Healing ADD Starter Report

For Those Who Don’t Read Directions

If you have attention deficit disorder (ADD), also known as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), I know you are not likely to read this entire book. I have been working with people who have ADD for over thirty years. You have many strengths, but a long attention span is usually not one of them. So, to honor the fact that many people with ADD have a short attention span, get distracted easily, and have poor follow-through, I developed a starter report to help you quickly get on your way to Healing ADD. In the rest of the book you will find the logic and research behind these strategies, along with many other life-enhancing strategies and stories.

STEP ONE: DO YOU OR A LOVED ONE REALLY HAVE ADD?

The first step is to discover if you or a loved one really has it. ADD is called a developmental disorder, because people have it early in life. It is not something that shows up in middle age. If you have ADD symptoms, but never had them as a child, it is likely due to something else, such as depression, chronic stress, hormonal changes, a head injury, or some form of toxic exposure.

There Are Five Hallmark Symptoms of ADD

  1. Short attention span, for regular, routine, everyday tasks. People with ADD have a difficult time with boring tasks and need stimulation or excitement in order to stay engaged. Many people with ADD can pay attention just fine for things that are new, novel, interesting, highly stimulating, or frightening.
  2. Distractibility. People with ADD tend to notice more in their environment than others, which makes them easily distracted by outside stimuli, such as light, sounds, smells, certain tastes, or even the clothes they wear. Their keen sensitivity causes them to get easily off task.
  3. Disorganization. Most people with ADD tend to struggle with organization of time and space. They tend to be late and have trouble completing tasks on time. Many things get done at the last moment or even later. They also tend to struggle keeping their spaces tidy, especially their rooms, book bags, filing cabinets, drawers, closets, and paperwork.
  4. Procrastination. Tasks and duties get put off until the last moment. Things tend not to get done until there are deadlines or someone else is mad at them for not doing it.
  5. Poor internal supervision. Many people with ADD have issues with judgment and impulse control, and struggle not to say or do things without fully thinking them through. They also have a harder time learning from their mistakes.

STEP TWO: KNOW YOUR TYPE OF ADD

Once you know if you or a loved one has ADD, it is critical to know which type you have. ADD is not one thing. In this book I present seven distinct types of ADD. One treatment does not fit everyone. It is also possible to have more than one type. You can take the Amen Clinics ADD Type Test online at amenclinics.com/HealingADDtypetest.com to find out which type or types you or a loved one may have.

Summary of the Seven Types of ADD

Type 1. Classic ADD (ADHD)—inattentive, distractible, disorganized, hyperactive, restless, and impulsive.

Type 2. Inattentive ADD—inattentive, easily distracted, disorganized, and often described as space cadets, daydreamers, and couch potatoes. Not hyperactive!

Type 3. Overfocused ADD—inattentive, trouble shifting attention, frequently get stuck in loops of negative thoughts or behaviors, obsessive, excessive worrying, inflexible, frequent oppositional and argumentative behavior. May or may not be hyperactive.

Type 4. Temporal Lobe ADD—inattentive, easily distracted, disorganized, irritable, short fuse, dark thoughts, mood instability, and may struggle with learning disabilities. May or may not be hyperactive.

Type 5. Limbic ADD—inattentive, easily distracted, disorganized, chronic low-grade sadness or negativity, “glass half empty syndrome,” low energy, tends to be more isolated socially, and frequent feelings of hopelessness and worthlessness. May or may not be hyperactive.

Type 6. Ring of Fire ADD—inattentive, easily distracted, irritable, overly sensitive, cyclic moodiness, and oppositional. May or may not be hyperactive.

Type 7. Anxious ADD—inattentive, easily distracted, disorganized, anxious, tense, nervous, predicts the worst, gets anxious with timed tests, social anxiety, and often has physical stress symptoms, such as headaches and gastrointestinal symptoms. May or may not be hyperactive.

Knowing your type is essential to getting the right help for yourself.

STEP THREE: USE THE AMEN CLINICS METHOD FOR EVALUATING ADD NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE

At the Amen Clinics we have a very specific method for evaluating and treating our patients that has yielded very successful outcomes. You can use it no matter where you are. It involves four processes:

1. Four Circle Assessments: Know your biology (the physical process that makes you who you are—genetic or family history, nutritional status, exercise, health, sleep), know your psychology (your developmental history and the quality of your thoughts), know your social circle (your current stresses in life and the health of those with whom you spend the most time), and know your spiritual circle (why you care about life, what is your sense of meaning and purpose).

2. Evaluate the physical functioning of your brain. At the Amen Clinics we use brain SPECT imaging, a sophisticated brain imaging tool, and quantitative EEG, that help us understand the underlying biology of individual patients. For those who cannot get their brain function evaluated directly, we have developed online questionnaires to help predict what we might learn from a scan. In addition, we test brain function through computerized neuropsychological tests that measure: mood, anxiety, stress, social skills, attention, memory, executive function, information processing efficiency, response speed, impulsivity, and negativity bias. These are also available online.

3. Know your important numbers. It is also critical to know some important numbers, such as your height, weight, waist size, blood pressure, and specific lab tests, such as your CBC, blood sugar, thyroid levels, etc. If your thyroid or other lab values are off you will never be your best. A detailed list of these numbers can be found in Chapter 3.

Understanding these first three processes leads us to a targeted plan to optimize your specific brain and situation, rather than treating a general diagnostic category like ADD, anxiety, or depression. The best treatments use a combination of all four circles: biological (diet, exercise, supplements, meds, and neurofeedback), psychological (learning how to heal past hurts and thinking honestly and clearly), social (managing stress and improving your relationships), and spiritual (getting in touch with a deep sense of meaning and purpose).

4. Boost your brain’s reserve. The last part of our method is to help boost the brain’s reserve, or the extra brain function you have to deal with whatever stresses come your way in the future, such as losses, hormonal swings, and aging. Boost your brain’s reserve with three strategies:

  1. Brain envy—you have to care about the health of your brain.
  2. Avoid bad—avoid anything that hurts it, such as drugs, alcohol, brain injuries, environmental toxins, poor nutrition, etc.
  3. Do good—engage in regular brain-healthy habits, such as exercise, a great diet, targeted supplements, new learning, and stress management techniques.

STEP FOUR: COMMON TREATMENTS FOR ALL TYPES

Things to do today! There are many treatments common to all people with ADD. Here are the most important ones to start with today.

  1. Take a 100-percent multivitamin and mineral supplement every day. Studies have reported that they help people with learning and help prevent chronic illness.
  2. Adults, take about 2,000 to 6,000 mg of high-quality fish oil a day (1,000 to 2,000 mg for children). Research suggests that fish oil higher in the EPA form of omega-3s may be the most helpful, but it depends on your type (see Chapter 20).
  3. Eliminate caffeine and nicotine. Both interfere with sleep and several of the treatment recommendations in the program.
  4. Exercise daily for 30 to 45 minutes. For kids, if you cannot find a safe exercise (no brain injuries please from football, hockey, or soccer headers), take them on long, fast walks. Table tennis is my favorite brain game.
  5. Limit television, video games, and device time to no more than 30 minutes a day. This may be hard for kids and teens, but it can make a huge difference.
  6. Food is a drug. Most people with ADD do best with a higher protein, lower simple carbohydrate diet, but this isn’t true for all types of ADD. See Chapter 19 for more information on diet.
  7. In dealing with kids, employees, and spouses with ADD—NO YELLING! Many people with ADD have low activity in the front part of their brains, due to lower levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine. As a way to feel more alert they often find themselves seeking conflict or excitement. They can be masterful at making other people mad or angry at them. Do not lose your temper with them, because it often makes things worse. If they get you to explode, their unconscious, low- energy frontal cortex turns on and unconsciously they come to crave it. Never let your anger be their medication. They can get addicted to it.
  8. Test ADD kids and adults for learning disabilities. They occur in up to 60 percent of people with ADD. These are more common in Type 4: Temporal Lobe ADD. The local schools are often set up to do this testing for school-age children. See the Amen Clinics Learning Disability Screening Questionnaire online at amenclinics.com/learningquestionnaire.com.
  9. Never give up seeking help.

STEP FIVE: NATURAL TREATMENTS FOR EACH TYPE

Just because you or a loved one has ADD does not mean that medication is the first intervention to try. Many people, in my experience, respond to natural treatments and they are at least something to seriously consider before medication. See below for a summary of the supplements for each type of ADD. But, just because something is natural does not mean it is without risk or side effects. See Chapter 19 for more information.

BIOLOGICAL ADD TREATMENT SUMMARY

Here Is a Summary of the Major Treatments for Each Type.

ADD Type

Diet

Natural Supplements

Medications

Type 1.
Classic ADD

higher protein, lower carb

Rhodiola, green tea, ginseng, L-tyrosine, zinc, grape seed or pine bark (abbreviated stimulating supplements)

Stimulants such as Adderall, Vyvanse, Ritalin, or Concerta Stimulants or Provigil, Nuvigil

Type 2.
Inattentive ADD

higher protein, lower carb

stimulating supplements

Stimulants or Provigil, Nuvigil

Type 3.
Overfocused ADD

lower protein, higher smart carb

5-HTP PLUS stimulating supplements

Serotonin and norepinephrine enhancing meds such as Effexor or Cymbalata; or a serotonin enhancing med, such as Zoloft, Paxil, Prozac, Celexa, or Lexapro, PLUS a stimulant

Type 4.
Temporal Lobe ADD

higher protein, lower carb, maybe “ketogenic diet”

GABA, gingko, vinpocetine, huperzine A, ALC, PS, NAC, and ALA PLUS stimulating supplements

If mood instability, consider anticonvulsants such as Neurontin, Lamictal, Trileptal or Depakote, PLUS a stimulant

Type 5. Limbic ADD

higher protein, lower carb

SAMe PLUS stimulating supplements

Stimulants such as Adderall, Vyvanse, Ritalin, or Concerta

Type 6.
Ring of Fire ADD

higher protein, lower carb

GABA, 5HTP PLUS stimulating supplements

Anticonvulsants together with a serotonin enhancing med and then if needed a stimulant. Guanfacine or clonidine can also be used.

Type 7.
Anxious ADD

higher protein, lower carb

L-theanine, Relora, Magnesium, Holy Basil, PLUS stimulating supplements

Strattera, desipramine, imipramine

STEP SIX: WHEN YOU MAY NEED MEDICATION

Medication is an important issue to consider. People who have mild to even moderate ADD may be able to treat the disorder through natural means. People with more severe forms of ADD often need medication. It is usually not the first thing to do, but when necessary and if prescribed properly it can make a huge positive difference. See below for a summary of the medications for each type of ADD.

STEP SEVEN: NEVER FORGET THE ADD STRENGTHS

I like to start any lecture about ADD by talking about its many strengths. People with ADD are often highly intelligent, competent, and successful. It is well known that many CEOs have ADD and they tend to thrive when they hire people to keep them on track and organized. People with ADD often make wonderful writers, artists, and salespeople. There is a high incidence of people with ADD among certain professions, such as ER physicians and trauma nurses. They tend to be people who run toward fires, as opposed to people like me who tend to run away from dangerous situations. In wartime, ADD people tend to be our heroes because they are better able to throw caution to the wind, but in peacetime that same trait can get them into trouble. Never let the idea that you have ADD hold you back from reaching for your dreams or be an excuse on why you cannot get there.