Psychology Today

Does the recent Yale study suggest that energy drinks cause ADHD? Not at all. Are sugary drinks with lots of caffeine a wise choice for students (with or without ADHD)? No way.

What I offer in this post are some tips for that non-ADD partner. Some interventions which might take a bit of the burden off your shoulders, allowing you to step back and breathe and notice what you really like about your partner with ADD/ADHD.

If I were playing you in a movie, could you give me enough specific behavioral information so that I could convincingly re-create your whole process?

As outrageous as it is to consider "treating" ADHD in toddlers, it's equally galling to consider what this implies about our evaluation process.

How might brainwave scans or other purported diagnostic tools improve upon the interview and clinical history for determining the presence and functional impact of ADHD?

French kids, as well as children and adults from other nations, do in fact experience the functional (school, social, work, time-management) challenges of ADHD.

What are you expecting your child or student with ADHD to do, right now, that’s harder than a “three out of ten?” And what strategies can you generate, right now, to make it less difficult for him or her, to increase the likelihood that he or she will demonstrate mastery?

If we do the painful work of saying no to an opportunity or relationship or commitment right now, it frees us up to say yes to something even better which might be just around the corner!

If you ask your family member with ADHD, in advance, with specific behavioral criteria, does it guarantee that you will get what you want? Nope. But it increases the likelihood, and it gives your partner a chance, a fighting chance, to “just barely meet threshold.”

There are lots of great time-management strategies out there and finding the ones that work best for you is a fun and lifelong quest. I'll give you my Top 3!

Our brains are wired for goal-visualization and sequencing and “stick-to-it-iveness.” But it’s not easy, and we’re surrounded by seductive distractions. So if you really want to support a student or family member with goal-managment challenges, do this.

How one family uses an old shoe box to support positive behaviors at home.

I read an article about ADHD and seem to have many of those symptoms. Does that mean that I have the disorder?

The logic in explanations I'm reading about dopamine and the human brain seem circular. Can you help?