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A Breakthrough in the Treatment of Attention Deficit Disorder

By Steven Vazquez, Ph.D.
Attention deficit disorder (ADD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are controversial conditions associated with learning disabilities. We will use ADD to refer to both conditions in this description. Many professionals believe ADD originates from one’s genetic predisposition. Therefore, treatment is often designed to help the person cope with their ADD, instead of attempting to actually change or eliminate it. Current popular treatment approaches such as medications, behavioral methods and biofeedback are designed to reduce the symptoms of ADD. However, a new breakthrough for the treatment of ADD has been discovered that typically eliminates ADD symptoms during a single session and is different from other methods because it ends the symptoms on a long-term basis after a few follow-up sessions.

What is ADD?

Many people believe ADD is over diagnosed because of many adults lack of tolerance for normal active child behavior. Therefore, a list of objective criteria identified by Daniel Amen, M.D., that screen for ADD is helpful. If you or your child has the majority of the following symptoms, ADD may be the problem.

• Is easily distracted
• Has difficulty sustaining attention span for most tasks in school, play or work
• Has trouble listening when others are talking
• Has difficulty following through (procrastination) on tasks or instructions
• Has difficulty keeping an organized area (room, desk, book bag, filing cabinet, locker, etc.
• Has trouble with time, e.g., is frequently late or hurried, tasks take longer than expected, projects or homework are “last-minute” or turned in late
• Has a tendency to lose things
• Makes careless mistakes, poor attention to detail
• Is forgetful
• Is restless or hyperactive
• Has trouble sitting still
• Is fidgety, in constant motion (hands, feet, body)
• Is noisy, has a hard time being quiet
• Acts as if “driven by a motor”
• Talks excessively
• Is impulsive (doesn’t think through comments or actions before they are said or done)
• Has difficulty waiting for his or her turn
• Interrupts or intrudes on others (e.g., butts into conversations or games)

Our observations suggest that ADD functions as an internally focused chaotic thought pattern accompanied by intense emotional drives that leaves one unable to focus on one’s outer environment. This psychological activity occurs as if there is an urgent unconscious escape response to avoid a perceived threat in one’s external environment. When the person is unable to resolve the perceived threat through reasoning and emotions become unbearable, thoughts become chaotic, emotions intensify and the defense of either withdrawal or scattering of attention in one’s environment takes place. Over time this pattern of coping either becomes continuous or becomes triggered for a span of time by challenges in one’s environment. In other cases, a child may simply learn from his or her role model and duplicate the caregiver’s pattern. Certain nutritional deficits may contribute to the problem. Sometimes people become identified with this state of mind and it becomes a comfort zone or source of creativity from which the person does not want to disengage.

The New Treatment

In 2005 a new discovery was made in which ADD symptoms in adolescents and adults were eliminated in a single session. A few follow up sessions were able to achieve a long-term change in this pattern. This method is called Emotional Transformation Therapy™ (ETT™). Treatment begins with a careful diagnostic evaluation and intake history. Treatment initially involves the use of low level light stimulation at precise angles into the eyes, while carefully guided interactive processes are occurring. When this is used appropriately, thoughts rapidly shift from chaotic to focused and emotional intensity eases within seconds. This approach uses the concept that psychological information is stored in modules or “neural networks”. Through precise visual brain stimulation, the modules of chaotic thinking can be singled out, extracted, changed and integrated into more constructive thinking and feeling resources. This process does not eliminate access to one’s creativity or take away one’s essential personality. Instead, it puts one in a position to choose the appropriate thought pattern for the challenge at hand.

Subsequent to the first session, the source of the pattern is sought through other ETT™ techniques. For example, there may have been incidents or circumstances in one’s personal history in which a perceived threat occurred that needs to be resolved emotionally in order to completely stop the ADD pattern. Through the use of visual brain stimulation and interactive processes, these critical events can be quickly identified and permanently changed so that they no longer affect the person. When the symptoms for which medication is targeted are eliminated, medications often become unnecessary

The younger the ADD client is, the more the caregivers or family members are involved in treatment. It has been found that the caregiver’s influence on young children is far greater than the influence of a therapist, so it is more effective to work more with the caregivers in these cases. Adults with ADD are primarily treated through individual sessions of ETT.

This form of treatment was developed and substantiated through clinical observations of several trials and we are seeking scientific documentation of its effectiveness. Thus far, it has been observed to achieve:

• Rapid relief of ADD symptoms
• Long-term, lasting effects
• Low cost (due to the fewer required sessions)

The unique power and speed acquired through the use of visual brain stimulation allows this approach to achieve outcomes previously unknown in therapy.

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