All too often, the focus on ADD is centered on all that is negative about the condition. After all, what first puts one on the ADD radar screen is some wrong doing, mistake made, weakness exhibited, trouble caused, pain created, or more accurately, behavior or efforts that are less than acceptable for the environment in which they occur.
The child who constantly interupts, or can't sit still or gets lost in her daydreams, stands out from the crowd and is often screened for ADD.
The adolescent who had good grades until junior high and then loses all motivation, resulting in a significant drop in grades, is often screened for ADD.
The teen who seems to spin out of control, experimenting with new found freedoms above and beyond what the majority of his peers are doing, is often screened for ADD.
The college student, away from home for the first time, free of the structure provided by family and high school, becomes overwhelmed by the demands and, unable to provide his own structure, falls apart, and is often screened for ADD.
Please don't misunderstand. It makes sense, in each of the cases described, to consider the possibility of an Attention Deficit. However, with the need to address whatever behavior it is that first calls one's attention to it, the good that comes along with ADD is often overlooked.
No one ever inquires about my services because their child is more clever than the other children. No parent has ever called my office because their child is funnier than the other children. No teacher has ever referred a student to me for a screening because the child has a different perspective of the world than most. Doctors don't diagnose children ADD because they are more creative than their peers. Employers don't refer their employees to Human Resources to discuss the possibility of ADD because the employee thinks outside the box.Yet, these are just a few of the positive qualities often seen in those with ADD.
T.V. shows tend to refer to ADD in a pejorative or demeaning way. If someone is upset, they are told to take a "chill pill." If the character is forgetful the script calls for them to be referred to as "ADD boy." Saturday Night Live routinely makes reference to taking Ritalin in a humorous, yet demeaning, way. It is no wonder then, when someone is told they might have ADD, a common initial reaction is to run as far away from the diagnosis as possible. The overwhelming message society gives about ADD is that it is, at best, a joke, and at worst, a fabricated condition by those who want to take the easy way out by popping pills instead of taking responsibility for their actions. These beliefs are ill informed, based on wrong information, a lack of information, opinion rather than fact, and do much damage to individuals struggling with this condition, and are a disservice to society at large.
Please take a moment to look on the bright side of ADD and develop a GrADDitude ADDitude! Please share below your ADD related GrADDitude ADDitude!
