Emotional & Physically Exhausted - ADHD

Well, here goes another "video" message. I am really enjoying this new technology and being able to connect with you via different mediums.

Anyway - Today I wanted to talk to you just very briefly about emotional and physical exhaustion.

After focusing my energy and resources on the "big game," I crashed this morning and did not have enough energy to focus on what I needed to do at home and at work. I was too "burnt out" from exerting and spending too much energy focused on the big game.

Check out the video message - I think the message speaks for itself.





As always, you are encouraged to post comments and questions below. You are also more than welcome to contact me directly.

See you soon!


Rory F. Stern, PsyD

Testing Out Video On Blog

I am finally trying video out today!

I have been thinking about trying "video" out for so long, and somehow I have always managed to stay clear of it. Well not today! While out on a walk with my wife today, I decided that today was the day.

Today I was going to take the plunge and get a video up on the Internet... no matter what it took.

And you know what? I had a blast doing this!

Please take a minute to listen to this message, and let me know what you think.





I really would love to hear your thoughts on next week's "Newsletter" topic, as well as your thoughts about what I have to say about "The Perfect Season!"

Rory

Super Bowl, Superstars, & ADHD

It's no surprise that most of the modern world (global community) will be tuned into the same one television program tonight.

Heck, you might even be one of the millions (if not billions) of people watching tomorrow night's NFL Super Bowl extravaganza.

I know I will be glued to my television set tomorrow afternoon and evening. Living outside of Boston, I have a very strong interest in watching history as my local team strives for a "perfect record" (not perfection, but a perfect record).

On top of that, I absolutely have to watch the commercials. I live for Super Bowl commercials. It's the one time of year advertisers compete like crazy to get your attention.

Reasons to watch the Super Bowl:

Football

Half-Time

Commercials

Watch History

Family Time

You see - while millions and millions will be glued to their televisions tomorrow night, many of us will be doing it for different reasons.

And the same is real for people struggling with ADHD:

Inattention

Hyperactivity

Impulsive

Bored

Unorganized

All Over The Place

Strength

Natural Cures

The above list takes the very same idea of who watches the Super Bowl, and why, with the hope to show you that ADHD means different things to many people.

While we might all agree that ADHD affects the brain and how people are able to function, individuals with ADHD all experience their symptoms differently and might even go about managing them differently.

But the real lesson here is that you might see your ADHD differently than the next person.

And that's ok!

PS - I mentioned something about a perfect record:

Oh yea - and let's not forget that in tomorrow's Super Bowl - the New England Patriots are pursuing a "perfect season." Notice, they are not a perfect team - just good enough to be going for a perfect record.

The difference:

The perfect record is a result of fighting, working hard, determination, and persistence. They never gave up. But they did make mistakes!

Oops - I Skipped Over Chapter 2

I don't know how I did it - but it looks like I skipped right over reviewing Chapter 2 for you all. Oops!

I am so glad I caught this, because Chapter 2 has some great content.

Chapter 2:

"Parenting Doesn't Cause ADHD - Genes Do."

Dr. Monastra reviews and dispels some of the major myths around parenting as a cause of ADHD. Well, as you might be wondering - parenting or parenting style does NOT cause ADHD.
Instead, it is our genetics that we pass down which is said to be responsible for ADHD.

Much of the remainder of Chapter 2 is spent talking about the very scientific, technical aspects of what is believed to cause ADHD. There are some interesting points in there - but when you are looking to help your child, this is NOT the part of the chapter that does it. However, I cannot stress enough the importance of digesting this information so you can understand what we believe causes ADHD.

Perhaps the most useful part of Chapter is towards the end, where Dr. Monastra discusses effective treatment. In his opinion (and I agree), effective treatment includes a combination of techniques.

This can include medication (but NOT always), along with therapy, education, social skills classes, parenting classes (to learn strategies to help your child), and the development of a communication channel with school professionals to better assist your child with his or her learning habits or struggles.

Well - that's it. I must say there were some really GREAT strategies mixed with some very powerful content. Just watch out for the technical part, and focus on getting a general idea of how our bodies work and this relationship with ADHD.

In closing, I want to add that this content is reviewed from Dr. Monastra's book, "Parenting Children With ADHD." Like in previous posts, I have pulled out what I have found to be useful and important. However, there could be incredible information that I overlooked which might pertain to your individual situation.

Disclaimer:

That said, I always want to share that I added the part about medication not always being necessary. Remember folks, medication can and does make a difference with many children struggling with ADHD. And - as always, please do not make any changes without first speaking with your treating physician, psychiatrist, therapist, or other direct care professional.

Book Review - Parenting Children With ADHD

New Feature:

One of my goals this year is to learn even more about ADHD - and to do so means that I need to read what other people are writing about. I need to know what other information you are hearing from different sources, beyond that of what I think.

So, that said, I am going to read up on any book that I think might be relevant to ADHD and children. No topic is off limits. Given the controversial and varying perspectives on ADHD, I am NOT going to limit myself to just medical themed books on ADHD. I am going to try and cover the whole range.

Book #1

Parenting Children With ADHD:
10 Lessons That Medicine Cannot Teach

By, Vincent J. Monastra, PhD

This is a fairly recent publication from the American Psychological Association. It's a fairly compact softcover book that looks to be an easy read.

It has excellent reviews both online and of course on the cover.

Review So Far...

This format might change as I go on, but for the time being, I will review the book as I read it and update once a week. I will then close out the review with a overall reflection on the book, the material, and it's relevance.

As of this morning, I have read the 'Introduction' and 'Chapter 1.' Without getting into too much detail, I like the tone that is set from the very beginning. The author / psychologist sets the stage for his expertise and why you should listen to him. What I really like the most, so far, is that author acknowledges the multitude of theories and messages that parents are bombarded with everyday.

I also like the fact that Dr. Monastra talks about the importance of a comprehensive medical exam and diagnostic evaluation. Because the symptoms of ADHD are not unique to this disorder alone, a thorough medical exam can reveal or rule out any additional medical causes contributing to your child's behavior.