Why Adult ADHD is on the Rise and the Warning Signs of it with Dr. John Kruse

Americans facing the myriad distractions of modern life might be tempted to make light of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder as an explanation for our frantic, fragmented focus – as a nation and as individuals. But adult ADHD is a serious condition that, left untreated, can derail careers, destroy relationships, damage self-esteem, and even kill people.

Too often, we don’t recognize it and thus can’t treat it effectively. Today's special guest, Dr. John Kruse, has set out to change that with his provocative new book, “Recognizing Adult ADHD: What Donald Trump Can Teach Us About Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.”

His ultimate goal, he says, is to “deepen our understanding of, and empathy for, those individuals with the complex and potentially disabling condition of adult ADHD. “Millions have it, millions more are affected by the individuals with ADHD in their lives, and our whole society is becoming more ADHD-like,” he says. “So we all need to become more prepared by understanding what ADHD is and how to cope with its intrusion into our lives.”

With a doctorate degree in basic neuroscience and an active psychiatric practice, Dr. Kruse throws cold water on the “Goldwater rule” which prohibits psychiatrists from giving professional opinions about public figures without personally conducting an examination. The president, he says, embodies a condition that affects millions of Americans, yet is poorly understood and often undiagnosed.

“I have been a psychiatrist for 25 years, treating people with both medications and psychotherapy, with a focus on adults with ADHD,” he says. “Even decades after psychiatry and society realized that adults can have ADHD, I still see patients, month after month, who have suffered for years without an accurate diagnosis of their ADHD.”