Seems things are going to get worse before they get better.

I just read another article about ‘the myth of ADHD’ by someone who raised my eyebrows. Mr. Herr, an assistant professor in the Department of Educational Studies, Leadership and Counseling at Murray State University, wrote a recent article titled - ADHD: Has this diagnostic fad run its course?

According to Mr. Herr, ADHD is a diagnostic fad! His article perfectly underscores my recent blog post about how a report in the media can be skewed by the headline (in this case the entire article). I am not going into detail about how accurate a report authored by an assistant professor of economics about ADHD children and misdiagnosis of ADHD at an early age might be (Youngest in class get ADHD label - another headline to go with my previous collection). However, people are paying attention to it and when someone who is an assistant professor in the department of educational studies for a university openly writes that ADHD is a fad of its time, well, there you go. Would you want to be a student with ADHD at his school? Just asking…

I read Mr. Herr’s article this morning and started to feel the shame and guilt of living with ADHD all over again. His article has far more power than he might think and I am not sure if he realizes how many people he may be putting in jeopardy and confusion.

Mr. Herr writes:

“Probably one of the best ways to make sense of children and the rise of ADHD is for adults to focus on some basic questions. Don’t most adults become distracted when they are tired? Don’t most adults become fidgety when they are bored? Don’t most adults lose interest in their work when they don’t see any significance in what they are doing? And when adults wrestle with concerns relating to stress, sleeplessness, frustration, and depression, aren’t the responses often “get some rest,” “exercise” “start eating better,” and “try finding something you’re interested in”?” Quoted from Mr. Herr’s article in The Christian Science Monitor

First, how do you make sense of children by comparing them to adults? Anyway, let’s skip that obvious question. Yes, to all of the assertions above. All of them are true, but those are not the things which in of themselves can be determined as ADHD. They are determined to be ADHD when they cause life problems, are constant and have been present since early childhood.  As an example, if Mr. Herr would read my book “One Boy’s Struggle: A Memoir –Surviving life with Undiagnosed ADD” – he would discover that I would daydream daily through my entire day at school, not just when I was tired, or when I was bored or fidgety or stressed or whatever guess, other than ADD. Daydreaming was a constant daily struggle. Not paying attention to the teacher, or being able to read books, or assignments and understand them in time for a quiz was a constant struggle. Actually, assertions similiar to Mr. Herr’s may have been part of the reason I was punished and chastised so much for my behavior.

My mother cooked everyday an excellent, healthy meal for the family. I typically slept at least 9 hours a night. I wasn’t tired from lack of sleep. However, I was bored that is true, bored to the bone and very few things could keep my attention and when I did find something that kept my attention it was usually not for very long. Also, if Mr. Herr would read my book he will find that I often switched things I became interested in. Therefore, to assert that we can just switch someone to their interest isn’t always all that helpful, because if they have ADHD they are highly likely to change their interest out of their control quite quickly and without notice. It’s frustrating and depressing. 

Perhaps it was just depression in my case? Again, if he reads my book he will find that my behavior and the punishment I received because of it by educators, my father and many others was the main culprit for my depression and later PTSD, but my typical ADD behavior came first. Not that I deserved punishment because my ADD came first, but rather it was misunderstood and therefore I needed understanding and a proper professional evaluation of my behavior.

When you have enough people getting on you because you’re doing things out of your control, but in their opinon “on purpose” – let me tell you, it gets to you after a while. I started to believe I was doing it ‘on purpose’ too and punished myself for it because nothing else worked (read my book Mr. Herr). Punishing myself along with other people’s punishment didn’t help for very long, it made things worse. Punishment led to far, far worse. You know what did help? You guessed it, proper professional treatment for Depression, PTSD and ADD! Not any one’s opinion that my condition doesn’t exist or that it is a fad. Mr. Herr’s article really just shows the mentality of a large portion of society which just can’t accept that certain behaviors are out of one’s control. It’s a bully-ish attitude and often keeps people from seeking the help they need, because the stigma and shame can be so overwhelming.

Sorry, if I seem a bit upset here by these assertions, but I would be very careful making broad assumptions about anyone’s condition as not truly existing unless you are indeed their doctor, are treating them and have a very familiar understanding of their issues. However, if you have a predetermined view of conditions like ADHD as just fads, you would not be my doctor.

With all this said, I can understand where Mr. Herr is coming from, as I mentioned it is an all too common belief in our society and, unfortunately, it is these types of beliefs those of us with ADHD and our families must live with daily. Mr. Herr’s article may help reinforced the stigma of ADHD and what’s more he is an educator. Let’s hope the ‘left hander’s’ are not the next target of such an article (is there a blood test for truly being left handed?). I guess such beliefs are part of the reason behind laws to protect those with disabilities, which does include mental disabilities such as ADD / ADHD by the way. It’s also important to note that ADHD is a part of the The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition (DSM-IV TR) - it is my opinion that “Fads” are not included in this manual published by the American Psychiatric Association, used by clinicians and psychiatrists to diagnose psychiatric illnesses. *

- If you would like to read an article that at the least accepts ADHD as a condition, but thinks TV is partly to blame: Let’s blame ADHD on too much TV - at least this author is looking for a legitimate reason! The problem with his theory is someone like me. When I was growing up we were allowed only very limited TV viewing and I certainly didn’t have a TV in my room as a young kid. Therefore, this theory doesn’t work for why I have Attention Defecit Disorder.

*This article has been about my concern for Mr. Herr’s opinion about ADHD being a fad in the article he wrote here. My concern is for how damaging such an open opinion article by an educator can be to those of us living with the mental disability ADHD, and our families – not to mention students struggling with this disorder. Mr. Herr has the right to his opinion and to write about it. I have the right to discuss his openly written opinion and share mine about it.

What’s your opinion?

~Bryan

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People of all ages are going to fall to peer pressure, both the good and the bad kind. Yes, there is a good kind of peer pressure, which will enable a person to achieve something better for themselves and possibly for a group. Then there is the bad kind of peer pressure which usually involves getting into some kind of mischief or doing something which one will eventually regret. There are plenty of definitions out there, so I am not going to try and explain all of the types and ways peer pressure exists.

The problem with defining peer pressure, especially the type – including age factors, and explaining it to someone else, so they can hopefully identify it when it happens is that we usually relate it to ourselves and how we respond to such pressure. Just as a quick example, when I read the comments and emails to the Miley Cyrus post about her comment about ‘ADHD’ and ‘Crazy Medication’ most considered how they viewed the comments to themselves and basically blew them off, because, really, to the educated and well-informed person her comments were meaningless and for the most part should be blown off.

The thing is that people who read my blog are not really going to take Miley’s comments seriously, I know that. However, Miley’s fan base is made up mostly of young teens and preteens. What happens when they go to school and jokingly antagonize their classmate who is taking those ‘crazy meds’? You know the child in question with low self-esteem, who is already feeling out of place. Yeah, that young impressionable child. I was that child once and I haven’t forgotten, that’s why I offered to send her my book One Boy’s Struggle: A Memoir — Surviving Life with Undiagnosed ADD!

So, how seriously do I take Miley’s comment today, as an adult with ADHD? I am listening to one of her albums right now and I still like Miley and her music just as much! For me, her comment was just an immature generalization about ADHD and ADD of which she apparently knows next to nothing, and from what I can tell, she didn’t mean anything by it – for me, that is! The pop idol’s comments are ridiculous, yes, but even more so they are rather irresponsible considering the millions of young people who look up to her. If Jay Leno had made those comments, no one would have blinked and it certainly would not have made headlines. Leno has a different audience. Most adults usually know who they are and what medications work for them or don’t. Preteens and teens are still impressionable and are still figuring out who they are, especially those with ADHD. Unfortunately many of them want to model themselves after their favorite actors and pop stars. Miley doesn’t have to be an angel or perfect, but she should be responsible in her comments when it relates to mental health issues.

In order to help someone recognize and avoid certain types of peer pressure parents and educators should encourage them to know themselves and to feel confident in their values.  We should reinforce those good decisions that our children make at home, when they are young and eventually when they are faced with peer pressure they are better able to make good choices for themselves. Positive feedback about a child’s good decisions will help build their self-esteem and make them less susceptible to the peer pressure that they face at school, with their friends after school, and what they read and hear from their favorite pop idols. For children with ADHD fostering a healthy self-esteem at home and by educators at school will also help a child struggling with the day to day effects of ADHD. Peer pressure only works when one allows it to work on them. We must help our children build a force field of  emotional strength by letting them know that they are smart, capable of achieving greatness, and are worth taking care of themselves.

I am not an expert on peer pressure by far! I have fallen for it myself from time to time and who knows, I may fall for it again, but I like to think I won’t. With that in mind, I think the best way to help anyone avoid negative and/or destructive peer pressure is to find ways to help them lift their self-esteem and their own self-worth. I think most people fall for peer pressure when they don’t have positive encouragement for their personal beliefs, wants, needs and desires. If someone is always being criticized and punished, or told they are wrong and dumb, stupid or crazy then they may look to others for support, even if it is the gang down the street who will take them in with open arms and let them know how ‘valuable’ they are. I think this is extremely important to take into account if a child or teen has ADD, ADHD or a LD.

The unfortunate truth is that most people with or without ADHD are susceptible to peer pressure at school or even at work for us adults. When we are insecure we go along with the negative and destructive suggestions of those around us, and conversely when we are secure in who we are, we do not even notice the negative suggestions of others, or if we do, we may inform them it is unwanted. Peer pressure is only as powerful as we let it be. How we react to the so called pressure of others is the key. If we know who we are, respect ourselves and know what our values are then the pressure is off. We can laugh off the negative suggestions and continue to be just who we are with all the confidence and greatness that is within us with ADHD or not.

Young children are typically struggling with who they are and are unsure of their identity, when ADHD is a factor this issue is compounded and the ramifications can be dramatic, profound and lasting. Even more so kids with ADHD want to feel like they belong, they don’t want to feel alone and different, much less take some crazy medication because they can’t think and act as well as their peers. For an adult this may all seem a superficial example, but for a 10 yr old, that’s a very real situation to deal with. If it’s crazy medication that they are taking then maybe they will feel or believe they are considered crazy too and possibly stop taking it. It’s already difficult enough for most parents to explain to their child why they must take medication daily, or in many cases, more often.

In a comment to the Miley Cyrus post a commenter made a very important point that there is a problem when reading other’s comments because it is impossible to know their true connotation without actually hearing them. That is so true. The problem is, with such interviews most people won’t ‘hear’ them anyway, they will either read them, or in the case of children they will probably just hear aboutthem. That’s why it is that much more important for celebrities like Miley to think first. Most of us ADDers have an issue with thinking first, our words tend to come out and then we look around to see if anyone heard us. Miley’s issue kind of reminds me of that.

If anyone has watched an interview with Miley you know then that she is actually quite intelligent and far ahead of her years, she is truly gifted. Miley also goes out of her way to encourage and lift others with her songs and in person. So, again, my take is that she did not mean her words the way they ‘read’; however, she also clearly showed a lack of understanding about the condition she discussed and did not consider members of her audience who may be struggling with ADHD. If she does have ADHD or ADD, it still is no surprise at how well she has done considering her natural talents with music and acting and moreover she has a strong support group and a caring father who has always been there to support her each and every step of the way, he was even there during the taping of American Idol this past week where she was a mentor to the contestants! By taking these things into account she may not have a true understanding of peer pressure and why her recent words have made the papers, because she hasn’t herself lived in the public systems and clicks, or lacked emotional and mental support.

We can all learn a little something with regard to the support Miley has received, but to most of us it isn’t even close to realistic. How many parents have a job when their child is always right there, nearby, or the funds etc…? There is so much to consider here. There are extremely major differences to consider when a person is raised with substantial funds, private schools and the support all the above provides, with or without ADHD.

All in all, despite all efforts, sometimes we will, or our children will, fall to peer pressure anyway. However, if we have a good idea of what it is and how to spot it, I think that decreases our chances, and our children’s chances, of going too far down the wrong path.

What’s your take on this?

What has helped you help others with peer pressure? Or has someone helped you avoid peer pressure?

~Bryan

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For more information about Jennifer Koretsky, please visit her website.

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I guess when you are insane famous a little photo can get a lot of attention, especially if you are considered the perfect role model. Truth is, nobody is perfect and nobody should be expected to be perfect. That being said, I read a couple recent blog posts about Michael’s situation and how his actions do, or better yet, do not relate to ADHD. Can you really separate the actions of someone with ADHD from ADHD itself? That’s a very good question. Check out these two articles which take a moment to put this whole shebang in perspective:

Dr. Rory Stern’s take

And another very interesting, no BS article by Jennifer Koretsky

What do you think of Michael’s recent actions concerning smoking marijuana? Related to ADHD? Or just a 23 year old experimenting? Or…

~Bryan

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I blog, I love to blog – I love to share my personal experiences, thoughts and beliefs with you. I think blogging is one of the most important movements in the new world order. Yes, there is a new world order, more and more people are reading blogs and less people are reading printed newspapers! In turn more newspapers are offering their articles online for free. Good idea! However, it’s blogging in the blogosphere which has caught the world by storm and I mean bloggers who are just writing about what they personally care about, not necessarily about what they are being paid to write or being asked to write. Many blogs have more readership than many traditional newspapers. Why? I think one word can sum it up:

Influence.

When something is written on a blog by someone paid or asked to write, there is influence, or perceived influence, from someone else. Newspapers are influenced by bosses, editors and strategies. Personal blogs on the other hand are influenced, for the most part, by an individual’s raw personal opinion. And that’s what readers want! I am a blog reader, not just a blog writer. I write about what I believe in, what I feel – I allow my emotions to play a part and I share information which is unique, because, hey, my thoughts are mine and come from the way my mind works and considers things. As readers we like to read other opinions because we might be looking for someone to have a common connection with, or, someone to disagree with. It’s very difficult to get that from a traditional newspaper or from someone writing for someone else, because, at that point you really don’t know if what you are reading is really that person’s personal opinion or just reaching a target audience with what that audience wants to hear, or, what someone else has influenced the writer to write.

I have countless emails from online sites asking me to blog for them. Thus far I have turned them all down or I haven’t replied. The reason I have not accepted any of those offers is simply because I do not want to come across as influenced by that site. However, I have posted blogs on sites which are open and are basically social networking sites, such as www.adderworld.ning.com . There is a perceived difference and that difference is very important. Blogging on social networks sites is still considered individual opinions which are only influenced by topics and sometimes not even that.

My advice to news sites paying bloggers, if the opinion really is only the opinion of the blog writer make that openly, abundantly clear in a good beneficial way, not simply as a disclaimer – few people actually read the disclaimers anyway. Traditional newspapers are going away, faster than anyone could have predicted only a decade ago. It’s not just because of the internet where news is abundantly available, it’s also because of the blogosphere! This blog alone has more readership than many traditional newspapers! Just my personal thoughts on this, my opinion, which could be wrong (doubt it), but then again, that’s what real blogging is about, isn’t it?

By the way, join us on www.ADDerWorld.ning.com a social networking ADHD community, with personalized Web-Page for each member, forums, picture posting, RSS feeds, BLOGS (over 400 postings already – individual opinions, experiences and ideas from the members), videos and much more.

Bryan

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Let’s give thanks that The Brilliant Reality of ADHD is finally seeing the light, we are discovering that there is more to ADHD than the negative connotation associated with the abbreviation.

The Brilliant Reality of ADHD is that you and I are not alone and we are possessing valuable talents and traits which are valuable not only to ourselves, but to the community as a whole. ADDers are the ones who were being left behind in society as misfits, but that is once again changing. Not every one of us will become the next Richard Branson, Albert Einstein or Michael Phelps, but thanks to ADDers such as them it is becoming more apparent that ADHD is not simply a negative reality. If anyone has noticed, and I have, many of the most successful over achievers of our time have ADHD! Is the negative stigma created to hold us back and make us feel lesser than others? Well, it’s not created to be that way, but one can argue that it has gotten carried away. To be successful with ADHD means being who you are as an individual, using our innate talents and traits for the good of self and others.

I was talking to a therapist recently and he explained to me that his treatment with ADDers is often not about the symptoms of ADHD, but rather the chastisement and ridicule they have suffered from and the expectations they have of doing things as those without ADHD would do them. After all, coaching, medication and most treatments for ADHD are to help ADDers be organized and perform as normal people are expected to. Even in relationships ADDers are expected to be a certain way and usually cannot meet those expectations without serious help and will power.

I am the first to admit that my ADDer tendencies helped lead to my divorce from my first wife and even so, there were two sides involved. The blame doesn’t fall entirely on the partner with ADHD, but it seems that this is becoming the excepted wisdom.

Okay, let’s be clear that we ADDers have a lot to overcome and it doesn’t matter if it is due to society or ourselves, we still have to work to improve ourselves. This goes for just about anyone and everyone. Who doesn’t want to improve who they are and do better in life for others and themselves? An ADDer could be wrong in a relationship and causing hardships, and also those without ADHD could be wrong in a relationship and causing hardships. Divorce is not limited to ADDers alone.

ADHD can be a gift. ADHD has positive attributes. ADDers tend to be creative and unorthodox thinkers who offer new insights and perspectives which lead to new inventions and creations. Even the mainstream media is catching on to recognizing that the reality of ADHD might not be as cut and dry as many have been lead to believe over the last couple decades. Here are two recent articles by Tara Parker-Pope which show how far we have come and how far we still have to go:

Can attention deficit be framed as a gift? Herald Tribune

Michael Phelps and the Potential of A.D.H.D. The New York Times

Indeed, ADHD is not all bad and we do not need to correct every little aspect of our natural nature of being. Let’s give thanks to each other for being the friends we are and coming together as a community of caring people who strive to be better, not simply because we have ADHD, but because we want to become better as human beings for which it is a natural process to want to improve and aspire for more.

~Bryan

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Due to Megan’s suicide a lot of people are taking notice and are darn right angry! They should be, but perhaps a bit too late? Dare I say Megan deserved better? So far it seems that neighboring adults had a hand in Megan’s fate by contacting her via MySpace and writing mean, hateful messages. That in of its self is very disturbing and not simply shameful, but evil, if it is true. Having been an ADD child I know what it is like to be different and misunderstood and I had some scruffs with my peers over my behavior, but had an adult taken upon him or herself to deliberately take advantage and mess with my mind – who knows what would have happened or what damage could have been done?

All the news about Megan Meier is being reported in more detail elsewhere, but there is a glaring omission which I find even more threatening to young Adders everywhere! I have written about it several times and I will write about it even more in the future. I will probably never stop writing about it:

The denial and general disbelief that ADD ADHD exists at all. Family, friends, peers and a large part of society in general do not believe that ADD ADHD exists. Not only do they not believe it exists, many take it upon themselves to give it another name: Excuse. That’s the name many give it or the way they refer to ADD and ADHD: as an excuse. Or maybe a despicable misleading excuse. 

Since I have openly admitted that I have ADD I have heard and been told directly so many “real truths” – such as: “It’s a lie, don’t tell anyone or you will be hated, I don’t believe it, I don’t see it, I think the diagnosis is wrong, you just want sympathy and on and on and on, oh, poor Bryan…” The thing is, I am 38 years old and I can handle these comments. Yes, they still hurt and are wrong, but I understand the nature of people not to want to believe in such a condition as ADD and ADHD or if they believe it, they don’t believe you have it.

I write my blog to help spread awareness about ADD ADHD. I wrote my forthcoming book to help people understand what a child goes through—especially in my case as undiagnosed. I have been criticized for writing both and I have received threats for doing so. Sure it’s ridiculous, but that is the way it is and nothing is going to change that! Maybe the law will – actually, the law is getting more serious about how people with such disorders or treated by others. It’s a shame something like this must be protected by the law, but it’s a necessity. Think about that for a moment – it is a necessity.

This brings me back to what I originally wanted to say: What if people realize that ADD ADHD exists and it causes problems for the person afflicted? They don’t have to understand it completely, but instead of being in denial and then using that denial as a catalyst to be mean and contradictory, they could simply leave the person with ADD ADHD alone—if not a parent, teacher or directly involved or related in some manner.  Those directly involved or related have an obligation to put aside their personal beliefs and get educated with reality and scientific findings. Other Persons Personal beliefs have no reason to be a part of anyone’s well being. If you can’t accept the reality and you refuse to believe that a scientifically based and doctor diagnosed disorder exists and is valid, then know that if you are involved you could be causing more harm than the disorder itself! That is what I believe. ADD and ADHD is not the product of depression; however, depression can be the product of ADD and ADHD. A major reason for that is how a person with ADD and ADHD is misunderstood and negatively treated by others. We have enough problems on our own and don’t want and especially don’t need other’s disbelieving opinions and negative actions.

What if, before this tragedy, Megan had been accepted by everyone and those who did not understand her and her disorders just left her alone, so she could be helped properly by those who do understand, believe and care?

Why did it take her death to wake people up? And those that have awoken and taken a stand against the accused—where were they and/or where are they for those countless still suffering from Depression and ADD ADHD?

~Bryan 

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The reason I created Adder World was and is to help spread understanding and awareness of ADD ADHD. I speak from experiences I have had, what I have researched and the experiences others have shared with me. I do not claim to be a doctor or any other type of medical professional. If my experiences and what I have observed and therefore write about help bring awareness and inquiry to others, then I am achieving my said goal and hopefully more.

You can help me!

Read on if you really, really want to help…

Yes, indeed you can! Your experiences are valuable to all of us. We can learn from you and at the same time your comments can help spread awareness. Please, share your experiences with the rest of us by commenting on any article you relate to, most especially if you relate to more articles. Do not under estimate the value of your voice and how it might help others in similar situations as you. Many of you visit from ADD ADHD forums and you share your ideas there and no, you shouldn’t stop that—only enhance that by allowing others to hear from you from across the internet. Not everyone visits the same sites and many might not have read your experiences yet. I do appreciate the emails I receive and that has helped me along greatly—let’s spread the knowledge and give our visitors more than just my opinions, experiences and research! Everyone can become part of the solution and help reverse the overwhelming denial and negative opinion of the general public. Not only that, but many medical professionals have visited Adder World, by writing your experiences, you could very well be helping these professionals discover new treatments! I don’t think that’s too far fetched… do you?

Thanks for visiting Adder World… Your world, my world… OUR world!

~Bryan

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http://archpsyc.ama-assn.org/current.dtl

Dopamine has already been considered part of the problems with Adders. Reading about and learning more about Dopamine it is easier to understand why this brain chemical can have such a profound effect. Dopamine regulates pleasure feelings in the brain and also helps regulate mood and motivation. Since us Adders have lower levels it becomes even more understandable why it takes a higher degree to provide us with attractive stimuli and keep us interested. We become interested in things which provide Dopamine boosts within our brains. To read more about Dopamine I am including the following links on Adder World:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dopamine#Motivation_and_pleasure

http://health.msn.com/centers/adhd/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100167402>1=10316

With research identifying specific causes of ADD/HD there is hope for new medication. What’s also important is that parents will start taking ADD/HD more seriously. Don’t get me wrong, there are parents who already take ADD/HD seriously and seek help for their child. However, there are parents confused by the social stigma of ADD/HD and the conflicting side of the argument which iterates that ADD/HD does not really exist. Research will have the final answer and is already providing much needed support to the fact that ADD/HD is a real disease and people are sincerely afflicted. When I grew up the situation concerning ADD/HD was much shoddier and although I displayed all of the symptoms I wasn’t given the benefit of the doubt. Thankfully, today that is different for children around the world and it continues to get better thanks to research.

~Bryan

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http://www.topix.net/health/adhd

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/sections/adhd/

sciencedaily.com/news/mind_brain/add_and_adhd/

http://www.additudemag.com/

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