Loving Someone With Attention Deficit Disorder: A Practical Guide to Understanding Your Partner, Improving Your Communication, and Strengthening Your Relationship

by Susan Tschudi MFT

Overview

Your partner’s attention deficit disorder (ADD) may not seem like a big deal at first, but eventually, the dynamics surrounding his or her impulsivity, forgetfulness, distractibility, and restlessness can really strain your relationship. You don’t want to act like a parent, yet you may feel like you can’t rely on your partner to get things done. Loving Someone with Attention Deficit Disorder is your guide to navigating a relationship with someone with ADD so you can create healthy boundaries while remaining sympathetic to your partner’s symptoms.

An essential resource for every couple affected by ADD, this book will help you:

• Understand medication and other treatments
• Recover quickly when your partner’s symptoms frustrate you
• Establish personal boundaries to avoid excessive caretaking
• Identify and take care of your own needs so you can feel more relaxed

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781608822287
Publisher:	New Harbinger Publications
Publication date:	05/03/2012
Series:	The New Harbinger Loving Someone Series
Pages:	192
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.80(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Susan Tschudi, MA, is a licensed marriage and family therapist in private practice in Westlake Village, CA, and adjunct professor of psychology at Pepperdine University. As a relationship expert, she specializes in helping couples achieve marital success. She also speaks both nationally and internationally on the subject of attention deficit disorder and relationships. Visit www.lovingsomeonewithadd.com for more information.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments vii

Introduction 1

Part 1 Help! My Partner Has ADHD

Chapter 1 What ADHD Is and What It Isn't 7

Part 2 Understanding Your Partner

Chapter 2 The Physical Dimension 29

Chapter 3 The Personal Dimension 41

Chapter 4 The Relational Dimension 51

Chapter 5 The Emotional Dimension 69

Part 3 Strengthening Your Relationship

Chapter 6 Defusing Your Anger 81

Chapter 7 Reality Check 95

Chapter 8 Setting and Strengthening Personal Boundaries 107

Chapter 9 Recognizing and Avoiding Relational Roadblocks 121

Chapter 10 Taking Care of Yourself 137

Chapter 11 Moving through Obstacles Together 153

Resources 173

References 175

Editorial Reviews

Romantic partners of adults with ADHD need good information—they really need it. Fortunately, Tschudi’s new book, Loving Someone with Attention Deficit Disorder, is loaded with good information. Not only is she herself the romantic partner of someone with ADD, she is also a therapist, and that clinical wisdom shines through. If you are the romantic partner of someone with ADD, you owe it to yourself to read this book.”
—Ari Tuckman, PsyD, MBA, author of Understand Your Brain, Get More Done; More Attention, Less Deficit; and Integrative Treatment for Adult ADHD

“Loving Someone with Attention Deficit Disorder takes the reader through the journey of recognizing and dealing with the havoc created by ADD. This book can benefit both the non-ADD individual as well as the partner with ADD. It is illustrative of the difficulties that I find in my patient population and can provide a source of knowledge, facts, and practical tools for rebuilding and enhancing a couple’s relationship. I also highly recommend it for clinicians working in the field of mental health.”
—Ed S. Jesalva, MD, experienced psychiatrist and consultant

“Susan Tschudi has written a helpful book from the perspective of a non-ADD spouse. Loving Someone with ADD not only provides facts and refutes myths about ADD, but also gives hope to spouses and partners. She emphasizes important topics such as addiction, conflict resolution, and self-care. I recommend this book to couples in relationships wherein either one or both of the partners are affected by ADD.”
—Stephanie Moulton Sarkis, PhD, author of 10 Simple Solutions to Adult ADD, Making the Grade with ADD, ADD and Your Money, and Adult ADD: A Guide for the Newly Diagnosed

“Loving Someone with Attention Deficit Disorder is a wonderful and needed tool for couples. First, Tschudi expands our understanding of the impact of ADHD on individuals and relationships. She then offers practical and specific coping strategies to empower couples with the skills needed to manage the challenges of ADHD together.”
—Dennis Lowe, PhD, professor of psychology at Pepperdine University and Emily Scott-Lowe, PhD, director of social work at Pepperdine University

“ADD and ADHD have damaged many relationships. Partners of people with this complicated issue sometimes take it personally or don’t understand that their mate may not be in control of his or her own thought processes. Tschudi’s book will help couples make sense of this misunderstood dilemma and assist them in making healthy choices about their own relationships.”
—Barton Goldsmith, PhD, author of Emotional Fitness for Couples


“This book will be immensely helpful if you are married to someone with ADHD. It will help you find and keep your balance. It will help you understand your partner and not act like a frustrated parent. Tschudi has written a wise, practical, and compassionate book.”
—William Doherty, PhD, professor of family social science at the University of Minnesota and author of Take Back Your Marriage

From the Publisher