A Letter from John Ratey

August 30, 2006

A Letter from Dr. John Ratey M.D and Co-Author of “Driven To Distraction

What and when and how can i be helpful– i have tons of people on ssri and stimulnats — it is not unusual.

How can i be useful?  i do not have any time to testify, review charts or the like- i could write a letter attesting to the use of the ssris and stimulants if that woudl help..

I am sorry you are caught in the malestrom and if my life were different i would welcome the fight with an Insurance company. I have not been a provider of any insurance for many years now

Good luck and let me know how things go!
Dr. John Ratey M.D

DRIVEN TO DISTRACTION:
Recognizing and Coping with Attention Deficit Disorder from Childhood Through Adulthood by Edward M. Hallowell, M.D. and John Ratey, M.D

Millions of children and adults tell themselves or are admonished by others that they will continue to have problems in school, in work, and in social relationships if they don’t stop procrastinating, start concentrating, sit still, finish what they started, get organized. But what appears to be a matter of self-discipline is actually, for many, a more complex challenge of coping with an inborn neurological problem: ADD, or Attention Deficit Disorder.

Through vivid stories of the experiences of their patients (both adults and children), Drs.. Hallowell and Ratey show the varied forms ADD takes — from the hyperactive search for high stimulation to the floating inattention of precise diagnosis and treatment. The authors explain when and how medication can be extraordinarily helpful, and since both doctors have ADD, their advice on effective behavior-modification techniques for overcoming the syndrome is enriched by their own experience.