I was disturbed to read an online comment written by an "LC" for my column The Fear of Prescribing Perfection accusing me of being insensitive. The comment read as follows:
Could have been an interesting article, but I have to wonder, do you even know what ADHD is? Simple hyperactivity? Way way off. I just couldn't get past that ADHD comment to enjoy your article, because having graduated recently and currently working as a counselor in a psychiatric hospital, I have seen some very severe cases of ADHD and I can tell you it's a very real disorder and incredibly difficult for its sufferers to cope with. Do your research next time before you make such an incredibly insensitive and scientifically incorrect remark. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you've never taken a psych or bio class.
First off I'd like to clear up for LC and anyone else confused that I fully acknowledge ADHD as a disorder. No where did I state otherwise. The line LC was offended by was "In our parents generation hyperactivity was a way of life; now it is ADHD and fully curable." The first part of the statement is true, Attention Deficit Disorder was added to the DSM-III, a 1980 edition, hardly the time of our parents growing up. ADHD did not appear until the DSM-IV in 1994. It was described with three different groupings, mainly inattentive; mainly hyperactive-impulsive; and both in combination. This is where I derived my equating of hyperactivity with ADHD. I am only given the chance to write 500 words, so brevity is necessary sometimes at the expense of clarity. In a longer more accurate version that would be accepted by people such as LC, I should have included the word inattentive along with hyperactivity. I claimed that ADHD was curable in that it is something that can be largely controlled. Ritalin does the trick. As a personal anecdote I can say that my cousin had a severe case of ADHD growing up, and after being prescribed 80mg of Ritalin her grades and life turned around in many ways.
Furthermore, LC, is confusing my mere observation with criticism. The following line is what summarizes my overall idea:
What our generation cannot forget as we gain better mastery for the "genetic machines" that we are is that our abilities, our mental capabilities, and even our disorders define who we are. As we slowly are able to smooth out the inadequacies of ourselves, we will all become more of the same person.
I do not doubt that individuals with ADHD suffer and have trouble coping with their disorders. Nor do I doubt that people with erectile dysfunction or even dare I say restless leg syndrome have trouble coping with their disorders. The point was that everyone has some kind of personal trait or disorder that they have trouble coping with; my examples were memory and height. I am a tall person and have been told how lucky I am to be tall by many short people who have found it at least slightly harder to be short. Studies also have shown that height in adolescent years correlates very well with later success in life. If being short is hard for some people to cope with and disadvantageous, is it out of the question to label it a disorder. Drug companies would surely love to, so would people who do not want to be short anymore. In regards to memory, we all know people with great memories and people with bad memories, and just like height a similar situation could arise. Despite this, height and memory are essentially defining traits that make us all unique, and if trends continue there is no guarantee that this individuality will be preserved.
Now think about ADHD or something even more severe like Down syndrome. Parents of children with Down syndrome would like to have it no other way because they find unique joy in the way their children are. George Will, the father of a down syndrome child and Washington Post columnist, expressed this feeling in a column entitled Eugenics by Abortion, Is perfection an entitlement? in 2005(http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A51671-2005Apr13.html). Down syndrome children surely have many problems that regular people do not have to deal with, but that makes them who they are, and parents like George Will would have their children no other way, nor would they let society make them think their children are anything less than divine.
ADHD may be bad for some people, but it may also be worse for some people to lose those defining qualities. The CEO and founder of Jet Blue discovered he had ADD and claimed that ADD was in fact responsible to to his success in the business. It was what had given him the unique insight he needed for making Jet Blue company that it is. (http://www.usatoday.com/travel/news/2002/2002-10-08-jetblue-ceo.htm).
Overall though I have passed no judgment on people who take pills to fix disorders, rather I question the role of prescribing perfection in our society. So LC, I must tell you that you have me all wrong. I am sorry for offending you but I stand by my words 100%. I hope this clears up any confusion.
Friday, January 18, 2008
On ADHD and the Illusion of Insensitivity
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3 comments:
I am 23 yrs old n suffer from ADD/ADHD I was diagnosed at the age of 12 and prescribed ritalin for the short time I was on the medicatione I became calmer & could consentrate, but my mother took me off the drug because of sidefx, I was dribling at one stage & I thank my mother for getting me off the drug. ADD/ADHD is cureable cut sugar out of the diet & eat healthy, only eating natural sugars & eat breakfast, lunch & tea because if you dont you will wig out like i do. My boyfriend knows when i havent eaten coz im all over the place doing 6 things at once. Be natural, fit & healthy. Vist a Natropath
Just to comment on the use of Ritalin. It may be formulated to treat attention and hyperactivity issues but then again the severe behavioral side effects is something that is beyond control, with recent murders and aberrant behaviors linked to its administration. It would probably take proper nutrition (as anonymous mentioned), counseling and alternative treatments such as herbal remedies and supplements that would provide a sustained cure without the feared side effects.
That's the whole problem with ADHD. Some medication works on certain people, and not on others. For example, Ritalin works for some, while a few screamed its a real killer. From where I come from, the government recommend Strattera - it is said to be the first nonstimulant medication specifically developed for treating ADHD. But I read somewhere that Strattera also have side effects. So I suppose the only way still remain the trial-and-error approach simply because we are all different not only externally but internally as well.
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