Dr. Tuckman’s new book is an excellent addition to the variety of resources available for practitioners, as well as adults dealing with the effects of ADHD in their lives. It is especially well-organized into two sections. The first addresses diagnosis, physiological causes, effects on daily life; the second half focuses on treatment strategies in terms of counseling, education, medication, and use of coaching to help folks with ADHD manage their lives more effectively.

The book has a conversational, yet informative style which will appeal to therapists as well as patients. ADHD is both underdiagnosed and overdiagnosed, and Dr. Tuckman explains the complexities in diagnosing ADHD accurately and comprehensively. Since the criteria for diagnosing ADHD were designed with children in mind, rather than adults, the examples he gives for each of the DSM-IV symptoms helps bring to life how these symptoms are exhibited in adults. For example, he talks of the long delays in responding to paperwork and procrastinating in paying bills or filing taxes as examples of inattentiveness and the problems that occur when focusing on boring tasks is so difficult. His “Areas of Impairment” form is useful for looking at how the symptoms of ADHD are impacting the patient’s life, since that is part of making the diagnosis.

Dr. Tuckman’s integrated treatment model makes a lot of sense. The importance of including family members, of creating an “ADHD-Friendly lifestyle,” and how to deal with ADHD when in college or on the job is helpful; it also allows the therapist to instill hope in the ADHD client, who is likely frustrated due to the series of problems and failures that have occurred as a result of unrecognized and/or untreated ADHD.

The section on medication is current in terms of the range of medicines available, the problems with side effects, and how to manage those side effects is clear and concise. He also addresses the dilemma of treating substance abusers with ADHD. He notes how unfortunate that former substance abusers, many of whom may have turned to drugs as a way of self-medicating their ADHD, may have difficulty obtaining proper treatment due to the fear of relapse. Fortunately, there are new formulations of stimulants (e.g. the recently approved Vyvanse), as well as non-stimulant options such as Strattera or Wellbutrin, that are much less likely to be abused.

The section on coaching is useful for therapists as well as people who bill themselves as “ADHD Coaches” or “Life Coaches.” For example, instead of just suggesting that people use calendars to get organized, Dr. Tuckman gives advice on how to find the right calendar, depending on how the client intends to use it. Also, helping clients figure out how to make the best use of a calendar is important, since many adults with ADHD will have already tried such organizational strategies and may have failed at them. The section on “Stuff Management” is geared toward figuring out ways to help with the messiness and chaos inherent in the lives of so many with adult ADHD.

Another value of this book is that Dr. Tuckman is willing to share his collection of patient information, which is available on his website www.TuckmanPsych.com at no cost. In terms of drawbacks of Dr. Tuckman’s book, it is so comprehensive that it is hard to suggest anything to add. A separate version of this book geared more toward patients would be very useful, since the language is suitable for professionals and clients alike. Also, more details about alternative treatments would be helpful, given how popular these can be. CHADD has an article on their website which reviews complementary and alterative treatments and gives guidance on things to look for when evaluating their claims. Integrative Treatment for Adult ADHD should be part of every clinician’s bookshelf.

James J. Crist, Ph.D., CSAC
Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Certified Substance Abuse Counselor Author of ADHD—A Teenager’s Guide.

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