ADHD Center for Success

Science Daily (Apr. 1, 2010) — Mount Sinai researchers have learned that meta-cognitive therapy (MCT), a method of skills teaching by use of cognitive-behavioral principles, yielded significantly greater improvements in symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adults than those that participate in supportive therapy.

The study is now published in the American Journal of Psychiatry.

Mary Solanto, Ph.D., Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Director of the Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Center at The Mount Sinai Medical Center examined the effectiveness of a 12-week meta-cognitive therapy group. The intervention was intended to enhance time management, organizational, and planning skills/abilities in adults with ADHD.

We observed adults with ADHD who were assigned randomly to receive either meta-cognitive therapy or a support group,” said Dr. Solanto. “This is the first time we have demonstrated efficacy of a non-medication treatment for adult ADHD in a study that compared the active treatment against a control group that was equivalent in therapist time, attention, and support.”

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The Asheville Area Adult ADHD Meetup

Monday, August 16, at 7pm

This is a free group for adults with ADHD.

http://www.meetup.com/Asheville-Adult-ADHD-Meetup-Group/

The Adult ADHD Meetup is an opportunity

to meet other local adults dealing with ADD or ADHD.

A safe place to share your experiences and learn from other adults with ADHD.

~CoachRudy, Asheville, NC

The following article was published in the NY Times on July 19, 2010 and forwarded to me by one of my ADHD Success readers. The toll of ADHD on marriage and relationships can be overwhelming. Does this sound familiar? ~CoachRudy

Attention Disorders Can Take a Toll on Marriage

by Tara Parker-Pope

Does your husband or wife constantly forget chores and lose track of the calendar? Do you sometimes feel that instead of living with a spouse, you’re raising another child?

Your marriage may be suffering from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

An A.D.H.D. marriage? It may sound like a punch line, but the idea that attention problems can take a toll on adult relationships is getting more attention from mental health experts. In a marriage, the common symptoms of the disorder — distraction, disorganization, forgetfulness — can easily be misinterpreted as laziness, selfishness, and a lack of love and concern.

Experts suggest that at least 4 percent of adults have the disorder, that as many as half of all children with A.D.H.D. do not fully outgrow it and continue to struggle with symptoms as adults, and that many adults with the disorder never received the diagnosis as children.

Adults with attention disorders often learn coping skills to help them stay organized and focused at work, but experts say many of them struggle at home, where their tendency to become distracted is a constant source of conflict. Some research suggests that these adults are twice as likely to be divorced; another study found high levels of distress in 60 percent of marriages where one spouse had the disorder.

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Let’s hear your comments on this article and this subject.

~CoachRudy

The Asheville Area Adult ADHD Meetup

Monday, July 19 at 7pm

This is a free group for adults with ADHD.

http://www.meetup.com/Asheville-Adult-ADHD-Meetup-Group/

The Adult ADHD Meetup is an opportunity

to meet other local adults dealing with ADD or ADHD.

A safe place to share your experiences and learn from other adults with ADHD.

~CoachRudy, Asheville, NC

While coaching an adolescent client, he informed me that, “I don’t really have problems with organization. I have trouble with memory, remembering to do things”.

Memory problems for the ADHD individual may be linked to deficiencies in our brain. It may also be attributed to simple boredom, lack of interest and/or distractions that prevent us from being fully ‘present’ to events in the moment. We really can’t expect to remember much if our mind is somewhere else.

I’ve listed a few simple suggestions to enhance your memory.
1.    Diet, healthy foods
2.    Supplements: Ginko Biloba, Omega 3
3.    Exercise – cardio: WII-2, running, swimming, aerobics, fast
walking, see Dr. John Ratey’s book: Spark.
4.    Routines/recipes for success, linking behaviors
5.    Mindfulness – being engaged and present, mindfulness bells
6.    Memory jogger – written notes, audio recorder

Our brain (memory) is like a muscle. You have to use it, exercise it and feed it for best results.

Please feel free to comment, share your thoughts and experiences.

~CoachRudy, Asheville, NC

By ANITA BRUZZESE

Gannett

Updated Jun 28, 2010 03:42PM

Daryl Wizelman was diagnosed at age 6 with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, also known as ADHD, when he couldn’t concentrate in class and teachers considered him hyperactive.

His pediatrician put him on medication, which he said was a “real life-changer.”

Fast forward a couple of decades. Wizelman starts his own company, but employees say he doesn’t seem to listen to them, rushing through meetings and showing little interest in their ideas. Again, his ADHD has come into play, and he struggles to find ways to take a childhood disorder and make it fit into a working world that expects top performers to be focused and organized.

More years pass. Wizelman now says he has learned to be more aware of the appropriate way to behave and even sees the positive aspects of his disorder.

“It gives me a lot of empathy toward other people with whatever struggles they may be facing. It teaches you to treat others how you want to be treated,” said Wizelman, a speaker and author from Calabasas, Calif.

Mental-health professionals estimate that 9 million adults in the United States have ADHD. Symptoms of ADHD and attention deficit disorder, also known as inattentive ADHD, include difficulty paying attention, easy distraction, trouble finishing paperwork, fidgeting, talking too much and procrastination.

All these issues can cause workers with the disorder a lot of problems at work, and possibly even get them fired.

To read more…  Manage ADHD Symptoms on the job

Many of you have heard me rave about the ADHD based documentary – “ADHD & Loving It”. Tonight I received an email that the documentary may have been removed.

The good news is that “ADHD & Loving It” was SO popularly successful that the creators have built a NEW interactive website based on the video documentary. The new site contains more extensive information and new video content.

It may be helpful to read this before jumping onto the site. Upon arriving at the site you will be greeted by a video introduction by  comedian and actor Patrick McKenna.

Following the introduction you can CLICK on the next tab – “What is ADD”. Here’s you’ll be greeted by another brief video introduction. BEFORE moving to the next tab – be sure to click on the various options below the tab – i.e. “The History of ADD”.

OR…  you can proceed to the next tab = “Diagnosis” and so on…

The new site is: TotallyADD.com

I think you’ll enjoy the new site once you become comfortable with it. The content is very good and fresh.

Enjoy…

~CoachRudy – Asheville, NC

article by Eileen Bailey

What would you say if there was one thing you could do that would help to improve symptoms of ADHD: decrease impulsivity, increase attention, help you focus better, improve your mood, make you healthier overall and this thing didn’t cost any money and didn’t have any side effects? Most people would eagerly say “sign me up!”

Well, this is exactly what exercise can do for you. Terry Matlen previously wrote about Dr. John Ratey’s book, Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain and his research into the subject of ADHD and exercise. According to Dr. Ratey, “Exercise is the single most popular tool we have to optimize our brain function… exercise not only makes us smarter; it also makes us less stressed, depressed and anxious.”

What Exercise Does for Us

We all know that exercise is important to maintaining a healthy body. It helps to keep our heart and muscles healthy and working properly. It helps us combat physical illnesses such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and improves blood circulation. Exercise has been found to fight diseases such as osteoporosis and diabetes. It helps you to maintain your weight.

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Adult ADHD Seminar in Asheville, NC

“Understanding Adult ADHD”

Thursday, June 3, (7-9pm)

AB Tech / Enka Campus, Haynes Conference Center Room #228

This seminar is FREE and open to the public

[Pre-registration is requested]

*Feel free to invite others to attend who may be interested in Understanding Adult ADHD.

[Pre-registration is requested]

To register send email to: coachrudy@adhdcenterforsuccess.com

CoachRudy Rodriguez, Licensed Psychotherapist, ADD Coach and an ADHD Adult himself, has been working with  ADHD since 1981. He is Founder of the ADHD Center for Success.

Directions:
Enka Campus

1459 Sand Hill Rd.
Candler, NC 28715
828.254.1921

*See Campus Map: http://www.abtech.edu/maps/enka.asp

Driving directions from I-40 west bound or east bound: Take Exit 44. At the traffic light at the end of the exit ramp, turn right (south on 19/23). Go to the fourth traffic light and turn left on Sand Hill Road. Go to the second entrance on the left and turn into the campus. The Haynes Conference Center will be on your right and the Incubator will be on your left. You may park on the left or in the lot straight ahead of you.

Use Instant Boss, an ADHD-friendly download, to help you stay on task and on time at work – without overloading your brain.

ADHD Coach Blog | article posted by Beth Main |

Did you ever notice that sometimes you can get more done with two hours of sustained effort than you can in an entire day? The illusion of having lots of time tends to make us more prone to distractions. “I have all day. I’ll just do this one little thing before I get started…” Next thing you know, the day is almost over and you haven’t done anything you planned.

I’ve found it helpful to designate finite work periods and set goals for what I will accomplish during that time. Having ADHD, I can’t focus on one thing for very long. Sometimes I can go an hour, sometimes I can only focus for five minutes. What I do is set an ADD-friendly timer for the amount of time I think I can be successful, and then take a short break. I repeat the cycle for the duration of my work period.

There’s a great little free computer application called Instant Boss that helps with this. Like a real boss, it tells you when to work and when to take breaks. Here’s how it works:

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