ADHD : overdiagnosed?

[klizzle]

This happens to be the topic for my research paper. I have a survey here:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?s...B3m_2blg_3d_3d should only take a minute if you're interested.

Other than spamming my survey, I was wondering what some people's opinions are on the topic of ADHD and whether it is over-diagnosed (for medication profits etc, ADHD drives in quite the revenue in the US)? Personally, I know 2 people who have both told me they have ADHD and I think they're full of crap and use it as an excuse for sucking in school. I think ADHD is a legitimate disease in extreme cases where many aspects of your life are hindered, per it's actual definition. However, if people like my little brother and a friend of mine have ADHD, then I do too.

The evidence for ADHD being mainly a product of prescription companies is there (rising rates, expensive medicine, very unclear diagnosis), but also the evidence against (some kids really are out of control and suffer in several aspects of life). What's your opinion?

[Zylark]

Totally with you. The ADHD diagnosis have been extended too far in definition. It almost encompass all unruly behaviour that can be more easily explained with boys being boys. In other words, restless little buggers in search for themselves. And unlike girls do not talk about it, but act on it.

Sooner or later it will all sort it out by itself. Usually in the late teens.

But that is not to say a real ADHD condition do exist. It do. But there is no real clear demarcation line between a medical condition and just growing up, though somewhat more, umm, actively, than the norm.

But I am sure no psychologist. I am just a skeptic that find it rather strange that a diagnosis makes an order of magnitude more cases than just a few decades ago.

That means one of two things, either some enviromental issue makes more ADHD children, or the diagnosis is stretched. Who gains on the diagnosis being somewhat more encompassing? Indeed, the very same that sets the premises. There is a saying for that around here: Don't put the goat on straw protection patrol.

[My Fax]

My opinion on the subject...

[RavenousDank]

^^hilarious but true

[effektz]

Sir Ken Robinson makes an entertaining (and profoundly moving) case for creating an education system that nurtures creativity, rather than undermining it. With ample anecdotes and witty asides, Robinson points out the many ways our schools fail to recognize — much less cultivate — the talents of many brilliant people.

“Why don’t we get the best out of people? Sir Ken Robinson argues that it’s because we’ve been educated to become good workers, rather than creative thinkers. Students with restless minds and bodies — far from being cultivated for their energy and curiosity — are ignored or even stigmatized, with terrible consequences.

“We are educating people out of their creativity,” Robinson says.



The full TED video is at http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/66

[pistolgrip]

i feel like ADHD isnt a disease its just kids that cant conecentrate and are mad hyper (like me)

i just think that a ton of kids cant focus now, maybe humans are devolving, and getting dumber?

food for thought

[pavlakos]

the masses are indeed getting dumber. and it has nothing to do with evolution, it has to do more with govt propaganda and distractions.

ADD and ADHD are definently some bs (for the most part). its just the pharm industry milking the people for all theyre worth. the standards of society are getting lower and lower, so many limitations on so many creative minds. everybodys diagnosed with some mental shit and everyone thinks theyre dumb. even alot of the people who say theyre their own boss and all, theyre not. theyre slaves to societys (low) standards, making sure they look 'cool' and driving the right car to get laid by the right girl. its a shame to see what the word confidence means. LIMITS EVERYWHERE!
/end rant.

[klizzle]

I guess one of my main beefs with ADHD that made me choose it for research is the fact that a lot of the qualities seen in someone with it may be beneficial in another setting. There are plenty of websites online that can explain what I mean, but for one example, a hunter-gatherer who has the creative quality typically associated with someone with ADHD certainly has an advantage and may even be the innovator of a new hunting or gathering technique. I hardly consider that a "disorder" even in our society, just that someone's talents and pesonality aren't being utilized properly. (see the video above by Sir Ken Robinson... thanks for that, I really enjoyed it)

Some food for thought: People with ADHD type "disorders" in ancient times may have been preferred over "normal" people because of these qualities, because there was no need to be good at concentrating on one thing whereas someone who'd be able to handle many tasks at once would certainly be preferred.

[blazindrake]

Originally Posted by klizzle

I guess one of my main beefs with ADHD that made me choose it for research is the fact that a lot of the qualities seen in someone with it may be beneficial in another setting. There are plenty of websites online that can explain what I mean, but for one example, a hunter-gatherer who has the creative quality typically associated with someone with ADHD certainly has an advantage and may even be the innovator of a new hunting or gathering technique. I hardly consider that a "disorder" even in our society, just that someone's talents and pesonality aren't being utilized properly. (see the video above by Sir Ken Robinson... thanks for that, I really enjoyed it)

Some food for thought: People with ADHD type "disorders" in ancient times may have been preferred over "normal" people because of these qualities, because there was no need to be good at concentrating on one thing whereas someone who'd be able to handle many tasks at once would certainly be preferred.

i have adhd and i agree completely.. but in school and cubicle work situations, its bad, even though in most real life situations it really isnt. i am not sure its a disorder, but its a quality that puts me at a major disadvantage. i CANNOT sit down and do a homework assignment without taking my adderall. but i can do lots of other stuff kids without adhd cant do.

do i think its a "disorder"? no. but i dont see a problem giving medacine to kids whose minds work that way. so it can put these kids on an even playing field.

personally, I HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE public schools. and i hate most of the kids in them. none of the teachers care about "teaching" the kids. and the kids dont care about learning. but kids who dont know right from left can get an A in advanced physics but have no real world skills.

i could go on for like 20 pages on reasons why public schools suck. but i cant change it, so i have to take medacine to conform to it. it sucks, its wrong, but what else can i do.

and anyone who says kids with adhd are dumber, or we are "un-evolving" your the dumb ones. your fucking retarded, i have an iq of 130 and i am smarter than most of the kids in my class, but i get poor grades because i cant focus on homework, so i miss 2 assignments and do poorly. but i get like 90-100's on all the tests. so go fuck yourselves.

and weed DOES NOT MAKE YOU DUMB. i know you all know this. but i was kind of on a rant so i felt like throwing that out there. since a lot of kids think that is true.

[Icky]

I cannot speak for ADHD, but i believe that ADD is an overdiagnosed condition. I was disgnosed with it simply because i was required to go to a psychologist by my highschool for smoking weed. He the first thing he did, after the regular initial subject evaluation, was give me a verbal test for ADD. Mind you, this was my junior year of highschool, and I had been an above average student ever since i entered the education system. The questions that i was asked are so vague that nearly anyone would qualify as having ADD. Another thing that I think is wrong with the the whole idea of ADD is that our society stresses the importance of traditional education way too much. Anyone who isn't interested or exceptionally good at traditional subjects involving math or science are seen as having a "problem". We equate this problem with an inability to concentrate, and our solution is stimulants. What ever happened to someone just straight up not liking a subject in school?

[eleven357]

Hell yeah its overdiagnosed.

That's because the Big Pharmaceutical companies want their drugs being prescribed.

Its all about money, not our health.

[the roach]

It mostly seems like a poor excuse for bad parenting in my opinion.

Its actually genetic on my fathers side, but I don't have it and I wont claim that I do.