More Attention, Less Deficit: Success Strategies for Adults with ADHD

402 Pages·2009·1.54 MB·English

by  Ari Tuckman

Self-Help/Psychology $24.95 US/$27.95 CAN
“This book should prove enormously instructive for both adults with
ADHD and for clinicians who specialize in its diagnosis and
management.” Russell A. Barkley, PhD Su M
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This is the only book on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) actually s r
written for adults with ADHD. Brief, ADHD-friendly articles can stand alone or be read s e

in order, so you can jump around as much as you want. This authoritative guidebook S
t A
provides rock-solid information that is easily digestible and totally practical. r
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Understanding ADHD in Adults: What ADHD is and isn’t; getting diagnosed; e e
and why your life has been so much harder than it needed to be. g n
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Start with Effective Treatment: Make sense of your treatment options, s i
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including medication, therapy, coaching, and alternative treatments. f
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Build the Necessary Skills: Learn the basic skills and tools necessary to stay A ,

on top of obligations and live a satisfying life, from time management to d L
organization. u e
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Improve Specific Areas of Your Life: Apply those skills to your home life, s s

relationships, and career. w
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Every page is loaded with practical strategies to make your life better, so you will h e
benefit whether you read one page or all of them. A f
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“All adults with ADHD can benefit from this book, as well as all people who care
H i
about them. Superb!” D t
Edward Hallowell, MD
“More Attention, Less Deficit is a great ‘life manual’ on how to live successfully with
any, and all ADHD challenges.”
Nancy A. Ratey, Ed M, MCC, SCAC
“Dr. Tuckman has done a fantastic job at providing a virtual smorgasbord of
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information for adults with ADHD.” r
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Patricia O. Quinn, MD u
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About the Author a
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Ari Tuckman, PsyD, MBA, is the author of Ps
y
Integrative Treatment for Adult ADHD: D
,

A Practical, Easy-to-Use Guide for Clinicians M
B
and Vice President of the Attention Deficit A
ISBN-13: 978-1886941748
Disorder Association. He practices in West
ISBN-10: 1886941742
Chester, PA.
52495
Specialty Press, Inc. Specialty Press, Inc.
300 N.W. 70th Ave., Suite 102
Plantation, Florida 33317
9 781886 941748
[phone] (cid:129) www.addwarehouse.com
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What the experts are saying
about this book!
More Attention, Less Deficitis outstanding. Written in a clear and easy-to-under-
stand style, the book brings together a vast amount of information, ideas,
suggestions, and research. Dr. Tuckman’s energy and empathy sustain the book
throughout. All adults with ADHD can benefit from this book, as well as all people
who care about them. Superb!
Edward Hallowell, MD, author of various books
and founder of The Hallowell Centers in New York and Massachusetts
Dr. Tuckman has provided us with a richly detailed discussion of ADHD in adults
and especially how it should be managed, directly written for the adult with ADHD
in mind. Wonderfully supportive and informative, this book provides countless
recommendations for addressing the myriad symptoms of poor self-control and
time management, inattention and disorganization, and impulsive and careless
behavior that afflicts nearly every major domain of life activities for adults. The
book should prove enormously instructive for both adults with ADHD and for
clinicians who specialize in its diagnosis and management.
Russell A. Barkley, PhD, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry
Medical University of South Carolina (Charleston)
And Research Professor of Psychiatry, SUNY Upstate Medical University (Syracuse)
More Attention, Less Deficit is a great“life manual” on how to live successfully
with any, and all ADHD challenges. It is full of great strategies and helps the reader
to understand the underlying issues so the strategies can truly stick. Dr. Tuckman’s
book is comprehensive, practical and easy to read—just what the adult with ADHD
needs and wants!
Nancy A. Ratey, EdM, MCC, SCAC
Strategic Life Coach, Author, The Disorganized Mind
Dr. Tuckman has done a fantastic job at providing a virtual smorgasbord of
information for adults with ADHD. By using the menu provided at the beginning
of each chapter, the reader can select articles specific to their situation resulting in
greater reader interest and satisfaction. I wholeheartedly recommend this book for
all adults withADHD. It’s like getting an individualized consult with Dr. Tuckman!!
Patricia O. Quinn, MD
Director, The Center for Girls and Women with ADHD, Washington, DC
www.addvance.com
More Attention, Less Deficit is the new “Bible” of ADHD. Dr. Tuckman brilliantly
maps out strategies and tips while peppering it with facts in a way that makes it
interesting and easy for the adult with ADHD to devour in bite-sized pieces. A
must-read for all who are touched by ADHD.
Terry Matlen, ACSW
Author of Survival Tips for Women withADHD, Director, www.addconsults.com
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Dr.Tuckman has given us a thorough compilation of science-based information
on Adult ADHD that is down to earth, easy to understand, practical, and highly
useful. This book provides the essential ingredients of hope, guidance, and
knowledge for anyone who wants to understand and gain better control of this
complex disorder.
Kevin Murphy, Ph.D. President, Adult ADHD Clinic of Central MA
This valuable book will help adults with AD/HD and those who care about them,
have a greater understanding of the disorder—and more importantly—learn what
to do about it. Written in a very user-friendly manner, the book can be read in any
order the reader finds useful. Packed with strategies for successfully manag -
ing symptoms, adults with AD/HD will also find ways to come to terms with all that
the disorder adds and subtracts in their lives. This is no small feat, believe me! An
excellent resource from an author who really “gets” what it is like to have AD/HD.
Marie Paxson, President, CHADD (Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/
Hyperactivity Disorder);
Personal opinion as CHADD does not endorse publications.
This is the first book I have read where a healthcare professional has conveyed an
accurate overview of the coaching process and how it fits into the whole,
comprehensive picture of successful ADHD management. Dr. Tuckman’s book
represents an excellent educational resource, for not only understanding ADHD,
but as a strong starting point to identify potential strategies which can powerfully
enhance the treatment of ADHD.
David Giwerc, MCC, Founder & President, ADD Coach Academy
Former President of the Attention Deficit Disorder Association
As a follow up to his highly respected book for professionals, Integrative
Treatment for Adult ADHD,Dr. Ari Tuckman has done a masterful job culling the
scientific literature to design a user-friendly, comprehensive blueprint for living
well with adult ADHD. More Attention, Less Deficitwill be an invaluable resource
for adults living with ADHD, their loved ones seeking to understand the disorder,
and clinicians looking for tried and true coping strategies that will help their
patients.
J. Russell Ramsay, Ph.D., Co-Director, Adult ADHD Treatment & Research Program,
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
Author of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Adult ADHD:
An Integrative Psychosocial and Medical Approach
AriTuckman offers an insightful, practical and most important user friendly guide
for adults with ADHD. This book is chock full of great ideas and exceptional
strategies. Most importantly, Tuckman provides a reasoned and reasonable
appreciation of ADHD, an essential foundation to help those with the condition
find the strength and motivation to take charge of their condition.
Sam Goldstein, Ph.D., Co-Author Clinician's Guide to Adult ADHD
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More Attention,
Less Deficit
Success Strategies
for Adults with
ADHD
Ari Tuckman, PsyD, MBA
Specialty Press, Inc.
300 N.W. 70th Ave., Suite 102
Plantation, Florida 33317
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Copyright © 2009 Ari Tuckman, Psy.D., MBA
All rights reserved.
No part of this book, except those portions specifically noted, may be reproduced
or transmitted in any form or by any means now known or to be invented,
electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any
information storage or retrieval system, without written permission from the
publisher, except for brief quotations. Requests for permission or further
information should be addressed to the publisher.
Cover Design: Michael Wall, Kall Graphics
Layout: Babs Kall, Kall Graphics
Specialty Press, Inc.
300 Northwest 70th Avenue, Suite 102
Plantation, Florida 33317
[phone] (cid:129) [phone]
Printed in the United States of America
ISBN-13: 978-1-886941-74-8
ISBN-10: 1-886941-74-2
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Tuckman, Ari.
More attention, less deficit : success strategies for adults with ADHD / Ari
Tuckman.
p. cm.
ISBN 978-1-886941-74-8 (alk. paper)
1. Attention-deficit-disorder in adults. 2. Attention-deficit disorder in adults–
Treatment. I. Title.
RC394.A85T834 2009
616.85'89--dc22
2009005972
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Dedication
F
or Bailey, my little love.
Somehow I managed to write this book
despite the sleep deprivation.
Hopefully we’ll sell enough copies
to pay for all the coffee.
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iii
Table of Contents
How to Read This Book xiii
What Makes This Book Different? xiv
Introduction: A Million Things to Make Your Life Better xv
Section I: UNDERSTANDING ADHD IN ADULTS 1
Chapter 1
EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONS: IT ALL FLOWS FROM HERE 5
Executive Functioning:
Who’s Calling the Shots Around Here, Anyway? 7
Response Inhibition: It Starts with Stopping 8
Working Memory: The Brain’s RAM 9
Sense of Time: It Can’t Be 5:00 Already! 11
Remembering to Remember: It’s All About Timing 12
Emotional Self-Control: Having Feelings Without Acting on Them 13
Self-Activation: Getting That Heavy Ball Rolling 14
Persistence of Effort: The Little Engine That Sometimes Could 16
Hindsight and Forethought:
Using the Past and Future to Guide the Present 17
Chapter 2
DIAGNOSING ADHD:
ACCURATE DIAGNOSIS GUIDES EFFECTIVE TREATMENT 21
ADHD Is Real 24
Effective Treatment Starts with Accurate Diagnosis 24
A Century of ADHD: We’re Finally Getting It Right 25
Say Good-bye to ADD (and Hello to ADHD) 27
What’s in a Name: Attention-Deficit or Deficit in Attention Regulation? 28
Official Diagnostic Criteria: You Should Recognize These 29
Unofficial but Common Symptoms: You’ll Probably Recognize These 30
How Distracted Is Distracted Enough? 32
New Diagnostic Criteria Are Coming (Finally) 33
Including Other Sources of Information 34
Assessment Instruments: Not Necessarily the Best Tool for This Job 37
Brain Scans: Not Enough Science, Too Much Fiction 40
Getting Diagnosed: How Do You Know It’s ADHD? 41
Comorbid Conditions:
Other Conditions Often Come Along for the Ride 43
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iv
Missed Diagnoses:
Why Did ItTake Me So Long to Be Correctly Diagnosed? 48
The Good News and Bad News of Greater Public Awareness 52
ADHD Changes with Age: Less Hyper, More Distracted 55
Is ADHD the Same in Men and Women? (Short Answer: Yes) 56
The Relief of Being Diagnosed: Wow, That Explains a Lot! 57
Chapter 3
THE ADHD BRAIN: WIRED A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY 58
The Many Facets of Attention 60
What Causes ADHD? More Nature Than Nurture 60
ThingsThat Don’t Cause ADHD
(But Some People StillThinkThey Do) 61
Neurology of ADHD 63
Promoting Brain Health 64
Chapter 4
ADHD AFFECTS EVERYTHING: NO WONDER MY LIFE WAS SO HARD! 65
Risk Factors, Protective Factors 68
Consistently Inconsistent: I Can Do Anything Once! 69
Knowing Is Easy; Doing Is Hard 70
ADHD and the Evolving Personality 71
Living Without a Diagnosis: Living the Hard Way 73
ADHD at School: Sometimes Intelligence Isn’t Enough 74
ADHD at Work: More Options Than in School 77
Daily Life Functioning: Doing Everyday Stuff Every Day 79
Money Management: Where Does All My Money Go? 81
Social Skills and Friendships 83
Romantic Relationships: Where’s Cupid Now? 85
Parenting: Hard Enough Under the Best of Circumstances 87
Self-Image and Sense of Effectiveness: A Little Bit Dented 90
Unhelpful Coping Strategies:
Common Habits and Defense Mechanisms 91
Substance Use and Addiction: When the Solution Becomes a Problem101
Driving: No Big Deal, Until It Is 102
Crime and Punishment: ADHD and the Legal System 103
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v
Section II: START WITH EFFECTIVE TREATMENT 105
Chapter 5
MEDICATION: IMPROVE YOUR BATTING AVERAGE 109
Make an Informed Choice:
The Facts Behind the Medication Controversy 112
The Most Popular Stimulant (Coffee, Anyone?) 113
To Take Medication or Not toTake Medication: It Depends 113
Is Taking Medication Like Wimping Out? The Diabetes Analogy 116
Potential Medication Benefits: What Does It Do? 117
Realistic Expectations for Medication:
Somewhere Between Placebo and Miracle 119
Stimulants and Nonstimulants: You Have Two Options 120
Stimulant Medications: Some of the Basics 120
Commonly Used Stimulants 121
How Stimulants Work: Mostly Dopamine, A Little Norepinephrine 124
How Much Should I Take? Finding the Right Dose 124
Some PeopleTake More Medication in the Afternoon 126
Some People Shouldn’tTake a Stimulant 127
Intentional Abuse of Stimulants: An Unfortunate Reality 129
Medicating Substance Abusers: Balancing the Risks 130
Managing Stimulant Side Effects: General Principles 131
Managing Stimulant Side Effects: Specific Side Effects 132
Nonstimulant Medications: Sometimes a Good Choice 136
Black-Box Warnings: Scary but Rare 138
Using MoreThan One Medication Simultaneously 138
Strategies for Remembering to Take Your Medication 139
Can My Family Doctor Write My Prescriptions? 139
Medication Monitoring Form 141
Chapter 6
NONMEDICAL TREATMENT PROVIDERS: PILLS DON’T TEACH SKILLS 143
You Need an Expert: A Little Knowledge Isn’t Enough 145
Talk It Out: Therapy Can Offer Clarity and Peace 146
Why Was Past Therapy Not Helpful Enough?
(And WhyYou Can Expect BetterThisTime) 148
Get the Most Out of Therapy 150
Goal Setting in Therapy 154
ADHD Coaching: MoreThan Obvious Advice 155