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That's what my mom said, circa 1990.
"They'll grow out of it!"
Mental illness, attention deficit disorder, and suffering
61–70 of 359 posts
Re: Mental illness, attention deficit disorder, and suffering
#62The author really does not do a great job, here, at least in saying something sensible as a response to DeBoer's piece. The core premise seems to be that: > I find it so very irritating that there is no term for my so-called ⸢attention deficit disorder⸣ that does not have the word “disorder” baked into it. I know what a disorder is, and this isn't one. But the author then argues against a strawman: > Why does any dev…
I think the main gripe sits with how we label it and the way we associate with the label. Yes, in a medical context we can use words like retard, but it's not acceptable to use this word in front of a patient because often the medical definition isn't known. To the same degree disorder may be an acceptable label by a clinician, but we need a different word for regular everyday use - because if I come into work and te…
I don't think it's just a linguistic point. The non-stigmatizing alternative is to not label things, and to just speak in conversational language about the ways our minds are diverse.
In particular, I think it's important to recognize that most people do share information about their neurodiversity, and really this is the key point of neurodiversity as a term. When there's no "disorder" framework lurking in the background, people are happy to talk about how they're cranky in the morning or terrible at public speaking or spent the last 30 minutes anxiously editing their 5 line email. It's only when people worry about falling under some particular label that letting others know becomes an issue.
Re: Mental illness, attention deficit disorder, and suffering
#63Earlier quoted context omitted.
Sound like you're gatekeeping a disorder without understanding it. FWIW, the author definitely has ADD/ADHD based on their descriptions.
And it sounds like you’re diagnosing someone based off a blog post. By the way, don’t tell someone who is disabled and was hospitalized several times with a mood disorder that they’re gatekeeping a disorder. I can assure you, I know more than you do about mental illness, It’s genetics, and its environmental factors.
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Re: Mental illness, attention deficit disorder, and suffering
#64The diagnostic criteria for mental illness is, to simplify, that an aspect of your mind causes significant problems. If it doesn’t, as the author’s attention seems not to, then you probably shouldn’t be diagnosed with the disorder. Comparing yourself, when you have mild characteristics in common with a diagnosis and then saying it’s not so bad is perhaps not so helpful to those who do struggle with it.
Are you implying that the author did not get a professional diagnosis and is merely comparing himself to people who have ADHD? When I was diagnosed with ADHD, the disorder did cause me significant problems. Over the years I have managed to do a lot better, where I can now relate to the state the author is in (just the ADHD part, I do not suffer from depression). I would now say it’s not so bad too.
What I'm saying that if "it's not so bad" is reasonably true, the various disorder labels don't apply, perhaps they did and do no longer, perhaps they never did. A "cure" for ADHD looks like "it's not so bad any more".
Re: Mental illness, attention deficit disorder, and suffering
#65Earlier quoted context omitted.
And it sounds like you’re diagnosing someone based off a blog post. By the way, don’t tell someone who is disabled and was hospitalized several times with a mood disorder that they’re gatekeeping a disorder. I can assure you, I know more than you do about mental illness, It’s genetics, and its environmental factors.
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Actually, at times it makes me lack empathy and kindness for myself and then I try to die by my own hands.
What you see as a lack of kindness and empathy is a reaction to the disability porn that those of us who are struggling have to endure from the general population.
Re: Mental illness, attention deficit disorder, and suffering
#66A person with ADHD exists in a broader social, economic, genetic context.
Having a high IQ, being economically privileged, very good looking,is going to change the impact ADHD has on someone.
Also, its widely agreed that ADHD is over diagnosed.
Keep those points in mind when reading accounts like these.
Re: Mental illness, attention deficit disorder, and suffering
#67Earlier quoted context omitted.
I am 30. I got diagnosed with ADHD a few months ago and I started treatment (adderall and lifestyle changes). Growing up, ADHD was my biggest enemy in life and I didn't even realize it. Once I began treatment, the change was almost overnight. I know I'm just one data point in a sea of data points, but I really just want to add that I'm on the other end of the parent comment and getting diagnosed, other than my marria…
I mean, anyone benefits from Adderall whether you have ADHD or not. How are you so sure you really have it?
Adderall does not work on NT brains. They would be able to perform tasks regardless.
Re: Mental illness, attention deficit disorder, and suffering
#68> When I was around seventeen I took a Real Analysis class at Columbia University.
How typical.
> When my first-year hallmates were “studying” they were looking out the window, playing with their pencils, talking to their roommates, all sorts of stuff that wasn't studying. When I needed to study I would hide somewhere and study. I think the ability to focus on just one thing for a few hours at a time is a great gift that ADD has given me.
That's the opposite of executive disfunction. (To be fair, the author does describe other hallmarks of executive disfunction elsewhere.)
Re: Mental illness, attention deficit disorder, and suffering
#69As usual the message is, I don't want to change amd adapt, everyone else should.
Re: Mental illness, attention deficit disorder, and suffering
#70I have ADHD (ADD), and was diagnosed after 30 - though I've greatly suffered from it since my teenage years. Sure, it is a big part of me, always has been, but I don't really make it part of my identity. I can't control it like a superpower, and there are serious consequences if you're not careful. I've noticed that in the ADHD community, there are some very vocal people that will wear the diagnosis with pride. I mea…
Similar. I don’t understand wearing it with pride. There is no pride in it. It’s not an accomplishment. When people do this, it looks like a pre-emotive cop-out. “I’m saying to everyone I have ADHD so that if something goes wrong, I have something to blame and can also blame you if you are the authority for not giving me a pass”.
I think you're right, over the last couple years i've noticed ADHD as becoming like a hobby mental disorder. Lot's of people claim it as like something to be proud of. If you really have ADHD then you know it's an absolute miserable experience and the right medication can change you're life. I wasn't properly diagnosed until my very early 30s and I bounced around different medicine until i found the right one and dosage for me. The level of mental peace it has afforded me cannot be overstated. Anyone bragging about having ADHD doesn't have it IMO.