Dr G's ADHD Chat

ADHD is most treatable disorder in the Diagnostic Manual, if you include the use of medication, principally stimulants combine with therapy. In spite of the apparent ease of this approach, many are resistant to the use of medication. In fact, almost half of those diagnosed with ADHD discontinue medication within two years.

ADHD originally was seen as a childhood disorder. Now we know ADHD persists throughout life, but the diagnostic criteria is still based on children. This presents a problem for us diagnosticians. We know that the overt hyperactive tends to diminish in adulthood and primary symptoms are the so-callled inattention symptoms. The usual practice in diagnosing is to make the diagnosis with fewer symptoms than the diagnostic manual recommends. There is some relief coming with a new set of criteria coming out from the APA isometime in 2024.

System theory posits that what effects one part of a system effects every part of that system. This means that having an ADHD child effects every other member of the family.

This is a continuation of the last episode urging ADHD parents to not feel guilty because of their child’s ADHD, but use their energy to focus on treatment and development of compensatory strategies.

Partners first and ADHD children next have to learn to accept the difficulties and benefits of ADHD. Much like short parents are probably going to have to accept the fact that their child is unlikely to play professional basketball, parents need to base their expectations on a realistic appraisal of their child.

Parents of ADHD kids frequently feel guilty and/or inadequate because of their child’s behavior. They feel responsible and, indeed, most of us have a helpful relative or neighbor who is more than willing to tell us that all we need to do is use a little more discipline and all our problems will be solved. First, ADHD is a neurologic disorder that is genetic, so our parenting did not cause the ADHD. But we are still responsible for getting our children appropriate treatment and teaching them compensatory strategies.

ADHD kids get an average of 70 critical comments per day. They are taught in a system that isn’t designed for their unique nervous system. They are taught and coached by individuals who , on the whole, don’t understand what they’re dealing with. The educational system has also fallen in love with homework and frequently think academic improvement comes from increased amounts of homework. And we’re surprised when our ADHD children get frustrated and rebellious.

In the ADHD world, especially on the internet, there are countless claims of natural plants, herbs and natural remedies that cure ADHD. As parents, most of us would prefer to give our children something natural to treat their ADHD, but what does the science say?

ADHDers get tons of criticism (on average 70 critical comments per day). Last time we started considering some of the positive strengths of ADHD. Now we’re going to continue and add even more positive strengths of ADHD.

The problems with ADHD, being ADHD, having a child with ADHD, having a spouse with ADHD are well-chronicled. The emphasis is usually on the negative aspects of ADHD. Frequently overlooked are the positives of ADHD. For every negative there is a neutral and a positive, For example, “hyper” becomes energetic, Impatient becomes quick thinking and so on. In this segment, I will focus on the more positive aspects of ADHD, why many of us love people with ADHD.