Great book by Melissa Orlov and Edward Hallowell.

Couples' Seminar with Melissa Orlov - The ADHD Effect In-Depth

The adult with ADHD can feel overwhelmed and exhausted from trying to keep up with everyone else.  The funny thing is that everyone else often perceive the ADHD adult as lazy because that person finds it difficult to complete tasks, remain focused, etc.  The result: an ADHD adult with low self-esteem that finds it hard to make any relationships work for the long term.  Why?  Because the ADHD adult, at first, is exciting to their partner.  The ADHD adult is spontaneous and energetic, which can make them fun to be around....for a time.  After the initial 'honeymoon' glow wears off, the ADHD adult and their partner is left with unfulfilled promises that cause severe stress in the relationship.   

Melissa Orlov has written a book that speaks to the ADHD adult and the ADHD adult's partner!  This book can help dispel and explain the misconceptions and offer solutions to problems that may have appeared insurmountable. This book is not just for ADHD adults and their partners, but also for parents, siblings, friends, and family of ADHD individuals.  The insight gained from reading this book can be invaluable to the person who has to interact with a loved one with ADHD and may help to mend broken relationships and prevent further damage from this condition that is so misunderstood.  

ADHD and stimulants

ADHD can affect people differently.  It depends on the type of ADHD symptoms a person is struggling with.  Also, symptoms can exacerbate situations based on how the individual is feeling at the moment.  Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a condition that affects school-aged children through adulthood with symptoms ranging from difficulty sustaining attention to hyperactivity (American Psychiatric Association, 2000). 

Treatments vary for ADHD, but the most predominant treatment is the use of psychostimulant medications such as methylphenidate, also known as Ritalin (Graziano, Geffken & Lall, 2011).  However, in spite of the successful history Ritalin to manage ADHD symptoms, it is still unknown how or why methylphenidate works for this condition (Novartis, ND).   Methylphenidate is a form of amphetamine that affects the part of the brain that controls impulsivity, hyperactivity, and lack of focus.  This drug has been used for decades to manage ADHD-like behaviors. 

In their research,  Graziano, Geffken, and Lall (2011) employed parent-rating scales to measure the effectiveness of methylphenidate with children diagnosed with ADHD.  The results suggested that stimulant medication, such as methylphenidate, appears to relieve the hyperactive and impulsive symptoms of ADHD in school-aged children, allowing them to display improved cognitive functioning, such as longer sustained attention, as compared to subjects taking non-stimulant medication (Graziano, Geffken, & Lall, 2011).  

Although Novartis clearly states that the effectiveness of Ritalin on ADHD symptom management is unclear, the outcome appears to be very obvious.  Subjects observed while taking stimulant medication displayed noticeably improved cognitive skills as opposed to before the administration of the medication.  However, the behavioral assessments completed by parents and teachers seem to correlate stimulant medication to improved symptom management for ADHD individuals. 

References:

American Psychiatric Association (2000).  Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4^th ed., text rev.). Washington, DC: Author.

Graziano, P.A., Geffken, G.R., & Lall, A. S. (2011).  Heterogeneity in the pharmacological treatment of children with ADHD: Cognitive, behavioral, and social functioning differences. Journal of Attention Disorders, 15(5), 382-391.  Doi: 10.1177/1087054710367772

Novartis Pharmaceutical Corporation (2010).  Ritalin Prescribing Information.  East Hanover, NJ: Author.