Dr. Payton

There are a number of reasons that any person might have difficulty concentrating or focusing. I have had young adults in their 20’s come to me convinced that they have Alzheimer’s [Dementia] because they can’t remember to do things even after a short amount of time. Inevitably, they are experiencing stress and their brains automatically…

I have prescribed amphetamines [Adderall, Vyvanse, Dexedrine, Ritalin, Concerta, Focalin, Evekeo and others] for thousands of people of all ages that I have diagnosed with ADHD. To diagnose ADHD I require that current symptoms meet the current DSM criteria for ADHD as they are self-reported using a scale that has been shown to be reliable…

A number of different medications have been prescribed for PTSD. These mostly include antidepressants. At times this can be helpful as chronic stress associated with PTSD can lead to depression that can be relieved, at least in part, by medication. I say in part because if the stress connected to PTSD is ongoing then depressive…

Irritability is frequently seen along with problems focusing and concentration in people with ADHD. The irritability may reflect the stress associated with having to force concentration using energy in parts of the brain that is supposed to be reserved for emergencies or novel learning experiences or the irritability could be a way that the brain…

What now?! I suspect that most of us are tired of hearing about new dangers that we face. However, now that the Taliban is apparently not as much of a threat, maybe we can learn about something that is actually more of a threat to our health than the Taliban. What is this? They are…

Breathing is essential for life and seems fairly automatic. However, when we are stressed we often will hold our breath [briefly] and then have shallow and more rapid breaths. Our brains are preparing us for action to avoid some danger. Often, there is no real danger, just our anxious or feaful reaction to something that…

How do you know what is the right dose of medication? I’ve already talked about the fact that doses are often established based on statistical averages. This means that a percentage of people [32%] are more than one standard deviation above and below the mean. These people will need doses that may not fit the…

The above was recommended in a children’s book ; Wonder, by R.J. Palacio, that I read recently. The book is about a boy with a severe craniofacial anomoly. In other words, his face is very distorted, startlingly so. The boy is teased and the book portrays how he and his family, friends and classmates deal…

Recently I heard a poem entitled “let go.” This poem by an unknown author repeatedly talks about why it is important to let go. What is it that we are supposed to be letting go? The poem states that it is not about stopping caring but the recognition that we can’t do it for others.…

Reverence is a feeling of profound awe and respect. Albert Schweitzer felt that having a reverence for all life was ethical and moral, while anythng that destroys, harms or hinders life is wrong. Schweitzer believed that alll life was sacred. He spoke out against war and nuclear weapons as well as speaking out against our…