Is ADHD an excuse or an explanation?
There is a fine line between using ADHD as an excuse and using it as an explanation. Adults with ADHD often do need to explain our behavior — if not to others than at least to ourselves. But we need to know the difference between using ADHD as an excuse and an explanation. Pay attention.
Does ADHD really exist?
He wrote ADHD Does Not Exist, and is a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Neurology. “There’s no question that the symptoms of ADHD are real,” Saul says. But he points out that “there are a large number of illnesses and health problems that can [cause] those symptoms.”.
Are the symptoms of ADHD real?
“There’s no question that the symptoms of ADHD are real,” Saul says. But he points out that “there are a large number of illnesses and health problems that can [cause] those symptoms.”. Common issues that can cause hyperactivity and attention problems include sleep disorders, depression, and hearing and vision problems, Saul says.
Is ADHD a real disease or a difference in temperament?
Here are some of the reasons that people think that ADHD is a real disease and not just a difference in temperament: 1. Stimulant medications like Ritalin and Adderall work. My child is a different person after starting to take medication. He is calmer and more focused at home and at school.
Is ADHD real or is it just ADD?
You may have heard the terms ADD and ADHD used interchangeably. Attention-deficit disorder (ADD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are indeed the same condition, it's just that ADHD has had several name changes in the last three decades.
Is ADHD an excuse for being mean?
ADHD is never an excuse for behavior, but it is often an explanation that can guide you toward strategies and interventions that can help better manage symptoms.
Is ADHD a false diagnosis?
Overall, the study found that about 20 percent – or 900,000 – of the 4.5 million children currently identified as having ADHD likely have been misdiagnosed.
Why ADHD is a good thing?
Living with ADHD may give the person a different perspective on life and encourage them to approach tasks and situations with a thoughtful eye. As a result, some with ADHD may be inventive thinkers. Other words to describe them may be original, artistic, and creative. Being hyperfocused.
Why does ADHD make you rude?
With ADHD, the brain doesn't correctly attend to and interpret things like facial expression, tone of voice, and other non-verbal communication messages. Therefore, someone with ADHD misreads a lot of interpersonal interactions, doesn't respond correctly, and comes off as rude.
Why is ADHD so misdiagnosed?
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, misdiagnosis can happen because many of its symptoms overlap with those of other conditions. The symptoms of ADHD — such as difficulty concentrating, restlessness, and finding it hard to respond to instructions — can all arise from a wide variety of causes.
What is ADHD most commonly misdiagnosed as?
Conditions That Mimic ADHDBipolar disorder.Autism.Low blood sugar levels.Sensory processing disorder.Sleep disorders.Hearing problems.Kids being kids.
What looks like ADHD but isn t?
Autism spectrum disorder. Like ADHD, this is a condition that affects brain development. The two disorders sometimes happen together, but experts aren't sure why. Both can cause children to hyperfocus on one thing. But kids who are on the autism spectrum may avoid eye contact and may not want to play with other kids.
Does ADHD affect manners?
We all interrupt sometimes, but folks with ADHD interrupt more often because they have a harder time holding back that reflexive response. Just as this affects their ability to pay attention to the teacher in class, it also affects their ability to follow all those social rules that make up good manners.
Can untreated ADHD cause anger issues?
ADHD is linked to other mental health issues that can also drive angry reactions. These include oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) and depression. People with ADHD may also have undiagnosed learning differences. Those challenges can add to stress.
What to do if your ADHD turns out to be ADHD?
If it does turn out to be ADHD, Wedge suggests treatment options that aren’t medications, including regular exercise, limits on screen time (especially with “fast-paced” media like video games), and encouraging self-control to help kids stay calm and do well in school and outside of it.
Which medical group recognizes attention deficit disorder?
All the major medical groups -- including the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Medical Association, American Psychiatric Association, and National Institutes of Health -- recognize attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder as a valid condition that should be treated.
What are the causes of hyperactivity?
Common issues that can cause hyperactivity and attention problems include sleep disorders, depression, and hearing and vision problems, Saul says.
What is a challenging diagnosis?
A Challenging Diagnosis. A doctor or therapist considers your health history, the symptoms you tell them about, the ones they might notice while observing you, and what other people who know you well (usually your family and your child’s school teachers) say.
Do doctors know how ADHD works?
Doctors don’t know everything about how ADHD works in the brain. But “imaging tests like MRIs show there are clear differences in people who have it and people who don’t,” Alsakaf says.
Can ADHD mask a problem?
“These issues can mask ADHD, and actually make it harder to get the right diagnosis,” says psychologist Phil Glickman, PsyD. Saul’s advice is to see a doctor for a full physical exam and health history.
Do European countries have ADHD?
Critics question the high number of cases of ADHD. “In most European countries, you don’t see children diagnosed with ADHD anywhere near the rate that American kids are,” says Marilyn Wedge, PhD, author of A Disease Called Childhood. It’s true that more people have been diagnosed in recent years.
Why is ADHD not the same as other children's brains?
Brain scans show that the brains of children with ADHD are not the same as other children's brains. ADHD is caused by a defect or chemical imbalance in the brain. 5. ADHD has been around for a long time. Playwrights like Moliere described children with ADHD hundreds of years ago.
What is the ADHD essential read?
ADHD Essential Reads. ADHD and Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria. Taking Breaks, Avoiding Distractions, and Adults with ADHD. Having treated hundreds of children diagnosed with ADHD over the years, I have found that environmental stress on a child can produce symptoms that look like what is commonly believed to be ADHD.
What are the causes of ADHD in children?
Children who have been abused, neglected, exposed to domestic violence or to ongoing parent bickering, not provided with appropriate limits and consequences, and a host of other environmental stressors, present with behaviors that look like what has been sold to the public as ADHD. Over-exposure to electronic screens—like TV, tablets, game devices, and smartphones—can also stress a child's brain. The solution to these children's problems is not stimulant medication, but removing the source of the stress.
Do brain scans show ADHD?
Brain scans show that kids with ADHD have brain defects. Most of the activity in the brain is at the neuron level, not in the larger brain regions that we see with today's scans. Vast arrays of individual neurons interact in complex ways, but brain scans cannot show us how these neurons interact. 5. ADHD has been around for a long time.
Is ADHD genetic?
Research studies show that ADHD has genetic causes. A major study that promotes a genetic factor in ADHD was directed by Nigel Williams and published in the prestigious Lancet in 2010. The researchers found that rare chromosomal deletions and duplications were associated with ADHD.
Is there a genetic biomarker for ADHD?
Compare this with a real genetic disease like Down syndrome where 100 percent of children diagnosed have the genetic anomaly. As of today, there is no consensus among scientists worldwide that there is a genetic biomarker for ADHD.
Can screens stress a child's brain?
Over-exposure to electronic screens—like TV, tablets, game devices, and smartphones—can also stress a child's brain. The solution to these children's problems is not stimulant medication, but removing the source of the stress. advertisement.
Can ADHD be used as an excuse?
There is a fine line between using ADHD as an excuse and using it as an explanation. Adults with ADHD often do need to explain our behavior — if not to others than at least to ourselves. But we need to know the difference between using ADHD as an excuse and an explanation. Pay attention.
Is ADHD an excuse for a lack of control?
I believe using ADHD as an excuse implies a total lack of control where unwanted behavior becomes the fault of the attention deficit.
