What ADHD Is, And What It Isn’t

 

By Kelly Babcock

 

http://blogs.psychcentral.com/adhd-man/2015/03/what-adhd-is-and-what-it-isnt/ 

There are conflicting descriptions of ADHD, and there is a great deal of misinformation still being shared about it as well.

There are many things that ADHD is that are surprising to some, and many more things that it isn’t.

These misconceptions make life more difficult for those with ADHD. They allow for erroneous stereotyping and stigmatizing, they allow ADHD’s detriments to be dismissed rather than attended to, and they rob people of the best possible life they otherwise might have managed to have.

But these misconceptions cannot work on their own, they need willing ears to hear them and willing tongues to spread them. They need closed minds and empty hearts to spread their damaging and destructive lies and deceits. Will you be that closed mind, that empty heart, that willing participant in the spread of misinformation, or will you read on and educate yourself, and subsequently others?

In an effort to clear some of the misconceptions up, below is a list of things that ADHD is, followed by a list of things that ADHD isn’t.

What ADHD Is:

ADHD is a mental health disorder
ADHD is an alternate way in which the brain develops
ADHD is a symptom spectrum disorder
ADHD is comprised of many symptoms
ADHD is diagnosed by its symptoms
ADHD is often genetically inherited
ADHD is disruptive to ones life
ADHD is manageable
ADHD is incurable
ADHD is frustrating
ADHD is context sensitive
ADHD is real

What ADHD Is Not:

ADHD is not caused by bad parenting
ADHD is not caused by diet, food additives, refined sugar
ADHD is not a gift
ADHD is not a curse
ADHD is not curable
ADHD is not in your head
ADHD is not a imaginary
ADHD is not a disorder made up by pharmaceutical companies
ADHD is not strictly a childhood disorder
ADHD is not contagious
ADHD is not laziness
ADHD is not stupidity
ADHD is not easy to deal with
ADHD is not being unable to focus on anything
ADHD is not being able to hyperfocus on anything
ADHD is not fake

Go ahead. Take these words and spread them around. Whisper them in coffee shops and talk about them at the water coolers. Pass them to your friends scribbled on bits of paper if you must, but share these truths, and maybe you will help make someone’s life better. Maybe yours?

Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 15 Mar 2015
Published on PsychCentral.com. All rights reserved.

To view original article, click here.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

I was born in the city of Toronto in 1959, but moved when I was in my fourth year of life. I was raised and educated in a rural setting. I live in an area where my family history stretches back 6 or more generations. I was diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 50 and have been both struggling with the new reality and using my discoveries to make my life better.

Find out more about me on my website: writeofway.

View all posts by Kelly Babcock

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Republished with permission from the author.