Healing ADD: The Breakthrough Program That Allows You to See and Heal the 6 Types of ADD

A few months ago, I accidently discovered that I might be an ADD. Since I don't have many obvious ADD/ADHD symptoms, it had remained stealth till now, my middle age. I wanted to understand this ADD thing and bought a bunch of books on the subject. One of them was "Healing ADD".

Dr. Amen appears to be way ahead of his colleagues "in a way". For that, I would've given this book more than five starts if possible!

But let me first tell you what I didn't like about this book:

The book is structured around two themes: The second theme is ADD coping/management stratgies. Unfortunately I was not very impressed with what Dr. Amen had to say on the subject. For example, steps suggested by him to get to bed early and wake up early sounds so lame that any journalist college drop out could've written it! I simply don't see it clicking. Dr. Amen, a non-ADD, seme to be missing a "feel" for an ADD mind. I am not surprised. This is very common for a non-ADD. Hence, most of what he has to say under this theme ring hollow to me. For this part of the book, I would give it only 2 or 3 out of 5 :-(

Now for the good, no great, thing about this book:

Dr. Amen has developed skills in using brain imaging techniques (SPECT scanning) to understand ADD better. He is the first one to categorize (to my knowledge) ADD into six sub-types. This is based on the underlying brain mechanism, which can be very different from each other. This knowledge, and establishing the concept categorically using SPECT, has added so much clarity to the understanding, treatment and coping.

This clarity is very crucial. For example treatment for limbic ADD can make things worse for "Ring of Fire" ADD. And Temporal Lobe ADD needs to take anti-seizure medication along with ADD medication. And so on.

I am scientifically inclined and I do scientific investigation for my living. I have always been very uncomfortable with the Freud type modeling/explanations. Reading this book gave me a feeling that for the first time there is some semblance of science in psychiatry!

Mental science (if you can actually call science) has moved one step away from shot gun approach and moved a bit towards sniper approach. That is a big step, I think. Without such tools, the psychiatrist comes to an approximate fix, starts the treatment, adjusts the medication along the way till such time something works or the patient drops out!

And for bringing the semblance of science to ADD treatment, I would happily rate "Healing ADD" off the scale! Say, a 10 out of 5 :-)

I strongly recommend to read other one-star reviews posted here, in addition check this:

The "most helpful voted" reviews on this book are without exception by people who reviewed only! this ONE! book, only one additional publication or only books by Dr Amen. All are ranked 5 stars.

Be real: these are personal friends of Dr. Amen, specialists who know how to right a review with some terminology - yes, but no credible, honest reviewers. These are are a bunch of guys who make a good buck on tinkering with other peoples souls. No thanks.
(Just in case these guys should add additional "reviews" to their "single-review-history", make sure you will check the quality of these potential new "reviews" and the date of posting, certainly after! today - Apr-09, 2007.)

If a scientist / therapist / doctor deems it necessary to apply this kind of methods to only sell his or her book, how trustworthy could his scientific research be ?!? I would not even buy a used bike from such a guy - that is Mr. Amen - let alone buy a book about my child's mental health or my personal well-being.

Let's just see when he shows up on the (life-long) black list of dubious scientific researchers in the U.S. ...

Dubious. Dismissed.

I am a registered nurse who was triaging a young couple in our Emergency department. During medical history interview we began to discuss the patients ADD. It didn't sound like the "normal" ADD you typically hear from patients. They recommended I read this book after our exchange of symptoms and behaviors that are clearly outlined in this book. I purchased the book and read it in one day! It was easy to understand, added great clarity to how such minor incidents can related to present behaviors and moods. I learned a great deal from this book and recommend this book to anyone who has a need to understand more about the different types of ADD and ways they can help themselves understand more clearly what might be the contributing factor(s) and how they can try to help themselves, especially without medications. Who knew there was so many types of ADD? You will find yourself identifying your family and friends who may fall into one or more of the ADD categories and wanting to help them and others by having them take the short assessments included in the book. I recommend it--you will definitely learn something.

THIS BOOK EXPLAINED SO VERY MUCH ABOUT MY ENTIRE FAMILY!! I AM GIVING A COPY TO EVERYONE. THEY ALL WANT THE BOOK ANYWAY.

I am 50 yrs old and never realized that the many of the problems I have always suffered with, are related to type 3 ADD. I have used the advice in this book and have never felt this good in my life!