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[Date of Lies]

I happen to think ADD is just some made up "sickness" to excuse a child's misbehavior. Correct me if I'm wrong of course. Granted I can believe some children might be "suffering" from something similar to what ADD's "symptoms" describe but now a days it's like everyone and their cousin has "ADD." "My cousin has ADD." " My kid has ADD."

Could someone explain to me how this disease just popped up out of nowhere? Just ten years ago ADD was non existent, now it's everywhere. All it does is encourage bad parenting. When your kid doesn't pay attention to you, it's not because he has "ADD", it's because you need to MAKE him understand, not throught some pill, but throught authority. Only here do I see so many parents screaming "I can't control her, she does whatever she wants, wahwahwah"

Hell grow some balls and learn how to behave your children. This behavioral problem will be a stain on all their adult life if you dont do something about it. And yes, corporal punishment is sometimes an acceptable course of action.

 

[UtadaBarkley]

*watches as people come in and defend "ADD"* lol...

Trust me man, you don't wanna even bring this up on these forums... From my experince, more people on here believe in ADD than those that do not. Personally I think it's an excuse as well, but I'm no doctor, so who knows.

 

[Cubsfan23]

What about Adult ADD?

 

[Crow357]

Yeah, when I was a kid, I had ADD, but my cure was my Dad's hand... :lol

 

[Date of Lies]

What about Adult ADD?

I can believe that ADD does exist in some form. But I'm getting extremely tired of hearing it thrown about all the time. Yesterday I saw some lady come in a store with 2 kids and they started throwing merchandise at each other. Granted, I bet she has her hands full but I still can't stand this sort of reaction. Her reaction was to say, in a low voice, "Jeff, Vincent, could you please stop that? Sorry, they have ADD."

 

[karasu]

You have no idea how damaging this crap can be if it isn't diagnosed. It isnt a conspiracy at all, and knocking the shit out of a kid will not solve his problems.

 

[Bobety]

ADD is a real disorder, some kids really do have it. But yeah for the most part it's absolute bullshit, every fucking kid has ADD these days.

 

[Dice]

Vincent, that kid has a sweet name.

 

[Gek54]

What about Adult ADD?

I have this and I am pretty sure I had it when I was a kid. I have not ever taken anything for it, it just takes me longer to complete one thing as it is almost impostible for me to concentrate on one thing for an extended amount of time. Fiorecet w/Codine that I take for migranes has been the only thing that sets me straight but that only lasts a couple of hours. Just give the kid several things to do at one time, it seemed to work for me.

 

[DJ Sl4m]

Yea ADD is real and it's fucked up when you know someone who has it.

 

[MetatronM]

I think more people claim to have ADD than actually have it, but it is based on chemical imbalances in the brain and is, as such, a real disorder. That said, it's gotten to the point that everybody likes to have some kind of excuse for their own/kids' behavior so they say "oh, he must be ADD," and there are too many doctors willing to go along with the prognosis because they make out like bandits between office fees, consultations, and prescriptions.

So, yes, it is real, and there are plenty of people out there who really genuinely have it and need help. But way too many parents have taken ADD to be some kind of free pass to write off their bad and lazy parenting when their kid never learns to shut up in a movie theater or to sit and behave when he's told to or to sit still and behave in a classroom.

 

[Teknopathetic]

ADD is real, but more often than not, it's just an excuse for bad behavior, instead of saying "we suck at life."

 

[DJ Sl4m]

I think more people claim to have ADD than actually have it, but it is based on chemical imbalances in the brain and is, as such, a real disorder. That said, it's gotten to the point that everybody likes to have some kind of excuse for their own/kids' behavior so they say "oh, he must be ADD," and there are too many doctors willing to go along with the prognosis because they make out like bandits between office fees, consultations, and prescriptions.

So, yes, it is real, and there are plenty of people out there who really genuinely have it and need help. But way too many parents have taken ADD to be some kind of free pass to write off their bad and lazy parenting when their kid never learns to shut up in a movie theater or to sit and behave when he's told to or to sit still and behave in a classroom.

I don't know about that, I certainly can't speak on the behalf of how doctors diagnose patients, but I do know there are tests people have to take to be certain when someone has it.

It may not be prevailent where you live, (and that's really good) but here I see signs of it all around me.
Kids dropping out of school early is 1 sign, as many have trouble sorting things correctly in their brain, because ADD basicly jumbles things out of order in a persons brain.

I think more there's a hell of a lot of people who have it, or have it a little bit that don't even know it and struggle all through life being totally disorganized, assbackwards and have trouble keeping focused on one thing untill it's complete, yet can be pretty intelligent.

That is basicly part of the description of ADD in a nutshell, btw ADD is not a black or white issue, a person can have a mild case of it as well.

 

[demon]

People who claim ADD is "bullshit" generally really don't know a damn thing about it, so I've learned it's pretty much a waste of time to listen to their views on it unless they have at least some kind of actual second-hand experience with it.

Hey, look, I'm not feeling well. I guess I have AIDS. What's that you say? I'm making that up? Well then, I guess AIDS doesn't exist!

 

[Christoff Yurievich]

My mother-in-law's husband and both of his kids have ADHD. I know that both of the kids have serious problems that are associated with the disease. I also know that he's a pretty bad parent at the same time. For example, his oldest kid is, and has been for almost 3 months, living in a group home for assaulting my mother-in-law's son. (they're both 14)

I think that ADHD and ADD are real problems, but I also think that the lazy parents that are cropping up in the current generation blame too much on those diseases instead of doing some actual parenting.

 

[Vormund]

ADD is a real disorder, some kids really do have it. But yeah for the most part it's absolute bullshit, every fucking kid has ADD these days.

This pretty much sums it up. There are kids that genuinely have ADD/ADHD.....BUT It seems too many little bastards are being diagnosed as such these days, when the reality is they are just the result of bad parenting.

 

[Pachinko]

It is a real disorder , but alot of kids are being diagnosed with it when I'm fairly certain they are just to sugered up and over stimulated so often that anything that doesn't immediatly get their attention is worthless to them. That's how I went through school actually... I have a very difficult time paying attention to other people.

 

[xsarien]

People who claim ADD is "bullshit" generally really don't know a damn thing about it, so I've learned it's pretty much a waste of time to listen to their views on it unless they have at least some kind of actual second-hand experience with it.

Hey, look, I'm not feeling well. I guess I have AIDS. What's that you say? I'm making that up? Well then, I guess AIDS doesn't exist!

That's a really shitty comparison. AIDS is a very real, detectable disease with easily identifiable symptoms. ADD and the associated diseases are new names for "disorders" that have always existed. And I put that in quotes for a reason; a kid being hyperactive isn't any kind of malady, it's called being a kid. Are some people more prone to zoning out into space when they should be paying attention to something? Sure, but I don't think that's something we should throw a pill at. I think it's something that needs to be addressed in more fundamental terms, like doing something that engages the person who has the "attention deficit."

It's a product of our times. I'm kind of sad to see the psychological community get on board. "It's not my fault I don't pay attention, I have ADD!" Personal responsibility is becoming lost in our culture, I nearly laughed until I choked when the "adult ADD" ads started airing.

Quoth Chris Rock:
"Whatever happened to good, old-fashioned 'crazy'?"

 

[MIMIC]

Quoth Chris Rock:
"Whatever happened to good, old-fashioned 'crazy'?"

And our good friend, Ellen DeGeneres:

"When I was a kid, we use to have just plain old crazy people. Now we have 'ADD' or 'ODD' or 'OCD.'"

 

[hXc_thugg]

I AM ADD!!!!

 

[pnjtony]

I think I may have Adult ADD but I haven't been diagnosed by a doctor or anything. i've just noticed in the past few years it being hard to concentrate on anyone thing for too long these days.

I think in the case of kids acting like morons, ADHD has nothing to do with it. There's a bid difference between acting like a moron and not being able to concentrate

 

[RevenantKioku]

You have no idea how damaging this crap can be if it isn't diagnosed. It isnt a conspiracy at all, and knocking the shit out of a kid will not solve his problems.

I completely disagree. A quick slap on the ass brought reality to my face when I wasn't listening to my parents as a child. I'm not saying beat the children stupid, and there's an obvious range of age where they're too young or to old for it, but in certain circumstances, it works.

 

[Zaptruder]

can bad parenting cause ADD?

maybe... after all, cognitive changes can lead to a downward spiral of chemical changes that in turn affect cognition.

OTOH, what are you gonna do? Bitchslap every little kid ADD or not for been a punk? It's not really your place to judge... my suggestion is to just avoid kids that annoy you.

 

[Date of Lies]

can bad parenting cause ADD?

maybe... after all, cognitive changes can lead to a downward spiral of chemical changes that in turn affect cognition.

OTOH, what are you gonna do? Bitchslap every little kid ADD or not for been a punk? It's not really your place to judge... my suggestion is to just avoid kids that annoy you.

Well as a parent, I would be the one to judge and therefore, judge upon destribution of bitchslaps.

 

[RaymondCarver]

Me = smart kid who has ADD.

personal health issues:
(1) I drank polluted groundwater for 19 years of my life --an Erin Brockovich-type story in my hometown. Drinking aluminum cleaner and aluminum treatment probably has something to do with the way my brain and body work--not to mention all the other people in my area who drank the water for a large portion of their lives. Some of them have liver cancer, Lupus and other ailments besides the TCE chemical affecting their nervous systems.
(2) There's something wrong with my thyroid. My mother has Wilson's Thyroid Syndrome, and I think I've got it, too. She's only been diagnosed about three weeks ago, and I seem to have all the same symptoms. I don’t know much about it yet, but I know this: For example, my body temperature doesn't get to 98.6 until mid-day. In the morning it's about 95.5 degrees, which is three degrees too low. That's shocking enough, but also the thyroid's operation has something to do with concentration says the doctor. I know enzymes operate only within a certain pH and temperature level. I don’t know how the brain works, but I’m sure this thyroid regulation condition has to do with my “attention deficit” symptoms.


personal ADD history:
I was a sleepy and inattentive honors student in high school, and maintained mostly A's. I slept a lot in class, and missed a lot of class. I just thought I was bored with school. I’d even already personally covered the subject matter in a couple of my classes, so my teachers let me work on special assignments such as reading and reporting on sci-fi instead of the “honors” literature & supplementing academic decathlon event material and research for my science classes. The school wanted me evaluated because I missed a lot of days, and they needed a medical excuse to give me attendance credit for my junior year even though I had something like a 3.5 GPA. They said the state wouldn’t give me credit for the year even though I had good grades, so I went to a shrink. The shrink said I was fine, and that I exhibited ADD/OCD symptoms if anything.
Enter the college years:
Apparently my lack for following rules and a lack of any real study skills left me in the dust the first semester in college. I’d do really well initially in my semesters, start to suck, and get burned out later on. I knew after some time that I didn’t just dislike my subject matter. There had to be something wrong with me because I know I have potential, and I wasn’t about to be some brain child that peaked in high school and fuck up college. So, after some kinda mental zoo-party craziness in my head after a girlfriend situation of years ended badly, after I fucked up a semester pretty good drinking and smoking my way back to feeling normal or at least to numbness to not think of the girlfriend, I went to a shrink again. I told said head doctor that I thought my life was in shambles and that I did too many drugs. “Help.” So, they helped. After a month of talking, she put me on SSRI’s. The school doctor in the clinic I spoke to said symptoms of depression and ADD are similar. After playing the game of being my own personal chemistry set , then I got my prescription drugs right. I stopped taking the SSRI’s because they made me so damn sleepy and exhausted all the time, and surprisingly I didn’t hate life when I stopped. Before I stopped those, I started finally taking Adderall for my ADD symptoms. I figured I didn’t want to take any more meds, but what the hey if it helped me get through college. The SSRI’s certainly did the trick for a while and did what they were supposed to. I figured the ADD medication that doctors said that I should take back in high school might do the trick. The only think is that in high school I had my adult-sized body, and probably brain. Ritalin didn’t do anything. There was no effect what so ever, so I stopped taking it. Now, I’ve been taking the Adderall off an on for two years, and OMFG I should have started sooner. I probably would have finished college by now if I had. I can’t believe how much work I can get done when I can concentrate. Now my only worry is that this stuff will affect my liver long-term. My mom’s new doctor that’s telling us about the thyroid condition says that after I balance my food allergies and regulate my thyroid without thyroid-regulation medication that my brain will probably work like normal, like it’s supposed to. This new doctor wants people to try to regulate their bodies sans medication, which makes me happy. I don’t want my functional life spent out of pill bottles.
[/endrant]
(wow, can I ever talk)



That said, I don’t think ADD is a bullshit condition. I’m not just generalizing because of my personal experience. I’ve read a lot into the matter, and I’ve spoken with numerous professionals. It’s real. It’s not fair. It sucks. My brain chemicals aren’t balanced perfectly, and it’s sorta reassuring and affirming to know that I’m not the only one. Ther are so many people out there that just have a hard time focusing. They’re not stupid. It may just take them a little longer to get something done. I don’t see it as their or anyone’s fault, but if left untreated ADD (or anything for that matter) is a very bad thing. People should work around their symptoms and seek professional medical help if their life is hindered by being attention deficit.




I think my parents did a fine job raising me and providing me with quality education. If I got anything bad form them it would just be the under active thyroid condition Wilson’s Thyroid Syndrome. It makes my hands and feet cold and makes me want to sleep in late.

 

[Ghost]

No one thinks ADD is real until they actually meet a kid with it.


I would say that it's probably becoming a bit of an easy way out for parents of troubled kids though, most of my family are teachers and now whenever a kid is a real hand full they have to be carefull about telling the parents because he could end up on drugs next week.

 

[Triumph]

ADD itself is not bullshit. The ADD "epidemic" that is sweeping the nation is, however, bullshit.

Remember that episode of South Park, the one where we first got introduced to Timmy! and the kids got proscribed Ritalin for the "ADD"? Remember Chef's alternative treatment?

*smack*
SHUT UP AND DO YOUR HOMEWORK

I also think that a lot of it stems from the sedentary nature of children these days. Too much tv, too much internet, and dare I say it on a INTERNET VIDEO GAME MESSAGE BOARD, too many videogames. Not enough running around outside like kids are supposed to in order to burn that excess energy. That's what makes kids crazy, IMHO.

 

[Willco]

ADD itself is not bullshit. The ADD "epidemic" that is sweeping the nation is, however, bullshit.

Remember that episode of South Park, the one where we first got introduced to Timmy! and the kids got proscribed Ritalin for the "ADD"? Remember Chef's alternative treatment?

:lol

The doctors read them A Tale of Two Cities and made them recite the entire thing backwards.

"... My god, they all have ADD!"

EDIT: There is indeed a problem, though. When I lived in Calvert County, Maryland, a place not known for its scholars, some of the teachers there claimed that I had ADD because I asked too many questions and was inquisitive about additional subject matter relevant to whatever we were discussing in class.

Seriously.

 

[Do The Mario]

I think ADD is real but the amount of people that get diagnosed with it is a joke, In Australia anyone can just answer a few questions and get a prescription. Lots of my mates did this in year 12 (last year of school) so they could concentrate harder for their exams.