ADHD medicine or not- Belief in ADHD

January 2004 Volume I Issue I

Statement: My intent in this newsletter is to express as quickly as possible my own beliefs and opinions on matters. I have no problems with people who disagree with my opinion and have even been swayed to rethink my position from time to time.

Dear Friends:

One of the most common questions I am asked by people about ADHD is about medication. I personally have no objections to herbal or natural remedies if they make a person feel better, at the same time I have been on medication for 8 years and it works for me.

It has always surprised me how many people don’t believe in using medication for treating ADHD. Some of these same people also do believe in herbal and natural remedies. Others just don't believe in ADHD at all. There are many more that believe in ADHD but think that it is over diagnosed and used as an excuse.

I want to address the issues raised earlier.

It has always been my opinion that the brain is the most complicated organ in the human body. People seem to be tolerant of those who have disabilities that are outwardly obvious such as being in a wheel chair, Cleft palate or other physical deformities. They also seem to accept heart disease, liver and kidney problems, diabetes, poor eye vision, hearing loss and other internal organ disorders.

Except for a person who is mentally retarded or has downs syndrome or some other major mental challenges there seems to be less tolerance from some for other possible less obvious mental (brain) disorders. It seems that if your ailment is anything above the top vertebrae in your neck you have a battle on your hands in dealing with many people.

Many people in particular see ADHD as a big excuse. Unfortunately some people use it for an excuse, which makes everyone else that doesn't look bad. I am a huge advocate of saying it can be used to explain certain behaviors. But can never ever be used as an excuse. It is counterproductive to you and all others with ADHD to do so.

ADHD is recognized by every legitimate medical association or group in the United States as a valid disorder. So the question of whether it exists is moot. If someone says they don't believe in it, they are in actuality saying that cancer, diabetes and heart disease don't exist either.

Medical treatment of ADHD has proven effective for most. If a person is having a problem with medication they are either on the wrong dosage or the wrong medicine. Some herbal remedies I have heard work for some people. Just keep in mind that what is actually in those natural medications have not been tested or approved by the rigorous standards and testing of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

People who say they don't want to medicate their children, normally when asked if they would give them insulin for diabetes would say “yes”. If asked if their child needs glasses would they buy them for them…..again “yes”. Chemotherapy for leukemia and the answer is “yes” again. But to take medicine to deal with a problem in how the brain is working seems to imply some sort of personal defect in the patient's voluntary decision making.

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All brains are not created equal and do not operate as efficiently as others. There are a lot of non medical approaches to take. The best is educating yourself and or your child about ADHD. If it is me or my child and I know what I know now about the 42 years when I was undiagnosed I would try the medication route. It is impossible to tell you all of the things such as internal self defeating thoughts, depression, poor self esteem and the like that might have been avoided had people known in the 50’s and 60’s what they now know about ADHD.

I believe that an undiagnosed or untreated ADHD person could possibly be in more serious jeopardy to health and quality of life issues than someone who has a known more common treatable disease like diabetes or heart problems. The reason is that untreated ADHD does not just go away, and can have a major impact in a persons life, relationships, work, self esteem, depression and even desire to live with its accompanying frustrations.

I talk to quite a few people who have ADHD who have considered suicide a possible option. Some of them would have been the last people I would have suspected of having such thoughts.

ADHD patients often mask or hide their true feelings and emotions, especially as they get older. They may act in public like happy go lucky, outgoing people. In reality when they are alone they feel depressed, lazy, confused, restless, frustrated with themselves, and know they have not reached up to their potential.

We probably have all known someone we never would have suspected of committing suicide doing so. I believe that some of these people were probably undiagnosed or untreated for ADHD. I think ADHD is under-diagnosed and under-treated.

If you have family or friends in the Eastern Iowa/Western Illinois area that may need assistance with ADHD issues feel free to have them contact me.

Here is a link to WEBMD on Adult ADD -Controversy - Treatments you might find interesting.

http://content.health.msn.com/content/article/78/95905.htm

If you have any comments feel free to e-mail me a “short note” (if possible). I have ADHD too so I know how difficult it is to write short notes.

addcorridorcoach@aol.com

FIRST EVER Poster devoted to ADHD view at http://www.addcorridorcoaching.com/poster.asp

If you know on anyone who might like this newsletter please forward it to them and tell them to go to my web site

http://www.addcorridorcoaching.com and sign up.

Talk to you all next month.

Patrick J. Hurley
www.addcorridorcoaching.com