It was released here in Canada last week and I spent some time at Chapters browsing through it the other day. I was quite surprised to read his interpretation of the causes of ADD. He said there was a genetic component to it - that you could have the tendency but wouldn't necessarily develop it. He then went on to state that some possible causes included exposure to environmental toxins, and that watching too much tv and spending too much time surfing the internet could also contribute to ADHD developing and that we shouldn't spend to much time doing these things.

My understanding from reading the 2002 International Consensus Statement was that it was predominantly genetic (as high as 95%). I've also read that the remaining small percentage of cases were caused by brain injury or fetal alcohol syndrome. If Hallowell's theory about TV is true, all we would need to do is prevent children from watching tv before the age of seven and we would irradicate it completely, since ADHD has to be developed by that age according to the DSM-IV.

The problem with his presentation is that he spent more text describing the possible secondary causes and little on the genetic, giving the impression to the uneducated that somehow we could control who does and does not get it.

I'm probably being a little oversensitive but it certainly left me confused about where he is coming from on this. I have a great deal of respect for what he has done to educate the public (and ADDers) about the disorder but I feel he is off the mark on this one.

Anyone else have a different impression of what he was saying?

Have the book but haven't started reading it yet.

The idea that ADD is genetic is still a hotly debated issue. I'm not willing to listen to anybody who says they have proof one way or the other, yet.

What is your feeling about it WWClam? My understanding is that they reached the 70-90% genetic theory because they studied identical twins raised separately and examined the frequency with which both developed ADD, that doesn't do it for you?

I haven't read the whole book but I thought he did a good job presenting genetics. He says that the heritability of ADD is about 75% and talks about the concordance rates in identical twins and all that stuff. He says that people dont actually inherit ADD but they inherit a susceptibility to ADD and things like watching too much tv can increase the likelihood that the genes will be expressed. Anyways, I like the book. He emphasizes a lot of the positive aspects of ADD.

I have read the book and have heard both Dr Hallowell and Dr Ratey discuss this idea. I too am kind of confused by this theory or maybe just the wording of it. I think that people are born with ADD and I also believe that environmental factors do play a role in ADD.

Is ADD only ADD when it's causes problems in a person life? If somebody was to grow up in a very "ADD Friendly" environment and able to focus on all his or her strengths and talents instead of weaknesses would he or he actually have ADD?


I know Thom Hartman's most recent books about ADD also bring up this issue. It really makes the whole Hunter Farmer theory make sense too. People with ADD have "hunter brains" and thrive in "hunter societies".