ADHD is “Get-out-of-able”: An Interview with Dr. Ned Hallowell, the Godfather of ADHD

On his 70th birthday, Edward (Ned) Hallowell, M.D. shares his unflinchingly positive outlook about adults with ADHD and the gift it can be in our lives.

Dr. Hallowell's 1994 best-selling book Driven to Distraction remains one of the single most important books about adults with ADHD ever written. His latest book, V.A.S.T., argues that ADHD is an outdated name and that Variable Attention Stimulus Trait is a much better one.

Finally, Dr. Hallowell shares his belief that ADHD is "get-out-of-able." That diagnosing, treating, and learning to harness ADHD's gifts puts an end to the suffering it can bring. 

Learn More about Dr. Hallowell

• The Hallowell Centers
• Books by Dr. Hallowell
• Dr. Hallowell on ADDitude Magazine
• Distraction Podcast with Dr. Ned Hallowell

Two Quotes

"In my career, I have not been treating disabilities. I have been helping people unwrap their gifts."

"ADHD can ruin your life and just make life a living hell if you don't know what's going on. And that's so sad because this living hell is get-out-of-able. You don't have to live in it. You don't have to suffer."

ADHD Resources in this Episode

• Driven to Distraction 
• Delivered From Distraction

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Chapters

• 1:53 Introducing Dr. Ned Hallowell, the Godfather of ADHD
• 3:21 ADHD—Better than "Minimal Brain Dysfunction," I guess?
• 4:15 Dr. Hallowell's ADHD origin story
• 6:24 "People who with ADHD, which I have, I knew for a fact could do very well in life."
• 8:38 V.A.S.T., the Variable Attention Stimulus Trait
• 9:56 "ADHD" is a completely inaccurate and misleading term.
• 13:45 Living with ADHD is like playing a really, really difficult musical instrument.
• 19:05 Lawyers don't know what ADHD is, and what they do "know" is wrong.
• 21:52 Untreated ADHD knocks 15 years off your life and addiction is about 10 times higher.
• 24:03 It's Get-Out-of-Able