My patients are accustomed to me urging them not to smoke marijuana.  If they are smoking it, they regularly hear from me about the need to stop. I have long been convinced that marijuana is dangerous, despite all the protestations from the world of rock and other contemporary music and the arts. It’s particularly bad news [...]
One of life’s great themes is that sex can provide benefits far beyond momentary pleasure. D.H. Lawrence explored this theme in his books, most sensationally in Lady Chatterley’s Lover.  A brilliant new movie called simply   “Lady Chatterley”  offers a distinctly French take on the English original.Â
Lawrence’s frankness and detail in Lady Chatterley’s Lover  impressed me when I first read the book in college.  His obsession [...]
One of my patients is so articulate about the social impact of ADHD that I asked him if I could quote him. He said, “Sure. Nothing is as convincing as hearing from actual patients.”
I’ll identify my patient only as CHG, for “Capital Hill Guy.” He is over 30 years of age and single.  He sought treatment for ADHD, which was made more [...]
Just when we’re in danger of thinking that ADHD is totally determined by our genes, along comes a provocative little study that points out some environmental factors.
British researchers looked at 356 children aged 6 to 16 who all had a diagnosis of ADHD. They interviewed the children’s parents and teachers, too.  In the evaluation were [...]
Many cliniciams and patients alike tend to focus on the work consequences of ADHD, on academic goals unmet, on poor performance on the job. Just as real and perhaps even more damaging are the social consequences of ADHD.
Higher rates of unplanned pregnancies, Â more frequent cases of sexually transmitted diseases, and substance abuse are among the [...]
As a clinician who deals only with adults, I was appalled at an article by Manuel Mota-Castillo, MD in the Psychiatric Times for July, 2007 ( www.psychiatrictimes.com).
He recounted a poignant case of a teenaged girl diagnosed with and treated for ADHD.  In retrospect, she  clearly had a psychotic disorder which the CNS stimulants only worsened.  Finally [...]
Many patients and families are worried about the risk of abuse of  or addiction to medications for ADHD, especially the Central Nervous System stimulants. A recent good clinical research article summarizes key points about the issues.*
The researchers emphasize that the public’s view of risk of drug abuse can be quite different from the actual rate [...]
My brother and I were driving West along Massachusetts Avenue towards Harvard Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts,  late Friday night, only to discover that police blocked the road. Pedestrians jammed the sidewalks and Mass. Ave. itself. What was going on? Cambridge is a popular destination, and Harvard summer school is in session, but this was ridiculous.  Why [...]
I read a recent interview of the child psychiatrist, Robert A. Kowatch, MD, Professor of Psychiatry and of Pediatrics at Cincinnati Childrens Hospital Medical Center.* He had plenty of good information that I want to pass along.
If you have ADHD as an adult, why should you be interested in it in children? Three main reasons: you may have children who have ADHD.  Second, trends in the [...]
My patients and I share an agenda : that they have the maximum ADHD medicine they need with a minimum of office visits.  Admittedly, treatment is time-intensive at the beginning, as I am trying to understand them and provide the best treatment regimen. Once things are running smoothly (!) then the intervals between appointments lengthens and the appointments themselves can be [...]
