[unoh]

(Original post by Jimbo1234)
...and yours is your dad I don't think you have any grounds to be criticising anecdotal evidence, unless of course you have some sources to back up your claims.

I mentioned my dad because I wanted to highlight how peoples attitudes towards learning disabilities have changed!! hes nearly 50 and he cant spell anything... if his dyslexia was actually naughtiness or laziness when he was younger then by the time he was 50 he would of grown out of it/learnt it. but he hasnt, and thats not because hes dumb. He has his own business and im fortunate to live a comfortable lifestyle.

it doesnt really matter.. im on medication.. im doing well and im happy.
if i didnt need it, if adhd wasnt a real issue then i wouldn't be on a controlled class A drug, as it wouldnt exist. but it does.

i love ritalin, i love being able to concentrate and most of all i love how all these spiteful words are probably words of jealousy!

enjoy your restless long study revision periods think of me as switched on as a lightbulb xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxx

[ufo2012]

(Original post by clarusblue)
With all conditions that are diagnosed based on characteristics, such as ADHD, I wonder whether our society is beginning to over-medicalise normal personality traits.

You had better believe it, try these on for size (below).

(Original post by clarusblue)
Im really lazy when it comes to getting started on an essay - do I have a medical condition or is it just a character trait of mine?

Yes, you have Sluggish Cognitive Tempo Disorder (SCTD), which will be introduced in the DSM V.

(Original post by clarusblue)
My sister is quite moody - should she be diagnosed with something?

Certainly, she has a Depressive Disorder of some type - probably Recurrent Brief Depression (RBD) or a Depressive Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (DDNOS)

(Original post by clarusblue)
My dad always had quite a bad temper - is that a medical condition?

Of course! Let's hope he doesn't isn't Bipolar, but it's more likely that he has Temper Dysregulation Disorder which again will be introduced in the DSM V.


Aren't you glad now that you asked? We can diagnose almost anything and everything with a Disorder with some name attached to it... what a fantastic world we must now live in!

[cyfer]

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

So they are simply just very impatient? Why is it classified as a medical illness?

[cyfer]

(Original post by ufo2012)
You had better believe it, try these on for size (below).

Yes, you have Sluggish Cognitive Tempo Disorder (SCTD), which will be introduced in the DSM V.

Certainly, she has a Depressive Disorder of some type - probably Recurrent Brief Depression (RBD) or a Depressive Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (DDNOS)

Of course! Let's hope he doesn't isn't Bipolar, but it's more likely that he has Temper Dysregulation Disorder which again will be introduced in the DSM V.

Aren't you glad now that you asked? We can diagnose almost anything and everything with a Disorder with some name attached to it... what a fantastic world we must now live in!

Just wait until we extend laws so criminals may use these 'disorders' as excuses of mental instability -_-

[ufo2012]

(Original post by cyfer)
Just wait until we extend laws so criminals may use these 'disorders' as excuses of mental instability -_-

You may not have too long to wait, the DSM-V could be ready by this time next year and we will then be able to see if that comes true or not!

[OU Student]

(Original post by cyfer)
Just wait until we extend laws so criminals may use these 'disorders' as excuses of mental instability -_-

They're trying to to do this with Brevik. They claim he has a "rare form of Aspergers" Aspergers doesn't cause you to go aroud shooting people

[Jimbo1234]

(Original post by unoh)
I mentioned my dad because I wanted to highlight how peoples attitudes towards learning disabilities have changed!! hes nearly 50 and he cant spell anything... if his dyslexia was actually naughtiness or laziness when he was younger then by the time he was 50 he would of grown out of it/learnt it. but he hasnt, and thats not because hes dumb. He has his own business and im fortunate to live a comfortable lifestyle.

So that proves nothing compared to what I said. There is no link between bad behaviour and dyslexia because even if you did struggle, why did he not just ask for help?

it doesnt really matter.. im on medication.. im doing well and im happy.
if i didnt need it, if adhd wasnt a real issue then i wouldn't be on a controlled class A drug, as it wouldnt exist. but it does.

i love ritalin, i love being able to concentrate and most of all i love how all these spiteful words are probably words of jealousy!

enjoy your restless long study revision periods think of me as switched on as a lightbulb xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxx

Again, that proves nothing.
It is just bad behaviour and rather than using self control to fix the issue, you use drugs. That is not good nor healthy because no one knows of the long term damage, and once they stop, you are back at square one.

Oh, and fyi, look at my profile page as I have finished uni and did pretty damn well

[OU Student]

(Original post by Jimbo1234)
It is just bad behaviour and rather than using self control to fix the issue, you use drugs.

I've never understood this. Drugs mask the problem. They don't teach you how to manage situations.

[ufo2012]

(Original post by Jimbo1234)
It is just bad behaviour and rather than using self control to fix the issue, you use drugs.

(Original post by OU Student)
I've never understood this. Drugs mask the problem. They don't teach you how to manage situations.

Not so hard to understand...

It is a bit like when "diagnosed" - they have "arrived" - they finally now know and can give a name to what is wrong with them and that makes it's okay.

So from this some people just think that when they are given the drugs that they are the magical cure to their problem.

Others are just too plain downright lazy to exert any self-control, so they rely on the drugs to do that for them (or so they believe).

[OU Student]

(Original post by ufo2012)

So from this some people just think that when they are given the drugs that they are the magical cure to their problem.

Others are just too plain downright lazy to exert any self-control, so they rely on the drugs to do that for them (or so they believe).

A few years ago, I had really bad depression and was offered medication. I refused because I don't believe they will fix everything and I must learn better coping mechanisms.

[ufo2012]

(Original post by OU Student)
A few years ago, I had really bad depression and was offered medication. I refused because I don't believe they will fix everything and I must learn better coping mechanisms.

Of course, you and others who actually use their brain and think these things through are an exception.

As you will note my post did not state that all will take this attitude, I did say "some".

The problem is that so many (especially parents of kids) are just so willing to "check their brain at the door" (excuse the Americanism) and listen to and accept everything that the GP or psychiatrist tells them.

[ufo2012]

(Original post by chrissmithstoke)
Existence of the condition and neurological symptoms: http://psycnet.apa.org/index.cfm?fa=...1997-02112-004

Paper that establishes the link between brain area activity and ADHD: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science...06322306009449

In the first article, a few words in the first sentence easily missed, say a lot about it...

"a theoretical model"...


Apart from that, the first article is from 1997 and the second is from 2006 - surely more research in these areas has since been undertaken and if so, where is it ?

(Original post by chrissmithstoke)
Not 'everyone thinks ADHD is crap'; certainly not those in a position to substantiate such a claim.

That in itself presents an issue, we may not necessarily accept that they are in such a position to substantiate their claims. Most of what they seem to prevent always seems to be theory, conjecture and speculation.

As mentioned earlier somewhere among these posts, these psychiatrists can frequently invent something and make a lot of money off of it, so it would be a lot more interesting hearing from people other than them - maybe the real people that have to deal with the kids on the ground daily - the teachers, the social workers, care home assistants - anyone who has to actually DEAL with these children day in day out who are not parked in an office every day rolling in lots of money for simply giving their (ahem) "highly qualified", but in reality, highly overpaid, opinion.

[OU Student]

Interestingly, I Googled does ADHD exist and there's a post from a teacher claiming it doesn't - http://newteachers.tes.co.uk/experts...hd-exist/45503

It's just an excuse for parents not to discipline their children and an easy way to get benefits. (you can get well over £10k a year - that is just wrong)

[Jimbo1234]

(Original post by chrissmithstoke)
I think several medical journal articles written by qualified neuropsychiatrists which support the existence of ADHD is pretty conclusive support.

For your benefit I'll post a couple here.

Existence of the condition and neurological symptoms: http://psycnet.apa.org/index.cfm?fa=...1997-02112-004

Paper that establishes the link between brain area activity and ADHD: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science...06322306009449

Not 'everyone thinks ADHD is crap'; certainly not those in a position to substantiate such a claim.

They know ADHD exists, but they do not know how much is simply down to upbringing and merely changes due to discipline. The fact that many sources (as I have shown) have displayed that these changes can be altered by basic outside stimulus eg strong discipline, shows that the issue is not a physical problem, but poor upbringing and that ADHD is merely what bad behaviour looks like in the brain.

[ufo2012]

(Original post by OU Student)
Interestingly, I Googled does ADHD exist and there's a post from a teacher claiming it doesn't - http://newteachers.tes.co.uk/experts...hd-exist/45503

It's just an excuse for parents not to discipline their children and an easy way to get benefits. (you can get well over £10k a year - that is just wrong)

Now that was a genuinely good read and provided plenty of reasoning for why it is a lot of nonsense.

Thoroughly recommend.

[suttd]

Hi,

This is just my experience and opinion on ADHD and dyslexia.

First off, I disagree with the diagnosis of dyslexia. There aren't any medications for it, and it doesn't exactly encourage the person to try harder, it just gives them an excuse to fail. Of course, they may get into special classes, but if the school was good they'd see that the student has a problem and target them anyway.

ADHD however, is something that I experience and believe in. It's not just I don't want to do school work, I can't focus on anything. I have to be doing atleast 2 things at once to stay on it, even when I'm watching a film or tv show, I'm on facebook and a game at the same time. The medications given for it are genuinely helpful, mainly amphetamines and similar psychoactives. I cannot just do work without them.

I don't think people should be given extra time or extra points in exams though. If exams are meant to show intelligence, then why should people who are effectively less intelligent be shown as more intelligent. That doesn't make sense. But for the purposes of medication I agree with the diagnosis of ADHD

That's it I guess haha

[ufo2012]

(Original post by suttd)
Hi,

This is just my experience and opinion on ADHD and dyslexia.

First off, I disagree with the diagnosis of dyslexia. There aren't any medications for it, and it doesn't exactly encourage the person to try harder, it just gives them an excuse to fail. Of course, they may get into special classes, but if the school was good they'd see that the student has a problem and target them anyway.

ADHD however, is something that I experience and believe in. It's not just I don't want to do school work, I can't focus on anything. I have to be doing atleast 2 things at once to stay on it, even when I'm watching a film or tv show, I'm on facebook and a game at the same time. The medications given for it are genuinely helpful, mainly amphetamines and similar psychoactives. I cannot just do work without them.

I don't think people should be given extra time or extra points in exams though. If exams are meant to show intelligence, then why should people who are effectively less intelligent be shown as more intelligent. That doesn't make sense. But for the purposes of medication I agree with the diagnosis of ADHD

That's it I guess haha

Dyslexia is definitely real as we have discussed numerous times in this post. Whether or not people should be marked as "Special Needs" because of this is debatable, because many people can get by with it in life and get along with other people who are normal and do not have the condition (maybe they do so a little more slowly, but they can still survive with it).

ADHD on the other hand which we are discussing, well the example you gave sounds just like someone who is "multi-tasking", plain and simple - which is purely a product of the society that we live in.

[OU Student]

(Original post by suttd)

ADHD however, is something that I experience and believe in. It's not just I don't want to do school work, I can't focus on anything. I have to be doing atleast 2 things at once to stay on it, even when I'm watching a film or tv show, I'm on facebook and a game at the same time. The medications given for it are genuinely helpful, mainly amphetamines and similar psychoactives. I cannot just do work without them.

Surely if you couldn't focus, you wouldn't be able to watch a TV programme? Let alone play a game, use Facebook and watch TV at the same time? I can't focus either. I can have the TV on in the background; but couldn't tell you what's going on.

[GottaLovePhysics! :)]

I dont know much about ADHD but I bet alot of TSRians know about their meds

[ufo2012]

(Original post by OU Student)
Surely if you couldn't focus, you wouldn't be able to watch a TV programme? Let alone play a game, use Facebook and watch TV at the same time? I can't focus either. I can have the TV on in the background; but couldn't tell you what's going on.

I and I know many others can have the TV on in the background too, does that mean we have ADHD? (rhetorical question)

No, it's called multitasking.

If you are good at it you will be applauded and excel in today's society.

If you try to be good at it but can't handle the pace, you have ADHD.

If you are no good at it at all and can only single task you are labelled slow, simple and useless.

It is all the fault of modern society - everyone just needs to slow down.