by Edward Hallowell & John Ratey · 2021
From the world's most-cited ADHD researchers; updated with neuroscience on the Default Mode Network.
Best for: Adults recently diagnosed with ADHD, or wondering whether to be assessed.
Ad / Affiliate link: We may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Our full reading list.
Hallowell and Ratey wrote *Driven to Distraction* in 1994 — the book that introduced adult ADHD to the general public. *ADHD 2.0* is their update, written after thirty more years of research and clinical practice.
The most interesting addition is their account of the Default Mode Network — the brain network involved in mind-wandering — and why it doesn't switch off properly in ADHD brains. That single piece of neuroscience explains a lot of the lived experience of adult ADHD that older books couldn't account for: the inability to be still in your own head, the relentless mental noise.
They're also generous on strengths — ADHD as a different operating system, not just a deficit — without falling into the trap of denying that ADHD genuinely impairs functioning. We recommend this as the single best modern starting point for a newly-diagnosed adult.
A note. This is reading material, not clinical treatment. If you’re working through something difficult, books complement therapy — they don’t replace it. Book a session with our team for personalised support.
More books in adhd & neurodiversity (adults).
Sari Solden & Michelle Frank
The first major workbook for adult women with ADHD.
Russell Barkley
Practical, evidence-based strategies for executive dysfunction.
Edward Hallowell & John Ratey
The classic that first named adult ADHD for millions; still the best starting point for a newly diagnosed adult.
Thomas Brown
Explains why high-IQ adults can still be profoundly impaired by ADHD; validates the experience of late-diagnosed gifted adults.
Russell Barkley
Academic-but-accessible deep dive into ADHD as a disorder of self-regulation; recommended for clinicians and engaged clients.
Tracy Otsuka
Recent bestseller validating the under-diagnosed female ADHD experience with warmth and research-informed insight.
Our team sees adults, adolescents, and children in person at Bella Vista and via telehealth across NSW. Medicare rebates with a GP Mental Health Care Plan; NDIS self- and plan-managed; private health depending on fund.