OT: A.D.D.

Will · #1 July 20th, 2003, 05:42 AM

Ok, so I was watching the news yesterday (flipping through CNN, MSNBC, and Fox), and I see this advertisement. "Adult ADD and ADHD". "You may have it, ask your doctor to give you drugs".

So, I spent the next five minutes laughing... I have nothing but contempt for the pill-popping culture, using drugs as a quick fix for all their problems (and their childrens'!), real or imagined. I'm very skeptical of the entire idea of ADD/ADHD in children -- I mean, kids are supposed to be full of energy, running around, figuring out the world, etc. -- but the idea of this in adults literally sent me to the floor laughing. If the claims made by the ad are true, then something like ten percent of the adult population "suffers" from this "condition". If the amount is that much of the population, who is to say that whatever "symptoms" of this are completely natural, or symptoms of something else?

Ok, a short rant, but I felt like posting something. Any comments on this?

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Taera · #2 July 20th, 2003, 05:48 AM

well okay, correct me if im wrong but ADD is basicly hyper-activeness right?

Will · #3 July 20th, 2003, 06:05 AM

The way I'm understanding the current definition of it, someone who has ADD will be focused/energetic in some situations, and distracted/tired in others. To me, it seems it could be better explained by: mood swings, personal interest or disinterest in a subject, different sleeping habits (think of a programmer), or any of many other explanations. Differences in interests and aptitudes are not a mental abnormality, and cannot (should not!)be "fixed" by popping some pills.

minipol · #4 July 20th, 2003, 06:06 AM

yeah.

Taera · #5 July 20th, 2003, 06:08 AM

in my school they said its something because of a chemical disbalance in body - though i cannot remember which disbalance. What the pills do is they insert some other chemical - what it does is reverses the situation. Meaning that you would likely go very hyper after taking these pills.

As for how it can be developed in adulthood, actually it can be - with aging and normal mutation this sometimes happens. Very rarely though.

For all i know, taking pills all your life is the only modern way of dealing with ADD.

TerranC · #6 July 20th, 2003, 06:09 AM

In this day and age, where people are so busy they tend to get easily distracted and be off-focused, the medical term Attention defecit disorder should have never been coined.

The same goes with Munchaousen's (sp?) Syndrome.

Edit: Link to the medicine that Will is talking about. strattera

[ July 20, 2003, 05:15: Message edited by: TerranC ]