July 2009

An ADHD Roller Coaster salute goes to The New York Times Silicon Valley-based reporter Matt Richtel (photo, right) for his ongoing coverage of the risks associated with driving while using cell phones and texting (see selected headlines and links below).

As you read these important stories, please keep in mind: These risks ratchet up even higher when untreated ADHD takes the wheel. That’s why I devote a chapter to this topic in Is It You, Me, or Adult A.D.D.? Stopping the Roller Coaster When Someone You Love Has Attention Deficit Disorder. (Read an excerpt of that chapter here and, while you’re at it, catch the video of “Attention Deficit Disorder Man!”)

• “Senators Seek a Ban on Texting and Driving”

excerpt: “Studies show this is far more dangerous than talking on a phone while driving or driving while drunk, which is astounding,” said Senator Charles E. Schumer, Democrat of New York, one of four Democratic senators to introduce the proposal. Read the rest of this entry »

Live a few decades not knowing that you have ADHD, and chances are you’re lugging around not only emotional baggage but also physical baggage — sleep debt, adrenal exhaustion, off-kilter hormones, allergies, and more. Yet, in our specialist-dominated healthcare “system,” finding a physician who can assemble all the puzzle pieces is a challenge.

When’s the last time your personal physician, not to mention ADHD-treating psychiatrist, closely scrutinized lab results for your complete blood panel, adrenal function, or hormones and could properly answer your questions about, say, potential gluten sensitivity? Yet, if you’re suffering from any of these allied health challenges, your brain function could be suffering in ways that will never be sufficiently addressed by psychotropic medications alone.

A few years ago, I scoured the Internet for a “big picture” physician who was sharing information (on a blog or website) not only about ADHD and its commonly co-occurring conditions but also the many other biomarkers that affect brain health. Fortunately, I found CorePsychBlog , written by physician, author, neuroscientist, and psychiatric consultant Dr. Charles Parker (pictured, above right). (Regular readers of this blog have seen Dr. Parker’s comments. For the record, he and I have never met and have no business association.) Pick your media preference: written posts, radio shows, or videos. CorePsychBlog is packed with information. So packed that I’ve picked out a few highlights to get you started (in a follow-up post, I’ll share links to some of Dr. Parker’s highly informative videos): Read the rest of this entry »

Like me, you’ve probably consulted Consumer Reports when it comes to purchasing appliances. But would you trust them for advice on medically treating your ADHD? Given their latest press release, I certainly hope not!

It starts with this (and just gets worse): Read the rest of this entry »