validity of ADHD

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who here believes that ADD and ADHD is real? More to the point, does anyone else here get offended, as I do, when ADD and ADHD (which are unproven medical disorders) are compared to Autism and Aspergers?

i believe it is...since my body has it and if he isnt taking conserta u can see it in her ideas

I have (undiagnosed, but have all symptoms of it) ADHD Inattentive Type, which basically means I have trouble putting more than one sentence together because my mind is constantly drifting off. Not the tigger type, I am not on a constant buzz.

Throw in my AS's own personal requirement that I write everything down that is in my head, in as full text as possible, and you have internal conflict. yeah, it is real alright.

My son was originally diagnosed with ADD (they're actually both called ADHD - even though there's no hyperactive component to ADD).

He was later diagnosed with Aspergers.

Since Aspergers isn't a well known term (in the media) compared to ADD/ADHD, I think the latter serves a useful purpose in getting children with problems the initial attention required.

In Australia, there's no government financial assistance for ADHD, only for Aspergers.

Also, while the ADHD/ADD drugs aren't supposed to help in the case of Aspergers, it's pretty obvious that Ritalin helps my son to concentrate.

Well that depends on ... wait, did you see the rabbit....

Seriously though, I think it is misdiagnosed a lot. My aunt and I are good examples. My bro though, supposedly was really helped by the med he was on.

I'm not sure what you mean by 'unproven' and what makes ADD/HD unproven and Asperger's 'proven'?

Perhaps I'm just reading the wrong medical information?
Perhaps the various doctors and other therapists who have diagnosed me as having ADD/HD are just trying to make me feel better by giving me an unproven diagnosis?

While we're at it, why not attack things like Fibromyalgia... or Migraines... or any number of other conditions/syndromes/disorders that don't have nifty little tests that people can proudly hold up and say, "I AM LEGIT!".

Yeah, I believe in ADD/HD. I also do not believe many of these things we call disorders or deficits are truly that.
These things are only problems because of the way our societies expect everyone to act.
As we see here, there are many positive aspects to having these so-called syndromes/disorders/etc., but when we have difficulty toeing the line for the 'greater good', we are labelled as being broken.

It's too bad you don't like to be associated with these people who walk around with a diagnosis of ADD/HD... perhaps if you started a special colony for us....

"http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/symptom.htm"
Symptoms of ADHD

The year 2000 Diagnostic & Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR) provides criteria for diagnosing ADHD. The criteria are presented here in modified form in order to make them more accessible to the general public. They are listed here for information purposes and should be used only by trained health care providers to diagnose or treat ADHD.

DSM-IV Criteria for ADHD
I. Either A or B:

Six or more of the following symptoms of inattention have been present for at least 6 months to a point that is disruptive and inappropriate for developmental level:

Inattention

Often does not give close attention to details or makes careless mistakes in schoolwork, work, or other activities.

Often has trouble keeping attention on tasks or play activities.

Often does not seem to listen when spoken to directly.

Often does not follow instructions and fails to finish schoolwork, chores, or duties in the workplace (not due to oppositional behavior or failure to understand instructions).

Often has trouble organizing activities.

Often avoids, dislikes, or doesn't want to do things that take a lot of mental effort for a long period of time (such as schoolwork or homework).

Often loses things needed for tasks and activities (e.g. toys, school assignments, pencils, books, or tools).

Is often easily distracted.

Is often forgetful in daily activities.

Six or more of the following symptoms of hyperactivity-impulsivity have been present for at least 6 months to an extent that is disruptive and inappropriate for developmental level:

Hyperactivity

Often fidgets with hands or feet or squirms in seat.

Often gets up from seat when remaining in seat is expected.

Often runs about or climbs when and where it is not appropriate (adolescents or adults may feel very restless).

Often has trouble playing or enjoying leisure activities quietly.

Is often "on the go" or often acts as if "driven by a motor".

Often talks excessively.

Impulsivity

Often blurts out answers before questions have been finished.

Often has trouble waiting one's turn.

Often interrupts or intrudes on others (e.g., butts into conversations or games).

Some symptoms that cause impairment were present before age 7 years.

Some impairment from the symptoms is present in two or more settings (e.g. at school/work and at home).

There must be clear evidence of significant impairment in social, school, or work functioning.

The symptoms do not happen only during the course of a Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Schizophrenia, or other Psychotic Disorder. The symptoms are not better accounted for by another mental disorder (e.g. Mood Disorder, Anxiety Disorder, Dissociative Disorder, or a Personality Disorder).

Based on these criteria, three types of ADHD are identified:

ADHD, Combined Type: if both criteria 1A and 1B are met for the past 6 months

ADHD, Predominantly Inattentive Type: if criterion 1A is met but criterion 1B is not met for the past six months

ADHD, Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive Type: if Criterion 1B is met but Criterion 1A is not met for the past six months."

I'm sorry, everyone I've ever met can meet these qualifications. It's no reason to be on Ritalin, which is really just legal meth.

braveheartlion said:

Wow! Sound like you have an agenda here Braveheartlion.

So you base your opinion about ADD/HD on the fact that you feel you can find all the signs and symptoms of ADD/HD in everyone you meet?

We could say the same sort of thing about Asperger's Syndrome couldn't we?
Not everyone can look people in the eye...
Not everyone understands 'small talk' or even socializes well...
Not everyone can stand certain sounds or other stimuli...
on and on...

What I think you are failing to appreciate is that fact that it's not the symptoms themselves... but the degree of impact they have on someone's life.

The medical conditions you may find 'legitimate' are only that because science found ways, eventually, to determine what exactly was going on, the mechanisms by which the condition operated, and in some instances what we could do to lessen the effects of the symptoms or stop them entirely.

Hell, we could throw out the whole DSM based upon your criteria for determining a legitimate medical condition.
We could lessen the burden on our emergency departments by turning away people who exhibited symptoms that we all could relate to in some manner.

My ADD/HD is real. I have tried to 'just be normal' like everyone else... I have tried to get GOD to help me out a little... I have tried meds and many other things.
I know I am not just being lazy, or making these things up about myself.

Perhaps you are unaware of this information...
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15059031
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10654656
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9065532?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVAbstractPlus
http://www.genome.gov/10004297

There is a lot of research going on which seems to substantiate ADD/HD as a real condition of the human brain.

Before you attack more people and their conditions, perhaps you should do some honest research about what is known concerning these conditions.

I will agree that in our societies, there has been a history of over-zealous medicating... but this has been going on for a long, long, time with just about every medical condition I can think of.

Take something like cancer... today, we have much more knowledge about the various cancers and even what is a cancer and what is not.
Treatments are much less debilitating than they used to be for some cancer patients.
There has always been the initial hysteria over medical conditions that we see with ADD/HD also.
Years ago, there was much mass hysteria on exactly what caused cancer (when it was an all inclusive term).
Seemed like anything we touched could cause cancer.
We still see things like this pop up all the time.

I am currently not on any meds for my ADD/HD.
I am not doing better than some folks who are taking meds for their ADD/HD, but I am doing okay in terms of my life experience... I'm certainly doing better with the knowledge I have about my ADD/HD than before I had that knowledge.

You should really step back and re-assess your stand on this issue.
I do think you need to educate yourself more on this before making the statements you have made on this thread.

A belief is fine and dandy for some, but absent facts, it's hard to take an argument solely based upon belief.. seriously... at least for me.