ADHD / Neurodiversity

[NottsClaret]

I get some people have severe autism and can’t function independently. Give them and their families all the support they need. But a lot of what I’m reading here is just people describing different personalities. That’s not a disorder or diagnosis. People are all different. Quit navel gazing and crack on.

[Caernarfon_Claret]

How common is AuDHD?
Research shows that up to 80% of autistics also have ADHD.[2][3] Despite being so high, this degree of overlap is not widely known. This is primarily because before the publication of the 5th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5) in 2013, there was a rule that individuals couldn’t be diagnosed with both autism and ADHD. The decision to exclude co-diagnoses has had a ripple effect:

Research before 2013 only studied autism and ADHD in isolation. This means that studies on autistic individuals may be skewed by the fact that many (potentially up to 80%!) of study participants could have also had ADHD without knowing. How confident can we be in older autism research?
Individuals who received a formal diagnosis prior to the year 2013 may only have one diagnosis even though they fit the diagnostic criteria for both. Are there a whole bunch of autistics and ADHDers who are missing out on potential supports and understanding because of a missed diagnosis?
Many AuDHDers are invalidated because they do not fall into the stereotypical presentations of either autism or ADHD.
On the plus side, now that we know that autism and ADHD commonly co-occur, more recent research is being conducted with this in mind. Additionally, we are becoming more and more aware of the different ways that individuals experience AuDHD and how that differs from ADHD and autism alone.

Taken from here:

https://embrace-autism.com/an-introduction-to-audhd/

[Caernarfon_Claret]

I get some people have severe autism and can’t function independently. Give them and their families all the support they need. But a lot of what I’m reading here is just people describing different personalities. That’s not a disorder or diagnosis. People are all different. Quit navel gazing and crack on.

Whilst I respect your opinion, which based on your life experiences is logical, rational and well informed, unless you’ve walked in these shoes you couldn’t possibly comprehend the differences - take for instance the ability/disability of hyperfocus - which you may or may not have or the ability to recognize patterns unique to people with dyslexia (which I don’t have) whilst struggling massively with reading - take ADHD - massively misunderstood - do you have an issue with dopamine being released and then re-taken up again - resulting in no gratification/reward for task completion which leads you to do more and more risky behaviours - do you struggle with Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria or Emotional Dysregulation? Do you fail to get non verbal communication so you don’t know whether you’ve upset people or not? Do you get emotionally overwhelmed by things that shouldn’t cause that reaction? Do you feel emotions so intensely that you have to shut them off? Do you struggle with interoception - so you’re not sure if you’re hot or cold, hungry or thirsty?

Yes we’re all unique but some of us lack things that others have - that’s why these are often called brain developmental issues - lack of executive function can’t just suddenly appear from nowhere can it now?

I mean you could use the same argument about people with physical disabilities - are we all in some way or form all deaf, blind etc to one extent or another?

Please see this post as an example of my emotional dysregulation - I’ll calm down in an hour or two - I feel under personal attack you see - a good example for you of a major hurdle - a passionate defence rather than an attack on you… you can only have opinions that reflect your personal journey in life.

[Cooclaret]

What a completely ignorant post.

Don't comment on things you clearly don't understand.

I have an NHS diagnosis for ASD. So I am qualified to speak about this. Although I hate the term ‘lived experience’.

This is not an ignorant post, and in years to come this issue will be scrutinised alongside other healthcare frauds. Private companies have pushed an agenda that monetises diagnosis. The NHS is so overwhelmed there’s a clear and obvious gap in the market that can be exploited. Parents are pulling this lever to advance their children in another saturated market, education.

I’d guide you towards researching how the DSM came into existence, how it was the number one book in America at a point outselling Harry Potter at the hight of its fame, and how many were gifted to psychiatrists buy big pharma.

There are some brilliant podcasts with relevant experts that can help guide your research.

[fidelcastro]

I have an NHS diagnosis for ASD. So I am qualified to speak about this. Although I hate the term ‘lived experience’.

This is not an ignorant post, and in years to come this issue will be scrutinised alongside other healthcare frauds. Private companies have pushed an agenda that monetises diagnosis. The NHS is so overwhelmed there’s a clear and obvious gap in the market that can be exploited. Parents are pulling this lever to advance their children in another saturated market, education.

I’d guide you towards researching how the DSM came into existence, how it was the number one book in America at a point outselling Harry Potter at the hight of its fame, and how many were gifted to psychiatrists buy big pharma.

There are some brilliant podcasts with relevant experts that can help guide your research.

I have an NHS diagnosis for ASD too, and I still says it's an ignorant post.

I wouldn't mind if he was providing some statistical evidence, but to just say he "overheard"??? What does that even mean?

[Big Vinny K]

Quit navel gazing and crack on.

That’s right up there with one of the most ignorant and ill informed comments I’ve ever seen on this board - and trust me that’s a high fecking bar.

[Caernarfon_Claret]

He will be dynamite at research…. You just need to find his passions. See my post above to Coolclaret. He has gifts that he/you may not recognise yet. I appear aloof in company as I cannot follow group conversations when more than one person is speaking… the reason is I have to really concentrate, or I hear one or two words of everyone’s chat and it’s just a muddle. But my hearing is fantastic… if there is a random noise I can pick it up when no one else can hear it… one classic example I can hear my partners mobile vibrate on her bedside cabinet upstairs from the living room even though the tv is on… I scan the horizon constantly, and in such detail that others can find it mind boggling. I see a thousand shades of green in a forest and can spot animals others struggle to spot even when ai point them out to them…. As Cool says, Super powers that can be used once you spot and embrace them.

The thing with ADHD and autism - the burn out from social interaction is usually far worse - the autistic difficulty of social interaction (ie masking in public, the enerfy required, anxiety etc) coupled with the drive of ADHD we never give ourselves sufficient rest - in my case I have my special interests and also find I have a thirst to learn aomething and then get bored once I’ve mastered it… although a lot of the time I ignore the boring bits of learning and go for the interesting bits so end up with massive gaps…frustrating - master the difficult bits but have no interest in the bits that hold things together…

[fidelcastro]

That’s right up there with one of the most ignorant and ill informed comments I’ve ever seen on this board - and trust me that’s a high fecking bar.

It's the new more fashionable way of saying people are "swinging the lead"

[pompeyclaret]

My daughter (13) has hardly been to secondary school, and has since moved schools but still doesn't go.

Been taken to court and fined. Unfortunately since the divorce she is less keen to see me, mainly due to the lies and getting away with stuff at her mum's.

Her mother insists she is on the spectrum, but is on benefits, doesn't do any parenting, and allows her to do whatever. Meant to be having tests but forever delayed/ nothing happens.

Do I think she could have autism? Yes, maybe. Is bad parenting making it worse. Absolutely. Does she have friends in the same boat? Of course.

[ClaretPete001]

I don’t think I’ve ever had to debate anything on here because I prefer to share information and support people.

But it is worth mentioning that somehow we have got from someone sharing an event for awareness about a group with protected characteristics under the Equality Act and people candidly sharing their own personal situations, to an unsolicited point of view(s) about the pathology of neurodiverse conditions and Big Pharma.

Sure, it’s a discussion board, but I don’t see where the scope for discussion came from. I’d rather see UTC as a community first and foremost, and communities look after each other.

As a general point, and not related to this topic I like rigorous debate and can't stand the concept of a load of mindless twerps agreeing with each other. So, you can't speak on my behalf because we have 'divergent' preferences. All you can do is kick me out of your community.

However, I do accept it was an act of extra ordinary self indulgent plum stroking on my behalf to talk about the complete idiocy of describing something that is unique to individuals as being divergent. I guess it's just my objection to the modern pathology of just making sh*t up for the purpose of commoditising it.

Of course, non of my points relate to people with ADHD and my apologies to the OP. All I can say in my defence is -yes, I am a bit of a werhanker...!

[Caernarfon_Claret]

My daughter (13) has hardly been to secondary school, and has since moved schools but still doesn't go.

Been taken to court and fined. Unfortunately since the divorce she is less keen to see me, mainly due to the lies and getting away with stuff at her mum's.

Her mother insists she is on the spectrum, but is on benefits, doesn't do any parenting, and allows her to do whatever. Meant to be having tests but forever delayed/ nothing happens.

Do I think she could have autism? Yes, maybe. Is bad parenting making it worse. Absolutely. Does she have friends in the same boat? Of course.

That’s the thing isn’t it - the dodgy cases would never be diagnosed anyway - both ADHD and ASD are both massively underdiagnosed especially in girls/women where social rules mean they are more likely to mask/show less of hyperactivity etc…

Fraudulant cases are like to be those who “self diagnose” dishonestly or talk about getting a diagnosis but never actually do anything - diagnosis of ADHD and ASD is extremely thorough and forensic in my personal experience -
When I first did AQ-10 I scored low - however doing the AQ-50 (50 statements to agree or disagree with rather than 10) after initially scoring low - realised a lot of my answers would actually be a neither agree or disagree (but you can only agree or disagree) repeatedly had score indicitive of what they would have called aspergers but in my case ASD level 1 as it is now (levels 2 and 3 needing a lot more support) - worth doing AQ-50 if you’ve had ADHD diagnosis but think you have autism as well - 50 statements likely to yield far more accurate indication - AQ-50 is only the start - my diagnosis the psychiatrist had to have a conversation with my at the time 79 year old mother about my childhood - which included many instances of isolationism from the family on my part - also worth noting I only realised at the time of diagnosis the reason why sorry was my most used word as a child - can’t read non verbal communication (facial expressions etc) - never knew if I’d pleased or upset my parents/siblings…

[Caernarfon_Claret]

https://embrace-autism.com/autism-spectrum-quotient/

Link to AQ-50

[Caernarfon_Claret]

IMG_0053.jpeg (173.36 KiB) Viewed 667 times

From this website

https://differentlywired.co.uk/what-is-neurodiversity

[Jakubclaret]

I get some people have severe autism and can’t function independently. Give them and their families all the support they need. But a lot of what I’m reading here is just people describing different personalities. That’s not a disorder or diagnosis. People are all different. Quit navel gazing and crack on.

I kind of agree. I think we are living in a world where some people are self convincing themselves things are wrong & even self diagnosing. I don't know 1 person who doesn't forget stuff or experiences the exact same traits mentioned it's just life challenges. We all suffer depression from time to time & insomnia & various phobias & anxiety. it is what it is.

[Goliath]

I kind of agree. I think we are living in a world where some people are self convincing themselves things are wrong & even self diagnosing. I don't know 1 person who doesn't forget stuff or experiences the exact same traits mentioned it's just life challenges. We all suffer depression from time to time & insomnia & various phobias & anxiety. it is what it is.

Brilliant... 'It is what it is'. Have you ever thought about becoming a doctor?

[Jakubclaret]

Brilliant... 'It is what it is'. Have you ever thought about becoming a doctor?

Most of the population have some sort of a neurological problem case to case the system would be overwhelmed. At some point it's better to get on with it. Promote good mental health with diet & exercise.

[PenrithClaret]

I don’t think I’ve ever had to debate anything on here because I prefer to share information and support people.

But it is worth mentioning that somehow we have got from someone sharing an event for awareness about a group with protected characteristics under the Equality Act and people candidly sharing their own personal situations, to an unsolicited point of view(s) about the pathology of neurodiverse conditions and Big Pharma.

Sure, it’s a discussion board, but I don’t see where the scope for discussion came from. I’d rather see UTC as a community first and foremost, and communities look after each other.

UTC! <3

[Goliath]

Most of the population have some sort of a neurological problem case to case the system would be overwhelmed. At some point it's better to get on with it. Promote good mental health with diet & exercise.

What qualifications have you got to come up with that conclusion?
Also have you got any research to demonstrate that of the population have some sort of neurological problem? From.my very quick Google it says about 1 in 6 so I'd be interested to read the article saying most of the population?

[Jakubclaret]

What qualifications have you got to come up with that conclusion?
Also have you got any research to demonstrate that of the population have some sort of neurological problem? From.my very quick Google it says about 1 in 6 so I'd be interested to read the article saying most of the population?

Years of wisdom & plain old common sense in spades. I don't need fancy qualifications I know the world & society generally speaking is in a mess.

[Goliath]

Years of wisdom & plain old common sense in spades. I don't need fancy qualifications I know the world & society generally speaking is in a mess.

Wonderful. Who needs education when you've got years of wisdom and common sense

[claretonthecoast1882]

Brilliant... 'It is what it is'. Have you ever thought about becoming a doctor?

Too busy with his counselling services

[Procrastinate B]

It’s important, vital even, that misinformation is challenged. Despite claims that neurodiversity is an ‘easy out’, it’s a battle for those genuinely impacted, their family, carers, everyone.

Honestly, it can be utterly soul-destroying.

[ArmchairDetective]

Neuro diversity is a pointless concept. Every brain is different and it's construction is highly dependent upon individual circumstances and personal biographies.

Normative behaviours and cultures are defined by society and factors external to the brain and while they impact upon the construction of the brain there is no such thing as a normative brain.

The human species is a gene pool and as such almost all behaviour whether it be a propensity to kill, take idiotic risks or simply be extremely selfish served some purpose in the survival of the species and therefore normative behaviour is dependent upon the external environment.

The issue is that there are too many Universities producing research that is poor quality but has to find some meaning to an audience to survive. The research is riddled with epistemic and ontological errors and in the end the only people who win in this zero sum game are the academics who are able to sell their ideas and big pharma.

Society as a whole loses from buying into nonsense and intellectual placebos.

I understand your point. But the concept of neurodiversiry is in itself a movement to acknowledge that brains work differently and we don't all fit neatly into clinical boxes/diagnoses. Too many people don't get the help/recognition they need because they don't meet certain criteria. So I do think it's a helpful concept.

[elwaclaret]

The thing with ADHD and autism - the burn out from social interaction is usually far worse - the autistic difficulty of social interaction (ie masking in public, the enerfy required, anxiety etc) coupled with the drive of ADHD we never give ourselves sufficient rest - in my case I have my special interests and also find I have a thirst to learn aomething and then get bored once I’ve mastered it… although a lot of the time I ignore the boring bits of learning and go for the interesting bits so end up with massive gaps…frustrating - master the difficult bits but have no interest in the bits that hold things together…

I was the same for many years. What came as a Godsend was in retrospect the failure of a business venture. I was sat at home feeling sorry for myself when out of the blue I heard of an open evening at Burnley (Uclan) College. I took myself off with a vague notion of look8ng at doing something like a plumbing course. As ai walked in I was welcomed by a lecturer, we got talking and she pulled my interests out of me… so instead I ended up signing up for a joint History and English Lit degree. During the first few weeks it was like someone had switched on a light in my head; my mind opened up to new ways of thinking and the discipline of writing ‘papers’ made me work on the boring stuff, which it turned out wasn’t boring it was just something I’d never embraced. Many times over the years even on here C Tony has corrected me saying things where my memories had blurred, it used to drive me mad, and at times thought he was deliberately targeting me to make me look bad… it wasn’t it was me being ‘shabby’ with my memories… uni disciplined me to control my mind better through discipline and the research elements helped me see there is nothing wrong with being good at research (far from it). My English language skills were extremely shabby five years ago (something I recognised) and looking back at my final paper it’s pretty rough… but it was the quality of my research that pulled me through. For my masters my English skill set had improved and my research remained at a very high standard…. I now employ and enjoy both aspects (even though it remains a challenge). It really is about working out how my own mind works and once I understand the problem… strap another mask on until it becomes part of me. Hope that makes sense, and maybe helps you think about your issue slightly differently.

[elwaclaret]

IMG_0053.jpeg

From this website

https://differentlywired.co.uk/what-is-neurodiversity

Love this diagram, and completely agree with it. I’m actually pretty sure I was not diagnosed in my afternoon in Leeds with the experts (sorry the name of the practice escapes me for the moment) with the forth autism (Asperger’s) was that it was a one on one meeting…. I have worked in offices since leaving Uni the first time (of three degrees I now have - the first two my condition was completely missed, it was re-reading my degree Disertation that triggered me to go and find out why it was so bad) and apart from groups where I still cannot separate the ‘mass’ I mask my condition extremely well… many years of patience from my mum have made me quite articulate with an extremely wide vocabulary (though I often spend a good hour or less regularly days grasping for individual words that I cannot drag from my mind.

Edited for correction

[Caernarfon_Claret]

Love this diagram, and completely agree with it. I’m actually pretty sure I was not diagnosed in my afternoon in Leeds with the experts (sorry the name of the practice escapes me for the moment) with the forth autism (Asperger’s) was that it was a one on one meeting…. I have worked in offices since leaving Uni the first time (of three degrees I now have - the first two my condition was completely missed, it was re-reading my degree Disertation that triggered me to go and find out why it was so bad) and apart from groups where I still cannot separate the ‘mass’ I mask my condition extremely well… many years of patience from my mum have made me quite articulate with an extremely wide vocabulary (though I often spend a good hour or less regularly days grasping for individual words that I cannot drag from my mind.

Edited for correction

Some similar diagrams show Tourette’s syndrome in there as well - and indeed Tourette’s is mentioned on that website I believe…

[Caernarfon_Claret]

IMG_0054.jpeg (54.79 KiB) Viewed 415 times

From this website

https://www.forbes.com/sites/drnancydoy ... -thinking/

Notice the skillset associated with the neurodiversity

[Plissken]

Years of wisdom & plain old common sense in spades. I don't need fancy qualifications I know the world & society generally speaking is in a mess.

Then you'll know that while even though neurodiversity is an emerging topic of much focus and research that is leading to ways to help people function in everyday society, the problem of fundamentally being an ignorant prick is incurable.

[RicardoMontalban]

Years of wisdom & plain old common sense in spades. I don't need fancy qualifications I know the world & society generally speaking is in a mess.

Prof Dunning-Kruger reporting for duty, I see.

[elwaclaret]

Some similar diagrams show Tourette’s syndrome in there as well - and indeed Tourette’s is mentioned on that website I believe…

Thankfully not something I struggle from in daily life. I was taught swearing demonstrates a restricted vocabulary… although just occasionally when tired my partner has been know to comment that “You’re swearing a lot, for you” when I’m with my closest friends at home.

[bfcmik]

I get some people have severe autism and can’t function independently. Give them and their families all the support they need. But a lot of what I’m reading here is just people describing different personalities. That’s not a disorder or diagnosis. People are all different. Quit navel gazing and crack on.

What amazing empathy! I'm happy that your life issues have been so easily resolved.

[bfcmik]

Years of wisdom & plain old common sense in spades. I don't need fancy qualifications I know the world & society generally speaking is in a mess.

WOW!!! So because you think everything is in a mess then there is no point in discussing even 1 small aspect of that 'mess'. Or do you believe that it is all just 1 big mess?

Wonderful. Who needs education when you've got years of wisdom and common sense

And are totally delusional.

[CoolClaret]

Guys, if you haven't picked up yet, Jakubclaret is a troll — a very good one, admittedly.

Sometimes funny, but on stuff like this, it's just really sad.

[Jakubclaret]

WOW!!! So because you think everything is in a mess then there is no point in discussing even 1 small aspect of that 'mess'. Or do you believe that it is all just 1 big mess?
And are totally delusional.

My opinion is that some people are desperate to be different & need some sort of an identity. Of course mental health problems exist but in my mind it falls under the same umbrella & medication & talking therapies aren't the answer but staying away from negative people & plenty of exercise & a well balanced nutritional diet will work wonders. People want to complicate simple things.

[bfcmik]

My opinion is that some people are desperate to be different & need some sort of an identity. Of course mental health problems exist but in my mind it falls under the same umbrella & medication & talking therapies aren't the answer but staying away from negative people & plenty of exercise & a well balanced nutritional diet will work wonders. People want to complicate simple things.

[ClaretPete001]

I understand your point. But the concept of neurodiversiry is in itself a movement to acknowledge that brains work differently and we don't all fit neatly into clinical boxes/diagnoses. Too many people don't get the help/recognition they need because they don't meet certain criteria. So I do think it's a helpful concept.

The problems are both misdiagnosis and over diagnosis so there is a problem in describing things inaccurately.

Education spent years on Learning Styles. In fact if you go onto Google Scholar and google it you will find over 6.5 million papers on the subject and that doesn't include related fields like Cognitive Styles. Obviously this is not scientific, but it gives you a sense of the scale of the issue.

Can you imagine anything so dim as describing learning in terms of sensory perception: visual, auditory and kinesthetic on something so complex as the brain? And it was promoted by academics, the teaching profession and business - all highly educated - for years after it was completely debunked.

But I understand that my little hissy fit isn't appropriate on a football forum and if Neurodivergent works then so be it.

[bpgburn]

My opinion is that some people are desperate to be different & need some sort of an identity. Of course mental health problems exist but in my mind it falls under the same umbrella & medication & talking therapies aren't the answer but staying away from negative people & plenty of exercise & a well balanced nutritional diet will work wonders. People want to complicate simple things.

Didn't you once profess to be a trained counsellor?

[Jakubclaret]

Didn't you once profess to be a trained counsellor?

Not advising people medically no. The remit centered on a recovery basis & helping people with their CVs to enhance their job prospects & debt problems drawing up affordable payment plans.

[elwaclaret]

The use of ‘academics’ as a slur against reason is hilarious, and typical of the current brainwashing trend seen most often attacking the humanities departments in Universities both sides of the Atlantic. The reason is not hard to understand Humanities is based on education and reasoned argument… the complete opposite of what politicians want to have to deal with in the wider populace.

For those spouting this nonsense please do not try to engage, your small closed minds are not capatable with reasoned argument.

[ksrclaret]

Not advising people medically no. The remit centered on a recovery basis & helping people with their CVs to enhance their job prospects & debt problems drawing up affordable payment plans.

I’ve done it as a paid profession & volunteering you don’t need many qualifications to be a counsellor generally, being patient & able to listen is key, I don’t understand who & where all the “doctors & high end medical professionals” are, I’ve yet to come across any on this thread.

The second post was in response to being asked if he’d been a victim counsellor.

[Jakubclaret]

The second post was in response to being asked if he’d been a victim counsellor.

I've covered a wide range of volunteering in varied counselling capacities such as dols & safeguarding my skills sets are adaptable.

[ksrclaret]

I've covered a wide range of volunteering in varied counselling capacities such as dols & safeguarding my skills sets are adaptable.

Surprised you’ve managed to fit it all in alongside your full time job of maintaining your troll account on here.

[Caernarfon_Claret]

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lane ... 5/fulltext

In 2018 it was recognized a massive under diagnosis existed (in England) of autism - the increase in diagnosis in recent times is a reflection of the gap between diagnosed and undiagnosed autism - the gap has narrowed but certainly not suddenly gone the other way into overdiagnosis…the same is true with ADHD -

[Caernarfon_Claret]

Remember ADHD is related to executive functioning difficulty - prioritising, focus, task completion - it’s evident in people’s life history - it exists quite clearly and autism is a social communication issue with special interests - again often autistic people are often mislabled as lacking empathy which is the complete opposite - it’s because we don’t do communication well - we have incredibly intense emotions -
Although the idea of theory of mind plays a role -

https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-gu ... le-empathy

Interesting article - I tend to agree - I find neurotypicals severely lack empathy, but I suppose they can’t help it - the way their brains are wired.

[jrgbfc]

Personally agree with those who say we're too quick to label kids these days. Its an easy excuse for some useless parents who make no effort and let their kids run riot to claim "he's got ADHD".
Also feels like kids who just happen to be a bit quieter get labelled with "anxiety", when there's absolutely nothing wrong with them.

[Caernarfon_Claret]

https://chadd.org/about-adhd/myths-and- ... standings/

Evidence from research studies continue to dispel the myths and misunderstandings about ADHD. Here are some of the misconceptions and recent research available to address them:



Myth # 1: ADHD is Not a Real Disorder

ADHD cases have been described as far back as the textbook published in 1775 by Adam Weikard in German. Since that time, over 10,000 clinical and scientific publications have been published on ADHD (Barkley 2015). Research studies show numerous differences between those with and without ADHD (Roberts et al. 2015). ADHD impairs major life activities including social, emotional, academic and work functioning. It is a lifespan disorder with the majority of children with ADHD continuing to struggle with symptoms as adults. ADHD also runs in families with a heritability chance of 57% for a child if a parent has ADHD, and a 70%–80% chance for a twin if the other twin has ADHD (Barkley 2015). Brain scan studies show differences in the development of the brain of individuals with ADHD, such as cortical thinning in the frontal regions; reduced volume in the inferior frontal gyrus; and reduced gray matter in the parietal, temporal, and occipital cortices (Matthews et al. 2014).

Myth # 2: ADHD is a Disorder of Childhood

Long-term studies of children diagnosed with ADHD show that ADHD is a lifespan disorder. Recent follow-up studies of children with ADHD show that ADHD persists from childhood to adolescence in 50%–80% of cases, and into adulthood in 35%–65% of cases (Owens et al. 2015). A 16-year follow-study of boys diagnosed with ADHD found that 77% continued to have full or subthreshold DSM-IV ADHD (Biederman et al. 2012). A study of girls ages 6–12 years with childhood ADHD found that 10 years later, they continued to have higher rates of ADHD and coexisting conditions, including higher rates of suicide attempts and self-injury, compared to girls without ADHD (Hinshaw et al. 2012).



Myth # 3: ADHD is Over-Diagnosed

The rate of diagnosed ADHD in children has increased approximately 5% every year, according to the National Survey of Children’s Health, 2003—2011. This has led many to wonder if the condition is being over-diagnosed. But the report based on the 2014 National Survey of the Diagnosis and Treatment of ADHD and Tourette Syndrome found that children are being carefully diagnosed by healthcare practitioners. The vast majority (9 out of 10) of the 2,976 children diagnosed with ADHD had been diagnosed by practitioners using best practice guidelines (Visser et al. 2015). Possible explanations for increased diagnostic rates include improved awareness about ADHD among healthcare practitioners and parents, more screenings by pediatricians and other primary care givers, decreased stigma about ADHD, availability of better treatment options, and more cases arising from suspected environmental causes such prenatal exposure to toxins or high blood lead levels.

[Caernarfon_Claret]

Myth # 4: Children with ADHD are Over-medicated

Most evidence from research studies suggest that levels of treating ADHD with medication are either appropriate or that ADHD is undertreated (Connor 2015). According to the National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH) 2003–2011, of the 5.1 million children with a current diagnosis of ADHD, 69% (or 3.5 million) were taking medication for ADHD. Data from the National Comorbidity Survey Adolescent Supplement, which included over 10,000 adolescents aged 13–18, found that only 20.4% of those with ADHD received stimulants (Merikangas et al. 2013). Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey report a 7.8% prevalence rate of ADHD among the 3,042 participants aged 8–15, but only about 48% of them were receiving treatment in the past 12 months (Merikangas et al. 2010).



Myth # 5: Poor Parenting Causes ADHD

Research studies point to genetic (hereditary) and neurological factors (such as pregnancy and birth complications, brain damage, toxins and infections) as the main causes of ADHD rather than social factors including poor parenting. Twin studies of children with ADHD show that the family environments of the children contribute very little to their individual differences in ADHD symptoms (Barkley, 2015). Although parenting practices do not cause ADHD, they can contribute to worsening of coexisting disorders such as oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) or conduct disorder (CD), and inconsistent parental discipline as well as low paternal involvement have been found to be associated with ADHD symptoms (Ellis et al. 2009).



Myth # 6: Minority Children are Over-Diagnosed with ADHD and are Over-Medicated

Findings from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) 2011–2013 show that it is not minority children, but non-Hispanic white children who had the highest rates of diagnosis according to parent reports. The prevalence rates for non-Hispanic white children is 11.5%, compared to 8.9% for non-Hispanic black children and 6.3% for Hispanic children (Pastor et al. 2015). Analysis from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 1998–1999 (n=17,100) had also found that minority children were less likely than white children to receive an ADHD diagnosis (Morgan et al. 2013). This same study found that children with ADHD were much less likely to use prescription medication for the disorder if they were Hispanic, African American or of other races/ethnicities.



Myth # 7: Girls Have Lower Rates and Less Severe ADHD than Boys

ADHD in girls and women has been recognized only in the past few decades, and more research studies are reporting on the substantial impairments they experience, often to the same extent as boys. They are at risk for many of the same coexisting conditions and impairments as males―oppositional defiance disorder, conduct disorder, academic and social impairments, driving problems, substance abuse and risky sexual behavior. Adolescent girls with ADHD may be more prone than boys to eating disorders, but by young adulthood this difference is reduced (Owens et al. 2015). A 10-year follow-up study of girls aged 6–12 years by Hinshaw et al. (2012) found a higher risk for suicide attempts and self-injury by adulthood among the girls. The latest diagnosis data as reported by parents of children ages 4–17 in the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) 2011–2013 found a diagnostic rate of 13.3% for boys and 5.6% for girls. Other large community samples have found a similar gender ratio of 2.3:1.0, but by adulthood, studies have found that prevalence is nearly the same between genders (Owens et al. 2015).

[ClaretPete001]

Remember ADHD is related to executive functioning difficulty - prioritising, focus, task completion - it’s evident in people’s life history - it exists quite clearly and autism is a social communication issue with special interests - again often autistic people are often mislabled as lacking empathy which is the complete opposite - it’s because we don’t do communication well - we have incredibly intense emotions -
Although the idea of theory of mind plays a role -

https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-gu ... le-empathy

Interesting article - I tend to agree - I find neurotypicals severely lack empathy, but I suppose they can’t help it - the way their brains are wired.

I like the way your are now using the dichotomy neurotypical/neurodiverse as othering groups to make your points.

It's an interesting article but not very scientific. Ian Hacking is a well known social constructivist influenced by Wittgenstein and Po Mos like Foucault. etc. It is at the point where social scientists stray into the biological cognitive sciences with epistemic perspectives like social constructivism that you start to have problems.

[burnley007]

Recently diagnosed ADHD, (both types).

It is only an issue because I can't concentrate at work, I can't remember anything, I talk too much, I am impulsive, I can't sit still long enough to watch ANY TV show in 1 sitting, I have piles of failed relationships, onto my 5th career, paralysing procrastination, obsessions on a million different hobbies which I get bored of, a need to do physical exercise to excess to try to burn off some of the energy, forgetting the names of everything and everyone, debt, totally incapable of defending myself in an argument...

Those are some of the basic things off the top of my head.

But I can understand why so many people think it's bullschitt, I mean what's there to be bothered about really?

I have managed all of these symptoms myself for 52 years, recently started meds and feel heartbroken for all those wasted years of utter chaos.

(I have had some great adventures along the way though!)

It is a superpower, if you don't have to maintain a 'normal' lifestyle...

[burnley007]

I like the way your are now using the dichotomy neurotypical/neurodiverse as othering groups to make your points.

It's an interesting article but not very scientific. Ian Hacking is a well known social constructivist influenced by Wittgenstein and Po Mos like Foucault. etc. It is at the point where social scientists stray into the biological cognitive sciences with epistemic perspectives like social constructivism that you start to have problems.

I tried to read that, but my brain will not focus long enough to make any sense of it!