Paula Driscoll had a hard time sitting still as a kid, doodled a lot, and often wrestled with the feeling that she should be accomplishing more. But she made it through high school and college and became an elementary school teacher. With three small children at home, she did not feel she had trouble managing her life.
But when her youngest child went to school, she found herself with what felt like too much time on her hands. “I couldn’t get anything done,” she said. “I had one room I started to paint, another I was going to reorganize, and I could never complete a task. I couldn’t stay in the house. I went out on one errand after the next.”
Comments
Most folks who are dealing with ADHD are constantly reading the latest books and research on the condition, and thus of course *already know* that ADHD continue to pose challenges into adulthood. This is not new news, folks. When I read the comment above that 'It's going to take a while for the medical profession to wrap their minds around this, I think.", it further solidifies my frustration that much of the population (even the medical community!) talks a lot about ADHD without really knowing much about it.
The writer should have done some more research before presenting this as a 'surprising' finding.
I disagree. As an adult, I sought help and no professional got it. I finally diagnosed myself - correctly. You would be amazed at the ignorance of professionals out there.
ADD and ADHD are not the same, though an individual can have a coeval diagnosis of both. The "h" very specifically stands for hyperactivity. Sloppy research and reporting.
The name ADD has been replaced by ADHD in the DSM. They are the same disorder.
Is it any wonder why so many children receiving treatment (make that drugs) for ADHD, grow up with problems? They have been taking drugs almost all their life. What is the effect of these 'drugs' on developing brains? It seems that if a child has excess energy, instead of drugging him and putting him in front of a tv, why not put him into an activity that will 'use up' that energy. Sports, playing outside, wear them out through physical activity. They will be healthier too, no weight problem. Every one now-a-days seems to need an excuse as to why they can't so something, a label, that makes it no fault of their own, no responsiblity, 'Oh, I have (fill in the blank). Is it any wonder why this country is on a down hill slide.
I agree that it is a problem giving drugs to kids whose brains are growing. But you have NO IDEA how bad this condition is: I have it, and it is awful, terrible. When I was a kid I was in an honors track but "lost" the entire section of a day, say, a history or a math class, because I could not concentrate and my mind went out the window, thinking of unrelated matters, for a half hour or more. I could not read my homework novels: I would read the same page over and over 10 or 20 times, my mind wandering. Yet I was one of the best writers in class, a good musician and tested very high in IQ tests over and over...I had to teach myself my own math because I could not pay attention - missed entire conversations, etc. People who don't have this condition have no idea, don't get it. It's awful. You underperform constantly, cannot pay attention no matter how you try.
But even then, I agree that drugs are not a good thing to give a kid. I don't have the answer.
My daughter had a concentration problem. I would have to 'school' her after school, in a plain room with no distractions. I nevere gave her drugs. Not all people are created equal, some have problems, accept that and work through it, but not with drugs.
ADHD and high IQ runs in my wife's family
Her drink of choice is lots of diet coke
She has a short attention span which morphs her into a super multitask-er, she makes 25 or so quilts and reads 100 books all in a year
She also sleeps with the TV on and can recall selective programs almost verbatim
Has an extraordinary ability to interpret complex spreadsheets and find mistakes and compute the approximate answer
I am glad the pill pushers never got a hold of her
The most frequent comments on my report card 60 years ago were 'doesn't pay attention', 'day dreamer', 'very bright' and 'it's a shame'. I was not unusually active but we all played outside - no play dates then. My addiction was (and to some degree still is) reading something I'm interested in - horses then, mysteries now. At least one sib was similar though less active and we see similarities in our children and grandchildren as well.
To me, the diagnosis says a person stands somewhere along a spectrum, a range, having one or more of a collection of symptoms resulting from a different 'wiring diagram' in their brain. Looking at all the physical variations among the 7 billion people on this earth, why do we assume that all brains would be constructed exactly the same way?
For me and others the problems resulting from being 'out of step' with our peers are mild compared to those experienced by the many children and adults whose wiring gives them more of these symptoms, more intensely. One of the characteristics, I think it's called hyperfocus, proves to be a blessing as an adult when you find a vocation which fascinates you so you can utilize this ability.
From penicillin on, powerful drugs have made lives better but they all have unwanted effects also. It's always a balancing game. As the statistics cited in this and many other articles show, drugs used in conjunction with cognitive therapy improve both the current performance (in school, games and friendships) and the future outlook for those who need them. They are not a cure but tools that help a person learn other ways to live with themselves and others.
We need to listen and understand more, not judge.
I've had ADHD most of my life. Its not a problem , except for others obsession with perfection.
We need a pill for the others.