VOLUME 10, NO.11                                                             NOVEMBER 17, 2005

 

NJ ADD/ADHD ADULT NEWSLETTER

ADD ADULT SELF HELP SUPPORT GROUP

FOR ADD/ADHD ADULTS

AND THEIR SIGNIFICANT OTHERS

MEETING: THE NEXT MEETING OF THE ADD ADULT SELF HELP SUPPORT GROUP WILL BE ON NOVEMBER 17, 2005 AT 7:30 PM AT MONMOUTH MEDICAL CENTER, COMMUNITY MEETING

ROOM , LONG BRANCH, NJ.  GO TO THE MAIN RECEPTION DESK AND GET DIRECTIONS.  THE TOPICS WILL BE: WAYS  TO CALM  THE  HYPERAROUSED  DISTRACTED  ADHD  MIND USING SOMATIC AND MINDFULNESS  RESOURCES.

 

CLINICAL REPORTS: In a review of the publications of Russell Ramsay, Ph.D. of the ADHD Treatment and Research Program of the University of Pennsylvania (Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Training, 2005,42(1):72-84 and ADHD Report, 2004, 12(1):1-5) it appears that psychotherapy for ADHD adults has to be adapted from the current commonly used techniques.  Even ADHD coaching was seen as having limitations in eliciting long term changes in the ADHD problems.  Unstructured therapies have very limited effectiveness.  Cognitive Behavior Therapy with its emphasis on collaborative efforts, structure, active and directive methods, problem solving focus, psycho educational components, and individually tailored behavioral analysis of frustrating ADHD problems appears to be the most helpful.  The therapy may need to focus on: core beliefs, compensatory strategies, processing of grief, and strategies for living and thriving with ADHD.

 

COMMENTS:  For the ADHD adult looking for a counselor, psychotherapist or coach, this report and others strongly suggest finding a therapist skilled in cognitive behavioral techniques and preferably a psychologist with a background in behavioral analysis, neuropsychology, relationship therapies and vocational rehabilitation.  This skill set is most likely to result in long term performance changes.  Many ADDers carry what are called "schemas" or ways of believing about themselves that guide and influence their lives.  We are usually unaware of the schema driven quality of our lives.

 

RESEARCH: In a research article by E.M.Valera, Ph.D. etal., Functional Neuroanatomy of Working Memory in Adults with ADHD, Biological Psychiatry, 2005: 57 (439-447), a major new finding was reported.  Altered  (decreased) patterns of neural activity were found in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and right cerebellum during working memory tasks.  The authors point out that these areas are connected anatomically via the striatum and thalamus.  They reviewed other studies which reported that dysfunction in the posterior cerebellar hemisphere resulted in cognitive disturbances; and dysfunction in the vermis of the cerebellum often resulted in affective or emotional problems.  Studies with ADHD children have found reductions in the vermis size.

COMMENTS:  These studies are continuing to confirm the dramatic differences between the brains of ADDers and the "normal" population.  The mapping out of the structure and function of the ADHD brain has taken another step forward.  The observations that working memory may be greatly influenced by the cerebellum may lead to new clinically useful tools for understanding and managing working memory.  Many of us feel that working memory is a core issue for the ADDer.

 

                                                PEACE!!!   Bob

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