Greg Posted July 17, 2014 Report Share Posted July 17, 2014 As a lot of you know, I don't think ADD exists and I think it is a BS diagnosis. For 12 years I truly believed I had ADD and identified with all the symptoms of ADD. I read all the books about ADHD like Driven to Distraction, 'I'm not stupid, lazy or crazy' and so many titles with distraction related adjectives in the title, and I seemed to identify with every symptom on every page, I feel foolish. now that I'm off Ritalin/concerta/adderall and vyvance I have discovered that I'm so much more organized now that I don't believe I have a disorganization problem. Side note, When you don't believe u have ADD or that ADD is a real disease, it makes quitting easier because there is just no justifiable reason for you to be on these meds Anyway, I flipped through an issue of TIME from last month and saw this article 'ADD does not exist 'and his opinions on how we need to rethink ADD struck a chord. Here it is. http://time.com/25370/doctor-adhd-does-not-exist/ 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustinW Posted July 17, 2014 Report Share Posted July 17, 2014 Perhaps way over-diagnosed but I think that there are some people with legitimate issues; I guess it doesn't matter what label you put on those people. I know that my issue is a consistent, measurable visual processing deficit and I don't care what people call it because there are no effective medical treatments for it; just have to deal with it. Of course you already knew that I would come in with a slightly dissenting opinion when you posted this IR 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zerokewl Posted July 17, 2014 Report Share Posted July 17, 2014 ADD is a difference in cognitive ability. NOT a disorder. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Posted July 17, 2014 Report Share Posted July 17, 2014 I have never really thought of ADD as a legitimate thing. I think ZK's got it right - everyone has varying cognitive abilities the same way everyone has varying athletic abilities, but the concept of a cutoff point at which the label "ADD" applies is false. What really makes my blood boil is hearing people say things like "If you really have ADD then adderall affects you differently." That's total bull. Adderall speeds everyone up. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quit-once Posted July 17, 2014 Report Share Posted July 17, 2014 What would Sigmund Freud say about ADD / ADHD? If anything like his views on sexuality, he would likely say that ADD is a human behavior/condition that we all possess and each of us expresses it in different ways with different levels of intensity. I like ZK's description - that it is simply a difference of cognitive ability. I actually convinced myself and my doctor that I had this "disorder" and I needed my "meds" to deal with it. What a crock of shit. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zerokewl Posted July 17, 2014 Report Share Posted July 17, 2014 I have never really thought of ADD as a legitimate thing. I think ZK's got it right - everyone has varying cognitive abilities the same way everyone has varying athletic abilities, but the concept of a cutoff point at which the label "ADD" applies is false. What really makes my blood boil is hearing people say things like "If you really have ADD then adderall affects you differently." That's total bull. Adderall speeds everyone up. As someone who fits the definition of ADD (disorganized (tho it just appears I am disorganized), day dreaming, cant sit still etc) If ADD truly does exist I am here to say addys speed you up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perullo Posted July 17, 2014 Report Share Posted July 17, 2014 For years, I thought ADD was a real thing, and that drugs were the only solution. Turns out the real solution has been right in front of us all along: 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustinW Posted July 17, 2014 Report Share Posted July 17, 2014 For years, I thought ADD was a real thing, and that drugs were the only solution. Turns out the real solution has been right in front of us all along: I would say that this is applicable to at least 80% of ADHD diagnoses. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoulRevival Posted September 5, 2014 Report Share Posted September 5, 2014 ADD/ADHD most certainly exists. ZK has it right, and it being labeled a "disorder" is a total misnomer. There are a ton of positive aspects to having ADHD, but of course, there are some very real challenges that arise in traditional school and work settings especially. People think ADD is all about attention. Actually, that is a very small piece of it. The aspects of ADD that cause the most significant problems for people are executive functioning challenges- like impulse control, and managing overwhelm. Unmanaged ADHD and addiction is EXTREMELY common, especially with stimulant addicts. People with ADHD brains' produce less dopamine, stimulants release dopamine, that's why they're prescribed to treat the disorder. That being said, and speaking from personal experience that most of us can relate to- Adderall is totally whack. It doesn't matter if you have ADD or not, taking amphetamines regularly is not a good idea. I've taken other drugs for my ADD and NOTHING affects me the way Adderall or Concerta does (the amphetamine-class drugs) Other drugs actually slow my roll and curb my symptoms without making me feel like PCP superman. The sad thing is that abusing stimulants amps up natural symptoms of ADD, as it takes a while for your brain chemistry to resettle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cassie Posted September 5, 2014 Report Share Posted September 5, 2014 It may be real but let's not pretend people are born with a dopamine deficiency. It's most definitely a result of cultural/social factors. How many Asian and Indian children are given ritalin because they can't focus on their schoolwork. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krax Posted September 5, 2014 Report Share Posted September 5, 2014 It may be real but let's not pretend people are born with a dopamine deficiency. It's most definitely a result of cultural/social factors. How many Asian and Indian children are given ritalin because they can't focus on their schoolwork. I've have read in a number of posts the assertion that there is a dopamine deficiency in ADHD sufferers, but am wondering for those who believe this if they are aware of any scientific evidence supporting this belief? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cassie Posted September 5, 2014 Report Share Posted September 5, 2014 I've have read in a number of posts the assertion that there is a dopamine deficiency in ADHD sufferers, but am wondering for those who believe this if they are aware of any scientific evidence supporting this belief?Even if there is a dopamine deficiency, it's the result of brain pathways adapting to social/cultural conditioning. New environments and habits can change your brain chemistry. If it was a biological disorder one was born with then it should be equally prevalent in all westernized nations, no? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Posted September 5, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 5, 2014 I've have read in a number of posts the assertion that there is a dopamine deficiency in ADHD sufferers, but am wondering for those who believe this if they are aware of any scientific evidence supporting this belief? If that is the case, then every adderall addict who quits adderall has ADHD. because we are all suffering from a dopamine deficiency. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Posted September 5, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 5, 2014 I have all the typical symptoms of ADHD right now. I find it hard to go to class to pay attention in class. I can't absorb the words om reading. I don't ever feel like studying. I feel unmotivated to do well in school. Does that mmean I have add? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoulRevival Posted September 6, 2014 Report Share Posted September 6, 2014 I've have read in a number of posts the assertion that there is a dopamine deficiency in ADHD sufferers, but am wondering for those who believe this if they are aware of any scientific evidence supporting this belief? Yes, there have been hundreds of studies actually. Search dopamine and ADHD in Google Scholar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoulRevival Posted September 6, 2014 Report Share Posted September 6, 2014 Even if there is a dopamine deficiency, it's the result of brain pathways adapting to social/cultural conditioning. New environments and habits can change your brain chemistry. If it was a biological disorder one was born with then it should be equally prevalent in all westernized nations, no? There's some belief that ADHD is biological, rather than genetic. It's been linked to early childhood trauma. Meaning, people have a genetic predisposition to developing it, but their early experiences determine whether those neural differences develop. As far as prevalence across cultures- access to health care, education about the disorder, and stigma around the disorder and medication are huge factors that come into play here. There is no way to accurately determine the prevalence of any disorder across cultures because of the impact of these factors. Sorry, I'm a cognitive psychologist that specializes in ADHD so I'm pretty passionate about the issue. More than anything, I think it's really important for people to be educated about, PROPERLY diagnosed (I use 7 separate assessments), and treated for ADHD (with or w/out meds) because otherwise, it can cause a host of serious problems for people including...................stimulant addiction. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoulRevival Posted September 6, 2014 Report Share Posted September 6, 2014 I have all the typical symptoms of ADHD right now. I find it hard to go to class to pay attention in class. I can't absorb the words om reading. I don't ever feel like studying. I feel unmotivated to do well in school. Does that mmean I have add? There's no way to tell if you have ADD from those factors alone. They could also indicate clinical depression. What's more important to look at is whether or not you have executive functioning challenges. Problems w/ attention is a small piece of what ADD is all about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Posted September 6, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 6, 2014 Well, to each his own Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krax Posted September 9, 2014 Report Share Posted September 9, 2014 There's some belief that ADHD is biological, rather than genetic. It's been linked to early childhood trauma. Meaning, people have a genetic predisposition to developing it, but their early experiences determine whether those neural differences develop. As far as prevalence across cultures- access to health care, education about the disorder, and stigma around the disorder and medication are huge factors that come into play here. There is no way to accurately determine the prevalence of any disorder across cultures because of the impact of these factors. Sorry, I'm a cognitive psychologist that specializes in ADHD so I'm pretty passionate about the issue. More than anything, I think it's really important for people to be educated about, PROPERLY diagnosed (I use 7 separate assessments), and treated for ADHD (with or w/out meds) because otherwise, it can cause a host of serious problems for people including...................stimulant addiction. http://jonrappoport.wordpress.com/2014/09/08/vaccine-fraud-what-about-psychiatric-fraud-staggering/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zerokewl Posted September 9, 2014 Report Share Posted September 9, 2014 Sorry, I'm a cognitive psychologist that specializes in ADHD so I'm pretty passionate about the issue. More than anything, I think it's really important for people to be educated about, PROPERLY diagnosed (I use 7 separate assessments), and treated for ADHD (with or w/out meds) because otherwise, it can cause a host of serious problems for people including...................stimulant addiction. I have a lot of respect for a shrink reading this forum. I would like to know more of your thoughts on our group. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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