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ADHD – Is It Real Or Not?
By Rory Stern | February 11, 2008
Welcome back! Be sure to leave your thoughts in the comments below!
This morning I woke up to rumblings from other noted bloggers and news feeds, addressing once again, the debate of whether or not ADHD is real.
You’ve heard it before – and you are likely to hear it over and over again.
Skeptics, non-believers, conspiracy theorists, and a few professionals have said:
“ADHD is a disorder created by the pharmaceutical companies to sell drugs and make billions.”
First off – let’s give this statement some credit. It’s a great idea, and probably well thought out. But let’s also be real, ADHD is heavily researched and highly studied. In the last 15 years, research in this particular field has exploded. And while I can understand people wanting to believe or say that ADHD is not real – just simply is NOT true.
Moving past this debate – ADHD is here to stay. So whether the skeptics care or not, ADHD is a disorder that has moved far beyond the medical and mental health communities and are deeply rooted in popular, mainstream society.
Other questions raised under this headline, include:
- Is ADHD overly prescribed?
- Are we over-medicating people?
- Is ADHD under-prescribed?
- Does everyone have a little ADHD?
Interesting questions, all with their own “facts” and all with their own opinions.
The answer: Depending upon who you ask, you will get different answers.
But perhaps what is most important is what you think the answers are, and how that relates to your child’s ADHD. Beliefs are everything, and have all the power to impact our success and understanding.
While it is important to be grounded in fact and reality, it is also important to recognize your own beliefs and how that shapes your child’s ADHD.
Topics: ADD, ADHD, Beliefs, Diagnosis, Education, Information, Medication | No Comments »