Demystifying Adult AD/HD

It's not well-known, even among therapists, that 90 percent of children with AD/HD don't outgrow the condition. This means that a large number of adults--an estimated 10 to 30 percent of Americans--have major, misunderstood problems in everyday life, including managing finances, organizing work or household tasks, driving safely, parenting, and maintaining relationships. With AD/HD having gone unrecognized throughout their lives, they tend to have developed cognitive distortions about themselves--"I never do anything right," or "It's all my fault, " or "It's all your fault"--which can be implicitly reinforced by therapists who attribute these problems to character issues, poor choices, or low self-esteem. Adults with AD/HD and their partners often develop dysfunctional coping mechanisms, which can damage their relationship. In this workshop, we'll discuss a model that incorporates psychoeducation to help couples understand the neurobiology of AD/HD and CBT so they can gain insight into their situation and adopt effective problem-solving strategies.