Tips for Sub-Clinical Sadness, Worry, Anger, ADD/ADHD

Many people have “issues” that don’t rise to the level of a disorder requiring professional help. For example:

• They’re sad by nature or because of external events but they’re not—as in clinical depression— numb or inert, let alone suicidal. They function, just not as happily as they’d like.
• They tend to worry more than they'd like but rarely panic, nor does their anxiety greatly impede their quality of life.
• They’re predisposed to anger but aren’t in an ongoing state of suppressed anger nor are subject to frequent outbursts let alone physical violence.
• They have trouble staying focused but their distractibility doesn’t rise to the level of clinical attention-deficit disorder; neither the spacey version (ADD), or the hyperactive version (ADHD.)

My PsychologyToday.com article today offers not-magic pills that have helped a number of my clients address their sub-clinical malaise. Of course, many of these tips are obvious, yet many of us can benefit from reminders to do even things we’ve successfully used before.

An Authoritative Look at ADHD: An interview with Stephen Hinshaw

ADHD is among our most controversial disorders. Is it really a disorder or a function of schools' poor response to active kids’ needs? Is the increase in prescribing stimulant drugs for ADHD mainly because it’s helpful or because drug companies are pushing it?

Stephen Hinshaw is among the most respected voices on ADHD.  My interview of him is my PsychologyToday.com article today.HERE is the link.

When Can Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD, ADHD) Be An Asset?

My PsychologyToday.com article is on ADD/ADHD: When Can Attention Deficit Disorder Be an Asset?

While in most cases, attention-deficit disorder's distractibility, inpulsivity, and disorganization are a net negative on one's life, sometimes they're a net positive and don't require intervention. This article profiles a client of mine for whom that is the case.