From Denmark comes an important study on ADHD in prison.
For many years I have said that we should evaluate people who do bad things. This study is another reminder to do just that!
Screening for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and co-morbid mental disorders among prison inmates. Einarsson E, Sigurdsson JF, Gudjonsson GH, Newton AK, Bragason OO. Department of Psychology, University of Aarhus, Aarhus, Denmark. Nord J Psychiatry. 2009 Feb 26:1-7.
Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a developmental disorder, which is associated with a number of psychiatric conditions, mostly personality disorder, substance misuse, anxiety and depression. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between ADHD symptoms and associated psychiatric conditions among prisoners. The participants were 90 male prisoners in Iceland who were assessed within 10 days of admission to the prison. The Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) and the Standardised Assessment of Personality-Abbreviated Scale (SAPAS) were administered. Childhood ADHD symptoms were screened by the Wender-Utah Rating Scale and current adult symptoms by the DSM-IV Checklist for ADHD. Half of the prisoners (50%) were found on screening to have met criteria for ADHD in childhood and of those over half (60%) were either fully symptomatic or in partial remission of their symptoms. A logistic regression analysis revealed that the MINI Antisocial Personality Disorder scale was the single best predictor of current ADHD symptoms. Many prisoners are either fully symptomatic or in partial remission of their ADHD symptoms and have serious co-morbid problems, primarily associated with antisocial personality disorder and substance dependence. Prisoners should routinely undergo screening for ADHD in order to identify those who would benefit from a comprehensive assessment to determine who may have ADHD and associated problems.
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Dear Dr Amen,
I have diabetes and have had some memory issues. I have been working on control and see an improvement. My memory issues are also due to a Cardiac arrest in July 2003, for which I have a defibrillator implanted.
Does the defrib preclude me from having a scan?
Thanks for all your good work! Vito
Hi Dr. Amen,
I know what it is like growing up with ADD. I used to get into so much trouble with my parents and educators because they couldn’t understand why I would not write down my assignments, keep up with the other kids etc. I am reading all your books right now and it just makes me so sad that my condition was not identified earlier. I am 32 now and have a child of my own. BTW, I am also a muslim and cannot eat the fish oil pills made out of gelatin. Do you know of any other fish oil pills that are not made of gelatin? Any help would be really appreciated. I wish there was a Amen clinic close to Phoenix, AZ
Fayza ~
You may want to try eating flaxseed. I use a coffee grinder (never been used for coffee) to grind them every morning and mix with a small amount of water. This gives me the same nutritional benefit as fish oil without the fish.
I am an Intercessor and I was with a man who had mood swings, anger, substance abuse, etc. etc. About a year into the relationship, I prayed and asked God to show me his problem. He led me to a book called “Driven To Distraction”. Immediately I knew that was his problem! Then, God led me to “Healing ADD”, which was a real eye opener! I told this man what God showed me and at first he did’nt want to accept it. He landed back in prison again for the 3rd time in 2 years that I know him. The 2nd time he came out of prison he became my husband. I sent him your book and God gave me some prophetic words for him and now he knows this is his problem!! I thank God for you and your book. I just wish there was something more I could do to help other prisoners who have this disorder. He is getting out in August and there is a call on his life to be a pastor. Unfortunately, his nephew was buried last week. He hung himself in prison. I feel in my spirit that he had ADD, too. There has got to be more help for these prisoners!!!…… Brenda
Can one take fish oil if one is taking Plavix? What about the Mega Red? Also, is there anyone in the Atlanta area with whom you work and that you would recommend for someone with ADD? Thank you! (I’ve bought & read 3 of your books)
I have a 9 year old boy with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, ADHD and Bipolar disorder. We have tried many different medications but nothing seems to work. The school is threatening to call the police the next time he has a melt down. Can you recommend anyone in the Chicago area who might be able to help him? I would love to take him to your clinic but there is nothing close to Chicago. Help!
Dr. Amen,
My son was diagnosed with having ADHD when he was 17 yrs. old by a psychologist. I’m wondering if he really has ADHD because when he was a child, he seemed very normal to me. My husband and I divorced and separated when he was 13 yrs. old. Unfortunately, their father got custody of the children and it is evident to me that the kids had no structure whatsoever. He let them do whatever they wanted because he cared more about himself. They were neglected. My children had to take care of themselves and eachother. Although I got to have them one night a week and on the weekends, it’s not the same when you’re not living with them. When they were with me, I tried to spend quality time with them. I didn’t realize that two of my boys were using marijuana until much later on. Like I said, they were great kids when I was living at home. I never noticed any signs of mental or behavioral problems. I know after I moved out their diet wasn’t great and their lifestyle changed. FYI I didn’t want to leave my children, but their father made it impossible to stay. He became abusive. I think their father might have psychotic episodes. As for me, due to my upbringing, I do tend to be a bit neurotic during times of stress.
A major omission of his, as well as others who emphasize the “natural” remedies, is recommending St. John’s Wort as a “natural” althernative anti-depressant. I know from experience that St. John’s Wort has a terrifying interaction with Prozac. I was taking St. John’s wort and got impatient with the lack of relief for my depression (it takes 6 weeks to “kick in”) and so a took some leftover Prozac which I had for a couple of days. The next thing I knew I was feeling like I was losing complete control of my mind. I nad to crawl into bed and stay completely quiet for a day until it wore off. I told my psychiatrist about it and she said that St. John’s wort was an MAO inhibitor and those don’t mix with seratonin type anti-depressants. She had failed to tell me this when I first asked her about St. John’s wort. Later, I pickep up some literature at a health food store downtown (Kramer’s) and it claimed something to the effect that “St. John’s wort was formerly thought to be an MAO inhibitor, but more testing had refuted that idea.” It said that it wasn’t known precisely how it worked! I would like to tell Dr. Amen and others that even if it isn’t an MAOI, it does definately have dangerous interactions with prozak and that it could possibly have dangerous reactions to other drugs and foods (MAOIs have VERY DANGEROUS INTERACTIONS with many foods!) They need to be told that “herbal” drugs are CHEMICALS just like SYNTHETIC DRUGS. They need to be tested. Also, “herbal teas” have chemicals in them. They are NOT always benign. Ordinary black tea is from a plant and therefore also an “herb tea.”
I have a 38 yr old son that is struggling with prescription addiction and I believe ADD. Can you recommend someone in tha Dallas area who treats ADD?
Wish you had facility here Dr Amen. I think SPECT imaging is done at the Southwest Medical Research Center in Dallas but I don’t know if anyone has used it as a tool in pyschiatry. When in his twenties he cracked the windshield of his car with his head. He had CT scans and treatment but nothing showed upped as negative. His addiction started about 8 years ago after being treated for poor concentration.
Thanks
My 26 year old son is finally getting the help he needs to deal with ADHD. He has been prescribed a Stimulant and things are getting much better for him. My only regret is that I didn’t research the benefit of Stimulants for people with ADHD when he was 11 years old as recommended by the school. I could have saved my son alot of frustration and difficulty in school had I done that.
Hello Dr Amen,
I am curious about this issue of adhd, my son is 21 now and still lives at home and he has 2 sons. I have notice he has a hard time dealing with his sons when they visit he does not have patience and he acts as a child also. He still gets in trouble with the law, like tickets mainly and has been arrested because he violated he driving. he is not suppose to drive for 1 year so he got caught driving. anyways I worry for hime because I see him get very depress and he studders at times, he does not eat properly and smokes marijuana because of his back pain from couple of auto accidents. When he was 5 years old he was runned over by a car and he talked alot of death when he was small and I feel this accident had triggerd something in his brain since then and I heard about you and saw you on tv also so I am hoping to get help for him. If you need more information please email me iwant_to_learn2@yahoo.com
Thank You
My son is very angry and defiant. Often determined to sabotage a situation and just give up. Poor impulse control and coping skills. He has been diagnosed with ADHD. We tried Ritalin. It made him speak of suicide and he was even MORE aggressive and mean at the end of the day although it DID help him focus on school work. We put him in a new school. Now things are deteriorating there too. He is in therapy. He is suffering as are we, his family, teachers, fellow students, neighbours who hear the screaming. I don’t know what to do. Please help. He is adamant about NOT eating fruit and veggies. He flat out refuses and I know this has something to do with his poor performance and mood swings. I am so sad. I am bipolar, so I know it is also hereditary. I was also very moody and angry as a child. Although, I was diagnosed as having High Anxiety. Please, Please help me. Thank you. Erin
i have a 14 year old son who has adhd and is taking adderall..he has been suspended for a total of 19 days. he is in the 8th grade his dad thinks nothing is wrong with him. the adderall seems to work for the hyper activity for a little while. does not last during the day and is not keeping him out of trouble. he has been to the office a total of 11 times. he has had therapy since he was in the 3rd grade. the next time he is in trouble they are expelling him. any helpful ideas?
Our child is 8 yrs old female, she has been diagnosed w/ ticks, convergence (she is doing eye theraphy now. She has gotten increasing aggressive…outburst, meltdown at school, home she also has anxiety. We are seeing a therapist, her Peditrian, School counseling, vitamins (from your PBS show & book) we are in a crisis situation….we live in Phoenix,AZ we have insurance….CAN YOU HELP? We need a diagnosis with a SPECT…Peditrian will not prescribe until more test are done….today she said she was going to get a knife and kill herself…she is only 8 where are these thoughts coming from…I am scared for her and for us
I took the Dr. Amen checklist and came out with the Type 3 which is the classic ADD couch potato with the overfocused because I do worry, hold grudges ect. Both describe me perfectly. I started taking St. John’s Wort. It has helped with my moods a little. I finally started taking 20 mg. Aderall today for the ADD. Can I take both together?