Mental ill health becoming seen somewhat as a trend?

[vwytche]

CH1YO

vwytche

I recently found out that the parameters of ADD (I refuse to call it ADHD) and bipolor have been expanded to teh point of being synomous with being human. idiocy

That certainly sounds like the misrepresentation of data.

Diagnosis requires any six of the following criteria:

I. Inattentiveness
1. Often does not give close attention to details or makes careless mistakes in schoolwork, work, or other activities.
2. Often has trouble keeping attention on tasks or play activities.
3. Often does not seem to listen when spoken to directly.
4. Often does not follow instructions and fails to finish schoolwork, chores, or duties
in the workplace (not due to oppositional behavior or failure to understand
instructions).
5. Often has trouble organizing activities.
6. Often avoids, dislikes, or doesn't want to do things that take a lot of mental effort
for a long period of time (such as schoolwork or homework).
7. Often loses things needed for tasks and activities
8. Is often easily distracted.
9. Is often forgetful in daily activities.
II. Hyperactivity
1. Often fidgets with hands or feet or squirms in seat.
2. Often gets up from seat when remaining in seat is expected.
3. Often runs about or climbs when and where it is not appropriate.
4. Often has trouble playing or enjoying leisure activities quietly.
5. Is often "on the go" or often acts as if "driven by a motor".
6. Often talks excessively.
III. Impulsivity
1. Often blurts out answers before questions have been finished.
2. Often has trouble waiting one's turn.
3. Often interrupts or intrudes on others (e.g., butts into conversations or games).

Show me a kid that meets six of these criteria, and I'll show you a normal healthy kid. What we have chosen to call ADHD could easily be explained by bad parenting and too much sugar.

http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/105/5/1158.full

Further "often" is far from a definative term. How often is often? If a kid blurts out an answer once a week? is that often? Well ask his teacher, b/c her input is rerquied for diagnosis, as well as the parent(s), even though none of these people is likely to be trained clinicians. Essentially the whole diagnossi process has been boiled down to: How much does this child annoy you? If the kid id annoying enough it's b/c they have ADHD, which I'm sure is a relief to a lot of people that thought it mmight have been their crappy parenting that was to blame.

This is all so vague and poorly defined that just about any person can be hammered into it if anyone involved in the diagnostic procedure wished it.

[CH1YO]

vwytche

CH1YO

vwytche

I recently found out that the parameters of ADD (I refuse to call it ADHD) and bipolor have been expanded to teh point of being synomous with being human. idiocy

That certainly sounds like the misrepresentation of data.

Diagnosis requires any six of the following criteria:

I. Inattentiveness
1. Often does not give close attention to details or makes careless mistakes in schoolwork, work, or other activities.
2. Often has trouble keeping attention on tasks or play activities.
3. Often does not seem to listen when spoken to directly.
4. Often does not follow instructions and fails to finish schoolwork, chores, or duties
in the workplace (not due to oppositional behavior or failure to understand
instructions).
5. Often has trouble organizing activities.
6. Often avoids, dislikes, or doesn't want to do things that take a lot of mental effort
for a long period of time (such as schoolwork or homework).
7. Often loses things needed for tasks and activities
8. Is often easily distracted.
9. Is often forgetful in daily activities.
II. Hyperactivity
1. Often fidgets with hands or feet or squirms in seat.
2. Often gets up from seat when remaining in seat is expected.
3. Often runs about or climbs when and where it is not appropriate.
4. Often has trouble playing or enjoying leisure activities quietly.
5. Is often "on the go" or often acts as if "driven by a motor".
6. Often talks excessively.
III. Impulsivity
1. Often blurts out answers before questions have been finished.
2. Often has trouble waiting one's turn.
3. Often interrupts or intrudes on others (e.g., butts into conversations or games).

Show me a kid that meets six of these criteria, and I'll show you a normal healthy kid. What we have chosen to call ADHD could easily be explained by bad parenting and too much sugar.

http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/105/5/1158.full

Further "often" is far from a definative term. How often is often? If a kid blurts out an answer once a week? is that often? Well ask his teacher, b/c her input is rerquied for diagnosis, as well as the parent(s), even though none of these people is likely to be trained clinicians. Essentially the whole diagnossi process has been boiled down to: How much does this child annoy you? If the kid id annoying enough it's b/c they have ADHD, which I'm sure is a relief to a lot of people that thought it mmight have been their crappy parenting that was to blame.

This is all so vague and poorly defined that just about any person can be hammered into it if anyone involved in the diagnostic procedure wished it.

It is pretty well explained in the abstract of the article which you did not read.

[AliKat1988]

vwytche

CH1YO

vwytche

I recently found out that the parameters of ADD (I refuse to call it ADHD) and bipolor have been expanded to teh point of being synomous with being human. idiocy

That certainly sounds like the misrepresentation of data.

Diagnosis requires any six of the following criteria:

I. Inattentiveness
1. Often does not give close attention to details or makes careless mistakes in schoolwork, work, or other activities.
2. Often has trouble keeping attention on tasks or play activities.
3. Often does not seem to listen when spoken to directly.
4. Often does not follow instructions and fails to finish schoolwork, chores, or duties
in the workplace (not due to oppositional behavior or failure to understand
instructions).
5. Often has trouble organizing activities.
6. Often avoids, dislikes, or doesn't want to do things that take a lot of mental effort
for a long period of time (such as schoolwork or homework).
7. Often loses things needed for tasks and activities
8. Is often easily distracted.
9. Is often forgetful in daily activities.
II. Hyperactivity
1. Often fidgets with hands or feet or squirms in seat.
2. Often gets up from seat when remaining in seat is expected.
3. Often runs about or climbs when and where it is not appropriate.
4. Often has trouble playing or enjoying leisure activities quietly.
5. Is often "on the go" or often acts as if "driven by a motor".
6. Often talks excessively.
III. Impulsivity
1. Often blurts out answers before questions have been finished.
2. Often has trouble waiting one's turn.
3. Often interrupts or intrudes on others (e.g., butts into conversations or games).

Show me a kid that meets six of these criteria, and I'll show you a normal healthy kid. What we have chosen to call ADHD could easily be explained by bad parenting and too much sugar.

http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/105/5/1158.full

Further "often" is far from a definative term. How often is often? If a kid blurts out an answer once a week? is that often? Well ask his teacher, b/c her input is rerquied for diagnosis, as well as the parent(s), even though none of these people is likely to be trained clinicians. Essentially the whole diagnossi process has been boiled down to: How much does this child annoy you? If the kid id annoying enough it's b/c they have ADHD, which I'm sure is a relief to a lot of people that thought it mmight have been their crappy parenting that was to blame.

This is all so vague and poorly defined that just about any person can be hammered into it if anyone involved in the diagnostic procedure wished it.

The important note for this condition is that the behavior goes beyond the normal level for developmental age. It is also highly disruptive compared to regular child misbehavior. ADHD is a very real condition and the only question about it is how to deal with it. It represents greater dependence on the environment and less self regulation.

Wiki is not the best source but here is a great description of attention deficit long before it was a major diagnosis. It sounds highly specific and distinct from normal levels of disorganization:

wikipedia-Melchior Weikard (1775) on Inattentive people

"An inattentive person won’t remark anything but will be shallow everywhere. He studies his matters only superficially; his judgements are erroneous and he misconceives the worth of things because he does not spend enough time and patience to search a matter individually or by the piece with the adequate accuracy. Such people only hear half of everything; they memorize or inform only half of it or do it in a messy manner. According to a proverb they generally know a little bit of all and nothing of the whole." (p. 5) "They are mostly reckless, often copious considering imprudent projects, but they are also most inconstant in execution. They treat everything in a light manner since they are not attentive enough to feel denigration or disadvantages." (p. 5)

[vwytche]

AliKat1988

vwytche

CH1YO

vwytche

I recently found out that the parameters of ADD (I refuse to call it ADHD) and bipolor have been expanded to teh point of being synomous with being human. idiocy

That certainly sounds like the misrepresentation of data.

Diagnosis requires any six of the following criteria:

I. Inattentiveness
1. Often does not give close attention to details or makes careless mistakes in schoolwork, work, or other activities.
2. Often has trouble keeping attention on tasks or play activities.
3. Often does not seem to listen when spoken to directly.
4. Often does not follow instructions and fails to finish schoolwork, chores, or duties
in the workplace (not due to oppositional behavior or failure to understand
instructions).
5. Often has trouble organizing activities.
6. Often avoids, dislikes, or doesn't want to do things that take a lot of mental effort
for a long period of time (such as schoolwork or homework).
7. Often loses things needed for tasks and activities
8. Is often easily distracted.
9. Is often forgetful in daily activities.
II. Hyperactivity
1. Often fidgets with hands or feet or squirms in seat.
2. Often gets up from seat when remaining in seat is expected.
3. Often runs about or climbs when and where it is not appropriate.
4. Often has trouble playing or enjoying leisure activities quietly.
5. Is often "on the go" or often acts as if "driven by a motor".
6. Often talks excessively.
III. Impulsivity
1. Often blurts out answers before questions have been finished.
2. Often has trouble waiting one's turn.
3. Often interrupts or intrudes on others (e.g., butts into conversations or games).

Show me a kid that meets six of these criteria, and I'll show you a normal healthy kid. What we have chosen to call ADHD could easily be explained by bad parenting and too much sugar.

http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/105/5/1158.full

Further "often" is far from a definative term. How often is often? If a kid blurts out an answer once a week? is that often? Well ask his teacher, b/c her input is rerquied for diagnosis, as well as the parent(s), even though none of these people is likely to be trained clinicians. Essentially the whole diagnossi process has been boiled down to: How much does this child annoy you? If the kid id annoying enough it's b/c they have ADHD, which I'm sure is a relief to a lot of people that thought it mmight have been their crappy parenting that was to blame.

This is all so vague and poorly defined that just about any person can be hammered into it if anyone involved in the diagnostic procedure wished it.

The important note for this condition is that the behavior goes beyond the normal level for developmental age. It is also highly disruptive compared to regular child misbehavior. ADHD is a very real condition and the only question about it is how to deal with it. It represents greater dependence on the environment and less self regulation.

Wiki is not the best source but here is a great description of attention deficit long before it was a major diagnosis. It sounds highly specific and distinct from normal levels of disorganization:

wikipedia-Melchior Weikard (1775) on Inattentive people

"An inattentive person won’t remark anything but will be shallow everywhere. He studies his matters only superficially; his judgements are erroneous and he misconceives the worth of things because he does not spend enough time and patience to search a matter individually or by the piece with the adequate accuracy. Such people only hear half of everything; they memorize or inform only half of it or do it in a messy manner. According to a proverb they generally know a little bit of all and nothing of the whole." (p. 5) "They are mostly reckless, often copious considering imprudent projects, but they are also most inconstant in execution. They treat everything in a light manner since they are not attentive enough to feel denigration or disadvantages." (p. 5)

I'm not disouting it's validity. As I already said elsewhere on the thread, it's been a huge impact on my life for my whole life. My point was that the diagnostic parameters are put together in such a way as to make diagnosis easy.

For example, I don't know of any other diagnostic procedure which requires input from non-clinitians. Sure input from parents might be welcome, even contribuatory in diagnosing some disorders, by ADHD actually requires it. There are many dangers to this, for example, w/ a first child the parent has no previous experience. What seems like inatentiveness, or hyperactivity to them might just be perfectly normal child behavior that they are frustrated by due to lack of previous experience.

IMO, these parameters are so broad that any child could be made to fit into them.

[AliKat1988]

vwytche

AliKat1988

vwytche

CH1YO

vwytche

I recently found out that the parameters of ADD (I refuse to call it ADHD) and bipolor have been expanded to teh point of being synomous with being human. idiocy

That certainly sounds like the misrepresentation of data.

Diagnosis requires any six of the following criteria:

I. Inattentiveness
1. Often does not give close attention to details or makes careless mistakes in schoolwork, work, or other activities.
2. Often has trouble keeping attention on tasks or play activities.
3. Often does not seem to listen when spoken to directly.
4. Often does not follow instructions and fails to finish schoolwork, chores, or duties
in the workplace (not due to oppositional behavior or failure to understand
instructions).
5. Often has trouble organizing activities.
6. Often avoids, dislikes, or doesn't want to do things that take a lot of mental effort
for a long period of time (such as schoolwork or homework).
7. Often loses things needed for tasks and activities
8. Is often easily distracted.
9. Is often forgetful in daily activities.
II. Hyperactivity
1. Often fidgets with hands or feet or squirms in seat.
2. Often gets up from seat when remaining in seat is expected.
3. Often runs about or climbs when and where it is not appropriate.
4. Often has trouble playing or enjoying leisure activities quietly.
5. Is often "on the go" or often acts as if "driven by a motor".
6. Often talks excessively.
III. Impulsivity
1. Often blurts out answers before questions have been finished.
2. Often has trouble waiting one's turn.
3. Often interrupts or intrudes on others (e.g., butts into conversations or games).

Show me a kid that meets six of these criteria, and I'll show you a normal healthy kid. What we have chosen to call ADHD could easily be explained by bad parenting and too much sugar.

http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/105/5/1158.full

Further "often" is far from a definative term. How often is often? If a kid blurts out an answer once a week? is that often? Well ask his teacher, b/c her input is rerquied for diagnosis, as well as the parent(s), even though none of these people is likely to be trained clinicians. Essentially the whole diagnossi process has been boiled down to: How much does this child annoy you? If the kid id annoying enough it's b/c they have ADHD, which I'm sure is a relief to a lot of people that thought it mmight have been their crappy parenting that was to blame.

This is all so vague and poorly defined that just about any person can be hammered into it if anyone involved in the diagnostic procedure wished it.

The important note for this condition is that the behavior goes beyond the normal level for developmental age. It is also highly disruptive compared to regular child misbehavior. ADHD is a very real condition and the only question about it is how to deal with it. It represents greater dependence on the environment and less self regulation.

Wiki is not the best source but here is a great description of attention deficit long before it was a major diagnosis. It sounds highly specific and distinct from normal levels of disorganization:

wikipedia-Melchior Weikard (1775) on Inattentive people

"An inattentive person won’t remark anything but will be shallow everywhere. He studies his matters only superficially; his judgements are erroneous and he misconceives the worth of things because he does not spend enough time and patience to search a matter individually or by the piece with the adequate accuracy. Such people only hear half of everything; they memorize or inform only half of it or do it in a messy manner. According to a proverb they generally know a little bit of all and nothing of the whole." (p. 5) "They are mostly reckless, often copious considering imprudent projects, but they are also most inconstant in execution. They treat everything in a light manner since they are not attentive enough to feel denigration or disadvantages." (p. 5)

I'm not disouting it's validity. As I already said elsewhere on the thread, it's been a huge impact on my life for my whole life. My point was that the diagnostic parameters are put together in such a way as to make diagnosis easy.

For example, I don't know of any other diagnostic procedure which requires input from non-clinitians. Sure input from parents might be welcome, even contribuatory in diagnosing some disorders, by ADHD actually requires it. There are many dangers to this, for example, w/ a first child the parent has no previous experience. What seems like inatentiveness, or hyperactivity to them might just be perfectly normal child behavior that they are frustrated by due to lack of previous experience.

IMO, these parameters are so broad that any child could be made to fit into them.

I just looked at the page before this one and realized you were making the argument for different reasons after I posted it. In your case, I would say that it is more an issue of difficulties diagnosing the inattentive subtype (often gets missed) and possibly try asking about more formal testing that is harder to fake results so the clinician does not think you are just another hysterical self diagnoser seeking pills. Also high specificity in describing symptoms is important for giving them something to go on.

Although having parental and teacher input might seem like a problem on one level, it only is a serious problem if the doctor is too lax in how s/he consults with them. Keep in mind ADHD is highly dependent on the environment so the clinical setting might result in having the children look better or worse behaved than the normal social setting. It is liable to increase misdiagnoses, but if the clinician knows to ask teachers and parents how common the problem behavior is and what circumstances trigger it such errors will not occur. All other clinical interviews are affected by the biased perceptions of the patient so doctors already know to be careful about interpreting any reports from nonprofessionals. Also the clinician is likely to order some additional cognitive tests and talk to the child to see what is going on.

[vwytche]

AliKat1988

vwytche

AliKat1988

vwytche

CH1YO

That certainly sounds like the misrepresentation of data.

Diagnosis requires any six of the following criteria:

I. Inattentiveness
1. Often does not give close attention to details or makes careless mistakes in schoolwork, work, or other activities.
2. Often has trouble keeping attention on tasks or play activities.
3. Often does not seem to listen when spoken to directly.
4. Often does not follow instructions and fails to finish schoolwork, chores, or duties
in the workplace (not due to oppositional behavior or failure to understand
instructions).
5. Often has trouble organizing activities.
6. Often avoids, dislikes, or doesn't want to do things that take a lot of mental effort
for a long period of time (such as schoolwork or homework).
7. Often loses things needed for tasks and activities
8. Is often easily distracted.
9. Is often forgetful in daily activities.
II. Hyperactivity
1. Often fidgets with hands or feet or squirms in seat.
2. Often gets up from seat when remaining in seat is expected.
3. Often runs about or climbs when and where it is not appropriate.
4. Often has trouble playing or enjoying leisure activities quietly.
5. Is often "on the go" or often acts as if "driven by a motor".
6. Often talks excessively.
III. Impulsivity
1. Often blurts out answers before questions have been finished.
2. Often has trouble waiting one's turn.
3. Often interrupts or intrudes on others (e.g., butts into conversations or games).

Show me a kid that meets six of these criteria, and I'll show you a normal healthy kid. What we have chosen to call ADHD could easily be explained by bad parenting and too much sugar.

http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/105/5/1158.full

Further "often" is far from a definative term. How often is often? If a kid blurts out an answer once a week? is that often? Well ask his teacher, b/c her input is rerquied for diagnosis, as well as the parent(s), even though none of these people is likely to be trained clinicians. Essentially the whole diagnossi process has been boiled down to: How much does this child annoy you? If the kid id annoying enough it's b/c they have ADHD, which I'm sure is a relief to a lot of people that thought it mmight have been their crappy parenting that was to blame.

This is all so vague and poorly defined that just about any person can be hammered into it if anyone involved in the diagnostic procedure wished it.

The important note for this condition is that the behavior goes beyond the normal level for developmental age. It is also highly disruptive compared to regular child misbehavior. ADHD is a very real condition and the only question about it is how to deal with it. It represents greater dependence on the environment and less self regulation.

Wiki is not the best source but here is a great description of attention deficit long before it was a major diagnosis. It sounds highly specific and distinct from normal levels of disorganization:

wikipedia-Melchior Weikard (1775) on Inattentive people

"An inattentive person won’t remark anything but will be shallow everywhere. He studies his matters only superficially; his judgements are erroneous and he misconceives the worth of things because he does not spend enough time and patience to search a matter individually or by the piece with the adequate accuracy. Such people only hear half of everything; they memorize or inform only half of it or do it in a messy manner. According to a proverb they generally know a little bit of all and nothing of the whole." (p. 5) "They are mostly reckless, often copious considering imprudent projects, but they are also most inconstant in execution. They treat everything in a light manner since they are not attentive enough to feel denigration or disadvantages." (p. 5)

I'm not disouting it's validity. As I already said elsewhere on the thread, it's been a huge impact on my life for my whole life. My point was that the diagnostic parameters are put together in such a way as to make diagnosis easy.

For example, I don't know of any other diagnostic procedure which requires input from non-clinitians. Sure input from parents might be welcome, even contribuatory in diagnosing some disorders, by ADHD actually requires it. There are many dangers to this, for example, w/ a first child the parent has no previous experience. What seems like inatentiveness, or hyperactivity to them might just be perfectly normal child behavior that they are frustrated by due to lack of previous experience.

IMO, these parameters are so broad that any child could be made to fit into them.

I just looked at the page before this one and realized you were making the argument for different reasons after I posted it. In your case, I would say that it is more an issue of difficulties diagnosing the inattentive subtype (often gets missed) and possibly try asking about more formal testing that is harder to fake results so the clinician does not think you are just another hysterical self diagnoser seeking pills. Also high specificity in describing symptoms is important for giving them something to go on.

Although having parental and teacher input might seem like a problem on one level, it only is a serious problem if the doctor is too lax in how s/he consults with them. Keep in mind ADHD is highly dependent on the environment so the clinical setting might result in having the children look better or worse behaved than the normal social setting. It is liable to increase misdiagnoses, but if the clinician knows to ask teachers and parents how common the problem behavior is and what circumstances trigger it such errors will not occur. All other clinical interviews are affected by the biased perceptions of the patient so doctors already know to be careful about interpreting any reports from nonprofessionals. Also the clinician is likely to order some additional cognitive tests and talk to the child to see what is going on.

A reputable examiner could probably work with these guidelines in such a way as to avoid over diagnosis, but not all temper themselves appropriately. There are parents that are shopping for a diagnosis and IMO, these loose parameters make it easy for them to eventually get it regardless of the actual health of the child.

[GaIvatron]

vwytche

I recently found out that the parameters of ADD (I refuse to call it ADHD) and bipolor have been expanded to teh point of being synomous with being human. idiocy

That certainly sounds like the misrepresentation of data.

Diagnosis requires any six of the following criteria:

I. Inattentiveness
1. Often does not give close attention to details or makes careless mistakes in schoolwork, work, or other activities.
2. Often has trouble keeping attention on tasks or play activities.
3. Often does not seem to listen when spoken to directly.
4. Often does not follow instructions and fails to finish schoolwork, chores, or duties
in the workplace (not due to oppositional behavior or failure to understand
instructions).
5. Often has trouble organizing activities.
6. Often avoids, dislikes, or doesn't want to do things that take a lot of mental effort
for a long period of time (such as schoolwork or homework).
7. Often loses things needed for tasks and activities
8. Is often easily distracted.
9. Is often forgetful in daily activities.
II. Hyperactivity
1. Often fidgets with hands or feet or squirms in seat.
2. Often gets up from seat when remaining in seat is expected.
3. Often runs about or climbs when and where it is not appropriate.
4. Often has trouble playing or enjoying leisure activities quietly.
5. Is often "on the go" or often acts as if "driven by a motor".
6. Often talks excessively.
III. Impulsivity
1. Often blurts out answers before questions have been finished.
2. Often has trouble waiting one's turn.
3. Often interrupts or intrudes on others (e.g., butts into conversations or games).

.

Debate time I guess.


These are all things that I have noticed in my case of ADHD-C. ADHD-C is the combination of ADD and ADHD.

1A. Careless mistakes as in not carrying the 1 or the 2? Nonono, not mistakes like that. The mistakes made are things like writing 7 instead of 75; due to my focus being lost and regained without my knowledge until I check the answer. They aren't mistakes in process, but in the information transcription itself. Most schoolwork mistakes that you speak of are issues in process efficiency, which is a normal part of boredom honestly.

1B. The attention is impulsive. Such as I am not getting distracted out of boredom, but out of just blurbs of ideas that pop up. I will forget what I am speaking of while I speak it, which leads me to have a bad stutter and will eventually end up making me digress from the topic if left to my own devices or I remain on that tract of mind.

1C. The inattentiveness to speakers comes from being so turbulent in mind, that it is incredibly hard to listen to what someone says, even when you WANT to hear what's being said. It's not "lel I dont care what your saying idiiiiot" It's just an unintentional shift of focus that is hard to control.

1D. I will say this simply. I Forget.
That's really the only excuse I have, and while it isn't a good one, it's the only one that describes the feeling. I can completely forget about something I've been thinking about obsessively all day. Take my AP-Class entrance essay for example. I really wanted to go into AP; but I just forgot about it UNTIL it was due WHILE I was sitting in that class. Another issue I have problems with is turning in completed work. There are probably dozens of assignments in my bag that I keep forgetting to turn in to the teacher. So it's not "lel so lazy dont wan work"

1E. Organization is something that I'm good at and simultaneously bad at. My initial organization is usually bulletproof, but as time goes on I forget to perhaps put something in a binder and as the days go by the process becomes completely defunct. I get compliments for my organizational skills when I first start them (As in a couple weeks or so) and afterwards I get confused looks because of the state of disarray of my school bag.

1F. It's better to simply work at the work faster so that I can't forget about it later. I am extremely fast when it comes to doing work while I'm thinking about it, so I usually ask for assignments in advance so that I can finish it in class and not have time to forget later. The reason ADHD/ADD patients avoid rigorous or time consuming tasks is because we know that we aren't going to do it correctly because we know we will lose focus.

1G. See 1E. That is the same principal that mandates this.

1H. That's the definition of ADD/ADHD right thar. But ADD/ADHD patients have issues with distractions to the point where it becomes a burden on daily function. I can get distracted doing anything, trust me.

1I. See 1D and 1E.



2A. When you're thinking of fidget you're probably thinking of scratching or such. With ADHD you're CONSTANTLY moving. I can't sit still for a while, especially listening to music. I have to get up and walk around to release the stressful energy building up. I also bite my nails which for me is more of my OCD, but it still substitutes for getting up and walking around the classroom.

2B. THIS was 1 of only 2 things I had issues with in school. I got up and walked around. I walked around, skipped around, but NO. I was NOT talking to anyone or anything. I was off in my own little wherever and I was not doing it to appease any sort of impulse to talk to someone. There is a difference between the students who get up and go talk to their friends and the ones who get up simply because they need to MOVE.
I will state this again. I did not get up and talked to my friends across the room. I got up and just skipped or walked around in a circle in the classroom.

2C. This is something I do not attribute to ADHD; that sounds more like curiousity.

2D. Quietly as in talking or as in just making noise in general? Making noise in general is just a thing that comes naturally for some people. They just...are noisy when they walk, breathe etc.
But talking is so that I can get mutual assurance for what I'm doing, and even then I do not talk to anyone quite often.

2E. It's more of a thing that has to do with unjustifiable urges to release energy that piles on without any sort of permeation. This energy cannot be expanded by other such means because the patient cannot focus on anything that is easily distracted from. That is why walking/running/skipping is a good source to let out the energy.

3A. That's actually more common with ADHD-C. For me, at least, it has to due with the teacher going too slow to answer a problem. Meiosis does not take a half hour to explain.

3B. As said before, we want to get the issue over with before we forget. Even if it's something I want I will forget about it unless someone reminds me or I am obsessive about it.

3C. Ahh. This. Sometimes I don't know if the person's talking to me or not because I hadn't been paying full attention, or I'd want to get my two cents in and I won't get a chance otherwise.


Now. One thing you gotta know before you make accusations about my agruments being invalid because I'm just hysterical and stereotyping myself


I WAS NOT SELF-DIAGNOSED. I had actually self-Diagnosed myself with Bipolar Disorder and OCD, with Bipolar Disorder being booted out the window by my physician.
OCD? Yeah. Apparently I've got a really bad case 'of it.
But the ADHD diagnosis didn't come about until a few sessions in.

[Ambient Morning]

The problem is... even if you go in to get a "professional" diagnosis, it isn't science. You could go in to a dozen offices with the same symptoms and get a myriad of diagnosis.

I really don't trust some psychiatrists any more than I trust the insights of people who diagnose themselves. The only use for a label is to - hopefully - get the right kind of treatment for your problem. If people are getting "treatment" for their problems through social media and forums, I don't see the problem in that.

Yes, there are "trendy" diagnoses on the internet. But there are trendy diagnoses in psychiatry as well, and plenty of people get diagnosed with disorders they don't have.

This is coming from someone who was in therapy for 9 years and didn't get an accurate diagnosis (post traumatic stress disorder) until last month.

[CH1YO]

Ambient Morning

The problem is... even if you go in to get a "professional" diagnosis, it isn't science. You could go in to a dozen offices with the same symptoms and get a myriad of diagnosis.

I really don't trust some psychiatrists any more than I trust the insights of people who diagnose themselves. The only use for a label is to - hopefully - get the right kind of treatment for your problem. If people are getting "treatment" for their problems through social media and forums, I don't see the problem in that.

Yes, there are "trendy" diagnoses on the internet. But there are trendy diagnoses in psychiatry as well, and plenty of people get diagnosed with disorders they don't have.

This is coming from someone who was in therapy for 9 years and didn't get an accurate diagnosis (post traumatic stress disorder) until last month.

It is science but it is not always very good science. You are right to be sceptical.

Your bad luck is interesting as P.T.S.D. has probably the best and most clear diagnostic criteria out there, which just goes to show that the most important thing is professional expertise.

[S n a z z y]

Ok
Many of the people who are online blogging or posting about their self-diagnosed mental illness are teenagers. This is the identity stage. The internet is a powerful resource available that offers information of the subjects and also COMMUNITY. When people 'boast' about a mental illness it gives them a sense of BELONGING and it also gives them an ANSWER/SOLUTION to their inner turmoil.
The fact of the matter is - life goes in cycles. We all feel up and down all the time - sometimes the cycles are quicker than other and there are many factors (hormones, environment et cetera)
When people can google a list of symptoms for depression, anxiety or bipolar disorder there is a sort of comfort in labeling their issues to sort of detach the personal responsibility factor from the problem. Not to sound harsh - but its often used as an excuse to not seek help (help is found within the self and can also be seeked professionally) When the person takes on this new "identity" of a "mental illness" they are living with the ego and not the heart which is a huge issue. Yes - there really are people out there who suffer from mental illness but it is so difficult to diagnose. Often times when people discover that they feel some symptoms they rush to the doctor who prescribes them medication with sometimes helps but more often than not disturbs the body's natural ability to heal itself. This complicates things down the road. Conventional western medicine has a pill for everything and its terrifying...

[Waffle King Richard]

vwytche

Cosmic Thing

anyone who wears a bunch of mental illnesses as a badge of honor is making it harder for people who ACTUALLY NEED HELP!

THANK YOU!

I recently found out that the parameters of ADD (I refuse to call it ADHD) and bipolor have been expanded to teh point of being synomous with being human. idiocy

I really fell in the cracks. When I was in school ADD was strictly a male disorder. Girls didn't get it. So I went undiagnosed and struggled like you wouldn't believe. Meanwhile, the badgering from various adults that kept lecturing me about how I was smart enough to get good grades, but that I just didn't try b/c I didn't care ripped a big ol' hole in my self esteem.

By the time that enough info became publically available for me to figure out what had been going on with me my whole life, it was already becoming faddy. Everybody that had ever lost their car keys was ADD and the few times I tried to talk to a medical professional about it I got, Ho hum, another one, where did I put my perscription pad. So I just gave up and said, Heck with it, Ill deal w/ it MYSELF. And that's what I have done. I've spent a lifetime developing elaborate stradagies that I use to deal w/ the difficulties. For example, instead of a to do list, I have to have an elaborate system of various lists that work together to keep me on task. the whoe thing makes no sense to anyone but me. This seems crazy to me b/c it makes perfect simple sense to me and I really can't comprehend why no one else can understand why it works. To me, it seems like a three year old should be able to get it.

But the truly sad thing is, I know what my daughtor is in for. With my oldest, I didn't kow enough to go to the school and discuss her difficulties with them. I freaked when her kibdergarten, yes kindergarten teacher suggested I put her on ritalin, which was never anything but volume control. Now that it's my youngest in school, I wouldn't dare breathe a word of it to the school b/c, ADD runs in my family, I suspect my child may have it, has come to mean, my family is human, my child is like every other child, please drug her liek you do all the others. Forget that! So, as a parent, I have no choice but to try and raise this child w/o the help she needs b/c these days the help is only for those that don't need it. If I sound bitter, it's only b/c I am.

A mental or emotional challenge has become an all purpose excuse not to try. Also, an all purpose excuese not to parent, b/c if your kid has issues it's not your fault that he's an uncontrolable brat. bullshit My daughtor has real issues w/ hyperativity and impulse control, yet she is one of the most polite, and well mannered children you would ever want to meet b/c she was raised to in spite of her challenges. She has been tought to face them, and overcome them, not use them as an excuse.

My issue was that I was male, but that until the early 1990's, it was believed that ADD could only exist with the hyperactivity, so through the tests and everything I went through as a child, they all came back negative for ADD simply because I wasn't hyperactive. Then when I was thirteen, my mother who was a teacher went through the checklist given to her by a doctor who was studying one of the students of hers and noticed that the symptoms that child and I had were the same. That doctor had been the one to create the urine test which measured the dopamine levels in the brain as part of an ADD diagnosis, along with a brain wave scan, having noted that the condition does not actually require hyperactivity in order to be present.

The problem these days is that parents (and the kids themselves in some cases) have pushed a lot of doctors into simply diagnosing their child as having attention deficit disorder (with or without hyperactivity), without actually doing the urine analysis or brain scan which are vital in determining whether one actually has ADD, in the hopes that drugs such as Adderol or Ritalin will be a benefit and bring their child's grades up. And it doesn't help that the media runs with it, creating a new stigma for those who legitimately have ADD, saying we must have all faked it and that ADD is just a "make believe condition" (Yes, the US media did report this view throughout the 2000's) to make those with lower than normal dopamine levels (mine was 2.6 instead of the 7.4 standard) feel special via drugs.

[vwytche]

Capt Richard

vwytche

Cosmic Thing

anyone who wears a bunch of mental illnesses as a badge of honor is making it harder for people who ACTUALLY NEED HELP!

THANK YOU!

I recently found out that the parameters of ADD (I refuse to call it ADHD) and bipolor have been expanded to teh point of being synomous with being human. idiocy

I really fell in the cracks. When I was in school ADD was strictly a male disorder. Girls didn't get it. So I went undiagnosed and struggled like you wouldn't believe. Meanwhile, the badgering from various adults that kept lecturing me about how I was smart enough to get good grades, but that I just didn't try b/c I didn't care ripped a big ol' hole in my self esteem.

By the time that enough info became publically available for me to figure out what had been going on with me my whole life, it was already becoming faddy. Everybody that had ever lost their car keys was ADD and the few times I tried to talk to a medical professional about it I got, Ho hum, another one, where did I put my perscription pad. So I just gave up and said, Heck with it, Ill deal w/ it MYSELF. And that's what I have done. I've spent a lifetime developing elaborate stradagies that I use to deal w/ the difficulties. For example, instead of a to do list, I have to have an elaborate system of various lists that work together to keep me on task. the whoe thing makes no sense to anyone but me. This seems crazy to me b/c it makes perfect simple sense to me and I really can't comprehend why no one else can understand why it works. To me, it seems like a three year old should be able to get it.

But the truly sad thing is, I know what my daughtor is in for. With my oldest, I didn't kow enough to go to the school and discuss her difficulties with them. I freaked when her kibdergarten, yes kindergarten teacher suggested I put her on ritalin, which was never anything but volume control. Now that it's my youngest in school, I wouldn't dare breathe a word of it to the school b/c, ADD runs in my family, I suspect my child may have it, has come to mean, my family is human, my child is like every other child, please drug her liek you do all the others. Forget that! So, as a parent, I have no choice but to try and raise this child w/o the help she needs b/c these days the help is only for those that don't need it. If I sound bitter, it's only b/c I am.

A mental or emotional challenge has become an all purpose excuse not to try. Also, an all purpose excuese not to parent, b/c if your kid has issues it's not your fault that he's an uncontrolable brat. bullshit My daughtor has real issues w/ hyperativity and impulse control, yet she is one of the most polite, and well mannered children you would ever want to meet b/c she was raised to in spite of her challenges. She has been tought to face them, and overcome them, not use them as an excuse.

My issue was that I was male, but that until the early 1990's, it was believed that ADD could only exist with the hyperactivity, so through the tests and everything I went through as a child, they all came back negative for ADD simply because I wasn't hyperactive. Then when I was thirteen, my mother who was a teacher went through the checklist given to her by a doctor who was studying one of the students of hers and noticed that the symptoms that child and I had were the same. That doctor had been the one to create the urine test which measured the dopamine levels in the brain as part of an ADD diagnosis, along with a brain wave scan, having noted that the condition does not actually require hyperactivity in order to be present.

The problem these days is that parents (and the kids themselves in some cases) have pushed a lot of doctors into simply diagnosing their child as having attention deficit disorder (with or without hyperactivity), without actually doing the urine analysis or brain scan which are vital in determining whether one actually has ADD, in the hopes that drugs such as Adderol or Ritalin will be a benefit and bring their child's grades up. And it doesn't help that the media runs with it, creating a new stigma for those who legitimately have ADD, saying we must have all faked it and that ADD is just a "make believe condition" (Yes, the US media did report this view throughout the 2000's) to make those with lower than normal dopamine levels (mine was 2.6 instead of the 7.4 standard) feel special via drugs.

The hyperactivity aspect has been one the the most problamatic of the whole issue. It doesn't tend to manifest as much in females, for unknown reasons. Girls introvert it, daydreaming, overfocusing, males extrovert it, HEY YA'LL, WATCH THIS! That is of course a broad generalization. I'm honestly not sure whne they started to figure out that it wasn't all abotu hyperactivity, and that there was ADD, and ADHD. And for the life of me, I can NOT figure out why they mooshed the two together again into just ADHD and deny all the new findings about the presence or lack of the hyperactivity. That's why I refuse to say I have ADHD jusr b/c a bunch of "experts" that never even met me decided to change the name, b/c it's NOT what I have. Sidenote, I actually do have hyperactive tendancies, but they manifest verbally. Once I start talking, I sort have to force myself to stop. But again, in my day, that wasn't seen as anything more than a typially female behavior problem.

I am self-diagnosed, which I know some people frown on, but I was already over 30 when I started to get some info, and talked to my mother about other fanily members, including my grandmother and great grandmother, neither of whom I ever had the chance to meet. My own experineces, coupled w/ that much info, and multible diagnosees (before the diagnosis craze) int he family didn't make it really hard to figure out what was going on. I thought abotu getting an actually diagnosis, but like I said, ny then it was already to the faddy stage, and now a diagnosis counts for so little it just seems pointless. I've been on a couple of meds, frankly, I'd rather live w/ the systems than the side effects, not to mention the cost.

The thing is, you CAN live a perfectly normal life w/o meds, by just dealing w/ your symptoms in a proactive manner. I'm living proof. It just pisses me off when some kid that's a brat b/c his/her parents can't be bothered to parent gets away with murder b/c of his "special considerations" while my child is well behaved and gets good grades B/C she's ben raised to deal w/ it, and can't even get the reconition of overcoming her challenge, b/c we don't feel like even bringing up its exsistance is a very good idea. sux

[jvscnns]

Please. It's not that hard to get diagnosed. There is a lot of money involved in the system.
Medicating everyone=lots of money for pharmaceutical companies.

For every person, there is at least one disorder, and for every disorder there is a drug.

[jvscnns]

vwytche

CH1YO

vwytche

I recently found out that the parameters of ADD (I refuse to call it ADHD) and bipolor have been expanded to teh point of being synomous with being human. idiocy

That certainly sounds like the misrepresentation of data.

Diagnosis requires any six of the following criteria:

I. Inattentiveness
1. Often does not give close attention to details or makes careless mistakes in schoolwork, work, or other activities.
2. Often has trouble keeping attention on tasks or play activities.
3. Often does not seem to listen when spoken to directly.
4. Often does not follow instructions and fails to finish schoolwork, chores, or duties
in the workplace (not due to oppositional behavior or failure to understand
instructions).
5. Often has trouble organizing activities.
6. Often avoids, dislikes, or doesn't want to do things that take a lot of mental effort
for a long period of time (such as schoolwork or homework).
7. Often loses things needed for tasks and activities
8. Is often easily distracted.
9. Is often forgetful in daily activities.
II. Hyperactivity
1. Often fidgets with hands or feet or squirms in seat.
2. Often gets up from seat when remaining in seat is expected.
3. Often runs about or climbs when and where it is not appropriate.
4. Often has trouble playing or enjoying leisure activities quietly.
5. Is often "on the go" or often acts as if "driven by a motor".
6. Often talks excessively.
III. Impulsivity
1. Often blurts out answers before questions have been finished.
2. Often has trouble waiting one's turn.
3. Often interrupts or intrudes on others (e.g., butts into conversations or games).

Show me a kid that meets six of these criteria, and I'll show you a normal healthy kid. What we have chosen to call ADHD could easily be explained by bad parenting and too much sugar.

http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/105/5/1158.full

Further "often" is far from a definative term. How often is often? If a kid blurts out an answer once a week? is that often? Well ask his teacher, b/c her input is rerquied for diagnosis, as well as the parent(s), even though none of these people is likely to be trained clinicians. Essentially the whole diagnossi process has been boiled down to: How much does this child annoy you? If the kid id annoying enough it's b/c they have ADHD, which I'm sure is a relief to a lot of people that thought it mmight have been their crappy parenting that was to blame.

This is all so vague and poorly defined that just about any person can be hammered into it if anyone involved in the diagnostic procedure wished it.

I bolded all the one's I got.
LOL. That describes everyone!

[vwytche]

jamirna

vwytche

CH1YO

vwytche

I recently found out that the parameters of ADD (I refuse to call it ADHD) and bipolor have been expanded to teh point of being synomous with being human. idiocy

That certainly sounds like the misrepresentation of data.

Diagnosis requires any six of the following criteria:

I. Inattentiveness
1. Often does not give close attention to details or makes careless mistakes in schoolwork, work, or other activities.
2. Often has trouble keeping attention on tasks or play activities.
3. Often does not seem to listen when spoken to directly.
4. Often does not follow instructions and fails to finish schoolwork, chores, or duties
in the workplace (not due to oppositional behavior or failure to understand
instructions).
5. Often has trouble organizing activities.
6. Often avoids, dislikes, or doesn't want to do things that take a lot of mental effort
for a long period of time (such as schoolwork or homework).
7. Often loses things needed for tasks and activities
8. Is often easily distracted.
9. Is often forgetful in daily activities.
II. Hyperactivity
1. Often fidgets with hands or feet or squirms in seat.
2. Often gets up from seat when remaining in seat is expected.
3. Often runs about or climbs when and where it is not appropriate.
4. Often has trouble playing or enjoying leisure activities quietly.
5. Is often "on the go" or often acts as if "driven by a motor".
6. Often talks excessively.
III. Impulsivity
1. Often blurts out answers before questions have been finished.
2. Often has trouble waiting one's turn.
3. Often interrupts or intrudes on others (e.g., butts into conversations or games).

Show me a kid that meets six of these criteria, and I'll show you a normal healthy kid. What we have chosen to call ADHD could easily be explained by bad parenting and too much sugar.

http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/105/5/1158.full

Further "often" is far from a definative term. How often is often? If a kid blurts out an answer once a week? is that often? Well ask his teacher, b/c her input is rerquied for diagnosis, as well as the parent(s), even though none of these people is likely to be trained clinicians. Essentially the whole diagnossi process has been boiled down to: How much does this child annoy you? If the kid id annoying enough it's b/c they have ADHD, which I'm sure is a relief to a lot of people that thought it mmight have been their crappy parenting that was to blame.

This is all so vague and poorly defined that just about any person can be hammered into it if anyone involved in the diagnostic procedure wished it.

I bolded all the one's I got.
LOL. That describes everyone!

That's pretty much my point. Now, I'm not implying that every doctor or diagnostition is in the business of selling diagnosees, nor that every parent or teacher is looking fro an excuse b/c all kids are unruly brats these days. Just that the system is set up in such a way that it makes it very easy to do so, and that therefore, it happens w/ enough frequency to be a matter for concern.