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Welcome to "ADHD and Marriage"

Helping adults thrive in relationships impacted by ADHD
Dr. Edward Hallowell and Melissa Orlov blog about marriage when one or both spouses has ADHD. What is it like? What are common themes in marriages with ADHD? What strategies can be used to improve these relationships? How can struggling couples get their marriages back on track so both partners can thrive?

New Here? Is This Site Right for You? READ THIS!

You may have ADHD, or you may be married to someone with ADHD and wondering whether it may be affecting your relationship.  This site can help you learn much more BUT PLEASE READ THIS before you explore for the first time!  Let me introduce you to what’s here. >>> Read more >>>

Now, get two free chapters of The ADHD Effect on Marriage when you register for this site! (Register here)

ADHD and Romance Webinar Up Now - in Time for Valentines Day

I gave a one hour webinar for ADDResources.org not too long ago on the topic of "Reigniting Romance in ADHD Relationships" and they have been kind enough to let me link to the recording so you can see it.  It's an hour long and one of a whole library of webinars that they offer.  If you don't have time to watch, consider putting a reminder into your cell phone (or two, or three!) that will remind you to do something special for >>> Read more >>>

A Challenge to Readers: Are You Validating Your Partner?

Conversations go all wrong when we inadvertently invalidate our partners (or worse, do so on purpose!)  Lots of people are confused about what “validating” means – they think it means “agree with” or “empathize with,” neither or which is accurate.  So I want to try to clarify what validation is, and why it’s important by sharing some examples. >>> Read more >>>

Dr. Hallowell's Response to “Ritalin Gone Wrong”

This past Sunday, The New York Times ran an opinion piece by L. Alan Sroufe called Ritalin Gone Wrong.  Dr. Hallowell weighed in to counter the tactics and assumptions, stating “the piece pushed emotional hot-buttons in a way that would scare the daylights out of uninformed readers...” Dr. Hallowell offers a much different point of view, one based on his strength-based, whole-person approach to treating ADHD. >>> Read more >>>

Six Steps to Nurturing A True Partnership

If your marriage is struggling - ADHD research suggests 58% of marriages with at least one ADHD spouse are clinically dysfunctional - there is hope. ADDA has highlighted six steps from the book, The ADHD Effect on Marriage, on how to rebuild your partnership dynamic. To read the post, please go here. >>> Read more >>>

ADHD and Marriage: Should I Record Our Interactions?

There's a really interesting conversation going on in response to my last blog post that has morphed into whether or not a non-ADHD spouse should secretly record conversations to demonstrate to an ADHD spouse that they really are mishearing and mis-remembering things.  An ADHD spouse has also suggested that recordings might be a good learning tool for "where things go wrong."  Here's what I think: >>> Read more >>>

9 Tips for When Non-ADHD Spouses Just Can’t Cope Anymore

Some days you just don’t have the energy to cope with your partner’s ADHD symptoms any more.  What can you do?  Here are nine tips to help you survive… >>> Read more >>>

ADHD Meds Unlock Your Potential - A True Story

I often am asked about why a person with ADHD should try meds, and one response I give is that meds can give you the clarity and calmness of mind to finally have a chance to let the talented, interesting person “inside” shine through without interference from ADHD symptoms.  Along those lines is the story of Andres Torres, who helped the SF Giants win the World Series in 2010.  He struggled and underperformed for years until he finally accepted his diagnosis of ADHD and decided to treat it.  After that he went from the minors to win the Series.  His story will be told in an upcoming documentary tentatively titled “Gigante.” >>> Read more >>>