Is ADHD an actual "disorder"?

I say: NO.

What's your opinion?

So we are all on the same page, here.

EDIT: Sorry, my fault for not being clear- what I mean for us to be debating here is not whether ADHD is a disorder or not, but whether it's real, or just some made-up bullshit.

I say it's the latter.

Anything related to mental probs is disorder i spose.

But i'll choose dwarra.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

The Clue is in the title... Yep, Disorder features there... so Yep... I guess Some Medical Guru sat around and had this very same descussion... Why have you got it some one you know have it ?...

My Cuz has it... and he has been having COD liver oil tablets and it seems to be helping no end... 

People though I hate it because I am get excited!

I say yes... it is a disorder...

click here

    I disagree. In order to define something as abnormal, or in this case a disorder, we would have to first define normal. Normal is relative, so this is not possible. (I realize the doctors use collected data to find an average, which can be CONSIDERED normal, but in the end this is still just an average, which is a number and not a person- making it flawed.)In the end, we have to apply ourselves to finding out what is normal for each individual's personal situation- not what is thought to be normal for John Q. Public.

I see your point arrowone... thats a very good analisys... I didn't look at it that way...

Who's to say a Disorder is a Disorder When there is no defined state for Normal...

But I would still go with the doctors if they say you have ADHD then you have a slight Disorder in the way that your brain works... (Worked out on an average)

I think it would be unfair to go against what the doctors say... Otherwise you will never determine what is wrong with you...

Voting yes because I have it and have experienced the differences between being on medication and not being on medication.

HEY GUESS WHAT

I didn't get to finish my post earlier because the bell rang for the start of school, but here I go again now, hopefully before the next bell.

Like I said- normal = no value

The ONLY REASON we should have to call someone's mental state "disorderly" is when it causes a problem for the general community. For instance: insanity. In THEIR minds, they may think that say, raping a giraffe is perfectly normal. However, they may have to go to great lengths and hurt a number of people to gain access to said giraffes. (I dont know why, just bear with me) IN this case, then yes, they should be altered in some way.

As for disorders like ADHD, (and his opinion is actually easier for me to type out now that I have seen arlen's post) they cannot really be called disorders, just differences really. It's like, "My car is faster than yours Jim". "Well, that's not normal, let's fix that." No. We don't talk about it that way now do we? We say, "Is it a problem for you? Let's tune it to your needs." So really we are altering, not curing. And thusly, it is a difference, no a disorder.

Well, okay, wait, are we arguing whether or not ADHD is real, or whether or not it can rightly be called a "disorder?"

   
Re: Is ADHD an actual "disorder"?

ADD is real.
ADHD ?
Not really. The ADD part is, but not the H.

If a kid is that hyper, it's becaues, well, it's a kid. It's what kids do. If the kid throws things way to hard, it's because of one of two things.

1.) The kid does not know its own strength.
2.) The kid enjoys its strength.

However, if you are a kid, or even an adult and you're shaking. That's not hyperactivity. That can be a number of other things, one of which being deadly.

   
Re: Is ADHD an actual "disorder"?

Well, okay, wait, are we arguing whether or not ADHD is real, or whether or not it can rightly be called a "disorder?"

I can quote posts and not answer questions, too!

Sorry. I wasn't being clear.

Okay then.

So, have you ever had ADD/ADHD? Do you know what it's like? Have you experienced it first-hand? I have. It's something rather real to me. Not the biggest deal, sure, but my point is in highschool I simply could not concentrate on anything. Any fleeting thought that entered my mind would distract me and completely destroy my train of thought no matter how hard I tried to maintain it.

Okay then.

So, have you ever had ADD/ADHD? Do you know what it's like? Have you experienced it first-hand? I have. It's something rather real to me. Not the biggest deal, sure, but my point is in highschool I simply could not concentrate on anything. Any fleeting thought that entered my mind would distract me and completely destroy my train of thought no matter how hard I tried to maintain it.

That's ADD. Attention Defecit Disorder. My dad has that.
ADHD (Attention Defecit Hyperactivity Disorder) is not real.

Both ADD and ADHD are bullshit. Do you think things like this just magically appear in society? Where has ADD and ADHD been for the last hundred years? The last thousand? Or are you somehow saying modern society breeds masses idiots who can't focus on anything? I was diagnosed with ADD and I can think just goddamn fine. It's all total bullshit.

P.S. you grow out of it.

Or maybe you just, like, didn't actually have it? Maybe?


I just read that wiki article. I was all of those things when I was a kid. Disruptive, hyperactive, couldn't concentrate, easily distracted, impulsive. I did have a good memory, though.

And then I took ritalin and, BAM, suddenly I was a straight A student. Hm.


So regardless of whether or not you think it's real, I'm glad all the important people do, because otherwise my highschool grades would be atrocious and I wouldn't be in a good college.

Okay then.

So, have you ever had ADD/ADHD? Do you know what it's like? Have you experienced it first-hand? I have. It's something rather real to me. Not the biggest deal, sure, but my point is in highschool I simply could not concentrate on anything. Any fleeting thought that entered my mind would distract me and completely destroy my train of thought no matter how hard I tried to maintain it.

That's ADD. Attention Defecit Disorder. My dad has that.
ADHD (Attention Defecit Hyperactivity Disorder) is not real.

Arlen: I "have" ADD. I am prescribed medication (which I do not take) for it. When I have taken it, I've noticed absolutely no difference in my concentration or productivity. When I am distracted, it is my fault that I skew off-task. When I fuck around, it's because I am choosing to do so. ADD is the miracle "diagnosis" that gives hundreds (thousands?) of idiot kids an eternal excuse to be idiots, and teaches them from an early age not to own up to their own fucking actions.

Tsuno: For the purpose of this debate, ADD and ADHD are gonna be considered the same thing.

P.S. you grow out of it.

Wow, a condition (whose symptoms seem to be normal behavior for children) that disappears when you grow up! I feel inspired to make up something like "temporary dwarfism", and make all sufferers of this disorder take a plethora of prescriptions until they were around 20 or so.

I was diagnosed with ADD when I was around six and I took some drug for it (which didn't do anything, of course). Then I started living with my father, who was a great deal harsher than my mother, and ADD was cured.

Okay then.

So, have you ever had ADD/ADHD? Do you know what it's like? Have you experienced it first-hand? I have. It's something rather real to me. Not the biggest deal, sure, but my point is in highschool I simply could not concentrate on anything. Any fleeting thought that entered my mind would distract me and completely destroy my train of thought no matter how hard I tried to maintain it.

That's ADD. Attention Defecit Disorder. My dad has that.
ADHD (Attention Defecit Hyperactivity Disorder) is not real.

Arlen: I "have" ADD. I am prescribed medication (which I do not take) for it. When I have taken it, I've noticed absolutely no difference in my concentration or productivity. When I am distracted, it is my fault that I skew off-task. When I fuck around, it's because I am choosing to do so. ADD is the miracle "diagnosis" that gives hundreds (thousands?) of idiot kids an eternal excuse to be idiots, and teaches them from an early age not to own up to their own fucking actions.

Tsuno: For the purpose of this debate, ADD and ADHD are gonna be considered the same thing.

Okay, so..........

Heh, where do we go from here? You have your experience, and I have mine. It's not like this debate will come to any solid conclusion, since it appears none of you had the experience with AD(H)D that I had.

P.S. you grow out of it.

Wow, a condition (whose symptoms seem to be normal behavior for children) that disappears when you grow up! I feel inspired to make up something like "temporary dwarfism", and make all sufferers of this disorder take a plethora of prescriptions until they were around 20 or so.

I was diagnosed with ADD when I was around six and I took some drug for it (which didn't do anything, of course). Then I started living with my father, who was a great deal harsher than my mother, and ADD was cured.

So it's normal that I was the one incredibly hyperactive and disruptive child among the group of other normal children? This isn't a question of whether or not the symptoms are present. It's about to what extent they are present.

Also, you guys are really mean. You do realize you can have debates without swearing or calling each other idiots, right?

ZOMG really? Lol

@Djangonator - Gotcha.

In that case, yes it's a real disease. It's a chemical imbalance in the brain.

Okay then.

So, have you ever had ADD/ADHD? Do you know what it's like? Have you experienced it first-hand? I have. It's something rather real to me. Not the biggest deal, sure, but my point is in highschool I simply could not concentrate on anything. Any fleeting thought that entered my mind would distract me and completely destroy my train of thought no matter how hard I tried to maintain it.

No, that's how every one is. I mean I can't hold a topic for more than 6 posts, does that mean I have Attention Defecit uhm thingy. J.P. McPuffenmeyer kicks ass! Thor is bad ass. Swords are awesome. What the hell was I gonna say? Oh yeah, just because you have a short attention span doesn't mean it's ADD. It just means you have a short attention span which is NORMAL.

Also, you guys are really mean. You do realize you can have debates without swearing or calling each other idiots, right?

I'll admit that I've been an asshole. If I went back and edited out all the cursing and insults, though, I'd still be an asshole, albeit a more polite one.

Sure- our experiences with ADD are different. Still, I see it mainly as an excuse for kids who don't want to take responsibility for what they are doing or not doing, especially seeing as how they "grow out of it".

I'm starting to think thats how most of us veiw ADD.

Wanna know what I was like as a kid?

I couldn't sit still in class. Couldn't concentrate. I would get into fights at the drop of a hat. Gave a kid a bloody nose a few times. I would run around basically beating people up like a maniac back in first grade. I remember back in third grade I, for some reason, thought it would be hilarious to drop down to the floor and crawl back to my desk in the middle of class. Were any other kids like that? No. Was that normal for all little kids? Not at my school it wasn't! Did anyone else take Ritalin there? None that I knew of. If there were, it was only 1 or 2. Other kids would play sports, and keep score. I just kick balls around and scream and yell. I didn't care what the rules were or whatever, I just wanted to be in motion and doing something exciting! You see, we're not just talking about schoolwork and crap like that.


ADHD is what I had, and taking Ritalin and such made me NOT freak out and be retarded while every other, normal kid was concentrating with moderate success.


Again, it's not about whether or not the symptoms are present. It's about to what DEGREE the symptoms are present. Does every kid have AD(H)D? Not all, no, but to some extent, yes! Does every kid that has it really need medication? NO! Do some kids have it worse than others? YES! I am living proof! LOOK AT ME!


That's my take on it, anyway.