A.D.D./A.D.H.D.

Does anyone here have A.D.D. or A.D.H.D.? For those of you who don't know, A.D.D. is attention deficit disorder and A.D.H.D. is attention deficit hyperness disorder. How many are diagnosed with it?
One of my friends brough up the subject in class and I didn't get a chance to hear him out because people in my class pointed fingers and such. He said that A.D.D. and A.D.H.D. aren't real diseases and that humans have made it up to sell a drug.
Another one of my friends argues that A.D.D. and A.D.H.D. is an actual disease and that doctors simply overdiagnose it to make it look worse than it already is to sell the drugs for it and that you can get over it but you have to train yourself.
So who do you think is right and why? If possible, provide information that supports your opinions if any.
For those of you who are curious, I am A.D.D. I was diagnosed with it when I was 9. I have either gotten over it or I was falsely diagnosed.

I think that it is in fact real, but insanely overdiagnosed. Doctors use that as an excuse for almost anything. My dad's teachers wanted him on Ritalin because he was hyper, and enjoyed sports, when you give a reason like that, you know they are starting to dig for reasons. I think it is mostly so the parents feel that they have control over their children when they are on the medicine that the doctor prescribes for the child, even though the parent probably could have controlled the child without the med if they had any sort of parenting skills what so ever.

I have ADHD. As with many people, it slowly dissapeared as I grew older from about 12.

My year 2 teacher didn't believe in ADD once, so my mum took me off the tablets for a day and I ended up biting someone. The teacher wasn't sceptic again.

we had a discussion in class about this b/c my teacher was ADHD

basically the theory is that ADD was useful in "cavemen" times. people with ADD would live longer b/c they would be more aware of their surroundings. hence if an animal was sneaking up on them they would bemore likely to notice it.

so nowadays it serves no purpose. it has become nothing more than a poor excuse of why someones child is not doing well in school.

hehe, just to let you know, ADD stands for attention defeset disorder. You may want to fix that!!

Originally Posted by avyuir

hehe, just to let you know, ADD stands for attention defeset disorder. You may want to fix that!!

Right, Attention Deficit Disorder, is that wrong? I suppose if you want to get technical too it should attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, for A.D.H.D.

Both diseases probably work like opposite placebo effects in some people, if that makes sense, if it doesn't I'm sorry. I basically think that it's an easy condition to confuse and you can fool yourself into thinking you have it, making symptoms worse. I'll bet a lot of medication isn't even necessary.

HOWEVER, in many many cases medicine is necessary, if the behavior is harmful, severe, or uncontrolled.

Originally Posted by aeternus aura

Both diseases

It's not a disease. It's a mental thing, like Bipolar.

And it does exist. It is there, and people do have it. I don't know why you're all saying "ADD is a myth", or "ADD is overrated".

Originally Posted by Divine Dragoon

It's not a disease. It's a mental thing, like Bipolar.

And it does exist. It is there, and people do have it. I don't know why you're all saying "ADD is a myth", or "ADD is overrated".

DD is correct. ADD is all from the mind.

ADD does exist. Anyone who does happen to dissagree with that, I will gladly rent my sister to you for a few months. Then you tell me if ADD still doesn't exist.

But seriously, ADD just affects thoughts and makes it harder for the person to controll thier emotions at times and controll thier thoughts. I have a lovely hole in my wall from my sister when she was last angry that helps to prove my statement.

they are deffinatly real diseases and the drug works really well to cure them.
you can only have a mild case of it though and the medication isnt essential (although for the case of other people of the world it is wanted).

ADD/ADHD are, of course, real. The problem is that teachers who can't handle high-energy children pressure parents into pressuring psychologists/doctors into diagnosing it when it doesn't exist. I mean, when you hear of teachers that try to get grade 1s diagnosed and calmed down with drugs, you realize that something has gone wrong somewhere.

Originally Posted by mind-friend'

they are deffinatly real diseases and the drug works really well to cure them.
you can only have a mild case of it though and the medication isnt essential (although for the case of other people of the world it is wanted).

The drug doesn't cure ADD or ADHD, it is just used as an aide to controll/calmdown the thoughts and in sometimes, actions of the person. here is the website of one of the common medications for ADD and ADHD, Concerta. Consider reading it and it will explain that the medication doesn't "cure" the mental dissorder. It is simply there to help guide the person to thier own treatment over ADD or ADHD.

Originally Posted by GDwarf

ADD/ADHD are, of course, real. The problem is that teachers who can't handle high-energy children pressure parents into pressuring psychologists/doctors into diagnosing it when it doesn't exist. I mean, when you hear of teachers that try to get grade 1s diagnosed and calmed down with drugs, you realize that something has gone wrong somewhere.

You have confused me.

First you say that ADD and ADHD are real, then you say that it doesn't exist. Do you mean not exist as in not in the person or not at all?

Also, I have found from many past experiences that most children who are "hyperactive" or "high-energy" tend to have a mild case of ADD. It just never seems to people that a person has ADD or ADHD because if it is mild enough, then the visual signs (whatever it is called) isn't as noticable. And many people who are ADD or ADHD, and are aware of it, doesn't seem like it too often because the medication is able to controll / hide what would really show as a difference between a person with ADD/ADHD and one who does not.

I have ADD, I had it extremely bad when I was little, to the point where I didn't use to have any friends. I still have it, but now, I don't think you can really tell... Everyone has at least a small amount of ADHD, whether it shows itself or not.

I suppositely have ADD, my parents were smart and refused to put me on any type of medication which I thank them for... I think ADD is something that develops itself your not born with it... So under the right circumstances I also think you can "lose it" (pardon the expression)

I "have" ADD and ADHD, so I believe that it exists, but I don't think giving people pills is the answer to everything. It just gives people more excuses. I mean, I'm so sick of people acting up in class, but gets away with it because he "forgot to take his medicine".

You act foolish, that's you. Pills can't change you into the perfect person, only you can change yourself. I've learned this and I have been off all pills for over a year now.

ADD ADHD peh, even if it is real, I believe it can be overcome. Like any obstacle, people who have it, thats who they are, pills can't change that. Tell them that the pills will work, give them sugar tablets, and it has a good chance of working. It's all in the mind. I think it isn't really a "disorder", just people being people, technically no one does not have it. Some people just have a few extra hormones flying around is what docters say. Its all about mind over matter self control ect.

It exists. I don't have it, but I know people that do. I often thing it's diagnosed wrongly when it's really autism.
I have other mental conditions, but not A.D.H.D.