Your Roving Psychiatrist – Mexico

By Umesh Jain

Cancun is a wonderful tourist place. Despite the media hype about tourists being targeted for ugly crimes, there was no evidence that there was a wave of worry. People are hospitable and welcoming. I have been to Mexico a number of times usually around Cancun or Tulum but this time I was there and back for a lecture and no beach retreat.

I usually drive my own car when in Mexico, which is always challenging but fun. I am fond of the “shoulder pass” where you go onto the shoulder of the road to let other cars pass. I’ve only seen that happen in Alberta.  And of course, stopping at roadside food places and getting a taste of super hot food. In my mind, it is not hot enough if you haven’t got a change of underwear.  Capsicum, nature’s stimulant and the gut cleanser of Mexicans. It works. Never had a problem with bacterial dysentery when having hot food.

Soooo, what about chili peppers as a natural stimulant for ADHD? Read more

The Comics + ADHD

By Umesh Jain

Back in 1997 I wrote a paper which I presented to the American Orthopsychiatry Association (Jain, U. & Ballon, B. Calvin (Hobbes) on Ritalin and Batman on Prozac: popular cartoon figures and their psychopathology American Orthopsychiatry Association, Toronto, ON.  March 15, 1997) where my Resident, at the time, went through all kinds of comic characters to see which ones seem to have a certain stereotype and it was evident that Calvin has ADHD. How did Bob Watterson know? The image of last minute mentality, daydreams in class, poor organizational skills and the social outcast seem so obvious. Whenever I have used the comic to help a child (or adult) to understand the world of ADHD, Read more

In The Abyss or In The Zone

By Rick Green

So we are working on a sequel to ADD & Loving It?! A Part 2. The next step.  Taking it to the next level.

ADD & Loving It?! won awards because it dared to suggest ADHD & ADD are real, they’re impairing, they run in families, they can ruin families, they show up in odd and unsuspecting ways, they’re tricky to diagnose, knowing you have it can save your life, and there’s a ton that can be done to manage ADHD.

But it’s not easy.

Thus, the next video, ADD & Mastering It! Hopefully ready for June and airing on PBS stations starting in August and September.  A week ago, I would have said that was a pipe dream. I was stuck.  In overwhelm.  I was walking through the valley of the shadow of deadlines.

We’d hit a huge problem. Read more

ADHD & Athletics: The Roving Psychiatrist

By Umesh Jain

I was recently in New York defending an athlete who was fighting to get some recognition about the impairments of ADHD. I was going on behalf of the National Hockey League Player’s Association. When ADHD is ignored and/or dismissed, it can have serious consequences on the player and their performance. While the player’s ADHD was well known to the team that had him under contract, it was not handled well, in my opinion. But it addressed for me the presumption that we expect athletes to overcome whatever it is that is hidden behind the highly trained body of theirs. Whether it is psychological or medical the athlete is just a commodity. The general mentality I think is, ”If you can’t do the job and whatever it is that you have ails you, then there are a thousand others who would love to be where you are right now so tough it up.” Suffer in silence is the message. Sure you are sliding into drug/alcohol addictions, Read more

A Bike Wheel Is Like A Doughnut

By Rick Green

Last week I blogged about the Bike Rally I did. And a member, ‘Sdwa’, commented that the story was inspiring, but then shared the challenges he/she has had getting in shape. One pilates class and he/she could barely walk for two days. That suggests a couple of things.

First: Wow, congrats, you really took it on.

Second: Oh dear, that was too much.

Third: As long as you didn’t injure yourself, that pain is your body going, “Oh boy, I need to build more muscle.” Apparently our muscles actually get damaged, Read more

The Power of Mentorship

By Umesh Jain

I’ve always envisioned ADHD children as entering into the world and making it clear to their parents, “So, who died and left you in charge?” There is an intrinsic power battle that goes on. The child constantly needs to be in control and has to challenge authority with three words, “No, why and but.” I call that the “no wide butts” dialogue opener. We often refer to these children with the additional diagnosis of an Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD).

I saw a kid with ODD as I was doing a Telepsychiatry consultation this week. Smart kid but a heck of a problem for the school and the parents. Read more