Delivered From Distraction Insights

The must-read analysis of the key insights from "Delivered From Distraction" by Edward M. Hallowell and John J. Ratey — presented by Athena.

Take it from two psychiatrists who’ve successfully managed attention deficit disorder themselves: It comes with many challenges for those who have it and those who care about them, but focus on the strengths it offers and you too can live a joyful, productive life with ADD.

A diagnosis of attention deficit disorder, or ADD, doesn’t have to be bad news. In fact, Edward Hallowell, a leading expert in the field, says that having the condition can be something to celebrate. ADD is “a misleading name for an intriguing kind of mind,” he writes. “ADD is a name for a collection of symptoms, some positive, some negative. For many people, ADD is not a disorder but a trait, a way of being in the world.”

Hallowell and his co-author are psychiatrists who both treat and have ADD. The two collaborated on the 1994 best-seller "Driven to Distraction," which fundamentally changed our understanding of ADD. This 2005 book expands on their thinking and includes updated research and treatments.

Hallowell has written 20 books, gives lectures and has a podcast, sharing colorful stories from his own life and those of his patients and friends. Even when he writes optimistically about the experience of ADD, you know he personally understands its difficulties.