Jennifer’s review of ADHD Is Awesome: A Guide to (Mostly) Thriving with ADHD > Likes and Comments
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His comment about how ADHDers can just build their own house with special rooms and glass walls was WAY out there. Most young people nowadays can't even afford a shack, let alone something that will cost $1 million or more to build.
I think you missed a lot of the great advice in this book.
I agree that the experiences shared were from a privileged life and are only one tiny blip of an example of how lives are and how they could possibly function. I do get the very limited info on meds, though, since he is not any sort of Dr. and getting into that without any experience would be a huge rabbit whole requiring extensive research. Best to just speak about his experience and move on— which this book reads more like his past and how he currently gets through each day.
This book helps me see things better through my grandson's eyes. What I hope to gain from this book is a better understanding of how his brain works. Right now we just get frustrated and think he's voluntarily not listening and not behaving, but if he truly does not have control over those instincts because of the way his brain is wired, I want to learn to be more empathetic and more patient.
The book is about the author’s and his family’s experience with ADHD he doesn’t claim to be an expert.
You skipped the part where he says that medication works for a lot of people but just didn’t work for him and that it’s something you should discuss with your doctor.
Yeah, his disregard of medication was disheartening for sure
It’s his experience. I benefited from medication but it doesn’t work for everyone.
Americans love to throw extremely high doses of medication down their throat and move on… i appreciate the fact he wasn’t giving me advice on how to poison myself even more. The dosages your docs prescribe isn’t even close to legal in other countries… for a good reason
He never said he didn’t recommend meds or no meds - he said no meds worked for him personally and TO CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR. Telling people who found value in a book for their neurological disorder that they don’t have their disorder is really unfair. True, he isn’t a doctor but neither are you and at least he has the decency to not assume he knows best for others (or can diagnose others).
He also said ministry wasn’t for him - I’m currently in seminary. Did I take that to mean I shouldn’t be in seminary because I have ADHD and he said it requires a lot of introspection? No. Because he was clear he’s sure there are tons of ADHD ministers out there - it just wasn’t for him.
I am so happy to know that there is another neurodivergent person out there who tried one medication and knew that it wasn’t for them ! It makes me feel seen. ADHD is not a disorder that needs to be fixed simply because we live in a society that isn’t set up to accept people with differences like us. I feel books like this are important. We are gifted and have a lot to offer just the way we are.
I myself am unable to take medication because I am on the fetal alcohol spectrum, a disorder that results in medications having the opposite of intended effects. Adderall almost killed me. Vyvanse set my heart off like crazy. Concerta made me EXTREMELY irritable. The only medicine that works for me is Guanfacine and it barely does the job. The weirdest thing about ADHD is that EVERYONE has different experiences.
Maybe it would be helpful if you wrote your own book on medication. But that’s not what this book is.
I recommend reading chapter 8 in "ADHD 2.0" (by Edward M. Hallowell) for medication recommendation.
He mentioned medication, but only being on it for a short time, and it not working for him, there wasn’t much for him to say about it. He’s also not a medical professional so discussing medications probably is a liability waiting to happen..
I think you missed the point of the book entirely. It’s called “thriving WITH adhd”. Not eliminating its effects.
How should he have written about medication, when he has very limited experience with it and e is NOT a medical professional? Just wondering. I am going to start the book only now, though.
I have ADHD and have tried 3 different medications with no benefit. We needed a book like this.
Niw I finished listening to it. And yes, I am wondering too, if we read the same book. First off, ADHD 101 is that you should not question other people's ADHD or other neurodevelopmental or psych diagnosis. Second, they emphasis over and over that they are not medical professionals. Discuss your medication with a professional. And though Penn does not take medication, they list it as a very important tool to handle ADHD. I don't know what else you want on that front. They also admit to their privilege and talk about when you don't have that.
This book was enlightening for those unfamiliar with ADHD; I found it excellent for understanding family members who have ADHD and also enjoyed the positive and useful advice. This book helped as I recognized signs of ADHD in family members who haven’t been diagnosed. The fact that Penn chooses not to talk much about medication is his personal choice. I think your review is overly critical.
Penn stated in this book he's not a medical professional so he wasn't going to dive into the medications that are vast and plenty out there, he refers you to speak with your doctor for that discussion. This was more about what is going on in his brain, he can only speak from his own experience; I wasn't expecting anything groundbreaking in the book but found his view on it to be fresh and honest.
I have ADHD and some of the stuff Penn was experienced. Not all people with ADHD take medcine. Penn does have a very high type of ADHD AND i have mild. Be youself
If you listen to the audio book, you can tell he has ADHD. I have ADHD and I am one of those people you question having ADHD just because I rate it higher than a 3. Thank you for the putdown. In fact he does acknowledge that medication has been a beneficial option for many people. He was not knocking people taking medication. I have been on medication and have had times of not being on medication. I have used mindfulness practices when not on medication. Both have worked but when demands in life get higher and as I have gotten older I have needed to return to medication. To be clear the first medication I was on sent me into a panic with my heart racing out of my chest. I got lucky with the second medication. Not everyone can tolerate medication so they need to look at other options. Sorry this book was a dud for you. For me it, it helped validate some of my experiences and reminded me of strategies that help. Also, Penn recognizes that he has been blessed with an ideal work situation that allows him to thrive along with an incredibly supportive spouse and friends who know him and love him. I wish you well on your journey.
About the medication point, I think it's probably a good thing that he doesn't go super deep into using medication for ADHD. Penn clearly emphasizes that he isn't a doctor or medical professional and it wouldn't be appropriate for him to dish out medical advice about taking medication, and that his experience with taking medication is just that-- his experience. In fact, I recall that Penn goes out of his way to cite a statistic that medication actually DOES help about 80% of people with ADHD. So Penn is in no way saying that medication is inherently bad for people with ADHD, just that it didn't work for him personally. Speaking as someone who has ADHD myself and takes a low dose of prescribed stimulants for it, I've heard way worse takes about ADHD medication than what Penn says in this book.
My daughter was newly diagnosed (1yr ago) w ADHD, and I’m convinced I have it now too! Lol This was a great intro into understanding my daughter and her needs. Listening to Penn & Kim made it much easier to listen & stay engaged. Is it our ADHD bible? No. But it’s started me out on the right track to support my teen. So happy I didn’t pay attention to the bad reviews!
Some of us are late diagnosed and would have more issues with meds, and some can’t afford meds. So I’m not sure how you define privilege. It’s a bit of a privilege to have access to meds in a world where many don’t.
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Jazz
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Oct 04, 2024 10:58AM
His comment about how ADHDers can just build their own house with special rooms and glass walls was WAY out there. Most young people nowadays can't even afford a shack, let alone something that will cost $1 million or more to build.
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I think you missed a lot of the great advice in this book.
I agree that the experiences shared were from a privileged life and are only one tiny blip of an example of how lives are and how they could possibly function. I do get the very limited info on meds, though, since he is not any sort of Dr. and getting into that without any experience would be a huge rabbit whole requiring extensive research. Best to just speak about his experience and move on— which this book reads more like his past and how he currently gets through each day.
This book helps me see things better through my grandson's eyes. What I hope to gain from this book is a better understanding of how his brain works. Right now we just get frustrated and think he's voluntarily not listening and not behaving, but if he truly does not have control over those instincts because of the way his brain is wired, I want to learn to be more empathetic and more patient.
The book is about the author’s and his family’s experience with ADHD he doesn’t claim to be an expert.
You skipped the part where he says that medication works for a lot of people but just didn’t work for him and that it’s something you should discuss with your doctor.
Yeah, his disregard of medication was disheartening for sure
It’s his experience. I benefited from medication but it doesn’t work for everyone.
Americans love to throw extremely high doses of medication down their throat and move on… i appreciate the fact he wasn’t giving me advice on how to poison myself even more. The dosages your docs prescribe isn’t even close to legal in other countries… for a good reason
He never said he didn’t recommend meds or no meds - he said no meds worked for him personally and TO CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR. Telling people who found value in a book for their neurological disorder that they don’t have their disorder is really unfair. True, he isn’t a doctor but neither are you and at least he has the decency to not assume he knows best for others (or can diagnose others). He also said ministry wasn’t for him - I’m currently in seminary. Did I take that to mean I shouldn’t be in seminary because I have ADHD and he said it requires a lot of introspection? No. Because he was clear he’s sure there are tons of ADHD ministers out there - it just wasn’t for him.
I am so happy to know that there is another neurodivergent person out there who tried one medication and knew that it wasn’t for them ! It makes me feel seen. ADHD is not a disorder that needs to be fixed simply because we live in a society that isn’t set up to accept people with differences like us. I feel books like this are important. We are gifted and have a lot to offer just the way we are.
I myself am unable to take medication because I am on the fetal alcohol spectrum, a disorder that results in medications having the opposite of intended effects. Adderall almost killed me. Vyvanse set my heart off like crazy. Concerta made me EXTREMELY irritable. The only medicine that works for me is Guanfacine and it barely does the job. The weirdest thing about ADHD is that EVERYONE has different experiences.
Maybe it would be helpful if you wrote your own book on medication. But that’s not what this book is.
I recommend reading chapter 8 in "ADHD 2.0" (by Edward M. Hallowell) for medication recommendation.
He mentioned medication, but only being on it for a short time, and it not working for him, there wasn’t much for him to say about it. He’s also not a medical professional so discussing medications probably is a liability waiting to happen..
I think you missed the point of the book entirely. It’s called “thriving WITH adhd”. Not eliminating its effects.
How should he have written about medication, when he has very limited experience with it and e is NOT a medical professional? Just wondering. I am going to start the book only now, though.
I have ADHD and have tried 3 different medications with no benefit. We needed a book like this.
Niw I finished listening to it. And yes, I am wondering too, if we read the same book. First off, ADHD 101 is that you should not question other people's ADHD or other neurodevelopmental or psych diagnosis. Second, they emphasis over and over that they are not medical professionals. Discuss your medication with a professional. And though Penn does not take medication, they list it as a very important tool to handle ADHD. I don't know what else you want on that front. They also admit to their privilege and talk about when you don't have that.
This book was enlightening for those unfamiliar with ADHD; I found it excellent for understanding family members who have ADHD and also enjoyed the positive and useful advice. This book helped as I recognized signs of ADHD in family members who haven’t been diagnosed. The fact that Penn chooses not to talk much about medication is his personal choice. I think your review is overly critical.
Penn stated in this book he's not a medical professional so he wasn't going to dive into the medications that are vast and plenty out there, he refers you to speak with your doctor for that discussion. This was more about what is going on in his brain, he can only speak from his own experience; I wasn't expecting anything groundbreaking in the book but found his view on it to be fresh and honest.
I have ADHD and some of the stuff Penn was experienced. Not all people with ADHD take medcine. Penn does have a very high type of ADHD AND i have mild. Be youself
If you listen to the audio book, you can tell he has ADHD. I have ADHD and I am one of those people you question having ADHD just because I rate it higher than a 3. Thank you for the putdown. In fact he does acknowledge that medication has been a beneficial option for many people. He was not knocking people taking medication. I have been on medication and have had times of not being on medication. I have used mindfulness practices when not on medication. Both have worked but when demands in life get higher and as I have gotten older I have needed to return to medication. To be clear the first medication I was on sent me into a panic with my heart racing out of my chest. I got lucky with the second medication. Not everyone can tolerate medication so they need to look at other options. Sorry this book was a dud for you. For me it, it helped validate some of my experiences and reminded me of strategies that help. Also, Penn recognizes that he has been blessed with an ideal work situation that allows him to thrive along with an incredibly supportive spouse and friends who know him and love him. I wish you well on your journey.
About the medication point, I think it's probably a good thing that he doesn't go super deep into using medication for ADHD. Penn clearly emphasizes that he isn't a doctor or medical professional and it wouldn't be appropriate for him to dish out medical advice about taking medication, and that his experience with taking medication is just that-- his experience. In fact, I recall that Penn goes out of his way to cite a statistic that medication actually DOES help about 80% of people with ADHD. So Penn is in no way saying that medication is inherently bad for people with ADHD, just that it didn't work for him personally. Speaking as someone who has ADHD myself and takes a low dose of prescribed stimulants for it, I've heard way worse takes about ADHD medication than what Penn says in this book.
My daughter was newly diagnosed (1yr ago) w ADHD, and I’m convinced I have it now too! Lol This was a great intro into understanding my daughter and her needs. Listening to Penn & Kim made it much easier to listen & stay engaged. Is it our ADHD bible? No. But it’s started me out on the right track to support my teen. So happy I didn’t pay attention to the bad reviews!
Some of us are late diagnosed and would have more issues with meds, and some can’t afford meds. So I’m not sure how you define privilege. It’s a bit of a privilege to have access to meds in a world where many don’t.