Mhmm...! Okay.
So, there’s this question that I’ve been asking myself a lot lately.
I’m constantly distracted...
Wait...wait...wait.
Umm...
I wasn't listening.
My room is a mess.
I cleaned this yesterday.
And I keep forgetting my keys everywhere.
Do I have ADHD?
And it seems like a lot of people on the internet are asking the exact same question.
But the thing is... diagnosis can be a bit tricky.
And the ADHD community is divided into two sides: People who think ADHD is being overdiagnosed,
and people that think it’s being underdiagnosed.
A key criteria for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is that, it shows up at a very early period of life.
And that's according to the DSM, a manual published by the American Psychiatric Association.
It’s essentially a huge guide with standardized criteria that doctors use to diagnose
mental disorders.
And according to the latest edition, there are 5 big things that need to be checked off
to determine if someone has ADHD.
First, you need to show persistent patterns of at least 6 symptoms from at least one of
two categories.
And these symptoms had to
exist before the age of 12.
Be present in two or more different settings.
Interfere with your social, academic, or professional abilities.
And not be “better explained by another mental disorder”.
If you do meet these criteria, the good news is that ADHD medications are super effective.
You might be familiar with Ritalin.
It was introduced in back in 1955, and since then more pharmaceutical companies developed new types
of ADHD medication.
Today, about 75% of ADHD patients respond to 1 of 2 types of stimulants.
Methylphenidate — which is in brands like Ritalin and Concerta — and Amphetamine,
which is found in Adderall.
But not everyone thinks this boom in drugs is a positive thing.
This is Dr. Allen Frances,
and he believes that ADHD is being overdiagnosed.
According to a number of studies done in the US, Taiwan, Iceland, and Canada — the youngest
kid in the classroom was way more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD than the oldest kid.
In 2013, the DSM’s criteria broadened to include children who had symptoms by age 12.
Where previously, it required symptoms before the age 7.
This looser criteria could possibly increase the risk of more children being misdiagnosed
for ADHD and put on drugs.
And all drugs have side effects — even the effective ones.
Studies have found that ADHD medications increase heart rate and blood pressure.
Other side effects include strokes, depression, and addiction.
In rare cases, misdiagnosis can mean treating the wrong problem altogether.
On the other hand...
This is Dr. David Goodman and he thinks ADHD is being underdiagnosed.
And this is a big problem, especially for women.
Women are generally harder to diagnose because while hyperactivity is more common in men
and boys, inattentiveness is more common for women and girls.
Boys are twice as likely to be diagnosed with ADHD as girls are.
But many argue that it’s not necessarily because it’s more common in boys.
According to psychologist Ellen Littman, studies of ADHD were based mostly on hyperactive young
boys, — leading to a distorted understanding of the disorder.
Dr. Goodman also argues that media portrayals of ADHD can add to a stigma that keeps people
from seeking treatment.
“Hi there!
What’s your name?
My name is Abernathy Darwin Dunlap, but you can call me ADD… on the count of the fact
that I have ADD.”
“Wow.
You were just the worst student in the world, weren’t you?”
“They said I have AD… something.
Can we have class outside?!”
An extensive study has shown that ADHD patients who get treatment have much more beneficial
academic and social outcomes in the long run than those who don’t.
So the real problem here isn’t really whether
there are too many or too few people diagnosed
with ADHD.
It’s... are the right people, getting the right treatment.
And that’s something you’re not going to find on the internet.