i would agree that it is inaccurately diagnosed in kids, overdiagnosed likely, as the definition is fuzzy and prescribing pills makes people happy

the thing is, it is really underdiagnosed in adults, since they were ahead of the ADD bandwagon and have just accepted that they are "dumb" or "scatterbrained" etc

you can't tell a person with ADD to "concentrate harder" any more effectively than you can tell a person with poor vision to "look harder"

no, it doesn't show up definitively on any tests, any more than depression or bipolar disorder -- there are indicators but it is up to medical professionals to make the call

[Edited on March 20, 2006 at 10:05 PM. Reason : -]

3/20/2006 10:03:56 PM

Quote :

"ANYONE can be "diagnosed" with ADD if they wanted"

anyone can be diagnosed clinically depressed if they want

Does that mean that depression isn't a medical condition?

[Edited on March 20, 2006 at 10:12 PM. Reason : b]

3/20/2006 10:11:53 PM

yes

3/20/2006 10:12:28 PM

so what is the fix for depressed people?

HEY

HEY

BE HAPPIER

HEY LOOK BEVERLY HILLS COP IS ON TV

LAUGH

COME ON

DUDE EDDIE MURPHY IS TOTALLY PUTTING A BANANA IN THE TAILPIPE OF JUDGE REINHOLDS CAR

OH COME ON

FINE STAY DEPRESSED YOU ASSHOLE

YOU DONT WANT TO FEEL BETTER DO YOU

[Edited on March 20, 2006 at 10:24 PM. Reason : beverly hills cop is pretty funny actually]

3/20/2006 10:14:27 PM

Quote :

"The whole ADD thing is just an excuse for misbehaving kids or those who can't study. I'm sure that drugs do calm people down and help them to concentrate but I never have believed in the whole ADD thing. Especially in younger kids its just an excuse for crappy parenting and not disciplining your child."

i wasnt diagnosed until i was 17
i def could have benefitted from addy as a kid - i was extremely hyperactive
but if you hang out with me medicated vs unmedicated, you can definately tell the difference

3/20/2006 10:17:19 PM

^ ditto everything she said but tack on a couple years to the diagnosis age.

3/20/2006 10:18:20 PM

^^^ yeah basically, they will sort it out themselves one way or another

3/20/2006 10:20:23 PM

Quote :

"Maybe you can simply "WRITE IT DOWN. MAKE A FUCKING TO-DO LIST, YOU FUCKING MORONS." and everything is alright. I can't, and I am sorry if that upsets you. A to-do list helps me remember due dates, which I don't have a problem with anyway. I have a problem with focusing."

Perhaps you should consider more non-drug options first….There are "ADD diets" for each of the different forms of ADD that you can combine with regular exercise to generally notice a marked improvement in your focus/attention.
Also, psychotherapy like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy can help you to develop more adaptive thinking strategies to cope with your fast-paced mind.

You may even be able to realize that your "ADD" is nothing more than a sign that your intelligence and fast-paced mind hold the potential for a true gift, once mastered……... If you are able to improve the performance of your brain through diet and exercise, and replace the maladaptive thinking strategies with better coping skills to help you focus, organize, and control attention, you may be capable of above average multi-tasking abilities and a lot more. Many supposed "mental illnesses" are really just misunderstood "mixed blessings", being either symptoms of any underlying biological conditions including, but not limited to hypoglycemia, hyperthyroidism, allergies, or environmental factors…..or being "symptoms" of natural mental differences in cognition, that are only undesirable because of unnatural pressures of conformity placed upon us all by societal norms and modernity.

Quote :

"But maybe you are right, and everyone's mind works the exact same way. I guess you are just more dedicated and smarter than I am. Too bad."

Actually, and fortunately, everyone's mind doesn't work the exact same way…..else we would all be far less culturally, perhaps physically, evolved. It's the differences in everyone's general thinking strategies that enable such wonderful variety in our human languages, cultures, and histories……our amazing ability to adapt…..and our future potentials.

The pill will help you be more "normal" in a drugged kind of way—and if you're comfortable taking a pill every day from now on to achieve that, then go right ahead, that's your call. I use pills sometimes, legal and otherwise, but I make well educated, responsible decisions when doing so—that's what's important. I took Ritalin for years as a child—I can honestly say it helped, but it also helped everyone I knew that could get their hands on it, diagnosis or not. It's really just a drug, not some miracle medicine….

Quote :

"Luckily there is a pill to help me and my weakness."

You can view your condition as a "weakness" that needs "medicine", or you can look at it as a result of not being more mentally and physically adapted your environment, stressors, and responsibilities. Sometimes, if you want to perform optimally, you must become better at taking care of and exercising your physical body and mind.

Sorry for being so negative earlier…..

3/20/2006 10:41:59 PM

Quote :

"I took Ritalin for years as a child—I can honestly say it helped, but it also helped everyone I knew that could get their hands on it, diagnosis or not. It's really just a drug, not some miracle medicine…"

let's compare this to vision. people with actual ADD are like people who are nearsighted...and a drug like ritalin or adderall is like the glasses that help them see. people who don't have ADD and take it, they are like people with 20/20 vision using binoculars. so yes, while the drug can help anyone, for some people that help can make more of a difference in their everyday lives.

3/20/2006 11:58:07 PM

Wow ... simply wow. If you guys are going to continue to bicker over whatever it is you are bickering about, I suggest you get some facts/links to back up whatever claim you are trying to support. Otherwise, I think the original question has been answered. Let the thread die or hand it to the Duke.

3/21/2006 5:29:53 AM