Add

[blike]

Is ADD a real disorder? I mean, my brother swears the reason he can't learn is because he has ADD. Now, he's only started using the ADD excuse since two of his friends were diagnosed. Suddenly, he has the disorder. No longer does he take responsibility for his piss poor study habits, its ADD's fault.

 

Knowing my brother, this is total bs. He can learn and I've seen him learn. He just has horrible study habits.

 

I don't remember anyone talking about ADD 10 years ago, why the sudden emergence? Is this a valid disorder, or some catch-all group for kids who can't focus.

 

How many Indian (india) children have ADD? I don't know ANY. Why? their parents STRICLY ENFORCE discipline in education. Maybe this whole thing is just the result of indifferent parents.

 

< angry

[fafalone]

ADD is a real disorder with a physiological basis, but there's a psychological factor too and that's why it's turned into the biggest farce ever in mental disorders. Drugs are way over prescribed and responsibility is not taken where it should be.

[Guest jon]

well im on this name testing something might as well add to the active user count

[Skye]

It's called Attention Deficit & Hyperactivity Disorder now I heard, but of course you have to shorten it to ADHD because they lose interest after you say 'Attention...'

 

I kind of see it as the psychological term for 'stupid' but even if it is, then wouldn't it be great if we could treat it with a drug?

[Glider]

ADHD is controllable using drug intervention. Counter intuitively, amphetamine (speed) based drugs are quite effective. It works this way: ADHD is thought to lead to a heightened threshold of stimulation, it takes much more intense stimuli to reach the individual, so sufferers therefore remain understimulated and the behavioural problems are a result of severe boredom, similar to the boredom induced neuroses displayed by understimulated animals in small cages...perseverance behaviours such as weaving, pacing and headbutting the walls, and self mutilation, destruction of objects in the immediate vicinity and heightened aggression.

 

Amphetamine based drugs reduce the stimulus threshold so more external stimuli get through. This helps the sufferer focus and things can hold their attention for longer which, significantly, has a direct positive impact on subsequent academic performance. The changes can be quite startling; from a screaming, uncontrollable brat, to a calm, even studious indidual who (importantly) is a lot happier.

 

The technical psychological term for 'stupid' is...er...well, 'stupid'.

[Glider]

Originally posted by fafalone

ADD is a real disorder with a physiological basis, but there's a psychological factor too and that's why it's turned into the biggest farce ever in mental disorders. Drugs are way over prescribed and responsibility is not taken where it should be.

 

I'm not sure I understand you. Do you mean ADHD has turned into a farce because there is a psychological component? I am a bit vague on two points here: 1) In what way has ADHD turned into a farce? 2) how is this attributable to the existance of a psychological component?

[T_FLeX]

I have been taking adderall for about 4 years. I think I have ADHD, but I really don't know. I used to get in trouble alot, and then I got in "big" trouble and had to go to YDC for a while, and the psychologist there found that I was ADHD and depressed:rolleyes: so I've been taking prosac and adderall for a while, and I love the stuff. I can study alot more, but I also find myself not paying attention to what the class is doing, and studying my own stuff. For the most part it seems like bullshit. Lots of kids are on adderall at my school, and alot of kids sell it here.

[blike]

ADHD is thought to lead to a heightened threshold of stimulation, it takes much more intense stimuli to reach the individual

 

What causes this? I still tend to think if parents would be more active in educational discipline (enforcing good study habits early on), a lot of this mess would dissappear.

[fafalone]

You can overcome ADD with focus. I'm sure we've all had classes that have bored us to tears, doesn't mean we did bad in it.

[Glider]

I'm not sure of the aetiology of ADHD, however, I believe it is the result of a chemical imbalance. I know there has been research implicating dietary factors and certain foods are known to exacerbate the condition. This supports the contention of chemical imbalance as an aetiological factor.

 

You can overcome ADD with focus. I'm sure we've all had classes that have bored us to tears, doesn't mean we did bad in it.

As you have previously acknowledged ADHD as

"...a real disorder with a physiological basis

, saying "you can overcome ADD with focus" makes about as much sense as saying you can overcome schitzophrenia with focus (another disorder with both physiological and psychological components).

 

There is a significant difference between ADHD and a boring class. In a boring environment, we may reasonably expect most people to show signs of boredom. People with ADHD on the other hand, show signs of boredom even in relatively stimulating environments (within certain bounds). Where it becomes tricky is differentiating between those whose problems result from a poor environment/upbringing/socialisation/development of study skills and those who have a genuine clinical disorder.

[fafalone]

If I have hallucinations from schitzophrenia, I can choose not to acknowledge them and go on with life normally. This is exactly what some of them do.

[Glider]

I see.

 

By the way, how would you know they were only hallucinations?

[fafalone]

If no one else sees them its a pretty good indication.

[Glider]

hmmm....and how would you know that nobody else sees them? Would you go around asking people if they see the little froggies?

[fafalone]

If it was minor, it wouldn't impact your life anyway.

[Dudde]

Originally posted by fafalone

You can overcome ADD with focus. I'm sure we've all had classes that have bored us to tears, doesn't mean we did bad in it.

 

 

bahaha...actually, I missed only 22 days (on half semester classes) and I got like..a C:-p

 

back to topic though, ADD I'm sure a lot of it is real, but I do know that many kids falsely play at it because they're lazy or some such thing

[Glider]

Originally posted by fafalone

If it was minor, it wouldn't impact your life anyway.

 

This doesn't answer my question, but in any event, I truly hope that you never find out first hand exactly how much of an impact even a minor schitzophrenic episode can have.

[blike]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3102137.stm

 

Professor Priscilla Alderson, an expert in childhood studies at London's Institute of Education, believes conditions such as attention deficit hyperactive disorder and mild autism are being over-diagnosed.

 

She said many children's problems were due to bad parenting, and psychologists looking to "make a quick buck".

 

 

 

 

hrmmm......

[Glider]

I agree. Many child problems are stemming from parents fears (or just bad/lazy parenting), resulting in children staying in their rooms glued to a TV/computer, rather than going out, burning off energy and learing to socialise. However, changes/improvements to the sensitivity of diagnostic procedures also account for the increase in children diagnosed with disorders.

 

I think her following quote is a bit out of order: "Money is behind all this. Psychologists want the work and lower the diagnosis threshold accordingly". This is a charge that would get any Psychologist thrown out of the BPS. Does she have evidence for this? Moreover (I may be wrong), but I don't think Psychologists are allowed to make diagnoses, I think only people holding an MD (physicians and psychiatrists) can make diagnoses. I know for a fact that Psychologists can't prescribe drug interventions either. They too can be prescribed only by somebody holding an MD.

[Kettle]

Originally posted by blike

She said many children's problems were due to bad parenting, and psychologists looking to "make a quick buck".

 

An ridiculous amounts of sugar and other junk in their diets

 

There could be other reasons too - my brother was considered a "wild child" at school. Teachers found it difficult to get him to settle down and pay attention - turns out he was severely dyslexic. It would probably have been diagnosed as ADD in the current climate.

[sepultallica]

i know of two people that claim to have add. my best friend (23)can't concentrate on anything for too long before he starts getting distracted. he also forgets minor things easily. he used to work with me until he got fired for poor work performance. he would have projects to do and would forget what he needed to do. i don't know shit about add but i think that he would legitamately qualify for having it. the other person is my girlfriend (22). she claims to have add but i have seen no proof of it (but then again, what do i know of it?). i think she says she forgets things and can't focus to get attention. she also says she has depression. when she failed her psychology classes, she atribbuted it to her add. i had noticed that she was getting bad grades so i encouraged her to study better and i even gave her suggestions/help but she still failed. i think thatif she does have add, it would be extremely mild and would not affect her significantly.

 

can add affect people this drastically? can it differ as greatly as this or is it possible that she wants to have add and automatically assumes she has it. does that amke sense?

[SorceressPol]

ADHD affects people in a lot of different ways. Some may have it mildly, or have an extreme case, but it usually gets out of hand in a classroom environment, or when ADHDers have children. It's also hard to diagnose sometimes because there are different forms of it. They all get lumped under ADHD, which can confuse people because that's the hypertension one. I have ADD which means I have alot of the ADHD symptoms, but I'm not hyper. It's a pain the ass being ADD, especially dealing with normal people. Normal people are always going on about how they do the same things that we do, so how is ADD a real problem. It's a problem because it does not interfere with their lives. Here are some examples.

 

1. I am up till 4 in the morning almost everyday because my mind will not shut up.

2. I can hyperfocus on my button for about an hour when I'm supposed to be working on an essay

3. It takes me three tries to get my glasses or another object from my room because I will get distracted by something and completely forget about them

4. Another bad thing about ADD is that you usually end up having other disorders. In my case OCD, and Hypersensitivity

5. This happens nearly everyday. Not once a week, a month, or a couple times a year. Everyday.

[Bio-Hazard]

ADD sure was an interesting topic in 2003. Check the date of this thread.

 

For an interesting look into the ethics of AD/HD drugs

 

Click here

[SorceressPol]

ADD sure was an interesting topic in 2003. Check the date of this thread.

 

For an interesting look into the ethics of AD/HD drugs

 

Click here

 

 

You have me cracking up laughing because I was unable to pay attention in an ADD thread.