ADHD is not something I tend to focus on, primarily because it can be controversial with no “winning” side. I have seen kids with severe ADHD and the struggle the parents have in getting them the right help appears overwhelming. It seems there are so many “things” working against them, not the least of which is public opinion. I hear people say things like “Don’t all kids have some kind of ADHD?” My favorite is when people blame ADHD on a lack of spanking. So why does ADHD have a bad rap? Why do so many think it isn’t real, or that it is the parents’ fault?
I doubt there is a single explanation for all of the whys when it comes to ADHD and myths. Certainly the number of people diagnosed with ADHD has gone up over the years, but that could be due to simple awareness. Plus, while many like to complain about kids not getting outside enough, or not being disciplined enough, there are outside influences that contribute to that. I would never let my kids be unsupervised outside like I was when I was a kid, because I don’t have that sense of safety my parents did. And regardless of personal thoughts on spanking most people have a reasonable fear of being “turned in” to the authorities if you are seen laying a hand on your child. So yes, there are changes that have occurred that impact how kids behave and what is acceptable. But these changes did not create a disorder.
ADHD is seen worldwide, although it is most prevalent in the US. It was actually described first by a German Psychiatrist in 1845 and is considered undertreated in many countries. Although considered a disorder of childhood, there are adults diagnosed with ADHD who never received the diagnosis as a child, typically because it went unrecognized. Although a lot of kids grow out of ADHD, it is far from guaranteed and more likely adults learn how to deal with it more effectively than children can.
What caught my eye today was an article posted on yahoo.com called “Top 10 myths about ADHD”. It seems so many people have opinions about ADHD, I had to glance and see what this article had to say. The first thing that jumped out at me was that there was no author. It says “by The Editors at RealAge”. That gave me pause because I want scientific facts, not opinions. When I read through the information nothing was really surprising, although the fact that I work in the mental health field impacts that.
What drove me to comment on this whole thing was the fact that these myths are presented and discussed without any specific links or information as to where the original source came from. Are the editors’ psychiatrists who are experts, or did they read a report? There is mention of “just-released government statistics” that confirm the prevalence of ADHD, but that is it. I bring this up because as a consumer of information it is important to know to question that validity of information and be a critical thinker. While I am a blogger who works in the mental health field I am not an expert and turn to research when I am trying to share current facts that are not just my opinion. Anyone reading the latest about a mental health issue needs to protect themselves and do the research if it is not provided. You never know what is driving what is written.