The key trait that defines us as human beings is neurodiversity. We are uniquely different one from another and no one being has the exact neurological set-up as the other. It is through this lens that I view Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). As parents, teachers, and educators, we all have different experiences dealing with kids and students with ADHD. We have all seen how it can be both a challenge and a blessing.
However, with the right resources, we can turn the ADHD experience into a thriving one by providing those who have it with the tools and strategies to maximize its potential benefits.
This post is part of a series of posts on ADHD. So far, the series has covered books for women with ADHD, ADHD stories for kids, and books for kids with ADHD. Today, I provide you with a collection of what I think are some of the best ADHD books for adults. As always, any collection I feature here in Selected Reads is the fruit of many hours of online search and excavation and I only include books with higher ratings and reviews.
If you are an adult with ADHD, you know that the condition can be challenging but it does not have to be a life sentence. These books will offer you help, show you how to manage symptoms, help you overcome common challenges, and how to organize your life in more productive and fulfilling ways.
ADHD Books for Adults
Here is our collection of ADHD books for Adults:
1. Order from Chaos, by Jaclyn Paul
“Order from Chaos: The Everyday Grind of Staying Organized with Adult ADHD” is an insightful book by Jaclyn Paul. It offers a fresh perspective on managing ADHD in the context of day-to-day life, specifically addressing the challenges of staying organized.
Paul provides a candid account of her own experiences as a woman living with ADHD, juggling the roles of a mother and wife. Throughout the book, she blends personal anecdotes with researched, applicable advice that she has gathered over years of writing for her blog, The ADHD Homestead.
2. Mastering Your Adult ADHD, by Steven A. Safren, Susan E. Sprich, Carol A. Perlman, Michael W. Otto
This is an invaluable guide updated with the latest CBT-based strategies for managing ADHD in adults. It provides practical tools for clinicians to instruct their clients in coping mechanisms, focusing on areas such as planning, organization, reducing distractibility, and adaptive thinking.
The book leverages contemporary technology and smartphone integration for increased effectiveness. Additionally, it offers guidance on tackling procrastination and fostering constructive communication with significant others and family members.
3. Organizing Solutions for People with ADHD, by Susan Pinsky
“Organizing Solutions for People with ADHD” by Susan Pinsky is a practical guide offering a range of solutions for individuals with ADD. Pinsky structures the book by room or task type, offering strategies to enhance prioritization, time management, organization at work, and personal life.
The solutions encompass varied aspects of life including decluttering homes, managing bills, maintaining schedules, and handling chores such as laundry, grocery shopping, and childcare.
4. When an Adult You Love Has ADHD, by Russell A. Barkley PhD
“When an Adult You Love Has ADHD” by Dr. Russell A. Barkley provides expert insight into understanding and managing ADHD in loved ones. Dr. Barkley delves into the science of ADHD, offering guidance to recognize the signs and symptoms in an adult family member or friend. The book serves as a useful resource for those seeking to guide their loved ones toward appropriate ADHD treatment and to understand its impacts on their relationships.
5. The Silent Struggle, by L. William Ross-Child M.L.C.
“The Silent Struggle” by L. William Ross-Child M.L.C. is a thoughtful exploration of ADHD from both a professional and personal perspective. As an experienced therapist and an individual living with ADHD himself, Ross-Child leverages his unique insights to explain how ADHD impacts all areas of life.
The book offers practical strategies, drawing from Ross-Child’s 30+ years of experience, designed to enhance the reader’s daily life without attempting to ‘fix’ them or change their inherent personality. This work aims to help readers understand their unique thought patterns, emotions, and behaviors, and use this understanding to address their daily challenges related to ADHD.
6. Your Brain’s Not Broken, by Tamara PhD Rosier
“Your Brain’s Not Broken: Strategies for Navigating Your Emotions and Life with ADHD” by Dr. Tamara Rosier is a comprehensive guide aimed at providing readers a deeper understanding of how ADHD impacts their thoughts, emotions, and actions.
Drawing from her extensive experience as a coach, Dr. Rosier presents a range of practical tools and strategies aimed at facilitating dramatic improvements in daily life and relationships for individuals living with ADHD.
The book fosters a compassionate and understanding view of ADHD, emphasizing the idea that individuals with this condition aren’t ‘broken’, but rather require unique strategies for navigating life and emotions.
7. Thriving with Adult ADHD, by Phil Boissiere MFT
“Thriving with Adult ADHD: Skills to Strengthen Executive Functioning” by Phil Boissiere MFT offers practical guidance to individuals with ADHD, focusing on enhancing executive functioning.
Boissiere provides an overview of what executive functioning is and how it connects with ADHD. The book offers exercises and actionable advice to manage ADHD symptoms across various settings – at home, work, or in relationships. Additionally, it includes self-assessments to help readers identify their personal strengths and weaknesses, promoting self-awareness and growth.
8. Taking Charge of Adult ADHD, by Russell A. Barkley
“Taking Charge of Adult ADHD: Proven Strategies to Succeed at Work, at Home, and in Relationships” by Russell A. Barkley is a comprehensive guide offering effective strategies to manage adult ADHD. The book discusses how ADHD manifests in adults, the process of getting an accurate evaluation, and how individuals can manage their symptoms to build a life they desire.
It features hands-on skill-building exercises and answers to frequently asked questions about medication and treatments. The second edition includes new discussions about mindfulness, emotional self-control, and presents the latest resources and medication facts to help overcome specific challenges in relationships, parenting, work, money management, and driving.
9. DIRTY LAUNDRY: Why adults with ADHD are so ashamed and what we can do to help, by Mr Richard Pink, Miss Roxanne Emery
“DIRTY LAUNDRY: Why adults with ADHD are so ashamed and what we can do to help” by Richard Pink and Roxanne Emery offers an honest, no-holds-barred view of living with ADHD. Through their own experiences and insights, the authors help transform the reader’s self-hatred into self-acceptance by providing simple yet effective tips.
The book serves not only as a personal guide for those with ADHD but also as an educational resource for their partners, parents, and friends, helping them replace frustration with patience, understanding, and love.
10. The ADHD Effect on Marriage, by Melissa Orlov
“The ADHD Effect on Marriage: Understand and Rebuild Your Relationship in Six Steps” by Melissa Orlov serves as a crucial guide for couples grappling with the impact of ADHD on their relationship.
The book provides insights into the unique struggles and victories that couples face when one partner has ADHD, encouraging a more positive and less disruptive view of the disorder. Unlike traditional marriage counseling, Orlov’s approach incorporates her own experiences and extensive research into ADHD’s influence on marital dynamics.
The book includes relatable stories, effective strategies, practical worksheets, and methods for difficult conversations, aiming to improve communication and rebuild relationships affected by ADHD.
11. The Mindfulness Prescription for Adult ADHD, by Lidia Zylowska MD
“The Mindfulness Prescription for Adult ADHD” by Dr. Lidia Zylowska presents an innovative 8-step program using mindfulness practice to overcome the symptoms of ADHD. The program includes a variety of practices like meditation, body awareness, thoughtful speaking and listening, and self-acceptance.
Dr. Zylowska provides education about ADHD and how it operates in the brain. The book also explains how a mindful approach can be combined with other treatments, including medication, for a more effective self-improvement journey.
12. You Mean I’m Not Lazy, Stupid or Crazy?, by Kate Kelly, Peggy Ramundo
“You Mean I’m Not Lazy, Stupid or Crazy?!: The Classic Self-Help Book for Adults with Attention Deficit Disorder” by Kate Kelly and Peggy Ramundo provides valuable insights for adults dealing with ADD. It offers practical advice, moral support, and updated information to help readers manage their condition. It distinguishes ADD symptoms from regular lapses in memory, concentration, or impulsive behavior, facilitating a better understanding of the condition.
13. Driven to Distraction: Recognizing and Coping with Attention Deficit Disorder, by Edward M. Hallowell M.D., John J. Ratey M.D.
“Driven to Distraction: Recognizing and Coping with Attention Deficit Disorder” by Edward M. Hallowell M.D., and John J. Ratey M.D. provides a comprehensive look into ADHD through compelling patient stories and case histories.
The authors debunk common myths associated with ADHD, offer practical coping tools, and discuss all treatment options in detail. The book gives valuable advice for dealing with a diagnosed child, partner, or family member, emphasizing the necessity of understanding, compassion, and acceptance in managing ADHD.
14. Is It You, Me, or Adult A.D.D., by Gina Pera
“Is It You, Me, or Adult A.D.D” by Gina Pera is an insightful guide that helps readers understand the impact of ADHD on their lives. Pera offers strategies for interpreting the ADHD roller coaster, recognizing the added complications of late-life diagnosis, revising old misinterpretations, healing from poor coping responses, and implementing supports for completing routine tasks and reaching goals. The book emphasizes the effects of ADHD on spouses and loved ones, and it provides effective approaches to dealing with denial and adopting proven therapeutic techniques.
15. ADHD 2.0, by Edward M. Hallowell M.D., John J. Ratey M.D.
“ADHD 2.0:” by Drs. Edward M. Hallowell and John J. Ratey combines the latest science with personal experience to provide a comprehensive plan for managing ADHD. The authors offer a wealth of new strategies and lifestyle adaptations that allow both children and adults to thrive with ADHD, turning the potential downside into beneficial traits.
16. ADHD & Us: A Couple’s Guide to Loving and Living With Adult ADHD, by Anita Robertson LCSW
“ADHD & Us: A Couple’s Guide to Loving and Living With Adult ADHD” by Anita Robertson LCSW draws from years of therapeutic experience to help couples better understand adult ADHD and its effects on relationships.
The book offers practical tools that allow both partners to feel understood and respected. It provides guidance to avoid common conflicts, appreciate differences, and meet each partner’s needs, thus fostering a healthier, more harmonious relationship.
Final thoughts
Navigating adult life with ADHD can be a journey filled with twists and turns, but it’s a path you certainly don’t have to walk alone. The books on this list offer a wide range of perspectives—from scientific insights to personal stories—that provide tools, strategies, and a sense of camaraderie for those grappling with the challenges and rewards of ADHD. I’ve got to tell you, whether you’re an adult newly diagnosed, have been managing ADHD for years, or are supporting someone who is, the value of a good book on the subject can’t be overstated.