Winning with ADHD: A Playbook for Teens and Young Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

by Grace Friedman, Sarah Cheyette, Stephen P. Hinshaw (Foreword)

Get the real inside scoop on thriving as a teen with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Drawing on her own experiences living with the disorder, college student Grace Friedman—along with pediatric neurologist Sarah Cheyette—offers valuable tips and tricks to help you face the unique challenges of ADHD. If you’re a teen with ADHD, you care about academic and social success just as much as your peers do, but you may also experience difficulties keeping up in school and maintaining good relationships with friends and family. In addition, you probably find it challenging to stay organized, articulate your struggles to others, and cope with overwhelming pressure—especially as college approaches. This workbook will give you solid skills for addressing the challenges of ADHD so you can live up to your true potential. In Winning with ADHD , you’ll learn powerful and proven-effective cognitive behavioral strategies for coping with overwhelm, staying organized, tackling assignments, preparing for exams, dealing with emotions, communicating effectively with adults, and maintaining strong friendships. You’ll also find valuable information about ADHD medication, how your brain works, as well as self-advocacy skills to help you get ahead in high school, college, and beyond. As a teen with ADHD, you may face many unique challenges. This workbook will give you everything you need to get one step ahead of your ADHD and thrive in all aspects of life.

Genres: Nonfiction, Adhd, Audiobook, Health, Self Help

192 pages, Paperback

Published April 1, 2019

Reviews

[Book Him Danno · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review:

As a mother who has struggled with ADHD ad now having a son with ADHD I struggle to find way to help him cope with the internal thoughts that never slow down or his ticks that get out of control when his medication doesn't work.

Grace Friedman has the ability to guide readers with love, positive energy and a reminder that you are more than you ADHD.

She gives guidance to teens as well as parents to help teens learn to cope with the disability or ability.
This book isn't just for teens, parents but for educators and school counselor so they can better assist students, children and teens find the success they are looking for.

This is hands down on the of the best books I have read that gives open, honest look at ADHD.


Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher Instant Help for an advance copy of Grace Friedman and Sara Cheyette Winning with ADHD

[Kathie · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a parent of a 17-year-old newly diagnosed with ADHD, I found this book very helpful. Not only did it offer encouragement and support, but it gave practical strategies teens could use for dealing with situations and activities that may be challenging.

[Jeannie]

I listened to the audiobook read by the authors.

Young adult is kind of a stretch, I was 100% not the target audience for this book.

My main compliment for this book is how it encourages and coaches teenagers to have honest and meaningful communication with their parents. The authors lay out strategies in a clear an unpatronizing way. Also, the book is easily digestible and having it be both fast paced and available as an audiobook makes its insights more accessible than those buried in thicker texts.

My main critique of this book is that while it has the capacity to be helpful, its blindness to identity probably makes it most helpful to affluent white boys with ADHD (unsurprisingly, a white boy is pictured on the cover). I would have loved to see the authors explain how ADHD is misunderstood in girls, how various mental illnesses are comorbid with ADHD, or how to navigate ADHD care through Medicaid. Also, of the five or so famous figures I recall being mentioned, most were white, the Black figures were all athletes, and all were men.

Additionally, the fundamental purpose of this book is to help people with ADHD adapt to day to day life and live normally in a neurotypical world. There is value in that — not every moment can be a struggle and “normal” can mean resources and safety — but I do believe the struggle to push against “normal” and an understanding of ADHD from the lens of socially constructed disability is worth mentioning.

[Katrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

She says she writes it for teens and young adults but I feel like she should really say she is writing for an audience in school

[abby myles · Rating 3 out of 5]

if i were in high school, this may have felt more relevant

[Hanin Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

It gave me a few points to think of. I really recommend following up what the second half of the book says, since it gives tips on how ADHD people/ kids can make their lives easier and approachable in the chaos of life.

[Daniel Hardy · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a fine book, especially targeted toward high school and college focused youth with ADHD. It has some useful advice.


STRONGLY disagree with the professional advice (as an ADHD professional -a professional with ADHD who works with those with ADHD) that "you can get accommodations in school but not at work." What BS. Did we suddenly become non-disabled when we got hired? If your work says no accommodations are possible, it's perhaps not a great fit. The overwhelming majority of us do NOT outgrow ADHD as we grow up, and common accommodations include things like recording verbal instructions with a digital recorder, receiving instructions in writing, procedural checklists, noise reducing ear plugs, (all things I use/have used as a nurse) etc. As we grow, we get better at self accommodation too- and this book helps with learning those skills. BUT setting the expectation for "teens and young adults" that your future workplace WILL violate ADA is a bad look, and that absolutely loses a star. (It might be common, but it's illegal. The expectation SHOULD be that your employer does NOT break the law.)

Edit: the content in meds about "stimulant treatment doesn't make you more or less likely to abuse illicit drugs"- besides using outdated and stigmatizing language, simply incorrect, especially since the author clarifies that it has a protective effect about 60 seconds later, and that's considered fairly common knowledge in the field.

[Cat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been conflicted by this diagnosis. I'm guessing this book will be useful to someone with the diagnosis... It sort of makes a strong case for it, but too often, I've seen normal healthy, mostly males, stuck on meds cause they are noral active little boys and sitting at a desk being jabbered at for hours on ends would drive anyone crazy. I don't have ADHA and I start fidgeting after 25 minutes in a meeting.... understand most people outgrow it.... I've also heard from people who use it to enhance skills as adults, and to control children as punishment ("if you don't behave, I'm going to make you take your meds"). I work with nearly entire grade schools filled with ADHD kids. See what I mean? How can SOOOO many have it???
Anyway, book offers some sound advice on dealing with the disorder and treatment of it. It may be of some use to teens. Well written workbook type book for kids to work through. Maybe adults who work with ADHD kids should read it, too.

I received a Kindle arc from Netgalley in exchange for a fair review.

[Vinny Balzano · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book gives a handful of “oh, I do that!” Instances that help normalize the stigmatizing adhd diagnosis. The book is short, and is geared towards teenagers, but at a young adult, I’ve found it to be helpful with making me feel less alone with my adhd. It’s more common than the population wants to believe, and this read makes it a more comfortable conversation.

[Shari Ariail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting to peak inside the brain and thought process of a teenager and how she coped with her ADHD diagnosis and turn her weaknesses into strengths with a deep dive into what systems would work for her.

[Will Healy III · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks for this. Straightforward story telling style that was easy to digest with good information without overwhelming and actionable plans of things I can immediately implement for me and my daughter.

[Trent · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the message to teens and young adults (and all of us) that those with ADHD don't need to feel alone and isolated. The book is loaded with very practical ways to succeed. The biggest step is knowing that's what you're dealing with. Then it can be worked.

[Em · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book on ADHD geared for teens written by a recent college grad. Love the contemporary and practice, no nonsense suggestions and strategies discussed in the book. I know a few people who will appreciate the frank discussion about medications and therapies.

[Claira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing. I bought this a few years ago when struggling with ADHD as a teen and this is allowed me to gain deeper understanding and tips to accessing the potential I was struggling to portray.

[Sarah Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5. I thought this book was insightful and I'm happy I read it to understand ADHD more. Great tips. More focused towards teens but could help anyone.

[Kathy Stinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since I don’t have ADHD I don’t know if the ideas in the book would be helpful but it sure seems that at least some of them would be for at least some kids with ADHD — and their parents.

[Andrew Bellows · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great tips and tricks for young adults, plus could be a great benefit for educators dealing with students with add/adhd

[Stephanie · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is TERRIBLE. First, we know this book is about ADHD, you don't have to repeat it 3 times a sentence. Second, the nutritional advice is a joke. Lunch meat is NOT healthy. "These types of meat have large amounts of saturated fat and sodium, both of which can cause cancer, obesity and heart disease." Third, WHY would you tell kids not to engage in activities where concussions are possible and then immediately suggest they take up boxing? That's just nonsensical. Fourth, a teen who suffers from acne as I did, hearing a doctor no less say that acne is "YYUUCCKK!" is going to feel pretty horrible about themselves. This statement was so disrespectful that my jaw actually dropped. I almost couldn't stomach continuing on with this book at this point, but I did much to my detriment. So fifth, aaaaaand now we are fat shaming and I'm done.

[K (because reading is) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not necessarily the attended audience, but I didn't love this one. There was some fatphobia and there were suggestions that felt kind of judgmental. It may have been the sports metaphors, but even though it has suggestions and tips it still felt like it was saying try harder like you do to succeed in sports.

[Karin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Embarking on a new learning journey and this was the only adhd book immediately available from the library. Interesting stuff, but since it is geared towards teens not super relevant to me. Still picked up some tips though.

[Sammy Stitt · Rating 3 out of 5]

easy read; not sure if it classifies as “young adult” though. definitely more suited to like, 11-15 year olds. fear that this was nothing new or novel to me, but probably would be for younger audiences.

[Bobbi Galvin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nothing new AND while it sounds like the steps are common sense, they just wouldn't work JMHO.

[Karthika · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great resource

[Alysa Fenner · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a book full of tips for ADHD teens. Some of the information was out of date, but overall it had good advice.

[Gi V · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some good ideas but not a whole lot that felt realistic for my teen.

[JJFlash · Rating 2 out of 5]

I doubt it can be helpful to anyone past middle school, it's very basic.

[Andrew Kiselev · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish I had this book in my childhood

[Andrew Kiselev · Rating 4 out of 5]

Крайне достигаторское изложение, но лучше так, чем никак

[Cindy Davis- Cindy's Book Corner · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has excellent information for teens dealing with and trying to cope with ADHD. Even if your teen (or you) doesn't have ADHD, but has focus/procrastination issues, this book has valuable information in it. I highly recommend it. I checked it out of the library, I didn't need to leave a review, but found it a quick/helpful read.

[Julie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eh. I was hoping to get more practical tips to share with my young adult kids but this is really geared towards middle schoolers. If you have an 11-14 year old kid recently diagnosed with ADHD then this is the book for you.