Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Real Simple Thinks I Have ADHD
So, I picked up the latest issue of Real Simple yesterday, and there was an article about concentration. There was a self-assessment quiz in there, which I took, and I got pretty much the worst possible score, so the magazine suggested I may have ADHD. I've had friends and coworkers suggest that to me in the past, so it kind of annoyed me that this magazine said it too.
Now, I don't dispute that ADHD is a serious problem for some people that should be treated where it's an issue, but it kinda irks me that everyone's so quick to label people as having some kind of disorder instead of just accepting that's who they are. It seems very judgmental to me that people want to "fix" people who are a little flighty and scatterbrained, rather than accepting that those flaws come with perks too, like creativity and flexibility. It just seems sometimes that people are very unaccepting of any personality that isn't just like them.
Does anyone else feel that way? I know some of y'all are educators (and parents) so you may have a different perspective than me, but I thought this was an interesting issue to discuss (and it also feels good to vent). :-)
- Diane
Re: Real Simple Thinks I Have ADHD
I think that no matter who you are, if you have any number of things going on in your life you are going to have a lack of attention span. I refuse to even call it ADHD. It is nearly impossible for a human to not get sidetracked, or derailed from their normal daily routine.
The real challenge is if you are able to accomplish your daily tasks within reason. If you can never finish a project, or can't accomplish a single goal that you set for yourself...than maybe there is an issue.
Good question. I looked and it said it was "developed with" a clinical psychologist, so I guess it's better than those cheesy "what does your favorite color/dessert/car/whatever say about you" quizzes, but it's probably not academically validated in any way.
I totally agree. I've always believed that it's more important to know your own learning style and working style, than to try to become someone you're not. We may not all be the most efficient, organized people in the world, but as long as you're accomplishing your goals in life, who cares?
They are just quick to wanna write out an Rx. Ya know....in some people minds there is a magic pill that makes everything better and easier.
I know a child that is growing up thinking he needs his adderall in order to function. What will happen when he is 18-20 years old...what pill/drug will he turn to then? The worst is that he is a normal, happy energetic kid. His only problem is he spends wayyyy too much time in front of the tv. I think adderall is his moms answer to easier parenting.
ADHD is a medical condition, I hope that the quiz made that clear. I am a special education professional (staffing specialist) and get asked this question often. I too hope the quiz doesn't tell people that if they miss a couple of questions they need medication.
On the other hand I can defiently say if a person truly has issues then medication properly administered is a LIFESAVER. I say this because I knew for years my husband was probably ADD, but I wasn't about to diagnose him. Even thought i suggested on a couple of occasions he might want to check it out it wasn't until someone else noticed that he went to be evaluated. he was put on an extremely low dose of a drug that has made huge changes in his life. While I understand your concern over a simple quiz, it truly can depend upon many factors hopefully the sprint of the article was to raise awareness, not unlike breast cancer.
I agree awareness and understanding of the condition would be a positive thing. I think it was more the approach of the quiz that rubbed me the wrong way.
i just thought i would add that if a child is given an ADHD med and they do not truly have ADHD, it will only make them more hyper (b/c ADHD meds like adderall, ritalin, vyvanse, etc are stimulants)
In children (and adults) with true ADHD, stimulants have the opposite effect on them that it has on a "normal" child. That is why stimulants will calm an ADHD child. Likewise, depressants also have the opposite effect, so that an adult with ADHD who drinks alcohol will be more hyper, or if they drink caffeine it will calm them
so parents/teachers/doctors who think giving meds to hyper kids is an easy fix -- well they are mistaken and are really doing the child a dis-service, b/c it will just make their behaviors worse...
according to the DSM-IV-TR (manual used for psychological diagnosis) impairment/hyperactivity/inattention must occur in more than one setting. Meaning a child that is hyper at school but calm at home (or the other way around) should not get a diagnosis/meds for ADHD . This also goes for children of divorce -- if they are hyper with one parent but calm with another, then they do not have ADHD - it is simply poor parenting or the child acting out due to other issues, etc. Oftentimes hyperactive children in school do so b/c they either a) have a learning disability and cannot follow along with the other kids so they just "do their own thing" or b) are gifted and are bored, so they "do their own thing"
That being said, like pp, for those who truly have a legitimate diagnosis of ADHD, meds are a lifesaver and help them lead normal lives....
The same argument can be made for a variety of other disorders that are over diagnosed (depression in adults for example)
Just my 2 cents
( and for the record, I know this because I studied it in my masters program)....
Diane, thanks for bringing this up! The media is part of the problem people are over diagnosed/over medicated. a parent sees a commercial for an ADHD med and thinks, 'thats what my kid needs" and convinces the doc of the same...