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From ADDitudes Experts
Strategies and Support for ADHD & LD
SPECIAL COLLECTION
ADD Myths& Realities
Resources for raising awarenessn 25 THINGS TO LOVE ABOUT
ADHD
n HOW TO SPREAD THE WORD
n 7 MYTHS ABOUT ADHD...DEBUNKED!
n SNAPPY COMEBACKS TO ADHD DOUBTERS
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25THINGS TO LOVEAbout ADD1 Insomnia makes for more time
to stay up and surf the net!
2 The drive of HYPERFOCUS.3 Resiliency.
4 A sparkling PERSONALITY.5 Generosity with money,
time, and resources.6 INGENUITY.
7 A strong sense of what is FAIR.
8 Willingness to take a RISK.9 Making far-reaching
analogies that no one else understands.
10 SPONTANEITY.11 You have a Ferrari brain,
but with Chevy brakes!12 Pleasant and constant
surprises due to findingclothing (or money orspouses) you forgot
about.
13 Being FUNNY.14 Being the last of the
ROMANTICS.
15 Being a good conversationalist.
16 An innate understanding of intuitive technologies,such as
computers or PDAs.
17 Honestly believing thatANYTHING IS POSSIBLE.
18 Rarely being satisfied with the status quo.
19 Compassion.20 Persistence.21 Joining the ranks of
artists,
musicians, entrepreneurs,and other creative types.
22 Always being there to provide a different PERSPECTIVE.
23 Willingness to fight forwhat you believe in.
24 Excellence in MOTIVATING OTHERS.
25 Being highly organized,punctual, and generallyresponsible
(OK, so I lied!).
Copyright 2012 ADDITUDE magazine. All rights reserved. Adapted
from a piece by Bob Seay that originally appeared on
www.additudemag.com
ADDITUDE
http://www.additudemag.com
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To learn more about ADHD, go to additudemag.com.
AD/HD is a medical disorder, affecting morethan 15 million
Americans, with symptomsdistractibility, impulsivity,
hyperactivitythatseriously interfere with the ability to func-tion.
But children and adults with ADHD cando well, even excel, when they
receive help and support.
Unfortunately, there are still a lot of ADHD
ADHD
ADHD
ADHDADHD
naysayers out there. Thats why we suggest you become an
activist. You can start by sharing your own story. Then employthe
eight strategies outlined in this special ADDitude guide to
broadcast the -is-real message to a wide audience. Make copies to
share with fellow advocates.Heres to advocacy!
THE EDITORS
1BE A MYTH-BUSTER. Download 7 Myths aboutAD/HD at
about-adhd/index.html to teachers, friends, relatives. Leave copies
at local libraries, doctors offices, and schools.
2CULTIVATE NEWS COVERAGE. Contactyour local newspaper or TV
station.Tell the editors or pro-ducers about National ADHD
Awareness Month, and urge them
to prepare related storiesabout high-achieving local ADDers,
about the medical aspects of ADHD, about a teacher you think
has been especially helpful. Write a letter to the editor of
the
newspaper, or submit an op-ed piece, using the information
in
7 Myths about ADHD.
3ENLIGHTEN VIA E-MAIL. Remind everyonethat ADHD is real by
appending a mention of ADHD orNational AD/HD Awareness Month to
your email signature. Include
an important fact, such as, The American Psychiatric Society
rec-
ognized ADHD as a medical disorder in 1980, or, 3 to 5 per-
cent of school-age children have ADHD.
4GO TO SCHOOL Contact your childs teachers and explain how ADHD
affects your child. Make a game plan for how you can work together.
Also tell teachers about your
childs strengths and the strategies you use at home to
bolster
them. Be sure to send a thank-you note after the meeting.
Spread theWord About
ADHD
October is National ADHD Awareness
Month. This is the perfect
opportunity to make adifference for yourself,
your child, and others with ADHD.
additudemag.com/resources/free-downloads/
5 OBBY THE LIBRARY.Contact the head librarian of your local
library (or your childs school library), and suggest
that the library prominently display ADHD books and
L
6PUMP THE P.T.A. Work with the parent-teacherorganization at
your childs school to create an ADHD education program for
students, teachers, and administrators. Invite
an ADHD specialist to speak or conduct a workshop. Hand out
7 Myths about ADHD to everyone at the event.
7BUY A SUBSCRIPTIONGive ADDitude to your childs teacher or
pediatrician, andto your library. Go to
additudemag.com/subscribe.
FOR ADULTS:
Dr. Larry Silvers Advice toParents on ADHD, by LarryB. Silver,
M.D. (ThreeRivers Press, 1999)
Driven To Distraction, byEdward M. Hallowell,M.D., and John J.
Ratey,M.D. (Touchstone, 1995)
Attention-DeficitHyperactivity Disorder, byRussell A. Barkley,
Ph.D.(Guilford Press, 2005)
FOR CHILDREN:
For kids age 48, Shelleythe Hyperactive Turtle, byDeborah M.
Moss.(Woodbine House, 1989)
For kids age 69, EddieEnough!, by DebbieZimmett (WoodbineHouse,
2001)
For kids age 10 or older,Joey Pigza Swallowed theKey, by Jack
GantosHarperTrophy, 2000)
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resources all National ADHD Awareness Month long.
If they dont have many books on ADHD, donate a few.
Some suggestions:
http://www.additudemag.com/subscribehttp://www.additudemag.com/adhd
awareness2012http://www.additudemag.com/adhd
awareness2012http://www.additudemag.comhttp://www.additudemag.com/resources/free-downloads/about-adhd/index.html
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To learn more about ADHD, go to www.additudemag.com.
MYTH #1: ADHD isnt areal medical disorder.ADHD has been
recognized as a
legitimate diagnosis by major med-
ical, psychological, and educational
organizations, including the
National Institutes of Health and the
U.S. Department of Education. The
American Psychiatric Society recog-
nizes ADHD as a medical disorder in
its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual
of Mental Disordersthe official
mental health bible used by psy-
chologists and psychiatrists.
Attention-deficit hyperactivity dis-
order (also known as attention-
deficit disorder) is biologically
based. Research shows that its a
result of an imbalance of chemical messengers, or
neurotrans-
mitters, within the brain. Its primary symptoms are
inattention,
impulsiveness, and, sometimes, hyperactivity. People with
ADHD
typically have a great deal of difficulty with aspects of daily
life,
including time management and organizational skills.
MYTH #2: Children who are given specialaccommodations because of
their ADHD aregetting an unfair advantage.The federal Individuals
with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
requires that public schools address the special needs of all
chil-
dren with disabilities, including children with ADHD.
Special
accommodations, such as extra time on tests, simply level
the
playing field so that kids with ADHD can learn as successfully
as
their non-ADHD classmates.
MYTH #3: Children with ADHD eventuallyoutgrow their
condition.More than 70 percent of the individuals who have ADHD in
child-
hood continue to have it in adolescence. Up to 50 percent
will
continue to have it in adulthood.
Although its been estimated that 6 percent of the adult
population has ADHD, the majority of those adults remain
undiagnosed, and only one in four of them seek treatment.
Yet,
without help, adults with ADHD are highly vulnerable to
depres-
sion, anxiety, and substance abuse. They often experience
career
difficulties, legal and financial problems, and troubled
personal
relationships.
MYTH #4: ADHDaffects only boys.Girls are just as likely to
have
ADHD as are boys, and gender
makes no difference in the symp-
toms caused by the disorder. But
because this myth persists, boys
are more likely to be diagnosed
than girls.
MYTH #5: ADHD is the result of bad parenting.
When a child with ADHD
blurts things out or gets
out of his seat in class, its
not because he hasnt been
taught that these behaviors are wrong.
Its because he cannot control his impulses. The problem is
rooted
in brain chemistry, not discipline. In fact, overly strict
parenting
which may involve punishing a child for things he cant
control
can actually make ADHD symptoms worse. Professional
interventions,
such as drug therapy, psychotherapy, and behavior
modification
therapy, are usually required.
MYTH #6: Children who take ADHD medication are more likely to
abuse drugswhen they become teenagers.Actually, its just the
opposite. Having untreated ADHD increases
the risk that an individual will abuse drugs or alcohol.
Appropriate treatment reduces this risk.
The medications used to treat ADHD have been proven safe
and effective over more than 50 years of use. These drugs
dont
cure ADHD, but they are highly effective at easing symptoms of
the
disorder. The drugs do not turn kids into addicts or
zombies.
MYTH #7: People who have ADHD are stupidor lazythey never amount
to anything.Many well-known, high-achieving individuals have ADHD,
including
top executives such as David Neeleman, founder of JetBlue
Airways.
Other high-achieving people with ADHD include Terry Bradshaw
(quarterback, Super Bowl winner, and NFL commentator), Roxy
Olin
(actress on MTV's The City and The Hills), Howie Mandel
(host
of Deal or No Deal), Katherine Ellison (Pulitzer Prize winner
and
author), and Michael Phelps (swimmer and holder of 18 career
Olympic gold medals).
7Mythsabout ADHD...Debunked!
Few psychological conditions
have generated more discussion
in recent years than attention-deficit
disorder. Yet, people continue
to harbor many mistaken beliefs
about it. Read on to learn
the truth about ADHD.
http://www.additudemag.com
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To learn more about ADHD, go to additudemag.com
Tired of hearing people say that ADHD doesnt existor that its
somehow your fault? When self-appointedexperts speak their mind, it
can be hard to convincethem of the truth: that the debate about the
existenceof ADHD is over! Mainstream medical, psychologicaland
educational organizations long ago concludedthat ADHD is real and
that children and adults with thedisorder benefit from treatment.
So next time one of
use these snappy comebacks to respond.
1THE SKEPTIC denies the very existence of ADHD, calling it a
phantom that was cooked up as an excuse for bad parenting.What
about the adults who say they have ADHD? They just need togrow up
and take responsibility for their shortcomings, rather thanblaming
an illness.
Heres what to do:Explain that the reason they dont believe in
ADHD is because theyve probably been lucky enough never tohave
experienced it.Use hard facts. The National Institute of Mental
Healthcounts ADHD as a real medical condition, so does the American
Psychological Association, which includes ADHD in its Diagnostic
and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the bible of
mental-health professionals.Agree to disagree. Say, We have
different opinions onthis issue, so lets agree to disagree and not
discuss it.Try sarcasm. Gosh, it must be nice to be smarter
thanthousands of doctors, scientists, and psychologists.
2THE CRUSADER takes a holier-than-thou approach, second-guessing
adults who take ADHD medications and parents who give them to their
kids. I would never take a stimulant medica-tion or give one to my
child, she proclaims.
Heres what to do:Make it clear that drug therapy for ADHD is not
a cause for shame. Medicating your child doesnt make you a lazy
orincompetent parent. It shows you are an effective parent.Look her
in the eye and ask, If you had diabetes, wouldyou not take insulin?
Would you deny insulin to a childwho had diabetes? Then why should
I withhold appropri-ate medication from my child?Issue a challenge.
Ask, What do you think is the bestsolution?
3THE JOKER takes potshots at ADHD, using sarcasm and pre-tending
that his barbs are innocuous. A Joker might say, I wishI had ADHD!
At least then Id have an excuse for my bad behavior. Or Pass the
RitalinI could use a (wink, wink) boost.
Heres what to do:Use selective silence. As soon as you realize
someone isbeing nasty, follow Gandhis examplechoose not
torespond.Be blunt. Look them in the eye and ask, Are you tryingto
help me or hurt me?Be direct. When you say X, I feel Y, or Mocking
mymedical condition is hurtful, and Id like you to stop.Take it to
the next level. If The Joker is in your workplace and the direct
approach fails, consider moving upthe chain of command or
consulting a lawyer.Kill them with kindness. Say, I know you only
say thatbecause you care.Give them a taste of their own medicine.
Say, You donespressin yourself?
4THE OSTRICH cant accept that a person (including himselfor his
own child) has ADHDeven when shown evidence to the contrary. Or, in
response to news that his child has been diagnosedwith ADHD, he
might inform the doctor, Theres nothing wrong withmy kid that an
old-fashioned spanking wont cure.
Heres what to do:Educate. Simply state the facts and move
on.Neither agree or disagree. Just muse aloud, Hmm. Isuppose thats
possible.If youre married to an Ostrich, say, This is not about
youor how you feel about ADHD. Its about our child and what we need
to do for her.
5THE VOICE OF DOOM She sees a bleak future for ADHDkids,
ignoring the evidence suggesting that people with ADHDare often
energetic, intelligent, and creative.
Heres what to do:Be gracious. Remark, Thats an interesting
viewpoint. Illhave to give that some thought.Try honesty. Say, That
comment really hurt my feelings.Turn the tables. If Richard Branson
can found VirginRecords and Virgin Atlantic Airways, despite having
ADHDIm not worried about my son, or If my daughter turnsout as well
as Suzanne Somers or Whoopi Goldberg, whoboth have ADHD, thats fine
with me!
SmartComebacks to ADHDDoubters
these five types of ADHD naysayers speaks his opinion,
http://www.additudemag.com
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