ADHD is often defined as a psychiatric disorder, but physician and author Kristin Leer, who has ADHD herself, as well as children with ADHD, cannot see ADHD as the diagnosis of a disease.
For the author, it was a relief to find out that she had ADHD. Had she realised earlier that the cause of so many challenges and sorrows – at school, in her professional career, in personal relationships – could be summed up in four simple initials, she would have been spared much frustration and anxiety. ADHD is something you can live with. What’s more, it can sometimes have some surprisingly positive sides. However, ADHD may also make life feel like an uphill struggle, and the range of functional impairments can be extensive.
The book offers a new perspective on how to understand ADHD, reviews diagnostic criteria and treatments, and offers excellent everyday coping strategies. A better life is possible when ADHD is diagnosed than when it isn’t.