Learning to Work With—Not Against—ADHD

Available with English captions and subtitles in Spanish.

While ADHD may be diagnosed in childhood, the challenges that hyperactivity creates—diagnosed or undiagnosed—can plague a person for their entire life. It can cause behavioral issues, mental health issues, trouble concentrating, and more challenges for the person. How can we better understand how the ADHD brain works and how to work with it—not against it?

This content is also available in Spanish.

Audience Questions

In this session, Melinda Macht-Greenberg, PhD, addresses the challenges both children and adults with ADHD face, provides ways to face these obstacles head-on, and answers audience questions about ADHD and hyperactivity.

  • If the frontal lobes are typically developed by around age 30, how does this explain adults with ongoing ADHD?
  • I am currently working as a mental health therapist and often feel conflicted when children present to me with symptoms of ADHD, but their underlying struggles are stemming from trauma. What is your recommended treatment approach, integrating ADHD and trauma?
  • I am curious of the implications on brain development for teens with ADHD being inclined sometimes to smoke marijuana to perhaps self-medicate to “slow down” and how this drug may further affect brain development for these ADHD individuals.
  • Do you have suggestions for helping with hyperfocus leading to being stuck on, say, choosing a font?
  • Do you have any recommendations for learning more about the various executive functions, both covered in this talk and those not mentioned?
  • If your parents both have ADHD, how likely are you to develop it? Do genetics play a role in this?
  • Do ADHD symptoms change as we age?
  • What do we do if we work with children who have trouble focusing and we think may benefit from an evaluation?
  • If diagnosed with ADD/ADHD as a child, is it worth a re-evaluation at some point? If so, when do you suggest someone do this?
  • When it relates to children, do girls and boys typically present differently based solely on gender?
  • What are some examples of recommendations for school accommodations that you typically put in a psychological report?
  • You mentioned the current situation of students going to school in front of a screen all day with the pandemic. Do you have strategies to help students with ADHD having to complete tasks and pay attention to classes for a prolonged time?
  • I’m a student with ADHD. I feel exhausted all the time because of how much energy it requires to perform my daily tasks and have started to fall asleep during studying. How do I manage my ADHD and not falling asleep/shutting down?

The information discussed is intended to be educational and should not be used as a substitute for guidance provided by your health care provider. Please consult with your treatment team before making any changes to your care plan.

Resources

You may also find this information useful:

About Dr. Macht-Greenberg

Melinda Macht-Greenberg, PhD, is a Harvard-trained child psychologist and faculty member at Tufts University who provides expert advice to parents about children and their education. Dr. Macht-Greenberg also works with families on improving educational outcomes for their children in both private and public schools to maximize a child’s success.

Learn more about Dr. Macht-Greenberg

More Webinars

It’s important to think about ways to manage your mental health. McLean is committed to providing mental health and self-care resources for all who may need them. You and your family may find these strategies from McLean experts helpful to feel mentally balanced in your everyday lives.

Sign up now for the next webinar in our Mental Health Webinar Series.