Furthermore…
So yesterday I promised to go more into what’s bothering me about the idea that ‘Nowadays everyone is ADHD.”
Jennifer, who works with us, has her ‘Tweet’ account sent to notify her when people use ADD or ADHD in an uh, Tweet. She says it’s incredible how often it comes up. And almost always as, “I am so ADD lately.’ Which sounds fine unless you change it to, “I’m so Diabetic lately.” That sounds wrong. Dumb even.
Even people who have ADHD don’t say, “I am ADHD.” They have it. There’s a difference between having something and it being who you are.
Other disorders, Depression and Schizlophrenia, are in fact conditions you develop or fall into. They are closer to a disease model. ADHD is hardwired. Not that wiring can’t change.
When I hear people saying how “Everyone is ADHD nowadays”, I still get ticked. Teeth grind, grind, grind.
It offends me. I used to take it personally. I used to take a lot of stuff personally.
But I get that they are simply revealing how misunderstood this disorder is. It’s not their fault they’ve only heard the rumour and misinformation. You could argue it is their fault, if they keep spreading the rumours and misinformation. But hey, they probably think they are helping others by getting out the word that ADHD isn’t real, it’s food additives, or a milk allergy ofrwhatever. (Yesterday my dental hygenist told me that her nephew explained to her that the Teachers and School Boards own the drug company that makes Ritalin and they push the drug hard to line their own pockets. I’ll address the slight flaws and difficulties of that interesting conspiracy theory in a rant.)
Anyway, I’ve learned that is that there is a huge difference between a neurological/biological/chemical wiring issue like ADHD, and someone being under the gun at work while having family issues plus a bunch of other stuff coming at them all at once. That’s called, “A bad few months.” Or a ‘Tough year.” (In fact, for many ADDers, having a bunch of crisis at the same time actually wakes up our brain to the point where we function well. Kind of explains why there’s so many of us in the Rescue/Emergency Services/Police occupations and the high stimulation jobs like the Stock Market, Sales, Pro Sports, Journalism and Show Biz. )
Where was I? Oh, right. So the whole world is NOT ADHD.
As for whether Blackberries and the Internet and the economy are making it worse, well, that’s another issue. Brain plasticity can work both ways.
The point of all this? There’s no quick fix to getting people to understand what this is. And to be fair, what does it matter to most people. Considering only 5% of us have this, whereas obesity is well past the 30% mark, the economy is stills shaky, there’s terrorists around, and American Idol needs us to call in and vote, it’s not like people don’t have other things to worry about.
The better question to ask is, “What do people need to know about ADHD?” What’s the bare minimum they need to understand? It’s a question I asked many years ago when I was demonstrating lasers and giant electrical gadgets at the Ontario Science Centre. “What’s the bare minimum I want people to understand?”
I’ll write more about that in my next blog. Or at least soon. Some other stuff has come up that’s making me nuts. Not that I wasn’t already.
7 Responses to “Furthermore…”
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That reminds me of our next-door neighbour when I was a kid. One day, she knocked on my parents’ door, collecting signatures on a petition to end the seal hunt. (This was back in the 1970s, when people were just starting to get outraged about it.)
When my dad pointed out that the fact that she was wearing sealskin boots and mittens at the time rendered her outrage absurd, she left in a huff.
And she held a grudge about that for years.
A few years ago, not long after we identified that ADD lived in our home, my son commented to me that he thought his ADD “must be kicking in” that day when he wasn’t able to do something. We explained that it wasn’t something that could be turned on and off, and should not be used as an “excuse”; like someone who needs glasses, it’s simply part of who he is. Now 13, he is finally advocating for himself, and is learning how important it is to explain to people that he has an “invisible” special need, and if he needs a moment to write something down so it’s not forgotten, or to repeat the instructions to you so he knows what he’s supposed to do, then so be it.
As a youth leader, I attended a special needs workshop a few years ago, and the parent in me cringed (and ground my teeth) as I heard trench stories from other leaders about the kids they had at camp whose parents chose “that” week to take their children off their meds, and/or the parents who “should” have had a particular youth on Ritalin. If it was a physical thing, like needing a wheelchair or a guide dog, I am guessing that there would have been a little more acceptance than with something you can’t see – or maybe not.
Everyone’s case is unique, and the sooner we begin to break down the myths and stereotypes, the better we all will be. So far, education has been our greatest resource; of course, there will always be those who aren’t really interested in hearing the information – more’s the pity.
Having just found the site this week, I can’t wait to get in on the myth-busting!
Rick, as my good friend in Vancouver (motion picture cameraman) noted, the vast majority of food requests to craft services have nothing to do with preferences and needs, but a whole lot more about exerting control. This is one thing they can control, however small it is, so they do.
(not meant to malign anyone who’s really a celiac or a vegetarian, etc, btw)
I also have a neighbour next door who’s all organic foods and chemical cleaner avoidance and whatnot. She also, of course, smokes like a chimney.
The most vehement dismissal of my ADHD came from someone I know who is incredibly bright, has always held jobs that he was way over qualified for, was a mess with paperwork, drank coffee like it was water and then actually snacked on chocolate covered coffee beans, did skit comedy, worked in radio doing a hundred different jobs, and was wired like almost know one I know.
But when he heard that I’d gotten the diagnosis he told a mutual friend, “If Rick has ADHD, then I’ve got Ass Cancer.”
It’s 8 years later and he doesn’t yet have Ass Cancer. So that’s the good news.
Look, people are gonna think what they’re gonna think. I can’t tell you how easily I get riled and hooked by stupid comments, but it’s just a distraction from my own agenda to try and make people see what they don’t want to see.
Funny note: many times when we’ve been shooting a TV show the women in the cast have been very specific about wanting vegetarian meals, and filtered water… then after they’ve eaten they go and smoke… Don’t want red meat? But you’re going to inhale some tar and lead, cadmium, ammonia, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, formaldehyde, a score of toxic hydrocarbons and arsenic?
And I’m standing watching, thinking about how much extra it cost to get the special filtered water… Hmm.
When I got diagnosed, practically everyone in my life who I told wondered whether or not they had it… Of course most of them didn’t. And most of them said “you just have to learn discipline.”
But what really gets me is those who have been diagnosed at a young age but swear that it doesn’t exist. I know one guy whose in his 40s, drinks, drugs, and smokes heavily, doesn’t work, owns more books than the local library, and loves lecturing me about how I should just grow up and get my shit together…
Thanks for letting me know I am on to something. I write stuff and have no idea if I’m contributing to anyone or anything, or merely filling drive space.
The seminar in February is going to be transformative. We did a Beta version last May and the participants rated it 9 out of 10. Hugely positive response. When people were registering (by phone for that event) they would ask, “Is anyone else from IBM going to be there?” (They didn’t want anyone to know they have ADHD.) Most came into the room and sat, eyes downcast, arms crossed, feigning disinterest, “I’m just here for a friend” kind of thing.
We opened up with a game show, “Are You Smarter Than An ADDer?” A few brave souls stepped up to the plate and after five minutes people were waving arms, pick me! The game was hilarious and full of information. Lots of myth busting. Lots of great questions got answered. (We ask people to write out the one question they would MOST like answered and we tried to get to all 75 of them during the workshop. We almost did!
At one point we dumped about 1000 pieces of Lego and Playmobil on a table and asked for a volunteer, “Someone who is terrible at getting organized and struggles with organizing and messes.” And a woman practically leapt out of her seat to do the exercise.
By the end of the workshop people were volunteering to help us with the next workshop.
Incredible. The Science Centre gig is shaping up to be amazing. (My first good job was teaching at the Ontario Science Centre way back in 1975. I love that place.)
Hey I’d like to say thanks since you summed up my last couple of weeks. I was just diagnosed at 26, and of course I have had to inform friends and family. The biggest issue I’ve had is with their initial reaction; it is either dismissive like your above post, or they act as if I’m broken. I really don’t know what has changed; I’m still obsessed with maket econoics for example only now i have perspective on why I love the chaos (and the hidden order). Thank you for supplying a place for people to seriously learn and descuss ADHD. Oh and I’m planning on attending the seminar in Febuary.
Brandon