Targeting ADHD

David Pomeroy MD

Family Medicine doc since 1979. All professional life in Pacific NW, wouldn't want to live anywhere else. ADHD doc since 2005, passionate about dispelling myth-information about ADHD which abounds in public media/minds and professional minds as well.

Theresa Lear Levine  EFT

Anxiety, the tightness in your chest, shoulders rising up toward your ears, dry mouth, sweaty palms, heart pounding…sound / feel familiar?  Anxiety goes hand-in-hand with ADHD, the flip into fight/flight/freeze when you feel overwhelmed, when you tell yourself you are not measuring up (again), when you worry you will fail again. Negative self-talk and fear of what will happen triggers cortisol, the stress response hormone which gears your brain up for action. Cortisol  also cuts off the pathways to the think-things-through parts of your brain, the executive function part. Constant stress keeps cortisol levels high, interfering with thought processing, memory, attention and keeping hypervigilance going. That is exhausting !

What if you could drop your anxiety levels in half within 5 minutes? What if you had the tools to do that with you all the time?  Tapping is an Emotional Freedom Technique. EFT changes brain chemistry, changes self-perception, opening up more possibilities than fight/flight/freeze reactions. My guest in this episode is Theresa Lear Levine, a Master EFT Practitioner who has lived the overwhelmed anxious life and transformed that into a lower stress confident approach to life. We discuss how EFT works and how to use it, when to use it, and even demonstrate the process! Theresa has many resources available for us to learn more about EFT, many are free and can get you started. 

  1. My skool community- https://www.skool.com/becoming-more-me-community/about?el=adhdfocus
  2. The Private Sessions EFT resource http://theprivatesessions.com?el=adhdfocus
  3. Start reading my book: BECOMING MORE ME: Tapping into Success– Subconscious Secrets of an ADHD Entrepreneurial Mom: theresalearlevine.org/firstchapter?el=adhdfocus

Join us as we discuss how EFT can reduce your anxiety, the universal sidekick to ADHD of all types. Listen and learn! 

ADHD & Anxiety: How EFT Tapping Can Calm Stress Fast

Theresa Lear Levine  EFT Read More »

ADHD and Moving Abroad – Plan Carefully !

Join my guest Tamarind Murrietta and I as we explore all the details of moving to a new country. Tamarind, who has nearly 20 years of overseas experience and works in the Foreign Service, joins me to discuss the complex layers involved in such transitions, including developing new systems, navigating different cultures, and handling bureaucracy while managing ADHD symptoms. She highlighted the additional challenges faced by neurodivergent individuals when uprooting themselves from familiar environments and establishing new routines in foreign countries.

She can coach you through the process in her business, LiveabroadwithADHD.com (website); also on social media under the same name.  Join us for a fascinating look into what can be a fantastic adventure! Listen and learn! 

ADHD and Moving Abroad – Plan Carefully ! Read More »

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Ari Tuckman Myths and Misinformation about ADHD

Have you ever heard someone say “ADHD isn’t real, those people are just lazy, no willpower.” Ever seen a post or an article which says “ Taking stimulants will cause children to become addicted to them, everyone knows amphetamines are dangerous”.  Guess what? Both of those statements are WRONG. A person who wears glasses can’t take them off and read better by trying harder, just as a person whose brain works differently than most other people can’t succeed by trying harder to make it work the “normal” (most common) way. The child who takes appropriately prescribed medication after a careful evaluation showed they have ADHD is actually LESS likely to develop a substance use disorder in their teens than a child whose ADHD is not treated. 

Join my guest, psychologist Ari Tuckman, and I as we expose those and other myths and misinformation about ADHD.  Ari is a psychologist with a private practice in the Philadelphia area, the author of a number of books about various aspects of ADHD, and a presenter at many conferences on ADHD. His most recent book, The ADHD Productivity Manual, addresses one of the most common challenges faced by persons with ADHD, getting things done.  Listen and learn! 

The post Ari Tuckman Myths and Misinformation about ADHD appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.

Ari Tuckman Myths and Misinformation about ADHD Read More »

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Masking – a survival skill which comes at great cost, with Evan Monez

Do you worry that other people will discover you are not as competent as you appear to be? Are you aware of how much energy it takes for you to appear that way? Do you feel you have to “perform” at work or at social events, then crash when you get home?  Masking is a survival skill, a way of dealing with discomfort and shame. It costs persons with ADHD or ASD a huge amount of cognitive and emotional effort, more than it does neurotypical folks, and it can have serious consequences. Join my guest Evan Monez (MonezADHDcoaching.com) and I as we discuss how it happens, what it costs, and how to start dealing with masking itself, to reduce its impact on your life. Listen and learn! 

Evan Monez is an ADHD coach dedicated to helping adults with ADHD find more balance and ease in work and life through tailored support and strategies. Evan is a “recovering” attorney, and was not diagnosed with ADHD until she was a practicing lawyer. She is particularly passionate about working with late-diagnosed adults in demanding careers, many of whom may appear to be doing well on the outside but are privately struggling.

Masking – a survival skill which comes at great cost, with Evan Monez Read More »

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What is a change you want to make, an action plan with Elaine Taylor-Klaus to take?

What is a change you want to make, an action plan with Elaine Taylor-Klausto take? You probably can think of a bunch. How do you move to the point of actually doing it? Aye, there’s the rub. Listen to me and my guest Elaine Taylor-Klaus of IMPACTparents walk me/us through her Action Plan concept for moving from “need to/should/have to do ABC”  to “yes, I will do ABC”.  You get to hear how I came around to actually wanting to start doing my taxes! Yes, really! (well, ok, the first steps. Hey, that counts!)Elaine Taylor-Klaus founded IMPACTparents in 2010, “to provide training, coaching, and support for parents of complex kids, including those with ADHD, autism, and other neurodiversities”. Coaching is virtual or in-person, group or individual. Her book The Essential Guide to Raising Complex Kids grew out of her experiences in raising her own neurodivergent kids (as a neurodivergent parent) and that of working with many sets of parents over the ensuing ten years.

What is a change you want to make, an action plan with Elaine Taylor-Klaus to take? Read More »

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The ADHD Struggle Is Never Just One Thing with, Tamara Rosier

What is your biggest ADHD challenge? Getting started? Finishing the task? Getting out the door (aka One More Thing)? Not enough motivation? All are variations on the same theme and all are significant challenges, usually more than one each and every day! Join me and my guest Tamara Rosier as we coach you through conquering each of these challenges, and reveal how we cope with them – no secrets, we have ADHD too! 

Tamara Rosie Ph.D. is an ADHD Coach, founder of the ADHD Center of West Michigan, author of Your Brain’s Not Broken and You, Me, and our ADHD Family, and a treasured resource in the world of ADHD. Find her at ADHDCenterofWestMichigan.com , connect with her on LinkedIn at  linkedin.com/in/tamara-rosier-phd and catch her on Instagram @Dr.TamaraRosier. 

Emotions are the keys to unlocking motivation; how do you find the motivation to get started, finish up, get out the door?  First steps? Stop. Take a breath, roll your shoulders back and down away from your ears, take a few deep breaths, and then think it through. Talk through the steps to arrive at solutions to these challenges – persons with ADHD think best when we are “think out loud”.  Talk it through with a friend, a coach, a colleague, with Alexa or Gemini or your favorite Ai, even just out loud with yourself or, as engineers call it, “rubber ducking”, as if one were talking to a rubber duck on your desk. (No, not in the bathtub, your notes will get all wet.) And be kind to yourself along the way, give yourself credit for approaching any one of these bugaboos in a different way. Listen and learn!

Check out our video chat!

The ADHD Struggle Is Never Just One Thing with, Tamara Rosier Read More »

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Finding Motivation, with Jeff Copper, ADHD coach and Chief Engineer of Cognitive Ergonomics

Finding Motivation. The ultimate quest for persons with ADHD. My patients often tell me “I’m not motivated” or “I need more motivation”.  Actually, they have plenty of motivation…to do whatever they are doing, which often is not what they know they need to be doing, and on some level want to finish (or start).  Sound familiar?

My guest today is Jeff Copper, ADHD coach and Chief Engineer of Cognitive Ergonomics, a new paradigm for addressing the primary impairment in ADHD –  Executive Functions which don’t function well.

We have to “solve problems/figure things out” many times each day. Ones like balancing schedules of 3 kids in 3 different schools with getting errands done, and getting home in time to make dinner (or to take it out of the box before it gets cold). Or how to get out the door to not be late to whatever. Or planning for college/finding a job/finding a new job

The key to finding/having motivation is to reduce the effort it takes to problem-solve. And that is the topic of today’s show. See? You’re in the right place!

Join Jeff and I as we dive into the details of finding motivation.  Listen, and learn!

About The Host

ADHD Focus with David Pomeroy, MD

Dr. Pomeroy has practiced Family Medicine in a variety of settings in the Pacific Northwest since completing his Family Practice Residency training program in Seattle in 1979, after having the good sense to move out west from the East Coast where he was raised. He did full-spectrum Family Practice including care of patients in hospital, delivering babies, assisting at surgery, and maintaining a busy office practice while in private practice in Puyallup and Gig Harbor then with large multi-specialty practices in primary care offices in Redmond and Issaquah.

When primary care office practice degenerated into a blur of “see patients every 15 minutes” and “come back if you have a second problem”, he left it behind in 2005 to start his practice specializing in the field of ADHD. Over the past 10 years he has evaluated over 3000 patients of all ages and managed their care for ADHD and a variety of co-occurring disorders.

He is well versed in all aspects of ADHD. He has presented talks to lay and professional groups and participates actively in the nationalADHD community. He continues to add to his working knowledge of ADHD by listening to his patients, attending national meetings of ADHD specialists as well as keeping up to date with research in the field reported in ADHD professional journals.

In his spare time he enjoys long-distance cycling, Lindy Hop swing dancing, listening to music of all genres (not much country…), skiing and being outdoors in the great Pacific Northwest.

Finding Motivation, with Jeff Copper, ADHD coach and Chief Engineer of Cognitive Ergonomics Read More »

The World Federation of ADHD International Consensus Statement

The Statement which follows is a definitive body of work which supports and demonstrates that ADHD is based in differences of brain chemistry and in the processing of signal transmissions in brain connections, that untreated ADHD leads to serious consequences for those with and without ADHD, and that the costs to society associated with untreated ADHD measure in the billions of dollars annually.

The ADHD evidence project, https://adhdevidence.org  provides a well-indexed access to all 208 statements, with studies of high statistical power which support each statement. You can also listen to my podcast interview with Dr Stephen Faraone, the founder of the project, on ADHD Focus, accessible at https://targetingadhd.com and many podcast channels as well as streaming via expertsandauthors.tv  . 

David Pomeroy M.D. – Doc4ADHD

208 Evidence-based conclusions about the disorder

Published in Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, Sept 2021, Issue 128, pages 789-818. doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.01.02

Results

We generated 208 empirically supported statements about ADHD. The status of the included statements as empirically supported is approved by 80 authors from 27 countries and 6 continents. The contents of the manuscript are endorsed by 366 people who have read this document and agree with its contents.

Conclusions

Many findings in ADHD are supported by meta-analysis. These allow for firm statements about the nature, course, outcome causes, and treatments for disorders that are useful for reducing misconceptions and stigma.

People with ADHD are at increased risk for obesity, asthma, allergies, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, sleep problems, psoriasis, epilepsy, sexually transmitted infections, abnormalities of the eye, immune disorders, and metabolic disorders.

78–100

People with ADHD are at increased risk for low quality of life, substance use disorders, accidental injuries, educational underachievement, unemployment, gambling, teenage pregnancy, difficulties socializing, delinquency, suicide, and premature death.

101–136

Studies of economic burden show that ADHD costs society hundreds of billions of dollars each year, worldwide.

137–147

Regulatory agencies around the world have determined that several medications are safe and effective for reducing the symptoms of ADHD as shown by randomized controlled clinical trials.

148–157

Treatment with ADHD medications reduces accidental injuries, traumatic brain injury, substance abuse, cigarette smoking, educational underachievement, bone fractures, sexually transmitted infections, depression, suicide, criminal activity and teenage pregnancy.

158–177

The World Federation of ADHD International Consensus Statement Read More »

From Meds to Mindfulness: What Actually Works for Adult ADHD?

A new large-scale study has shed light on which treatments for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adults are most effective and best tolerated. – David Pomeroy MD

Researchers analyzed 113 randomized controlled trials involving nearly 15,000 adults diagnosed with ADHD. These studies included medications (like stimulants and atomoxetine), psychological therapies (such as cognitive behavioral therapy), and newer approaches like neurostimulation.

The Findings

Stimulant medications (lisdexamfetamine and methylphenidate) as well as selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRI) (atomoxetine) were the only treatments that consistently reduced core ADHD symptoms—both from the perspective of patients and clinicians. It may be worth noting that atomoxetine, while effective, was less well tolerated, with more people dropping out due to side effects.

Psychological therapies such as CBT, mindfulness, and psychoeducation showed some benefits, but mainly according to clinician ratings—not necessarily from the patients themselves. Neurostimulation techniques like transcranial direct current stimulation also showed some improvements, but only in limited contexts and with small sample sizes. Interestingly, none of the treatments—medication or otherwise—made a clear impact on long-term quality of life or emotional regulation. 

Conclusion 

So, what does this mean for people navigating ADHD in adulthood? Stimulant medications remain the most effective treatment for managing ADHD symptoms day-to-day but nonstimulant medication are not far behind, which is good given the problems we’ve had with stimulant shortages. This study also supports structured psychotherapy as a viable treatment option, especially when used in conjunction with medication. 

The study emphasizes the importance of ongoing, long-term research and the need for treatment plans that are tailored to the individual ADHD patient– Managing adult ADHD effectively calls for flexible, patient-centered care.

From Meds to Mindfulness: What Actually Works for Adult ADHD? Read More »

Treatment of ADHD with medications improves life outcome

The bias against medications used to treat ADHD , specifically stimulant medications, reinforces the general impression that these medications put children, teens, and adults with ADHD at risk of serious adverse consequences. The risks of nottreating ADHD are much, much higher. Yes, a small percentage of persons prescribed medications experience adverse effects, most of which are gone within a few days of stopping the medication, when it is prescribed appropriately and used only in the manner intended.

Stimulant medications have very different effects in people without accurately diagnosed ADHD – euphoria, having a tremendous boost in energy, and addiction among them. The positive (sic) effects diminish quickly, leading the person to seek higher dosages, and easily becoming addicted. But people with ADHD who take a dosage higher than optimal, seeking higher benefit from the medication, feel worse! They get headaches, rapid and pounding heart rate, irritability, and/or flat affect (not interacting with others, not their usual selves) among others) ; they do not get high, they have no incentive to take more and more. 

Diversion of medications is a problem. People who take it for the high or to party or to study more or drink more put themselves at risk. Limiting diversion is the responsibility of the prescribers, pharmacies, and patients to whom it is appropriately prescribed, all of them. Limiting supply of medication is not the answer, that denies treatment to those who need it and does not limit diversion significantly. The item below is based on large-scale studies and cited in the World Federation of ADHD Consensus Statement.

Not treating ADHD with medications is more dangerous than using medications to treat it. (assuming that the diagnosis is made after appropriate evaluation by a professional trained in doing so, medication type and dosages optimized specific to the individual, and are re-evaluated on a regular basis, every 3 months at least). 

“Treatment with ADHD medications reduces accidental injuries, traumatic brain injury, substance abuse, cigarette smoking, educational underachievement, bone fractures, sexually transmitted infections, depression, suicide, criminal activity, and teenage pregnancy “ 

[This is one of 208 statements about ADHD found in the World Federation of ADHD International Consensus Statement  , Published in Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, Sept 2021, Issue 128, pages 789-818. doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.01.02]

From www.adhdevidence.org

What is the impact of ADHD on patients and families?

ADHD is a disorder associated with serious distress and/or impairments in living. Although, as documented below, many severe adverse outcomes have been associated with ADHD, the typical patient does not experience all, or even most, of these problems. Many patients live enjoyable and productive lives, especially if they receive treatment.

Treatment of ADHD with medications improves life outcome Read More »