More than 1 in 7 American children get diagnosed with ADHD - three times what experts have said is appropriate - meaning that millions of kids are misdiagnosed and taking medications such as Adderall or Concerta for a psychiatric condition they probably do not have. The numbers rise every year. And still, many experts and drug companies deny any cause for concern. In fact, they say that adults and the rest of the world should embrace ADHD and that its medications will transform their lives. -- Provided by publisher.

The groundbreaking account of the widespread misdiagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder—and how its unchecked growth has made ADHD one of the most controversial conditions in medicine, with serious effects on children, adults, and society. “ADHD Nation should be required reading” (The New York Times Book Review). More than one in seven American children are diagnosed with ADHD—three times what experts have said is appropriate—meaning that millions of kids are misdiagnosed and taking medications such as Adderall or Concerta for a psychiatric condition they probably do not have. The numbers rise every year. And still, many experts and drug companies deny any cause for concern. In fact, they say that adults and the rest of the world should embrace ADHD and that its medications will transform their lives. “In this powerful, necessary book, Alan Schwarz exposes the dirty secrets of the growing ADHD epidemic” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review), including how the father of ADHD, Dr. Keith Conners, spent fifty years advocating drugs like Ritalin before realizing his role in what he now calls “a national disaster of dangerous proportions”; a troubled young girl and a studious teenage boy get entangled in the growing ADHD machine and take medications that backfire horribly; and big Pharma egregiously over-promotes the disorder and earns billions from the mishandling of children (and now adults). While demonstrating that ADHD is real and can be medicated when appropriate, Schwarz sounds a long-overdue alarm and urges America to address this growing national health crisis. “ADHD Nation is a necessary book. Schwarz has done a fine job on a maddening topic, and everyone who’s interested in hyperactivity, attention spans, stimulants, and the current state of American health care should grab a copy” (New York magazine).

"A groundbreaking and definitive account of the widespread misdiagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder--and its serious effects on children, adults, and society"--

In this illuminating investigation of the epidemic of attention deficit disorder (ADD) and Ritalin, psychologist DeGrandpre sounds the warning that we may be failing our children by treating symptoms and not causes with a quick fix and ultimately unsatisfactory solution.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) will soon be the most frequently diagnosed chronic condition among children, surpassing asthma. Yet research shows that ADHD can't be that prevalent. ADHD, a problem once thought to affect a small percentage of children, has exploded into one of the most misdiagnosed psychiatric conditions. Now doctors and Big Pharma are targeting children and adults worldwide to get the diagnosis and take medications that will, they say, transform their lives. In ADHD Nation, acclaimed New York Times journalist Alan Schwarz takes readers behind the scenes to tell the full story of this billion-dollar industry. There's the father of ADHD, Dr Keith Conners, who spent fifty years promoting the disorder in the US and pills like Ritalin before realising just what he had wrought; a troubled young girl and studious, teenage boy who get entangled in the ADHD machine and are prescribed medications that lead to serious problems; and the pharmaceutical industry that promoted the disorder and continues to earn billions from the rampant mishandling of ADHD. An investigation of how Big Pharma and medical professionals are complicit in the creation, maintenance and continuing expansion of the ADHD industry, this book sounds the alarm for UK readers and demands we wake up to the problem that we too could face in the future.

Debunks myths and misconceptions about ADHD, and discusses the controversies surrounding skyrocketing rates of diagnosis and medication treatment as well as the condition's cost to society.

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES and LOS ANGELES TIMES BESTSELLER “Brilliant . . . riveting, scary, cogent, and cleverly argued.”—Beth Macy, author of Dopesick, as heard on Fresh Air This book is about pleasure. It’s also about pain. Most important, it’s about how to find the delicate balance between the two, and why now more than ever finding balance is essential. We’re living in a time of unprecedented access to high-reward, high-dopamine stimuli: drugs, food, news, gambling, shopping, gaming, texting, sexting, Facebooking, Instagramming, YouTubing, tweeting . . . The increased numbers, variety, and potency is staggering. The smartphone is the modern-day hypodermic needle, delivering digital dopamine 24/7 for a wired generation. As such we’ve all become vulnerable to compulsive overconsumption. In Dopamine Nation, Dr. Anna Lembke, psychiatrist and author, explores the exciting new scientific discoveries that explain why the relentless pursuit of pleasure leads to pain . . . and what to do about it. Condensing complex neuroscience into easy-to-understand metaphors, Lembke illustrates how finding contentment and connectedness means keeping dopamine in check. The lived experiences of her patients are the gripping fabric of her narrative. Their riveting stories of suffering and redemption give us all hope for managing our consumption and transforming our lives. In essence, Dopamine Nation shows that the secret to finding balance is combining the science of desire with the wisdom of recovery.

Blake Taylor's mother first suspected he had ADHD when he, at only three years of age, tried to push his infant sister in her carrier off the kitchen table. As time went by, Blake developed a reputation for being hyperactive and impulsive. He launched rockets (accidentally) into neighbor's swimming pools and set off alarms in museums. Blake was diagnosed formally with ADHD when he was five years old. In ADHD and Me, he tells about the next twelve years as he learns to live with both the good and bad sides of life with ADHD.

In the first book to describe empirically-supported early intervention with children aged 2-5 years who have or are at risk for ADHD, the authors present a three-tiered model for prevention and intervention that can be implemented at home or in preschool settings. This promising model can be adjusted to the degree of difficulty the child is experiencing and consists of universal intervention strategies, small group skills instruction, and assessment-based behavioral interventions. Lively case examples drawn from the authors' clinical experience illustrate common challenges of implementation. The authors also describe how to foster children's early academic skills and promote their physical safety.

Take Control of ADHD: The Ultimate Guide for Teens With ADHD helps teens take control of their disorder and find success in school and in life. By creating the “ADHD Attention Profile” discussed in the book, readers will recognize how ADHD affects them, discover coping strategies and technology tools to improve their focus, and develop a self-advocacy plan they can use immediately. The book presents the latest research and information on ADHD in a conversational style that teens can understand easily, allowing them to develop a better understanding of their disorder. By including suggestions from teens with ADHD, the authors offer tons of advice, information, and ideas for students, from students just like them. This handy guidebook is sure to help teens with ADHD learn to refocus their attention and find success in school and beyond! Ages 12-18