ADD/ADHD: real or ************?

[bumlet5]

I recently had a short conversation with some one close to me (I'l call him Joe) that was disturbing.

I have a friend who was recently diagnosed with Asbergers. He tends to be one who seems to like attention due to things out of his control (very slight Munchausen's maybe?), and I said to Joe that I don't know how to respond to my friend because I don't know if he read a Wikipedia article and self-diagnosed or if he went to a doctor and was officially diagnosed. It not that I don't believe him, but I am skeptical of how this conclusion was reached. Somehow ADD came up and the connection was made between that and self-diagnosis.

This was followed by a knowing look in my direction.

Apparently Joe thinks that ADD is a fake disorder for people who don't want to take control of their kids or (in adult cases) their own responsibilities. This made me .

I was clinically diagnosed when I was 6. I took medication for it until I hit high school, when the peer pressure of being teased for going to the nurse every day for drugs was not something I wanted to deal with. My mom conceded after pleading, and high school sucked partly because of this. In my adult life I mostly have it under control but it does rear its ugly head in certain situations, almost like an accent getting heavier with drunkenness. Apparently Joe thinks I self-diagnosed and every mention is followed by a when I turn my head.

To me this is like telling an autistic person that they just have no people skills or a dyslexic person that they're just stupid or a bipolar person that they're just crazy. It hurts.

I haven't told Joe that I am hurt yet. I don't really know how. Any suggestions on where I go from here? (any links that I could give Joe would be appreciated. I havent even started looking)

Also, what do you think of ADD/ADHD?

 

[Jodie]

I think ADD is a symptom, not a disorder, of changes in our lifestyles over the last 40-50 years. People used to be able to let their children run outside from dawn until dusk but those days are over. Back then it didn't exist, and because of the culture, probably not noticed.

Google is your friend, there is so much out there about ADD. Personally, if my friend was rolling his eyes at me I believe I would be more than a little hurt. I would have said something to him about it the first time I saw it happen, and it would have been the last time it would have happened.

 

[Hercules Rockefeller]

I was diagnosed with ADD at the tender age of 34. I was in complete disbelief until I started reading some cases. It was like someone had been taking notes of my entire life.

 

[mike3]

I think ADD is a symptom, not a disorder, of changes in our lifestyles over the last 40-50 years. People used to be able to let their children run outside from dawn until dusk but those days are over. Back then it didn't exist, and because of the culture, probably not noticed.

Google is your friend, there is so much out there about ADD. Personally, if my friend was rolling his eyes at me I believe I would be more than a little hurt. I would have said something to him about it the first time I saw it happen, and it would have been the last time it would have happened.

Do you think these changes are evil? Do you think the past was good and the present is bad, and the future will be terrible?

 

[Stomatopoda]

Exists? Almost certainly. Disorder? Not sure. In my (completely unqualified) opinion, it seems that more and more personality traits are being labeled disorders. We're getting closer and closer to labeling moderate introversion as high-functioning autism...

 

[Belz...]

Apparently Joe thinks that ADD is a fake disorder for people who don't want to take control of their kids or (in adult cases) their own responsibilities. This made me .

Black and white thinking. He probably started by thinking it was over-diagnosed but the concept was too complex so he moved to "entirely fake". It's simpler that way.

 

[Dancing David]

Exists? Almost certainly. Disorder? Not sure. In my (completely unqualified) opinion, it seems that more and more personality traits are being labeled disorders. We're getting closer and closer to labeling moderate introversion as high-functioning autism...

Wow, this is an argument from ignorance, do you actually know anything about how either is assessed and diagnosed, or is this just arm chair philosophy?

Autism in no way is introversion, that is just plain silly. ADHD is not a personality trait, whatever the twaddle that is.

How many people do you know whose personality becomes more focused and coherent when they are administered stimulants?

Do you actually know anything about high functioning autism or just what you read somewhere?

So the basis for your conclusions, other than ignorance is?

 

[CosmicDP]

ADD is real and it's increasing. The number of people with applied diligence disorder has been rising dramatically in recent years.

 

[Weak Kitten]

I do find the chemical reaction to stimulants, including caffeine, to be proof that it is not a made up disorder. Anything that is a detectable brain chemical difference is a real disorder.

Yes, some use ADD as an excuse to not take charge of their own lives. Others work so hard to control it that no one would believe that they have the disorder. That does not mean that the disorder does not exist, it simply means that when properly controlled those who suffer it can live normal lives.

 

[Belz...]

Wow, this is an argument from ignorance, do you actually know anything about how either is assessed and diagnosed, or is this just arm chair philosophy?

Autism in no way is introversion, that is just plain silly. ADHD is not a personality trait, whatever the twaddle that is.

How many people do you know whose personality becomes more focused and coherent when they are administered stimulants?

Do you actually know anything about high functioning autism or just what you read somewhere?

So the basis for your conclusions, other than ignorance is?

My only concern is that it's over-diagnosed.

 

[Woolgatherer]

My only concern is that it's over-diagnosed.

If my kid was diagnosed with it I would like a second or third opinion.

 

[KingMerv00]

Exists? Almost certainly. Disorder? Not sure. In my (completely unqualified) opinion, it seems that more and more personality traits are being labeled disorders. We're getting closer and closer to labeling moderate introversion as high-functioning autism...

A "disorder" is something that causes unwanted disruption of the patient's life. As someone diagnosed with ADHD (primarily inattentive) in my late 20's, I will tell you it absolutely IS a disorder. If you still disagree, feel free to explain how difficulty reading is a "personality trait".

Links from Dr. Novella:
Evidence for the existence of ADHD
Mental illness denial and "disorders"

 

[KingMerv00]

My only concern is that it's over-diagnosed.

If my kid was diagnosed with it I would like a second or third opinion.

These fears are understandable. Do we have evidence that ADHD is over (or even under) diagnosed?

 

[Belz...]

My post may have been poorly worded. I am concerned that it may be over-diagnosed. Evidence would be nice, yes.

 

[KingMerv00]

My post may have been poorly worded. I am concerned that it may be over-diagnosed. Evidence would be nice, yes.

I don't think it was poorly worded. I certainly didn't think you were being insulting.

There real issue is where does that concern come from and is it founded in objective fact?

 

[truethat]

Working with Special Education for 4 years now I can say that I have first hand seen people try to get their kids diagnosed with "anything" so they can get services for their kids. Ex. I had my son diagnosed as ADD. He's not on medications and I have him labled so he qualifies for CTT and intervention services in his school.

I want these services and don't want to pay for them and as long as he is diagnosed he gets it. (I think they may have changed his disability to learning disabled though)

I have a friend who told me for years about the hard traumas of raising her autistic son. When I met him I thought he must be another son because the kid is definitely not autistic and she sort of revealed later that once he got diagnosed he qualified under IDEA law and FAPE for tuition at this very expensive private school.

I know plenty of women with kids that are probably diagnosed like this. I also have plenty of stories where parents don't want the kids labeled so they refuse services the kid needs etc.

I think it is definitely over diagnosed in schools. I don't think it's over diagnosed medically though.

 

[RhodyDave]

Yes it's real. I'm the father of a person who was medically diagnosed as ADD (no H, in his case). In the process of taking him to doctors over the years while this diagnosis was being discovered, I found that I was/am almost exactly as he is. I suffered terribly with school and any tasks that weren't in my 'sweet spot' of interest.

Seeing the benefits of his diagnosis and subsequent medication, the differences are like night and day. He's getting very good grades, is able to focus and most importantly LEARN.

Whether it's diagnosed in the 'right' amount is not the issue. What's important is that in many cases, the diagnosis and treatment of ADD/HD has life-changing implications.

 

[NoahFence]

My doctor said you're born with ADD.

I thought I could be developing it due to my severe Tinnitus. Terrible sleeping coupled with the incessant ringing led me to taking some online questionaire, I checked off pretty much everything and convinced myself I had ADD. Inabilty to concentrate, irritiability, etc..etc..etc...

But apparently you can't "contract" ADD. So now I'm just a dumbass.

 

[KingMerv00]

I thought I could be developing it due to my severe Tinnitus. Terrible sleeping coupled with the incessant ringing led me to taking some online questionaire, I checked off pretty much everything and convinced myself I had ADD. Inabilty to concentrate, irritiability, etc..etc..etc...

But apparently you can't "contract" ADD. So now I'm just a dumbass.

I've never heard of "irritiability" listed as a symptom.

For those interested the DSM criteria are here. Checklists are poor measures in isolation.

 

[Jodie]

Do you think these changes are evil? Do you think the past was good and the present is bad, and the future will be terrible?

Evil would not be the word I would use for it, whether we learn from a book or a computer it still amounts to reading, paying attention, and following the status quo when it comes to educational content and behavioral expectations for the child. I assume that is what you mean by asking about the past, present, and future.

I do think rather than just throwing a diagnosis on a child and placing them on medication, that a more thorough exam could be done.

If certain things in the child's environment can be altered to prevent medicating unnecessarily then I think those things should be attempted if feasible.

Perhaps rethinking how we educate our children with the expectation that they sit still for extended lengths of time and that we all stick to the same generic curriculum is in order.