| Children, teens, and adults can all suffer from | | | | depressed thinking about how hard it is to be an |
| Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. ADHD | | | | adult with ADHD. |
| impacts about 5% of the children and teenagers, | | | | The study was headed up by two big names in |
| and about 3% of all adults. Less than half of | | | | the ADHD community: Ed (Ned) Hallowell, M.D., |
| children with ADHD ever out-grow it in | | | | who has written important books such as "Driven |
| adolescence or adulthood. If untreated, the | | | | to Distraction," and Natalie Knochenhauer, who as |
| disorder can have long-term adverse effects into | | | | a mother of ADHD children has become an |
| adolescence and adulthood. | | | | important advocate in the Philadelphia area. |
| It is important to remember that many, or most, | | | | The study was funded by McNeill Pediatrics, which, |
| children with ADHD will never really out-grow the | | | | by the way, markets CONCERTA |
| problems that ADHD brings. This has been well | | | | (methylphenidate HCI) for the treatment of |
| documented, and has been further discussed in | | | | ADHD in adults, as well as in children. Hallowell and |
| detail through recent studies on ADHD and | | | | Knochenhauer are both paid consultants for McNeill |
| Depression in females. | | | | Pediatrics. So there is an element of this study |
| Recently another reminder of this was published in | | | | that is designed to market CONCERTA to those |
| a national survey of 1,007 adults with ADHD. The | | | | adults who are not receiving any treatment, feel |
| survey looked at how adults with ADHD cope at | | | | that their ADHD is not under control, and etc. |
| home, at work, and in relationships with others. | | | | But this study should be more than that. |
| The survey was published just in time for the | | | | - IF conservatively 5% of the children in the USA |
| 2008 ChADD Conference, and the 2008 ADHD | | | | have ADHD, and |
| National Awareness Day. | | | | - IF conservatively 50% of the children in the |
| What the survey found was that, of those adults | | | | USA will "out-grow" their ADHD symptoms by the |
| with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: | | | | age of 20 or so, and |
| - 75% reported that ADHD strongly impacted | | | | - IF there are approximately 300 million people in |
| their ability to stay focused to a task long enough | | | | the USA, |
| to complete it; | | | | - THEN there are conservatively 7,500,000 adults |
| - 70% reported that ADHD strongly impacted | | | | in the USA alone dealing with "adult ADHD." And if |
| their ability to focus on what others were saying; | | | | 38% of them feel that their ADHD is not under |
| - 65% reported that ADHD strongly impacted | | | | control, or are depressed by their ADHD, and so |
| their responsibilities at home; | | | | on, well that's a lot of people suffering from |
| - 60% reported that ADHD strongly impacted | | | | ADHD even into adulthood (38% of 7.5 million |
| their ability to stay seated through a business | | | | adults with ADHD is 2,850,000 adults who feel it is |
| meeting, or to organized projects, or follow | | | | out of control or feel depressed because of their |
| through with projects until they are completed; | | | | ADHD). |
| - 57% reported that ADHD strongly impacted | | | | If you are an adult with ADHD, and you are |
| their relationships with their families and friends; | | | | feeling that you can't get ahead at work because |
| - 56% reported that ADHD strongly impacted | | | | of it, or you can't get organized, or motivated, or |
| their ability to advance in their work place or | | | | get your moods under control, there is help for |
| career; | | | | you. |
| - 47% reported that ADHD caused them to have | | | | Yes, medications like Concerta can help. Stimulant |
| to work harder than others just to accomplish | | | | medications can help to increase time on task, |
| the same amount of work as those without | | | | focus to boring tasks, and so on. Consider |
| ADHD; | | | | medications as a treatment option and talk to |
| The survey group was asked about what they | | | | your doctor about it. |
| would like to accomplish, or treatment goals: | | | | We also like people to try the combination of an |
| - 50% reported that they would like to get their | | | | ADHD diet (including high protein, low |
| house organized, and 28% reported that they | | | | carbohydrate breakfasts and some caffeine), with |
| needed to get their personal finances more | | | | ATTEND, Extress or Deprex (for mood |
| organized; | | | | stabilization) and Memorin for memory |
| - 38% reported that they needed to get their | | | | improvement. |
| moodiness under control, and 26% wanted to | | | | With either of the approaches above, counseling |
| improve their relationships with others; | | | | or coaching for ADHD as well as for skills and |
| - 36% felt that their ADHD symptoms were still | | | | strategies to improve relationships and work |
| not under control, and many report feeling | | | | performance are essential. |