Scattered Minds: The Origins and Healing of Attention Deficit Disorder

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My only real point of contention is the author's assertion that tuning out and dissociation are the same thing. Sure, they can coexist at different levels at the same time, but in my experience they definitely are not the same thing. What I really reflected though was that many of the suggestion for the ways you should specifically parent a child with ADHD would actually be beneficial for many children. I tried a couple of the tactics with my 5-year-old (things like instead of being nagged to join in their play actually ask if you can join in, or treating a temper tantrum as a fear response) and could instantly see a welcome change in behaviour. This opening passage shows how Maté’s deep well of compassion for others draws water from the aquifer of his personal narrative. It also displays his talent as a writer (including a flair for great analogies and metaphors), creating an overall reading experience that’s engaging and inspiring. If you’re a teacher or parent of an ADHD child and don’t have time to read a whole book, READ my article on Scattered Minds to get the most pertinent information! Link below. https://theadhdminimalist.com/what-every-teacher-should-know-about-the-adhd-child/ A friend of mine who is a parent asked me about this book, and this is what I told her. About me: I am not a parent, and I have ADD.

This book was an eye-opener for me as I realized that my children needed my husband and me to invite them into a relationship with us by inviting them to spend time with us. When children (especially kids with ADHD) beg and plead with their parents to spend time with them, it does not count in their eyes. Although Maté doesn’t explicitly go this far, I believe his work has consequential implications for politics, economics, and social justice. When it comes to harm reduction and symptom control, much of Maté’s advice boils down to something like: “First, parents need to be loving, respectful, mutually supportive, and emotionally mature with each other and other adults. Second, they’ve got to spend time with their kids and devote a lot of conscious attention to them, striving always to model compassionate curiosity and patience.” Adults with ADD, of course, also benefit from these behaviors. I realize this review was written quite some time ago. I’d have to disagree about a number of the conclusions mentioned here. While he is a doctor, he is not an expert in ADHD. The consensus among peer-reviewed sources is that ADHD is not caused by poor socialization or parenting. Now, what you're all wondering, do I agree with him? I think that he needs more studies, more stats, etc. I also think, based on my experiences above, that his observations are intriguing. Also, it is good to remember that he never claims that healing attachment issues will completely heal ADHD. It won't, he says. But proper treatment and, sometimes therapy, will help heal the poor relational pathways that will make living with it much more joyful.

It seemed to me that I had found the passage of those dark recesses of my mind from which chaos issues without warning, hurling thoughts, plans, emotions and intentions in all directions. I felt I had discovered what it was that had always kept me from attaining psychological integrity: wholeness, the reconciliation and joining together of the disharmonious fragments of my mind… From there he speaks about how there is no place for blame - which I agree with 100% - and all he is stating, is what he has noticed in his practice and research.

The third and final trait of ADD is hyperactivity. Unlike the previous two traits, hyperactivity isn’t ubiquitous. Yes, many people with ADD can’t sit still – they fidget, drum their fingers, chew their nails, tap their feet, or can’t stop talking. But often, it’s entirely absent. Many girls with ADD, for instance, frequently go undiagnosed because their behavior isn’t a source of disturbance in classrooms: they sit still and appear to be listening to what their teachers are saying. The problem only comes to light much later when baffled parents start wondering why their well-behaved daughters are doing so poorly in school. This book enlightens parents, teenagers, teachers, and adults with and without ADHD. Dr. Gabor Maté shares heart-wrenching stories from his childhood and medical practice while painting a vivid picture of his adult life with ADHD. Above all, this book offers tools and hope along with a deeper understanding of the controversial diagnosis of ADHD.What we mean here is an automatic “tuning out.” The mind is absent when its attention is required to complete tasks or process instructions. Inattentiveness takes many forms. A person with ADD might ask someone a question and zone out as they begin answering it. They might look up from a book and suddenly realize they can’t recall a single word they’ve read. Or they might enter a room and discover that they have no idea what they wanted to do in it.

Inattentiveness is rarely total, though. In fact, doctors sometimes miss ADD diagnoses because their patients are capable of hyperattentive focus. For example, a child who is inattentive at school may happily spend hours poring over maps in the evening. The thing is, the ADD mind can muster enough focus and motivation to complete tasks if those tasks are intrinsically interesting. A child with ADD who finds geography fascinating will have no problems focusing on studying maps. But that focus doesn’t carry over to other tasks that don’t interest her – science class, say, or tidying her room. Also, hyper-attentiveness often involves shutting out the rest of the world to engage in a single absorbing activity. That, too, is a feature of poor attention regulation. Thank you, Miles, for your thoughtful review. I do feel Emma makes an excellent point, and would like to reiterate that the current scientific understanding of ADHD includes a neurodiverse physiology, with neurotransmitter levels and processing and other elements of brain function that differ observably from those of a so-called neurotypical brain. ADHD is as heritable as height, and occurs across cultures. Different cultures may take different moral or social stances on many of the behaviors associated with ADHD, and might not all be as punitive or shaming as the dominant culture in the U.S., of course. Then he shifts over to speak about epigenetics and how past history affects the genes, which in turn creates changes in the brain of a developing fetus and a child is born with ADD.The book also covers the specific behaviours we would see in children, the markers of low self-esteem that arise (and how to handle those), the issue of ‘counterwill’ and how to support teens who are showing that, the impact of implicit memory (and why the attachment issue is so important), how to self-parent yourself if you have ADHD and addictions (which have been found to be higher in those with ADHD). I was diagnosed with ADD at a young age and was subjected to the medications at doses that would have been too much for an adult. This wreaked havoc on my psyche, and I am still recovering from those years. Quitting was just as hard being on it- the fallout and withdrawal were some of the worst days of my life. For a long time, I disavowed everything about ADD- the medication, the diagnosis, even its existence for others. The pain was too great. This is something Gabor Mate understands and explains in this book. He also gives readers a lot of hope that people with ADD can find peace and live wonderful lives. I've appreciated a slew of evidence-based recommendations for managing and healing my own ADD, and I had a breakthrough as a result of reading them; that's worth the price of admission alone. I haven't yet read the recommendations about children, but my guess is that there's equally helpful information about supporting a child with ADD. A brother of mine who had terrible ADHD who is much much better after marrying a wonderful woman. He graduated with a 4-year college degree, holds down a solid job, has a career path planned, and manages several hefty side-responsibilities. And, yes, that is the only thing that changed. The parent not judging the child to pointing out faults, mistakes, shortcomings as shame will cut off the child.