The weather in Chicago finally relented after months of  battering the city with  snow and wind and bone-chilling cold.  Now it was a beautiful, temperate Saturday in May.  Perfect for the occasion, which was the commencement ceremony for the Loyola University of Chicago’s law school. Â
In the Gentile Center (translation: gym)  on the Loyola campus gathered two hundred fifty law [...]
Medications for adults with ADHD are helpful, but they don’t help everyone.    Even if you profit by taking a medication you may need other treatments. That was the central message of a recent presentation by Mary Solanto, PhD.* I completely agree with her.
Dr. Solanto particularly recommended cognitive and behavioral treatment (CBT)Â for ADHD. Â In CBTÂ patient and [...]
Depression and ADHD.  They just go together. Problem is, patients and clinicians alike are too little aware of this common combination. That has major consequences.Â
Here are relevant statistics from one study.* Kessler and his colleagues looked at subjects who, within a  year,  met diagnostic criteria for clinical depression (major depressive disorder).  Of these persons with severe depression, the researchers found that 9.4 [...]
A new study on children with ADHD* sheds some light on the problems with insomnia — and then with behavior — that many adults with ADHD have. The surprising conclusion of the study? The use of stimulant medication in children and adolescents with ADHD does not seem to cause or worsen sleep problems.  Â
This large, Â forward-looking study showed [...]
When I’m treating persons who have ADHD, I need to remember that there is more to effective treatment than prescribing the right amount of the right medication.
I’m all for medications. I’m aware of their effectiveness but also of their limitations, dangers and side effects. Sometimes I have [...]
From the moment we entered the lobby of the Hotel Allegro, in the Loop section of Chicago, we knew we were in a Kimpton hotel. Those running this chain of  “boutique”  hotels provide personalized service in unusual settings. “Each hotel tells a story.”  At the Allegro, in the heart of Chicago’s theater district, the story [...]
The narrator of the video about Wanuskewin kept asking that question, in a voice laden with significance. Wanuskewin is a place sacred to the Cree Indians, on the plains near Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. The sign on the highway translated Wanuskewin as,  ”Seeking Peace of Mind.”  Hmmm. Perfect place  for a psychiatrist!   I visited this extraordinary preserve [...]
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
The great plains of Western Canada stretch for miles, “so flat you can see your dog running away from you for three days.” Besides the grains and grasses there are trees, too: splendid maples, sumptuous pine trees, and birches. Especially birches.
I have loved birches since I was a boy in [...]
“Buon giorno, signore,”  says Diego. With a warm, slow smile and a handshake, he welcomes me to his barber shop. Situated at the intersection of 19th and Q streets, NW, Diego is a fixture near Dupont Circle, in downtown DC.Â
I settle happily into the chair for my haircut.  It’s intimidating at Diego’s shop.  Pictures of Washington notables cover the walls. [...]
Adults who have ADHD rarely have just that one disorder.  Usually there are other psychiatric problems as well. The commonest are disorders of mood or anxiety and substance abuse disorders.  Current estimates are that over their lifetime about 25-35% of adults with ADHD will also have major or “clinical” depression. 10-15% will have bipolar disorder or [...]
