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A review by jzpaul
Driven to Distraction: Recognizing and Coping with Attention Deficit Disorder by John J. Ratey, Edward M. Hallowell
4.25
TLDR: If you have ADHD it’s a must read, if you know someone with ADHD I would also highly recommend as it will likely help your relationships/friendships.
If you do not want to read this entire book (particularly those without ADHD) you can easily pick and choose sections based on their headings to find incredibly useful advice. While I strongly suggest everyone read this, I would also suggest not trying to do so in a single sitting as it’s very dense as times and actually taking the time to think about much of the advice is very helpful.
I know most won’t read the full review but I suggest doing so.
For those with ADHD: many of the stories Hallowell tells are extremely validating. Several times I had realizations of “it’s not just me” and I felt weights that have been on my shoulders for years be lifted off. The inclusion of unofficial subtypes is further validating as for anyone who doesn’t feel as though they don’t fit into the small subtype boxes of ADHD can easily find themselves in the unofficial ones. I also bookmarked much of the advice Hallowell spells out as well as the advice he gives specific patients. While I haven’t put any into practice yet as I just finished the book, I am hopeful that much of it will help.
For those with a friend/family member etc with ADHD: there’s an entire section of the book dedicated to relationships with ADHD as well as to familial relationships with ADHD and friendships with ADHD. Some of the advice in these sections is directed to the individual with ADHD, however Hallowell repeatedly states that the individual with ADHD shouldn’t (and quite possibly can’t) make many of these changes on their own and he subsequently advises partners/friends/family members on how to support the individual. I sincerely wish I’d had much of Hallowell’s suggestions and advice earlier as much of it would’ve been extremely helpful in many familial interactions (especially in childhood) past relationships, and friendships lost.
Written by a psychiatric ADHD specialist who himself has ADHD, this book far and away represents ADHD better than anything I’ve ever written or watched.
Many of the anecdotes from this book are things that I can very clearly see in my life both before and after starting treatment. While some terminology in this book is slightly outdated (due to being published in 1992, 1995 and revised in 2011), it in no way detracts from the relatability of the anecdotes and usefulness of much of the advice.
Once again I would highly recommend reading this
If you do not want to read this entire book (particularly those without ADHD) you can easily pick and choose sections based on their headings to find incredibly useful advice. While I strongly suggest everyone read this, I would also suggest not trying to do so in a single sitting as it’s very dense as times and actually taking the time to think about much of the advice is very helpful.
I know most won’t read the full review but I suggest doing so.
For those with ADHD: many of the stories Hallowell tells are extremely validating. Several times I had realizations of “it’s not just me” and I felt weights that have been on my shoulders for years be lifted off. The inclusion of unofficial subtypes is further validating as for anyone who doesn’t feel as though they don’t fit into the small subtype boxes of ADHD can easily find themselves in the unofficial ones. I also bookmarked much of the advice Hallowell spells out as well as the advice he gives specific patients. While I haven’t put any into practice yet as I just finished the book, I am hopeful that much of it will help.
For those with a friend/family member etc with ADHD: there’s an entire section of the book dedicated to relationships with ADHD as well as to familial relationships with ADHD and friendships with ADHD. Some of the advice in these sections is directed to the individual with ADHD, however Hallowell repeatedly states that the individual with ADHD shouldn’t (and quite possibly can’t) make many of these changes on their own and he subsequently advises partners/friends/family members on how to support the individual. I sincerely wish I’d had much of Hallowell’s suggestions and advice earlier as much of it would’ve been extremely helpful in many familial interactions (especially in childhood) past relationships, and friendships lost.
Written by a psychiatric ADHD specialist who himself has ADHD, this book far and away represents ADHD better than anything I’ve ever written or watched.
Many of the anecdotes from this book are things that I can very clearly see in my life both before and after starting treatment. While some terminology in this book is slightly outdated (due to being published in 1992, 1995 and revised in 2011), it in no way detracts from the relatability of the anecdotes and usefulness of much of the advice.
Once again I would highly recommend reading this