says: “Organophosphates are designed to have a toxic effect on the nervous system. That’s how they kill pests…so it seems plausible that exposure to organophosphates could be associated with ADHD-like symptoms.”

So how can we protect ourselves and our children from exposure to dangerous organophosphates? Here are some basic suggestions:

Go organic: Eating organic alternatives is perhaps the best possible way to avoid pesticides and additives. I do realize that organic foods are often more expensive and that organic alternatives are not always available locally, but I also maintain that in some cases the extra cost and effort would be more than justified.

Buy local as far as possible: Both the United States and Canada have strong policies in place that restrict the use of organophosphates in food production. This does not mean that no pesticides are used just that its use has to be restricted to what is believed to be safe levels (it is for this reason that I recommend organic as the best option for totally eliminating the dangers of pesticide use). The problem is however that a great deal of the food we consume is imported from countries where the same restrictions do not exist. It is also the case that the transportation of such foodstuffs from halfway across the world may require additives and preservatives. It is therefore a good idea to always check the label and buy local if at all possible. An even better idea would be to find out if there is a farmers market in your area. Buying fresh produce from a farmers market is a great way to actively support local businesses and to ensure that you do not consume food made potentially unsafe by its country or region of origin.

Grow your own: I realize that this will not be a viable option for many people. However, if you can manage to grow at least some of your food yourself I would certainly encourage you to do so. This will not only allow you to make use of organic methods of production it will also create a whole new attitude towards food in your household as it re-establishes an appreciation for the origins of what you have on your plates.

There is obviously much more to be said about the dangers of chemicals in our food and methods of avoiding this. I therefore encourage you to take a look at some articles that I previously wrote on the subject. They can be found here:

In the meantime I would like to encourage you to do a food audit. You can do this by taking careful note of everything that you and your family eat for a month and then eliminating foodstuffs that are likely to contain significant amounts of pesticide residues. Good luck to you as you take this very important step towards a healthier lifestyle!

It seems that hardly a week goes by without a new study confirming the effectiveness of non-medical methods in managing ADD/ADHD being published. This trend should be welcomed as it progressively chips away at the false consensus that the drug companies spent millions of dollars to create. This discredited position states that there really only one way to deal with ADD/ADHD. You guessed it: Drugs! We can all understand why the drug companies feel the need to push this line so aggressively – they obviously have shareholders to keep happy. This does not mean, however, that we have to swallow their slick marketing messages hook, line and sinker. Studies challenging their basic assumptions should therefore be enthusiastically welcomed!

The study that I want to focus on this week is actually still ongoing but I have been monitoring it for a while and I am so excited about early results that I just have to share them with you. The study is called Motivation, Inhibition and Development in ADD/ADHD (MIDAS) and it is being conducted at the University of Nottingham in England. What makes it so exciting is that it lets two approaches to dealing with ADD/ADHD namely medicine and environmental changes (motivation) go head to head. A further unique aspect of this research is that results are not measured using subjective criteria (e.g. “Little Johnny concentrates so much better after taking his medicine!”). It is based on the constant monitoring of brain activity through MRI caps. We can therefore get an accurate picture of the effects of both approaches on actual brain function.

Here’s how it works: Researchers regularly select children who have been diagnosed with ADD/ADHD and track them doing a specific tasks on a computer. They wear an MRI cap (a device that accurately measures brain waves and activity in different parts of the brain) throughout the exercise. Some of the participants were given stimulants like Ritalin while the other group was motivated through praise and incentives.

The MIDAS project is very careful in the way that it discusses results, making it clear that they are not yet making any recommendations on changes to clinical practice. What is clear even at this early stage however is that behavioral methods have the same impact on the human brain than stimulants (without all the nasty side effect of course!). How do we know this? Well, simply because the study shows that the same areas of the brain ‘lights up’ when motivational techniques are used than would be the case when research subjects are medicated. This means that the distinction that (so aggressively promoted by the drugs lobby) between supposedly superior ‘medical’ and supposedly less effective ‘psychological’ methods of treating ADD/ADHD has very little basis in fact. One of the lead researchers, Margaret Groom, uses very diplomatic language to state the simple fact that behavioral methods can do the same thing that medicines can but implication of what she is saying is clear: “When the children were given rewards or penalties, their attention and self-control was much improved. We suspect that both medication and motivational incentives work by making a task more appealing, capturing the child’s attention and engaging his or her brain response control systems“.

Why do I regard this research as so vitally important? Simply because I am convinced that natural methods can be much more effective than medicines in dealing with the long term consequences of ADD/ADHD. This is not all; making use of natural methods will also avoid some of the shocking side effects commonly associated with the use of stimulants to ‘treat’ ADD/ADHD. This is obviously a very significant positive consideration. Any approach that avoids things like heart palpitations, depression, aggression, suicidal thoughts and increased openness to addictive behavior should be welcomed with both arms. I will therefore continue to follow the MIDAS study with interest, especially as I believe that it vindicates the approach that I have taken over a number of years, often in the face of intense opposition from those who have vested interests in the selling of ADD/ADHD drugs.

So what is the bottom line? Simply this: Drugs do not offer you a ‘higher path’ to wellness in the face of ADD/ADHD. The exact opposite is true actually since their promises do not come to (both in terms of dollars and cents and the devastating impact that these drugs can have). This is exactly why I developed the ‘3 Steps’ approach. The ‘3 Steps’ clearly shows the way to drug-free management of ADHD. By following the advice and techniques outlined it the best selling ‘3 Steps’ book and also by keeping up-to-date through the well researched and relevant articles posted here on the members site you will have a powerful arsenal for conquering ADD/ADHD at your disposal.

I am so thankful that you are on this journey with me and would like to invite you to travel with me as I explore ways to win the battle against ADD/ADHD in ways that sustain and nurture rather than destroy.

More information about the MIDAS study can be found here:

http://communications.nottingham.ac.uk/News/Article/Behavioural-incentives-mimic-effects-of-medication-on-brain-systems-in-ADHD.html

If you have been outside of the world of education for a while you can be very certain that the schoolroom that you left behind does not exist anymore. It has probably been replaced by a target driven ‘learning environment’ where so much emphasis is placed on results, tables and rankings that the normal joys of childhood (including the thrill of independent discovery) have been shifted to the periphery. Simply put, more and more are expected of our children at earlier and earlier ages.

The encounter between an ordinary parent and the ‘Brave New Classroom’ of today is brilliantly described in the influential British paper The Daily Mail. Rob Kraitt (a pseudonym) writes movingly about how is son (who did not quite fit into the target driven hothouse that is British education) was almost immediately identified as a candidate for an ADD/ADHD diagnosis. His response to this is brilliantly summed up in the title of his article: “My son’s unfocused and a fidget. Does he really have ADHD? No, it’s because he’s just five.” To which I can just say: Bravo! It is so easy to get caught up in a system that denies the importance of anything that it can measure that it takes a brave man to get up and question the very notion of highly formalized education for very small children.

Kraitt concludes his article, which describes his struggle to get a teacher to accept his son for who he is, with the following indictment: “From primary school, our children are thrust into a culture of stats and results. Teachers cannot give proper attention to those who do not perform or fit in. Nurture has disappeared from early education. And while there’s nothing seriously wrong with our boy, there is something wrong with the system.”

I agree wholeheartedly with this assessment. Forcing kids to grow up way too quickly can only lead to trouble and medicating them into submission is certainly not the solution! Recognizing the problem (massively overregulated learning environments obsessed with results) is one thing. How do we do something about it in cases where our own children are at risk of being labeled, with potentially disastrous consequences? I obviously do not have all of the answers but I can offer some basic suggestions if you are (or think you might be) faced with this kind of situation:

• Keep clear lines of communication with your child’s teacher: It has been shown again and again that parental involvement with a child’s education is one of the most reliable predictors of ultimate success. This includes regularly discussing your child’s progress (or lack of it) with the teacher. In doing so you will hopefully be able to communicate something about your child’s strengths and weaknesses. This will enable the teacher to interact with him/her in ways that are appropriate to his/her personality and abilities. Regular contact will also help to create an environment where you will be better able to have forthright discussions about the weight of expectation that is placed on your child. I recognize that some parents will feel that their child’s teacher is simply too busy for meaningful interaction with individual parents or, worse, is simply not interested. In such cases more radical action may be needed. Most parents will find, however, that simply keeping open lines of communication is a necessary first step towards protecting your child’s interests in the harsh educational environment of today.

• Make sure your child is ready for school: Your child might perhaps be a bit too far down the educational road for this advice to be useful to you personally but it could still be relevant in helping you to assist other parents in avoiding a possible disaster. In previous generations it was almost regarded as a badge of honor if your child went to school early. In the supercharged and results driven school environment of today it can quite possibly be harmful to your child. If you have a pre-schooler in the house I urge you to pay careful attention to the issue of school readiness and to take full and ultimate responsibility for the final decsion. You are the one who knows your child the best and you are also the one who can be trusted to make decisions that are in his/her best interest. If you have the slightest doubt about readiness my recommendation would be to err on the side of caution. Keeping your child out of the formal classroom environment will enable him/her to mature and to continue to utilize alternative play-based styles of learning for just a little while longer.
The two ideas listed above are two of the most basic ways in which you can help your child to survive (and thrive) in the modern educational environment. Please check back next week as we continue to explore this topic.

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To read the Daily Mail piece referenced in the article please click here: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1275349/My-sons-unfocused-fidget-Does-really-ADHD-No-hes-just-five.html?ito=feeds-newsxml#ixzz0nsanIAwx

If the major drug companies are to be believed ADD/ADHD is something of a life sentence. They would have us believe that once a positive diagnosis is delivered (a process which can often be tainted by sloppy reasoning and conflicts of interest) you will have to ‘make things better’ by continuing to use their products year in and year out. The extent to which medical professionals have bought into this narrative is nothing short of alarming. Tales abound of doctors simply continuing to renew prescriptions without so much as a follow-up examination. It is easy to see why the drug companies are so enthusiastic in pushing this interpretation of ADD/ADHD – It has a massive positive impact on company profits!

My view has always been that even if the potential for developing ADD/ADHD symptoms remain more or less constant the management of underlying and environmental factors can still greatly reduce the incidence of these symptoms. It is therefore wrong to simply label someone as having ADD/ADHD and to then proceed with an unvaried and long-term treatment process.

Does ADHD always equal disaster? Not necessarily! This is the verdict of Prof Michael Fitzgerald from Trinity College in Dublin. In last week’s article we focused on his historical research that investigated the lives of some great movers and shakers of the past. According to his research it is possible to retroactively diagnose ADHD in the following notable achievers: Thomas Edison, Kurt Cobain, Oscar Wilde, Lord Byron Jules Verne, Che Guevara, James Dean, Clark Gable, Picasso, Mark Twain and Sir Walter Raleigh.

Prof Fitzgerald contends that some of the exact same factors that can make ADHD so difficult to manage have been turned into positives by these people. His arguments set me thinking about one of the most overlooked aspects when it comes to discussing ADHD, namely the fact that the condition can also have some very positive outcomes. This week’s article is a continuation of the discussion that I began in response to this. I already focused on the fact that people with ADHD are often noted for their creativity, drive and compassion. These traits are by no means the only positive results that can stem from the correct management of ADHD. Here are some more ‘ADHD Positives’

It seems that the world is about to become a much more mentally unstable place! All that it will take is the publication of a revision of a very important book: The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).

This publication is the ‘Bible of Psychiatry’ as it describes all the mental disorders known to man (and then some!). It is therefore the first thing that a psychiatrist will reach for when attempting to make a diagnosis.

The proposed new edition of the DSM is attracting widespread criticism as it is felt that the psychiatrists working on it must suffer from a disorder off their own namely “Over Definition Addiction”!

Many things that were previously just seen as being part of the scale of normal human behavior are described as disorders in the manual. Whatever you are struggling with, it seems that the new DSM will have a label for you:

•    Rudeness – Antisocial Behavior Disorder
•    Temper Tantrums – Temper Dysregulation with Dysphoria
•    Overeating – Binge Eating Disorder
•    Rebelliousness – Oppositional Defiant Disorder
•    Promiscuousness – Hypersexual Disorder
•    Attention Seeking – Histrionic Personality Disorder

•    Selfishness – Narcissistic Behavior Disorder

All of this labeling would actually have been extremely funny if it was not so very dangerous. Those of us who have been working in the field of ADD/ADHD for a long time are acutely aware of these dangers and I will therefore be at the forefront of warning people not to be sucked in by this ‘medicalization’ of everyday life.

Allow me to point out a few of the dangers:

Increased levels of psychiatric treatment: I do not think that it is overly cynical to point out that for every new ‘disorder’ that is described, new treatments will also be needed. It is therefore in the best interest of psychologists and psychiatrists to keep inventing new categories of disorders.

The more there are the busier they will be! In labeling everyday challenging behavior in this way mental health professionals make sure that they will be in business for a long time to come!

Blame shifting: It is a well-known fact that taking personal responsibility is a vital first step in achieving lasting behavior modification. This is why an important part of any ‘12 Step Program’ is to admit that you have a problem. If, however, you have a convenient label for your condition you will find it hard to step up to the plate and take personal responsibility for making things better.

People will now be able to say things like: “It’s not that I want to act like a total jerk, my problem is that I have oppositional defiant disorder!” If these revisions are accepted we should all expect a world where more and more people will shift the responsibility for their problems to other people.

This will be a world that will keep lawyers happy (e.g. lawsuits by obese people against fast food companies will have so much more chance of succeeding if they can point to the fact that they have a recognized mental disorder i.e. ’Binge Eating Disorder’!)

Is this really the kind of world we want to live in?

A world in which very few people take responsibility for their actions and in which we will continually be told that we cannot even hope to deal with daily life without some form of treatment.

Increased rates of medication: Perhaps the most serious implication of the proposed DSM revision is the fact that many psychiatrists will choose to treat these ‘conditions’ with drugs. The implications of this for the young generation are simply staggering.

Can we really afford to have an even bigger proportion of people drugged out of their minds simply because of the perception that they suffer from some kind of disorder.

We tinker with the workings of the human brain at our peril and this revision will certainly be interpreted by many in the mental health field as an invitation to tinker on a massive scale.

What are the implications of all of this for people with ADHD? I suspect that we can prepare ourselves for an onslaught of ‘combination diagnoses’. The growing public awareness of the dangers of medicating kids with ADHD (and of the fact that there are alternatives available) means that an increasing number of parents are asking some hard questions before resorting to medication.

This trend obviously makes the drug companies very nervous. My suspicion is that they will try to maintain sky-high prescription rates by encouraging medical professionals not to stop at simple ADHD diagnoses. Coupling the ADHD with something else (e.g. ADHD with ‘Oppositional Defiant Disorder’) make it sound much more serious and therefore beyond the scope of alternative methods to deal with ADHD.

I am quite sure that this is the reason for the increase in double-barrel diagnoses (ADD/ADHD and …). These will obviously only increase once all of the new disorders have been made official.

So what should we do when people want to take away our responsibilities as human beings and put us on medication to ‘make things better’?

I think our response should be the same whenever we are confronted with something dangerous: Just say no! The ‘3 Steps’ will help you to do exactly this.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

PLEASE COMMENT BELOW!

For more information about the DSM Revision Project see:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/10/AR2010021000009.html

One of the most enduring debates in the world of psychology is the one dealing with nature versus nurture. In its essence this debate boils down to the question whether your psychological state (and your thoughts, feelings and behaviors) is primarily determined by your genes (nature) or your environment (nurture). This is obviously not an issue that I will be able to solve in a short article! It is, however, interesting to note how this debate plays out when it comes to ADD/ADHD. I would also like to showcase some research that is bringing the ‘accepted’ wisdom in this area into question.

Up to now the consensus was that ADHD is caused almost exclusively by genetic factors. This is the belief that was very energetically pushed by the major drug companies as it implies that the condition cannot be effectively addressed by changes in the environment of the person dealing with ADHD. Instead, they would have us believe, medication should be used to straighten out the problems caused by nature. Pushing this belief was obviously a very profitable move by the drug companies, as is evidenced by their record profits that they have earned from drugs designed to address attention problems. However, this notion (that ADHD is all down to nature and not nurture) is being challenged by a groundbreaking new study.

The fact that ADD/ADHD can have some positive benefits has once again been highlighted by Prof. Michael Fitzgerald from Trinity College in Dublin. He addressed a recent meeting of the Royal College of Psychiatrists on the subject of ADHD Creativity, Novelty Seeking and Risk. Prof Fitzgerald analyzed the lives of some achievers and believes that it is possible to ‘diagnose’ ADD/ADHD in some of them on the basis of the historical record.

Hardly a week goes by without smoking being named as a risk factor for yet another condition. Smoking has been blamed for problems as diverse as heart failure, erectile dysfunction, high blood pressure and of course a host of lung diseases. Now it seems that ADD/ADHD can be added to this list!

One of the lead researchers, US based Joseph Biederman, pocketed as much as $1.6 million from drug companies between 2000 and 2007 – Presumably enough to convince him to fight their corner! We should all be thankful to the Australian government for blowing the whistle on what is presumably a widespread practice in most Western countries. The content of new draft guidelines (to be used while the process of drafting something more permanent is started from scratch, presumably this time without drug company influence) is also heartening.

While there is no denying the effectiveness of the profit motive as an engine for growth it should also be noted that unfettered capitalism could lead to serious moral and ethical dilemmas as society grapple with the question of where to draw the line between legitimate business activities and those that are detrimental to the public good. In most societies these lines are drawn to protect the vulnerable and to ensure that those with money do not make ill gotten profits from the misfortune and suffering of others. This is why activities like pimping, drug dealing, people smuggling and loan sharking are generally outlawed in most modern economies.

One of the pioneers in determining a historical perspective on ADD/ADHD is Matthew Smith a researcher at the Centre for Medical History at Exeter University, England. In a paper he recently delivered at a medical history conference at Ottowa’s Carleton University, Smith made the following points:

A mistaken ADD/ADHD diagnosis can have consequences that are nothing short of devastating. Any initial diagnosis should therefore be treated with a healthy dose of skepticism and followed up by second and even third opinions. Care should also be taken to ensure that all possible alternative explanations are investigated. Why do I feel so strongly about this? Here are a few reasons:

The process of diagnosing ADD/ADHD is often sloppy and inaccurate. ADD/ADHD has entered into the public consciousness as the number one reason behind attention and behavioral problems (How often have you heard someone being described as being ‘A bit ADD’?). It therefore, sadly, an unchallenged belief among many that this is the first door that should be knocked on whenever a child with problems in these areas is presented to a health professional. This means that diagnosis is often done with improper haste and without the careful weighing of all factors. Hot on the heels of this diagnosis will be the ‘cure’, presented as a panacea that will ‘solve everything’: Heavy doses of psycho-stimulant medication. I shudder to think how many children have been condemned to years of unnecessary ‘treatment’ at the hands of medical professionals and drug companies who, in an ideal world, are supposed to have their best interests at heart. This is a scenario that could easily have been avoided if more care was taken during the initial diagnosis.