Buy new:
$9.04
$3.99 delivery: April 23 - 24
Ships from: Revolver Market
Sold by: Revolver Market
List Price: $16.00 Details

The List Price is the suggested retail price of a new product as provided by a manufacturer, supplier, or seller. Except for books, Amazon will display a List Price if the product was purchased by customers on Amazon or offered by other retailers at or above the List Price in at least the past 90 days. List prices may not necessarily reflect the product's prevailing market price.
Learn more
Save: $6.96 (44%)
$3.99 delivery April 23 - 24. Details
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
$$9.04 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$9.04
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Ships from
Revolver Market
Ships from
Revolver Market
Returns
Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt. You may receive a partial or no refund on used, damaged or materially different returns.
Returns
Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt. You may receive a partial or no refund on used, damaged or materially different returns.
Payment
Secure transaction
Your transaction is secure
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Payment
Secure transaction
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime
FREE delivery Monday, April 22 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Or fastest delivery Friday, April 19. Order within 4 hrs 20 mins
Condition: Used: Good
Comment: This item shows wear including some highlighting or writing.
Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.
Other Sellers on Amazon
Added
$15.37
FREE Shipping
Get free shipping
Free shipping within the U.S. when you order $35.00 of eligible items shipped by Amazon.
Or get faster shipping on this item starting at $5.99 . (Prices may vary for AK and HI.)
Learn more about free shipping
on orders over $35.00 shipped by Amazon.
Sold by: sahmodernmama
Added
$15.41
FREE Shipping
Get free shipping
Free shipping within the U.S. when you order $35.00 of eligible items shipped by Amazon.
Or get faster shipping on this item starting at $5.99 . (Prices may vary for AK and HI.)
Learn more about free shipping
on orders over $35.00 shipped by Amazon.
Sold by: TX Starfish
Sold by: TX Starfish
(12 ratings)
92% positive over last 12 months
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
Shipping rates and Return policy
Added
$11.50
+ $3.99 shipping
Sold by: reboundbookstore
Sold by: reboundbookstore
(4348 ratings)
91% positive over last 12 months
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
Shipping rates and Return policy
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Amazon book clubs early access

Join or create book clubs

Choose books together

Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

Driven to Distraction: Recognizing and Coping with Attention Deficit Disorder from Childhood Through Adulthood Paperback – March 2, 1995

4.5 out of 5 stars 507

{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$9.04","priceAmount":9.04,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"9","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"04","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"IsB4h6xCkDmlPXRuLqZ5xYLSohMtjT56C7F2tg3al019rpTmkT0obQVK5JwJx8lZCSQOiQH5c5Ommzzxcb7r9op3ypRiV2oQ4AcT1wYrobNukebbD82lWg%2FBsMbA9nsIKa11Xg1hw7szU987OZCLAopuqVu2zOyjhMsAFvySxlEl3IIVanaK9KNp%2FBKqHZyD","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}, {"displayPrice":"$6.72","priceAmount":6.72,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"6","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"72","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"IsB4h6xCkDmlPXRuLqZ5xYLSohMtjT56vuwbMXQAMHGfXjKEmhG69bd0o8sdclgX9tWY3t0MGGLvkSoP4%2F96T3%2B1AE7H1SyUAs681TM6eAmEHvhEqsVMvzk%2FO%2B4kHa8SMoA6Y2XwzSXZhY5fCsZrPkG1y%2BA0GbyWV%2B0uAagUUNuqMZz88C%2Bq1GiMBDNFPvNe","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"USED","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":1}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

Through vivid stories of the experiences of their patients (both adults and children), Drs. Hallowell and Ratey show the varied forms ADD takes -- from the hyperactive search for high stimulation to the floating inattention of daydreaming -- and the transforming impact of precise diagnosis and treatment.

The Amazon Book Review
The Amazon Book Review
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.

Frequently bought together

$15.41
Get it as soon as Tuesday, Apr 23
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
Sold by TX Starfish and ships from Amazon Fulfillment.
+
$11.99
Get it as soon as Saturday, Apr 20
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
$13.99
Get it as soon as Saturday, Apr 20
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
Total price:
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Details
Added to Cart
Some of these items ship sooner than the others.
Choose items to buy together.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

This clear and valuable book dispels a variety of myths about attention deficit disorder (ADD). Since both authors have ADD themselves, and both are successful medical professionals, perhaps there's no surprise that the two myths they attack most persistently are: (a) that ADD is an issue only for children; and (b) that ADD corresponds simply to limited intelligence or limited self-discipline. "The word disorder puts the syndrome entirely in the domain of pathology, where it should not entirely be. Although ADD can generate a host of problems, there are also advantages to having it, advantages that this book will stress, such as high energy, intuitiveness, creativity, and enthusiasm, and they are completely overlooked by the 'disorder' model." The authors go on to cite Mozart and Einstein as examples of probable ADD sufferers. (The problem as they see it is not so much attention deficit but attention inconsistency: "Most of us with ADD can in fact hyperfocus at times.") Although they warn against overdiagnosis, they also do a convincing job of answering the criticism that "everybody, and therefore nobody" has ADD. Using numerous case studies and a discussion of the way ADD intersects with other conditions (e.g., depression, substance abuse, and obsessive-compulsive disorder), they paint a concrete picture of the syndrome's realities. Especially helpful are the lists of tips for dealing with ADD in a child, a partner, or a family member. --Richard Farr

Review

The New York Times Book Review A very readable, highly informative and helpful book.

Judith L. Rapoport, M.D. Chief, Child Psychiatry Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, author of
The Boy Who Couldn't Stop Washing A wonderfully readable and, most important, practical and useful book on ADD.

Peter D. Kramer, M.D. author of
Listening to Prozac Conversational in tone, encyclopedic in content, and, best of all, utterly convincing because of its grounding in clinical experience, Driven to Distraction should make Attention Deficit Disorder comprehensible even to the most distractible reader.

Sandra Freed Thomas, R.N. former president of CH.A.D.D. (Children and Adults with Attention Deficit Disorder) This rich resource has it all -- education, family perspectives, diagnosis and treatment, subtypes -- but throughout there is a joyful and pervading sense of hope. One cannot read this book without developing a great sense of how it feels to live with ADD -- to compensate for, even to benefit from, its characteristics.

Priscilla L. Vail author of
Smart Kids with School Problems The highest order of helping and healing glows through this book. Informative, compassionate, practical, and -- yes -- funny, it draws the reader in as it throws confusion out.

Jane M. Healy, Ph.D. author of
Endangered Lives This is an important and much-needed book! Wise, practical, and reassuring....A must-read for anyone who knows, treats, or is an "underachiever" -- in school or in life.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Touchstone; Reprint edition (March 2, 1995)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 319 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0684801280
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0684801285
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 11.1 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.75 x 1 x 8.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 out of 5 stars 507

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Edward M. Hallowell
Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Click the FOLLOW Button ABOVE to be the FIRST to hear about my book updates & news.

Edward (Ned) Hallowell, M.D. is a board-certified child and adult psychiatrist and world authority on ADHD. He is a graduate of Harvard College and Tulane Medical School, and was a Harvard Medical School faculty member for 21 years. He is the Founder of The Hallowell ADHD Centers in Boston MetroWest, New York City, San Francisco, Palo Alto and Seattle.

He has spent the past four decades helping thousands of adults and children live happy and productive lives through his strength-based approach to neurodiversity, and has ADHD and dyslexia himself.

Dr Hallowell is a New York Times bestselling author and has written 20 books on multiple psychological topics. The groundbreaking Distraction series, which began with Driven to Distraction, co-authored with Dr John Ratey in 1994, sparked a revolution in understanding of ADHD.

Having successfully managed both ADHD and dyslexia himself, he has famously said, “I don’t treat disabilities; I help unwrap gift!” When “disabilities” are seen instead by their mirror traits, these attributes can be channeled toward turbo-charged success. His Hallowell Centers offer comprehensive mental health diagnostic and treatment services to patients and their families.

Dr. Hallowell is the host of his new podcast called Dr. Hallowell’s Wonderful World of different where he celebrates the world of different in its many and varied forms. In celebrating the many differences that adorn humanity, he hopes to break down barriers of stigma and misunderstanding and show how all of us benefit from the differences between us.

Dr Hallowell has been featured on 20/20, 60 Minutes, Oprah, PBS, CNN, The Today Show, Dateline, Good Morning America, The New York Times, USA Today, Newsweek, Time Magazine, the Los Angeles Times, the Boston Globe and many more. He is a regular columnist for ADDitude Magazine.

Dr. Hallowell’s practices his trademark strength-based approach and always comes across as genuine, humorous, transparent and passionate whether he is practicing working with clients in the Hallowell Centers or addressing a wide range of topics in his writings and public appearances.

He's married to Sue Hallowell and they have 3 children.

He loves to hear from readers. You can visit his website at www.drhallowell.com

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
507 global ratings
Very marked up!
2 Stars
Very marked up!
Very marked up throughout book. Sensitive material cantatined which may not pertain to current user.
Thank you for your feedback
Sorry, there was an error
Sorry we couldn't load the review

Top reviews from the United States

Reviewed in the United States on August 4, 2009
No matter who you are or what your reasons for picking up Driven to Distraction, by Dr. Edward Hallowell, be prepared to get some real answers to your questions about attention deficit disorder. The book is organized so that it can easily be utilized in any number of ways. It would be a great reference source for information on particular aspects of ADD, but beware... if you start reading at the beginning you will be drawn into Dr. Hallowell's detailed, and in some sense very personal, unfolding of what is known about attention deficit disorder and you won't be able to put this volume down!

I ordered this book as a somewhat disinterested bystander. I was intending it as a sourcebook to pass along to a family of my acquaintance who suspect that they are raising a child who has this disorder. After having read Driven to Distraction, I recognize that there are no "disinterested bystanders" when it comes to ADD. My life is impacted by the syndrome whether or not I am the person hearing the diagnosis being pronounced. You may be the neighbor, relative, employer, friend, or co-worker of someone who is living with this disorder, either aware or unaware of what is happening in his/her life. The symptoms are various and occur in almost limitless combinations.

The effect on the lives of those coping (or not coping) with the fallout from ADD is almost impossible to gauge. It is probably accurate to say that there are hundreds of times as many people who have undiagnosed attention deficit disorder as there are those aware of their condition. If you have a family member undergoing testing for ADD, take heed to the implications for your own life. Dr. Hallowell repeatedly stresses that having an official diagnosis by a qualified professional is essential. The positive diagnosis is a huge relief for many with ADD, but it is only the beginning in terms of finding workable solutions for very real life problems in the lives of patients.

That is when the information gleaned from Dr. Hallowell's book becomes invaluable. Wherever we find ourselves in the scheme of things with regard to ADD, we can be uninformed and unwittingly contribute to the difficulties ADD patients face or choose to arm ourselves with knowledge about the condition and become a force of encouragement and compassion toward those courageously confronting their ADD challenges. What will it be?
6 people found this helpful
Report
Reviewed in the United States on February 7, 2006
I bought my first copy of this book about two years ago. Grabbed my brain and would not turn it loose...because the pages SCREAMED... "THIS IS YOU!". I am now 51 years old, and have had the cross of ADHD ... or blessing... as you may see it all of my life.

I found myself picking up the phone to call close relatives and grabbing friends to lecture them on what was going on...mostly reading straight from the book. My mother wondered if my father and older brother had ADHD. Dad is dead now, but this can help me put some of the dysfunction in our relationship together. Yes, I have been persecuted for having untreated, undiagnosed ADHD. Yes, this book explained an awful lot to me, gave me real solutions, and encouraged me knowing that the two authors are also blessed / victims of this malady / mental enhancement! I subsequently have bought copies for my aged mother in another state, and for my fiance. I have to say, my fiance read it through and studied it like a how to manual for fixing me! (She's a little scary, sometimes!) And of course I sent a copy to my brother, the doctor, who has added it to his trusted library of resources and textbooks.

I am now on one of the medications for the neurotransmitter stimulus. I have opted out of the antidepressants, because of their scary side effect warnings. But the stimulant works to calm me and flush me with something I don't have without the medication. It makes a difference. I feel better and more confident, more able to concentrate and more up to meeting all the challenges of life. What more can I say? Their attention to all facets including proper medication and case history is fascinating, intriguing, and extremely useful. Hope is out there.
14 people found this helpful
Report
Reviewed in the United States on November 4, 2002
Good summary of how to cope with your ADD as an adult. However, it would be best if you know already whether ADD is a likely diagnosis before you read this book. Then, and only then, should you read "Driven to Distraction" by Hallowell and Ratey, both MDs. They have a good listing of ADD characteristics and many useful tips, presented concisely, but their initial presentation is case studies. I believe that ADDers may not have the patience to read through that, as I well know. I also recommend "You Mean I'm Not Lazy, Stupid or Crazy" by Kelly and Ramundo as the best first reader for adults trying to investigate their own ADD possibility. Thanks to all authors who help those with ADD!
15 people found this helpful
Report
Reviewed in the United States on January 4, 2001
One of the most helpful things in this really excellent book was the self-diagnostic information. Because of the genetic factor, when a child is diagnosed with ADD, chances are at least one of the parents may need to do a little self-evaluation. The enormously informative case histories and the "100-questions chapter" really helped us a lot in two ways: it put a name to the problems being experienced by my daughter and my spouse, and it gave us a roadmap of what questions to ask the doctors next.
The authors are neutral on medication; they present case histories of successful outcomes both with and without meds. If your mind is already made up (either for or against meds), this book probably won't sway you.
The tone is informative without being clinical, often in the first person, so it feels like sitting down for a good chat with a doctor who's not trying to rush off to the next patient. Also, I appreciated the emphasis on, "it's not entirely a disorder, but simply a variation in perception" (my paraphrase.) Children and adults with ADD may struggle in some areas of their lives, but the authors point out how they can excel in other areas. This is _so_ important to emphasise, especially for children.
This is the book I recommend to people when they ask me for a good "first book" on ADD. If you've had a family member recently diagnosed with ADD, you're probably going to want to do a lot of research; this is an excellent starting point. I also recommend "ADD: A Different Perception" by Thom Hartmann.
42 people found this helpful
Report

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
M. L. Hobson
5.0 out of 5 stars Helped me to get my partner a diagnosis
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 4, 2010
6 years ago I started work at a specialist school for children, mainly boys with ADHD.

18 months ago I met my partner and we fell in love.

12 months ago we moved in together.

9 weeks ago I ended it as I couldn't cope with his behaviour anymore. Why does he treat me like this? Why doesn't her care? Why doesn't he show emotion? Why can't he love me the way a normal person does?

Due to the nature of my work i'd always felt he was very similar to the children and I would joke about it... I did however feel like i was constantly at work. We had some of the best times together, the highs were amazing, the lows were terrible.

It was only when i stepped away from the relationship i really felt "he's not just a horrible person, he's got ADHD"
I looked through his school reports to find "scatty, can't concentrate, can't sit still, naughty, hyperactive, unable to focus" and my heart stopped for him, he'd been missed, but in the 80's children wern't diagnosed with adhd, they were labelled naughty and hyperactive.

I sat down with him and told him what i felt and he agreed to see the GP. We went together and got a referral to adult ADHD services.
Last week we got a cancellation appointment and within the hour the psychiatrist had diagnosed him; I feel immense relief, he feels indifferent.
He commences on a trial of Ritalin next week and I truly hope his next 37 years will be better than the last. For us, i'm not sure what the future holds?

Why have I written the above? As a partner of an adult with ADHD i felt like i was going crazy, I searched for books, answers and there wern't many, adult adhd services need to be improved.
This books gave me better insight into the adult world of ADHD and I learnt some new things and answers as to why he did the things he did.
Hyper-foccusing was something i can now identify with and understand why after feeling so special and loved by him for the first 6 months, it was like one day he'd been abducted by aliens!? He hadn't stopped loving me, I just wasn't his obsession anymore. I have felt rejected by him for a long time, unloved and now understand why. It doesn't make the feelings of rejection any easier but understanding it helps.

For anyone else in my position, stay strong, read this book, look at the checklist of symptoms and go to the GP if you think it is ADHD.
I started out thinking he was just the 'B' word, then i thought he may be a sociopath but now I know that I fell in love with someone with ADHD!

Hope this has helped someone x
42 people found this helpful
Report
Helen N J Powell
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 24, 2023
Excellent
amanda emms
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book about adhd I recommend everyone
Reviewed in Canada on May 9, 2021
Great book any one who has ADHD and need to learn about it .
Richard Codjoe
4.0 out of 5 stars Ein gutes Buch.
Reviewed in Germany on May 25, 2020
Sehr gut.
Marc Bert
4.0 out of 5 stars A must have for adults with ADD
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 2, 2013
This book is like a must have as bedside book for any adult with ADD. When frustrated it is a very good idea to go back to the book and realize that we are not doing bad taking into acount our ADD condition. We are even doing very good some times!!!