Healing ADD: The Breakthrough Program That Allows You to See and Heal the Six Types of ADD [Hardcover]

Daniel G. Amen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 15, 2001

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 incorrectly treated, and poorly understood.

Dr. Amen, board-certified in child, adolescent, and adult psychiatry and licensed in nuclear brain imaging, has discovered that there are six types of ADD- not just the commonly known two. Moreover, the most frequently prescribed treatment- Ritalin- makes four of these types worse. Dr. Amen's discovery results from an intensive, years-long study of brain imaging that has identified the distinctive brain dysfunctions characterizing each type of ADD.

Dr. Amen's arresting brain images found throughout these pages leave no doubt that ADD is a real, biological, and ultimately treatable disorder. These dramatic images help sufferers and their families realize this is a medical problem that can be helped with proper intervention.

Until now the psychiatric community has not done enough for people with ADD. The disorder does not disappear after adolescence, and it is much more complex than we have been led to believe. With Dr. Amen's revolutionary approach, readers will learn the full scope of the disease and its management. Finally, in this book, he identifies six types of ADD:
* Type 1 - Classic ADD

* Type 2 - Inattentive ADD

* Type 3 - Overfocused ADD

* Type 4 - Temporal Lobe ADD

* Type 5 - Limbic ADD

* Type 6 - Ring of Fire ADD

Complete with recommendations for prescription drugs, nutraceutical therapy, cognitive reprogramming, parenting and educational strategies, biofeedback, self-hypnosis, and more, Healing ADD provides readers with a comprehensive treatment program that can lead to a normal, peaceful and fully functional life. This proven program greatly enhances brain function for each of the six types of ADD and presents the state-of-the-art treatment for adults and children alike.

ADD sufferers often say, "The harder I try, the worse it gets". Dr. Amen tells them, for the first time, how to get well.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Hard, visual data make a compelling case for the existence of attention deficit disorder (ADD) in this pioneering work by Daniel G. Amen, M.D. Using a nuclear medicine technique called "single photon emission computed tomography" (SPECT)--a controversial step, according to some of his peers--Dr. Amen scans patients' brains to identify various abnormalities. From more than 8,000 such studies and more than 12,000 patient evaluations, Dr. Amen concludes that six--not the formerly presumed two--different types of ADD exist. This book encompasses the full spectrum of Dr. Amen's work: from symptom identification to clinical evaluation, to diet and medication recommendations, to everyday strategies for living with ADD (whether the reader is a parent of an ADD child, or has been diagnosed with the disease.)

No stranger to the skepticism surrounding this topic, Dr. Amen begins with a list of dead-on myths (including "ADD is overdiagnosed") and surprising facts ("Many people with ADD are never hyperactive"). From this intriguing beginning flows a highly readable chapter on the signs and manifestations of ADD in all ages. Dr. Amen's full description of SPECT imaging includes multiple brain scan photos that nicely support his theories. But the most satisfying element of this well-researched presentation occurs in the final half of the book; here, Amen thoroughly explores the biological (diet, exercise, medication), psychological (from personal coaching to psychotherapy), and social support (parenting and school strategies) needed to heal each type of ADD. This book will prove a valuable tool for parents, adult sufferers, and medical professionals seeking practical support for managing this increasingly recognized condition. --Liane Thomas

About the Author

Daniel G. Amen, M.D., is the founder and director of the Amen Clinic, where his work with brain imaging has garnered him a rapidly growing reputation. Considered one of the nation's premier child psychiatrists, he is the father of several ADD children-all of whom have been made well by the program in this book.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 432 pages
• Publisher: Putnam Adult (February 15, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 039914644X
• ISBN-13: 978-0399146442
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (149 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #57,214 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #6 in Books > Parenting & Relationships > Special Needs > Hyperactivity
  • #43 in Books > Parenting & Relationships > Special Needs > Disabilities

More About the Author

Dr. Amen is widely regarded as one of the world's foremost experts on applying brain imaging science to clinical psychiatric practice. He is a board certified child and adult psychiatrist and a Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association. He is the medical director of Amen Clinics, Inc. in Newport Beach and Fairfield, California, Bellevue, Washington, and Reston, Virginia. Amen Clinics have the world's largest database of functional brain scans relating, totaling more than 60,000 scans. The clinics have seen patients from 90 countries.

Dr. Amen is an Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine. He has presented his work around the world. He is widely regarded as a gifted teacher, taking complex concepts in neuropsychiatry and imaging and making them easily accessible to other professionals.

Dr. Amen is the lead researcher on the world's largest brain imaging/brain rehabilitation study on professional football players, which not only demonstrated significant brain damage in a high percentage of retired players, but also the possibility for rehabilitation in many with the principles that underlie his work.

Dr. Amen is the author of 40 professional articles, the co-author of the Comprehensive Textbook of Psychiatry's chapter on Functional Imaging in Clinical Practice, 28 books, including three New York Times bestsellers: Change Your Brain, Change Your Life, Magnificent Mind At Any Age, and Change Your Brain, Change Your Body. He is also the author of Healing ADD, Making A Good Brain Great, Healing the Hardware of the Soul, and co-author of Unchain Your Brain, Healing Anxiety and Depression and Preventing Alzheimer's.

In 2011, Random House will release his latest book, The Amen Solution: Brain Healthy Ways to Lose Weight and Keep It Off. In late 2011, Random House will also release Dr. Amen's Upcoming book, Change Your Brain, Change Your Age (tentative title).

Dr. Amen is the producer and star of 5 highly popular shows about the brain, which have raised more than 32 million dollars for public television.

A small sample of the organizations Dr. Amen has spoken for include: the National Security Agency (NSA), the National Science Foundation (NSF), Harvard's Learning and the Brain Conference, The Million Dollar Roundtable, Retired NFL Players Summit, the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges and the Supreme Courts of Delaware, Ohio and Wyoming. Dr. Amen's work has been featured in Newsweek, Parade Magazine, New York Times Magazine, Men's Health, and Cosmopolitan.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

436 of 467 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars hargray, September 14, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Healing ADD: The Breakthrough Program That Allows You to See and Heal the Six Types of ADD (Hardcover)

I was the terror of the neighborhood, failed grade 1,
dropped out of high school after grade 10, then after the
army, 3 teachers talked me into returning to school. A
VERY difficult journey began - hard to concentrate, memory
problems, hyperactivity, and etc. It took a LOT of help,
but ultimately I received a BA, MEd, and Ph.D. I became a
chief of psychology in a psychiatric hospital, teacher,
therapist -- and then at 46 years of age, I was diagnosed
with ADHD. Suddenly, "everything" made sense, as the
disorder was 'classic' to how I had behaved, thought,
struggled with relationships, and etc. MEDICATIONS
comletely turned MY life around (as my wife, friends, and
work associates would affirm) - they don't work for everyone,
but for me, it was like a miracle from heaven. Of course, the
anti-medication zealots will not wish to believe this, but
my experience is like that of so many others I have seen IN MY
PRACTICE AS A PSYCHOLOGIST. When medications work, they
really do a great job. When they don't, the experience can
be very disappointing, and anger can run high. I also
conducted over 500, 1-day seminars in almost every state in
the USA, and provinces in Canada (this took place over a
14 year period). Having said all of this - the absolute
best book in the field, based on my having read scores of books,
articles, and my experiences factored in, is Dr. Amen's book!!!
I have, in fact, cleared out about 80% of all the AD/HD
literature I had, and Dr. Amen's book remains my favorite.
It is the ONLY book I now recommend to individuals who ask
for my opinion, as a psychologist WITH ADHD.

255 of 272 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Healing ADD, February 28, 2001

By 

Dr. Earl Henslin "Psychotherapist" (Brea, California United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Healing ADD: The Breakthrough Program That Allows You to See and Heal the Six Types of ADD (Hardcover)

Healing ADD is a landmark book that every counselor, psycholgist, psychiatrist,and pastor will want to have. More importantly if you struggle with ADD or know someone who does this book is a must read. I and the therapists who are associated with me have referred over 600 people in the last four years for SPECT Brain Imaging Scans. As a psychotherapist I have found Dr. Amen's work to be truly a landmark in the field of psychiatry, psychology and medicine in general. "Healing ADD" helps the reader to identify which of the six types of ADD that they have, and then the practical steps to take for treatment. An alarming number of people are medically mismanaged when it comes to ADD treatment, and the work that Dr. Amen has done through over 10,000 SPECT Brain Imaging Scans has resulted in a system of diagnosis and medication management that brings more precision to the care of the ADD patient.So many of the horror stories and bad press that Ritalin is given are due to inaccurate diagnosis. Ritalin or another stimulant will be prescribed when another system of the brain needs to be treated first before a stimulant is given. The checklists that are provided in Dr.Amen's book will give the reader a guide as to whether the counselor or physcian they are working with is headed in the right direction with the treatment program they design. What is also exciting about this work is how it educates and empowers the lay person to truly be in charge of their care, and be able to ask their therapist, or physcian the needed questions to make sure they are getting the most up to date care and treatment possible. This is a book that the lay person and professional will benefit from. If you are being treated for ADD you might want to purchase a copy for your doctor.

Earl R. Henslin Psy.D., B.C.E.T.S. Board Certified Expert in Traumatic Stress Diplomate in the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress

45 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Technical but easy to understand, open to natural treatment., February 27, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Healing ADD: The Breakthrough Program That Allows You to See and Heal the Six Types of ADD (Hardcover)

I really appreciated the explanation of the different parts of the brain and how they should work, but don't in the ADD brain. There is a list of 71 questions which helps you determine which type of ADD you are, and recommendations for how to change your lifestyle (diet, exercise) to give you more focus.

Unlike most ADD books, this one does not focus on children but should be very useful for children with ADD. There is a chapter for each type of ADD. Prescription medications are discussed, as are natural and over-the-counter alternatives. When you read this, it will give you a really good idea which meds or supplements are likely to work best for you, in combination with changes in diet and exercising frequently. Medication alone is most often not enough.

There is a section on ADD coaching. It gives exercises to help determine what is most important to you, and advice of accomplishing goals.