Dr. Georgia Ede

What are we doing instead? We're medicating children. We're giving children stimulants, which can stump their growth, make them anxious, and cost money. One of the reasons I do this work is because I really don't think that for most people the right thing to do is to medicate our way out of this situation.

What are we doing instead? We're medicating children. We're giving children stimulants, which can stump their growth, make them anxious, and cost money. One of the reasons I do this work is because I really don't think that for most people the right thing to do is to medicate our way out of this situation.

I mean, just about every mental and physical health issue we have, we think about, we've just kind of been conditioned to think about medications as the solution. But medications don't solve problems. They cover them up.

I mean, just about every mental and physical health issue we have, we think about, we've just kind of been conditioned to think about medications as the solution. But medications don't solve problems. They cover them up.

And what we really want to do is want to get to the root of these problems and not just treat them, which nutrition interventions can do in many cases, but perhaps even prevent them from happening in the first place.

And what we really want to do is want to get to the root of these problems and not just treat them, which nutrition interventions can do in many cases, but perhaps even prevent them from happening in the first place.

It does. But you know, So I have a lot of experience treating ADHD because I worked for two years at an ADHD specialty clinic called the Hallowell Center outside of Boston. I also worked for 13 years in college mental health at Harvard and at Smith College and saw lots and lots and lots of students with ADHD.

It does. But you know, So I have a lot of experience treating ADHD because I worked for two years at an ADHD specialty clinic called the Hallowell Center outside of Boston. I also worked for 13 years in college mental health at Harvard and at Smith College and saw lots and lots and lots of students with ADHD.

Most of who actually had it, some of who didn't, some who were just looking for stimulants. But I can tell you as a psychiatrist who's prescribed medications for 25 years, the stimulants are some of the most effective medicines we have in our toolbox. For the people it works for, it works very, very well. And it can be life-changing. A lot of people think of ADHD as, oh, a minor issue.

Most of who actually had it, some of who didn't, some who were just looking for stimulants. But I can tell you as a psychiatrist who's prescribed medications for 25 years, the stimulants are some of the most effective medicines we have in our toolbox. For the people it works for, it works very, very well. And it can be life-changing. A lot of people think of ADHD as, oh, a minor issue.

Oh, you can't concentrate, or maybe you daydream, or maybe you're fidgety, or maybe you get distracted. ADHD can be a really serious condition. Just like all mental health conditions, it exists on a spectrum of mild to very severe. And so people with ADHD are at much higher risk for suicidal ideation. They're at much higher risk for substance abuse. They're at much higher risk for accidents.

Oh, you can't concentrate, or maybe you daydream, or maybe you're fidgety, or maybe you get distracted. ADHD can be a really serious condition. Just like all mental health conditions, it exists on a spectrum of mild to very severe. And so people with ADHD are at much higher risk for suicidal ideation. They're at much higher risk for substance abuse. They're at much higher risk for accidents.

They're at much higher risk for depression, for anxiety. And twice the rate of divorce in people with adults with ADHD. These are serious, can be for some people, really disabling conditions. People cannot function in their lives. They can't function in their relationships. They can't hold a job. You know, they feel so frustrated and powerless.

They're at much higher risk for depression, for anxiety. And twice the rate of divorce in people with adults with ADHD. These are serious, can be for some people, really disabling conditions. People cannot function in their lives. They can't function in their relationships. They can't hold a job. You know, they feel so frustrated and powerless.

I mean, I was telling you that I worked with students in these elite universities, right? These are very intelligent people who were struggling 10 times harder than their peers in classes. They had to work so much harder. They had to stay up four or five hours later than everybody else. And they did because they were hardworking. But they're really suffering. And this discrepancy between...

I mean, I was telling you that I worked with students in these elite universities, right? These are very intelligent people who were struggling 10 times harder than their peers in classes. They had to work so much harder. They had to stay up four or five hours later than everybody else. And they did because they were hardworking. But they're really suffering. And this discrepancy between...

How smart I am and how much I think I should be able to do and how much I'm actually able to do makes me feel bad about myself, right? They feel bad about themselves because they know they're capable of more, but they can't get there. And it's a real biological condition. Now, the great thing about – this is a perfect example.

How smart I am and how much I think I should be able to do and how much I'm actually able to do makes me feel bad about myself, right? They feel bad about themselves because they know they're capable of more, but they can't get there. And it's a real biological condition. Now, the great thing about – this is a perfect example.

We could have this conversation about any mental health condition, but ADHD is a great example because – There's always a risk-benefit analysis when you're thinking about how we're going to treat this condition. So do you want to take medication? What are the pros and cons of that? Does the medication work for you? Does it give you side effects? Can you access the medication?

We could have this conversation about any mental health condition, but ADHD is a great example because – There's always a risk-benefit analysis when you're thinking about how we're going to treat this condition. So do you want to take medication? What are the pros and cons of that? Does the medication work for you? Does it give you side effects? Can you access the medication?