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PENN Adult ADHD Treatment and Research Program
“I have a hard time concentrating on what is going on and am easily distracted by things around me. People think I’m not paying attention and guess what?They’re right!”
“I feel like I’ve under-achieved in almost every part of my life: school, work, and even in my relationships. I just know I should have done better!”
“I always lose track of time and end up running late for appointments."
“My life seems to be an endless cycle of chaos and control. I feel like such an imposter."
“I’m always restless and have a hard time sitting still to do things. Long meetings are torture and sometimes I can’t even sit through a movie."
“The other day I forgot to pick up my kid at day care, and my wife was furious. Forgetting to pick up the dry cleaning is one thing, but how could I have forgotten my child?"
“It seems I’m always letting people down, whether it’s my boss or my best friend. I say I’m going to do something, and really intend to deliver. But then something happens and I just don’t get finished when said I would."
Do these problems sound familiar for you or someone you know?
We all experience these sorts of aggravations from time to time. However, when these difficulties occur chronically and in a variety of situations, it may be a sign of something more than just a bad day.
Once viewed primarily as a “behavior problem,” we now know that ADHD is a neurological disorder affecting millions of people in the United States and around the world. Although the “core symptoms” of ADHD are subtle and essentially invisible to most people, these symptoms lead to unmistakable functional impairments and struggles in almost every part of the lives of adults with ADHD.
These impairments include recurrent procrastination, chronic disorganization, inconsistent work or school performance, and difficulties sustaining healthy relationships, just to name a few.
If you are experiencing some of these difficulties, the services offered at Penn’s Adult ADHD Treatment & Research Program may help.
Who We Are
The Penn ADHD Treatment & Research Program was founded in 1999 with a commitment to excellence in both research and clinical service. We specialize in assessing and treating older adolescents and adults (generally age 18 and older) who have difficulties related to ADHD.
The program offers diagnostic assessment, consultation and recommendations, specialized treatment, and access to clinical research protocols.
Anthony L. Rostain, MD, Professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, and J. Russell Ramsay, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Psychology in Psychiatry are the co-founders and Co-Directors of the Adult ADHD Treatment and Research Program. Both Drs. Rostain and Ramsay lecture to professional and lay audiences around the world on the topic of ADHD and have written extensively on the subject.
Drs. Rostain and Ramsay have developed a program for treating adults with ADHD that combines limited-duration Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) and, when appropriate, medication management. This combined treatment has been shown not only to reduce the core symptoms of ADHD but more importantly, to address and manage the day-to-day impairments of ADHD. Patients usually benefit through an improved quality of life while experiencing fewer difficulties with other psychiatric disorders that often accompany ADHD, such as depression and anxiety.
Drs. Rostain and Ramsay have published a new book, titled Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Adult ADHD (2008, Routledge), which provides valuable guidance for clinicians in treating patients in an effective and time-efficient manner. The book is a useful resource for patients who would like a better understanding of ADHD and its treatment.
The Adult ADHD Treatment & Research Program also offers a variety of treatments and other resources that target specific difficulties experienced by ADHD adults. These include group therapy, relationship and family counseling, and academic counseling and career planning (within the context of CBT). More recently the Penn Adult ADHD Treatment & Research Program has been collaborating with the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s (CHOP) Center for the Management of ADHD to develop a family-based treatment program for ADHD for families in which at least one parent and one child are diagnosed with ADHD.
How to Contact Us
If you have any questions about the Program or would like to make an appointment, please call (215) 573-1159 and press option #1 to speak with our Program Coordinator. All calls will be returned within 48 hours.