Table Of Content“Thanks to the cutting-edge work of Dr. Amen, I have at long last been properly
diagnosed with adult ADD, am on the appropriate medication, am working with
an ADD coach, and am seeing each day of my life come more and more into
focus. What an unexpected joy! I recommend this book to anyone who has
concerns with ADD or even the slightest interest in human behavior.”
—JOAN BAEZ
“Nearly a third of my practice is filled with patients with adult ADD. Dr. Amen
is a courageous pioneer, a conscientious scientist, and a caring physician—a
spectacular combination.”
—FRANK L. ANNIS, M.D., DIPLOMAT, AMERICAN BOARD OF
PSYCHIATRY AND NEUROLOGY
“Healing ADD provides details on multiple treatment options, including
pharmacological, educational, behavioral, and herbal. It is essential reading for
those who treat ADD and those who are directly or indirectly affected by ADD.”
—J. KIRK CLOPTON, M.D., PH.D., DIRECTOR, GOLDEN HILLS
PSYCHIATRY
“Healing ADD is an expert’s vision of a holistic approach to the diagnosis and
treatment of ADD.”
—ROBERT KOHN, D.O., ASSISTANT CLINICAL PROFESSOR OF
RADIOLOGY, UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS, CHICAGO
“Dr. Amen’s ground-breaking discoveries make the complexities of ADD easy to
understand. His pioneering use of SPECT imaging confirms what expert
clinicians could only suspect. ADD is not a weakness of human spirit. Readers of
his book will understand how to help themselves, family members, or fellow
human beings.”
—DENNIS ALTERS, M.D., CHILD, ADOLESCENT, AND ADULT
PSYCHIATRIST; AUTHOR OFwizard’s way
“With the tremendous research done by Dr. Amen, we can now measure the
physiology that has gone wrong and enable patients to take charge of their
lives.”
—RENÉ ESPY, D.C., N.D., ZONE HEALTH ASSOCIATES
“The major importance of Dr. Amen’s book is that it brings together the
anatomical, biological, and neurochemical aspects of ADD, which clearly help
to verify that this is a significant and pervasive disorder of childhood,
adolescence, and even adulthood.”
—JOEL F. LUBAR, PH.D., PROFESSOR, THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS,
KNOXVILLE
“Once again challenging older concepts about attention deficit disorder, Dr.
Amen writes with a clarity, simplicity, and passion I have come to admire.
Healing ADD is a worthy extension of Change Your Brain, Change Your Life.”
—TERENCE F. McGUIRE, M.D., PSYCHIATRIST
“Dr. Amen has taken a unique and useful approach in Healing ADD. Providing
good direction for designing an effective treatment program, this will be a
tremendous aide in understanding and managing the complex needs of those
with ADD. An excellent book for clinicians, patients, and their families.”
—RICHARD GILBERT, M.D., PSYCHIATRIST
Other Books by Daniel G. Amen, M.D.
Change Your Brain, Change Your Life New Skills for Frazzled
Parents Would You Give Two Minutes a Day to a Lifetime of
Love?
Coaching Yourself to Success Firestorms in the Brain: An Inside
Look at Violence Secrets of Successful Students ADD and
Intimate Relationships A Teenager’s Guide to ADD
A Child’s Guide to ADD
A Sibling’s Guide to ADD
A Teacher’s Guide to ADD
Healing
ADD
The Breakthrough Program
That Allows You to See
and Heal the Six Types of
Attention Deficit Disorder
Daniel G. Amen, M.D.
BERKLEY BOOKS, NEW YORK
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information contained in this book
is complete and accurate. However, neither the publisher nor the author is
engaged in rendering professional advice or services to the individual reader.
The ideas, procedures, and suggestions contained in this book are not intended as
a substitute for consulting with your physician. All matters regarding health
require medical supervision. Neither the author nor the publisher shall be liable
or responsible for any loss, injury, or damage allegedly arising from any
information or suggestion in this book.
G. P. Putnam’s Sons
Publishers Since 1838
a member of
Penguin Putnam Inc.
375 Hudson Street
New York, NY 10014
Copyright © 2001 by Daniel G. Amen
All rights reserved. This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any
form without permission.
Published simultaneously in Canada
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Amen, Daniel G.
Healing ADD : the breakthrough program that allows you to see and
heal the 6 types of attention deficit disorder / Daniel G. Amen.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN: 978-1-1012-2126-6
1. Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder—Treatment.
2. Attention-deficit disorder in adults—Treatment. I. Title.
RC394.A85 A445 2000 00-062677
616.85'8906—dc21
To Antony, Breanne, and Kaitlyn
My source of eternal inspiration
Acknowledgments
T
his book is the product of many years, many friendships and
collaborations, and many battles. I am grateful to the best teachers a physician
could have—my patients. I wish to acknowledge and thank the staff at the Amen
Clinic, especially through all of the growing pains over the past twelve years. In
particular, I wish to thank Lisa Routh, the medical director of our Newport
Beach Clinic; Shelley Bernhard, the clinic’s chief operating officer; Randy
Streeter, the Newport Beach Clinic’s manager; my personal assistant Brenda
Doty; and the professional staff, including Linda Pepper, Jennifer Lendl,
Jonathan Halverstadt, Michael McGrath, Robert Dobrin, Stan Yantis, Ed Oklan,
Ann Oklan, Brian Goldman, Jeri Owens, Lewis Van Osdel III, Robert Gessler,
Ronnette Leonard, Blake Carmichael, and Matthew Stubblefield. In addition, I
wish to thank Jane Massengill and Emmett Miller, who have made significant
contributions to this book. I am also thankful to the many professionals who
have helped me develop and spread this work, including Earl Henslin, Thomas
Jaeger, Ed DeRosis, Dennis Alters, Cory Clark, Rick Lavine, Sheila Krystal,
Jack Juni, Jack Paldi, Gregory Hipskind, Hugh Ridlehuber, Terry McGuire, Dan
Pavel, Rob Kohn, Georgia Davis, Joseph Wu, Kitty Petty, Karen Lansing, Rick
Gilbert, Leon and Linda Webber, Marty Stein, Will Hawkins, Tom Brod, and Bill
Klindt.
My literary agent Faith Hamlin is an amazing woman who continually
pushes me to be the best writer I can be and is a constant source of wisdom and
support. My editor at G. P. Putnam’s Sons, Jeremy Katz, believed in this book
and saw it could help millions of people who struggle with ADD. He is every
writer’s dream editor—smart, funny, tenacious, and a joy to work with (but he’ll
probably correct this sentence, if my agent doesn’t correct it first). I am also
appreciative to my publicist Tammy Richards, who has believed in and
supported me through publicizing Change Your Brain, Change Your Life and this
book, along with Lori Akiyama at Putnam, whose diligence, creativity, and
professionalism will help get this book into the hands and minds of many people.
I also wish to thank my children, Antony, Breanne, and Kaitlyn, who not
only give me great stories, but have given me love and affection, and are a
continual source of pride.
Contents
Introduction
PART I: ADD UNCOVERED
1. ADD in the Real World:
Stories Through the Life Cycle
2. The ADD Story
3. Looking into the ADD Brain:
The Development of SPECT Imaging in Psychiatry
4. ADD Type Questionnaire
PART II: THE SIX ADD TYPES
5. Type 1: Classic ADD
6. Type 2: Inattentive ADD
7. Type 3: Overfocused ADD
8. Type 4: Temporal Lobe ADD 111
9. Type 5: Limbic ADD
10. Type 6: “Ring of Fire” ADD
11. Soft Brain, Hard Skull:
Head-Trauma–Induced ADD
12.ADD in Families:
SPECT Studies Across Generations
Description:Commonly perceived as a flavor-of-the-month diagnosis, ADD is, in fact, an enormous health problem that will only continue to grow. It affects six percent of the population, yet less than one third are taking medication. Why? According to Dr. Amen, attention deficit disorder is underdiagnosed, often
