ADHD Brains Are the Most Creative: Why Do We Treat It Like a Disability?

[UglyGreed]

In his 2004 book “Creativity is Forever“, Gary Davis reviewed the creativity literature from 1961 to 2003 and identified 22 reoccurring personality traits of creative people. This included 16 “positive” traits (e.g., independent, risk-taking, high energy, curiosity, humor, artistic, emotional) and 6 “negative” traits (e.g., impulsive, hyperactive, argumentative). In her own review of the creativity literature, Bonnie Cramond found that many of these same traits overlap to a substantial degree with behavioral descriptions of Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD)– including higher levels of spontaneous idea generation, mind wandering, daydreaming, sensation seeking, energy, and impulsivity.

Research since then has supported the notion that people with ADHD characteristics are more likely to reach higher levels of creative thought and achievement than people without these characteristics (see here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here,here, and here). Recent research by Darya Zabelina and colleagues have found that real-life creative achievement is associated with the ability to broaden attention and have a “leaky” mental filter– something in which people with ADHD excel.

Recent work in cognitive neuroscience also suggests a connection between ADHD and creativity (see here and here). Both creative thinkers and people with ADHD show difficulty suppressing brain activity coming from the “Imagination Network“:

Of course, whether this is a positive thing or a negative thing depends on the context. The ability to control your attention is most certainly a valuable asset; difficulty inhibiting your inner mind can get in the way of paying attention to a boring classroom lecture or concentrating on a challenging problem. But the ability to keep your inner stream of fantasies, imagination, and daydreams on call can be immensely conducive to creativity. By automatically treating ADHD characteristics as a disability– as we so often do in an educational context– we are unnecessarily letting too many competent and creative kids fall through the cracks.




http://www.alternet.org/adhd-brains-are-most-creative-why-do-we-treat-it-disability?paging=off&current_page=1#bookmark

[DonCoquixote]

1. for the same reason Aspies like me know

Thinking of any sort is not valued, especially creative thinking. The only reason people like Zuckerberg and Gates made it is because they made a product which actually releive people from the burden of thinking.

[UglyGreed]

2. Indeed

thinking outside of the box is sometimes is frowned upon.

[Odin2005]

6. Being too creative is a good way to get slammed for "not being a good team player".

Employers want brainless, programmed robots, not human beings with opinions of their own. They want sycophants who treat their every word and decision as unquestionable divine revelation, not employees.

That is the main flaw with hierarchical decision making, the "decider" positions tend to end up filled with narcissists and egotists who end up running an organization into the ground, and then get golden parachutes from their buddies.

[Boom Sound 416]

3. Lemme see.

Square peg society maybe?

[bemildred]

4. People don't really like change all that much, unless they are uncomfortable.

Then they want the discomfort to go away.

So anyway, creative active people are disruptive, rude, and tend to ignore the monkey politics that makes up so much of our social life. Extroverts are excited by people, introverts are excited by ideas. So the conflict does not really need much explaining. We like our creativity in small, entertaining doses. And we like kids to obey.

[cali]

13. I don't know. I mean I agree about people not liking change but

I've known and know a lot of creative people who are not disruptive or rude- though they do avoid/ignore the "monkey politics", as you say. I have one friend who has been extraordinarily creative over a period of over 40 years. He's won among other things, a MacArthur. He's still active. He's also one of the kindest, nicest person you could hope to meet with this great aura of calm and humor. Granted, I think he's made choices about how he lives that supports that, but anyway... he's not the only very creative person I've known who doesn't fit any particular stereotype.

[bemildred]

20. Well, I am socially very adept now, by the testimony of people who like me, but it's all acquired.

In schools I was an outcast from 5th grade on, when they gave me the IQ test. Eventually, I came to realize I preferred it that way. Eventually, I learned to fake normalcy and develop good social camoflage, and to turn it on and off when I need it, and to adjust my dialog to the audience in front of me.

I run very high on empathy, and I have learned to read people pretty well, but mostly I'm not interested, and I do tend to say things I should not when I don't pay attention.

Anybody who has won a MacArthur has my respect.

You make sound points. I think I was thinking more of kids, people who have not matured yet. I know it took me a long time to sort things out.

My younger brother was very like me in some respects, he had brains and energy and drive, but he was an extrovert, it took us a long time to learn to get along. We both had problems with not being obedient.

[cali]

42. you may or may not enjoy this

[bemildred]

49. What's that they do on the floor there at the end?

Yeah, that's pretty rich stuff.

I remember sitting on the steps of the new Jr. High School with a nice Jewish kid by the name of Martin London in 9th grade around 1958 and just laughing our asses off at Shakespere's Julius Caesar: "Peace Ho!" "Ha ha ha ha". Like that. Do normal kids get to do things like that?

Nothing good happens when you start taking yourself too seriously.

(See how I got everybody else to look at your vid too?)

[Odin2005]

35. Extroverts can't be creative? Extroverts can't be intellectuals?

Richard Feynman, anyone? Or Ben Franklin?

In fact, research done by the personality psychologist Hans Eysenck in the 60s showed that people with ADHD (then called Hyperkinetic Disorder) were more likely to be extroverts than the rest of the population.

[bemildred]

40. Yeah, my brother, the extrovert, was more ADHD than I was.

And usually I think of that as being a normal child. What is abnormal for a child is to sit attentively while some adult drones on about some academic dogma.

And creativity is for everbody. The assertion in the OOP was "more creative", but that's just an opinion anyway.

[Odin2005]

5. Because the PTB don't like creative, non-conformist types?

[UglyGreed]

7. IMO All of the replies

are spot on. My son has ADHD (what young boy doesn't these days) probably got from dear old Dad. They called it hyperactive in my day. He has not been medicated even though there was a big push from the school. He is getting better on his own each and everyday.

[malletgirl02]

11. It is clear from you post that you love your son

I also want to apologize what I said to you in the left handed thread. I also disagree with people bringing Aspergers into your thread. I think it is worst for people with ADHD than with Aspergers at least they are thought as smart, and for people with ADHD is thought as flaky which I think is really unfair. As with Asperger's people with ADHD brains work differently. I think people with ADHD are more misunderstood then people with people with Aspergers.

[UglyGreed]

16. no need to apologize

I did not take offense with your comment or the Asperger comment since both types of people are not in a good position. We need to help people with ANY disability not make them fear to seek help or fight which is better or which is suffering more. I jumped to a conclusion with that poster in another thread of mine and I feel bad since they were on my side. Words are words and it is hard to interpret a person true feelings online as you would do face to face.

I suck at expressing myself through the written word since I was never a writer and I'm just a fool ranting online. I create a lot of trouble for myself trying to be funny and I have strong opinions on subjects that most people will not touch. I can handle the wrath I bring upon myself, and sometimes I welcome being put in my place when I've been bad. Thank you though, it takes a big person to be humble enough to admit you may of hurt someone's feelings.

[KMOD]

27. My son, who is now an adult

was very hyperactive as well. I also received a lot of pressure from the school, mostly in the elementary years. It started in Kindergarten. One of the TA's was quite upset that he colored outside of the lines. It was a racecar he was drawing, and he drew what he described to me as "smoke coming from the tires, because it was a really fast car." She was insisting I have him redraw the picture. I refused.

It escalated eventually into a meeting with the principal, the school psychiatrist, the teacher. Eventually, they left him alone. He's 23 now, very bright, has a bright future ahead of him, and is one of the kindest and caring young men I know. Of course I'm biased, because I'm his mom, but others have told me the same of him as well.

Hang in there.

[Brigid]

29. All that because a TA didn't like the way your kid drew a picture?

No wonder you stood your ground. I think your kid was showing a good imagination -- and isn't that what drawing pictures is for?

[KMOD]

30. I know, right?

It was mind-boggling and maddening.

[Odin2005]

36. Wait, school shrinks and the principal got involved because your kid...

...drew smoke coming from the car? What is fucking wrong with some people???

I loved to draw when I was a kid and was a good artist. That ended in 8th grade because I liked to draw rather dark stuff (what teen doesn't go through that phase?) and after Columbine I was terrified that if somebody in authority saw my drawings that I would be thought to be at risk for being a school shooter and locked in a mental hospital, so I threw away all my drawings.

[KMOD]

39. Yup. It was crazy.

I feel bad that your art was stifled as well. I remember very clearly that they were looking at teens "dark drawings" and stigmatizing them because of such after Columbine.

The teen years are unique. Teens are trying so hard to find out who they are, what they believe, questioning every authority (mostly their parents, hahaha) etc. And yeah, they say, and do, and draw, and behave in ways that don't seem to meet conformity of society. But it's all natural.

Society lately, wants to put them all in a box and stifle them. It's very troubling to me.

Plus the little asses don't vote. (just kidding)

[yeoman6987]

52. At least we seem to have stopped giving out Ridin to

Every child like in the 90's. I just thought that was a method of control. I still wonder what long term affects will come of that generation.

[KamaAina]

8. I disagree.

Autistic brains are the most creative. And we definitely treat it like a disability!

[UglyGreed]

9. I will not argue

I have had a rough day today, you win!!!

[liberal N proud]

78. So true

I have seen some amazing autistic minds that did some incredible things.

Treat properly, the autistic could be societies greatest assets.

[UglyGreed]

10. BTW My kid is at his

swim meet today and grabbed 1st place twice so far. Watch out Mr. Phelps!!!

[KMOD]

31. Yay, little UglyGreed!

[UglyGreed]

41. awe shucks

thanks, we decided earlier tonight to call him LittleGreedy since he does ask for many things for his mom to buy him and does not share stuff with his big sister. He is still a work in progress.

[treestar]

12. The symptoms of ADHD

Would get in the way of any supposed creativity.

[cali]

14. that's simply untrue. In fact, some people with ADHD are able to intensely concentrate.

[UglyGreed]

23. Yup at

times with my son if is determined you can not pull him away

[treestar]

72. Not often enough and it's not in their control

ADHD does not allow a person to concentrate for long periods very often. That's the very reason it is a problem for people who experience it.

[TBF]

84. Actually not true -

There was a good article about hyperfocus in ADD magazine recently:

It's no secret that children and adults with attention deficit disorder (ADD ADHD) often struggle to focus on tasks they find uninteresting.

High distractibility -- in children with ADHD who are unable to stay focused on a classroom lecture or in adults with ADD who never get around to doing their paperwork -- is a key ADHD symptom and diagnosis criterion.

What you might not know about ADHD is that there's another side: the tendency for children and adults with attention deficit disorder to focus very intently on things that do interest them. At times, the focus is so strong that they become oblivious to the world around them.

Much more here: http://www.additudemag.com/adhd/article/612.html

[UglyGreed]

85. Thanks for this reply,

all sides should be entered in the discussion

[TBF]

86. Sure - my son is being

evaluated and I see the behaviors in him (ADD - which threw me off for awhile because he doesn't have the hyperactivity component). I also see symptoms in myself like the hyperfocus so I found the article fascinating. That ADDitude magazine has been very helpful in learning the basics about the condition.

[UglyGreed]

87. It is now in my favorites!!

Thank you so much. BTW some game by your Packers yesterday

[UglyGreed]

18. Yes at times

that happens with my son. If he does not care about the subject it is a real burden to get him to focus. On the other hand if he has an interest in what he is doing it is hard to pull him away. I don't feel drugging him will be in his best interest so we struggle to help him in other ways. In the end I pray that we have done right by him. It is what it is as they say.

[treestar]

73. That's why it's a problem for the person with it

To succeed one has to eventually pay attention even when it's not really interesting. To take a creative idea to actual fruition is going to require concentration.

[marions ghost]

77. He will be OK

but beware of helping him too much, picking up the slack on everything. He needs to develop his own adaptation skills. IMO the drugs just prolong the problem and can't be a long term solution anyway. I have two nephews who went through this in their teens and they are both fine now. They have learned to harness their strengths. You are doing the best you can. Stay the course. The most important thing is that you understand the syndrome and don't over-react or make the mistake of thinking him lazy or stupid.

[UglyGreed]

79. I make him

do things on his own, his mother helps him a lot, I feel that combo even things out a bit. All four of us here get frustrated at times, but we stick together because we only have each other when it comes down to it. Thanks for your reply!

[marions ghost]

80. Good

yeah that works. Sticking together is the main thing. Unfortunately so many parents of ADD distractable kids are so at odds with them by the time they get into their 20's that irrevocable
opportunities have been lost and much damage has been done to the relationship. I assume that you've realized that your kid may respond better to "sound bites" than lectures. Lecturing is often the biggest mistake a parent of an ADD kid makes. They tune out immediately.

In future we will have a different name for this--it's not a "disorder" so much as a cognitive difference. And it not attention deficit so much as attention multi-directional. We are becoming more of an ADD nation thanks to computers so in future this might not be considered such an aberration. Not sure that's good but it is happening.

Both my young nephews have married young-- and chose wives that are the opposite--ie. the wives make the trains run on time and the guys seem eternally grateful for that. Both these nephews LIKE structure--as long as it's structure they are choosing and isn't in some area that they have no interest in. One of them has grown up very neat as a reaction to his propensity to lose track of things. One is a teacher (the neat one) and one is a construction contractor--both jobs that involve a lot of juggling, a lot of flexibility. The stereotypes of drifty and unsuccessful often don't fit later in life.

I know the territory. Have an ADD Mom and an ADD sis as well. It looks different in girls too. Often over-looked even more. My sis and Mom are very successful people in every way, particularly in an empathetic and creative way. Obviously I'm biased--I love my family.

[marions ghost]

75. You need to read up on it

---not true at all.

[treestar]

81. If you cannot concentrate

then you aren't going to be able to follow through on any creative thoughts.

That's what the condition is. That's why it's a problem for most people.

And the person with ADHD is not always creative.

Most need the medication in order to be able to concentrate.

[marions ghost]

82. Yours is the conventional thinking

--which is under revision these days. In future ADD or ADHD will be re-named. It's a bad misnomer, not a deficit or a disorder, but a difference. ADD people can concentrate and they can learn. But they do it differently, tending to take in too much information and not being able to sort it efficiently. This makes them restless and to a non-ADD person they seem "not there"--when in fact they may be a little too much "all there." In general they take in information more readily when it is given in sound bites rather than lectures. Most parents and teachers lean towards lecturing and haranguing--NOT the way to deal with this type of kid. I think of it more as a learning disability when young, and success lies in adaptation during the teen and early adult years, in finding strengths that overcome the difficulties. Also you want to watch for signs of substance abuse, as this type can have a tendency there.

Do you think for example that Thom Hartmann is unsuccessful? He's extremely ADD spectrum himself and has written about it. In the right fields or careers most ADD people are successful. But that comes from the parents and teachers having a positive attitude, rather than making the kid feel that his behavior is "wrong" and bad.

Creative--well it's been my experience that ADD people in general are "creative"--if what's meant is exhibiting lateral thinking and making creative connections. Now sometimes it's creative in the "wrong" direction, or an impractical direction--and that's where the problems lie. Many geniuses have been on the continuum. What I think that means is not that every ADD person is a genius but that the very intelligent can have this type of cognitive make-up. There is a correlation.

ADD people need structure and they need the help of non-ADD people as long as it doesn't go as far as co-dependency. I don't agree with long term medication. Use of a medication if there is an extreme hyperactivity problem or if the situation doesn't resolve some other way may be indicated, but it's not really a long term solution in my book. Enlightened coaching, positive adaptive strategies and mitigation of the stigma are more to the point.

[cali]

15. I think creative people are curious people. They may be curious about one thing

or many, but they express their curiosity and the exploration of it.

[LeftInTX]

17. I've got ADD, medication saved my life!

This was way back in the 1960s. Nobody knew what was wrong with me. I eventually started flunking every single class and began acting out in horrible horrible ways. I wanted to run away from home, yet I was so hyper I couldn't keep any "friends" long enough to run away with. My "friends" at this point were not nice people: They were outcasts who were into drugs and crime. My life was a nightmare and I just wanted to die.

I was 14 and would sit and disrupt class because I didn't know any better. I didn't know up from down.

Finally they sent me to a shrink. They tested me. They made me sign these "behavior contracts" - nothing worked. Finally, they put me on Dexedrine. The next day, I was a changed person. My next report card was a 3.5 GPA.

After a year I stopped the medication due to insomnia. My GPA remained high. Eight years later I graduated with a degree in math, maintaining a 3.5 GPA throughout. Didn't take any medication in college.

[UglyGreed]

21. Thank you

for your insight since you would know better than anyone. My son never disrupted the class and teachers even commented on how nice it is to have him in class. They labeled him ADHD very early in life which I still don't know if he or he isn't. We did try medication for the first time last year at the age of 12 for a short period of time an it did not help and his NS agreed with us to stop. He is doing much better in class this year and is showing a great deal of focus. He has matured a great deal and I'm very proud of him. Perhaps we will try again maybe not., I don't know right now. Thank you for your reply it did not fall on deaf ears.

[LeftInTX]

22. Yes, the medication worked the very next day for me.

It is like the kid who needed glasses really badly and couldn't see the black board.
The medication was like a pair of glasses, I could finally "see".

[UglyGreed]

24. I've heard that

so many times from people with this problem, but in our case it did not help him. I wished it could of been a miracle but no such luck Maybe it was the wrong meds or maybe he does not even have ADHD. It is very frustrating for us all. Thank you so much for your input.

[KMOD]

32. I'm very happy you found the help you needed.

Last edited Sat Nov 15, 2014, 11:44 PM - Edit history (1)

I just worry that they are also trying to treat some children who may not need it. I just think it should be a last resort alternative, after all else fails.

I want to add one more thing. For the past few years I have been suffering from pretty severe anxiety. It eventually led to panic attacks. I was convinced it must have something to do with perimenopause.

Anyway, it got to the point where I wouldn't leave my house. I tried exercise, diet changes, forcing myself to do things. I got a little better, but not all the way.

I'm now taking a prescription and it has also changed my life. I'm back to myself. I still have no idea what caused my problem, but I'm glad I found something that worked.

[LeftInTX]

34. =)

It is weird how something like that can come on suddenly.
I'm glad things are working out for you.

[KMOD]

33. I edited my original repy to you,

just want to make sure you see my additional response in case you already read my first.

[Odin2005]

37. There is a difference between what you went through...

...and kids put on medication because they are kids and have trouble paying attention and squirm all the time because the schools cut PE and art to focus on teaching to the test, though.

[treestar]

74. Your were just used to profit big Pharma!

And they medicated you because they wanted robotic drones. You know, the corporatists.

At least according to some of these posts.

And heck even if it really meant you could be van Gogh, one can wonder whether it's better to be comfortable and happy than to be a great artist but suffer greatly.

[marions ghost]

83. Glad to hear

the medication was useful in order to change the pattern and provide a fresh start.

This is how I think the medication should be used, exactly. Not as a long term solution but as a quick fix of what is seen an an insurmountable, intractable problem. Congratulations for proving that a diagnosis of ADD is not that crippling, and in fact many have even turned it into an asset.

My Mom used black coffee and cigarettes to get her young adult "turn-around." The cigarettes being a big negative. Short-terms meds are better.

[Cal Carpenter]

19. Must.Squeeze.You.Into.A.Box, Kid!

[hunter]

25. I'm FUBAR...

... and have abandoned all hope that I'll ever "fit in."

[Hekate]

26. Why?Bcs being able to think creatively can never make up for being unable to be there at 8 sharp

....every day without fail. Management of personal time like that, and knowing the answer to "How long will this task take you?" are more important than just about anything else you can bring to the vast majority of jobs.

The inbuilt and lasting shame of growing up not thinking like everyone else, feeling like they are speaking some code you can't decode, of being told at every report card by your non-ADD mother that you are very bright and ought to be making straight As or at least straight Bs instead of a consistent A in English, B in History, and Cs or Ds in Math and Science....so you must be doing this TO HER in a form of passive-aggressive rebellion -- and did I mention the consistent late term papers even in your favorite subjects? Jesus what is wrong with you? We'll have to pull you out of the college prep track at your public high school and put you in the secretarial track because it won't be worth the money to send you to college because you will flunk out the first semester.

Gaaaaah.

Hekate
Whose grades kept the same pattern through college, whose GPA got better as science requirements receded in the rear-view mirror, was admitted to grad school...and finally in mid-life returned to finish an MA and ended up with a PhD. And whose mother, to the end of her life, kept predicting she'd be "tossed out" for being unable to get things in on time.

You mean that ADD?

Then there's my brother, who has it worse because of the hyperactivity, and started self medicating with cigarettes at 12 and alcohol in his teens. I regret to say that despite a delightful abillity to tell stories, tremendous talent as a mechanic and musician, was never able to hold down a job for long or save a nickel.

That ADHD?

We are in our late 60s, and while I look and in many ways am more functional than my brother, it's likely that diagnosis and treatment would have made a difference in our lives if indeed it had been available back then.

Our younger brother and sister were born like our Mom, and both became successful in science and technology. From early on they conformed to her expectations easily, and she was convinced that she'd gotten this motherhood thing right with them where she'd "failed" with us.

[Kalidurga]

28. What if we just accepted people the way they are?

There are of course problems with that. Sometimes a person can be helped with an issue that looks like a behavior problem. Maybe we should help them. But, I don't think medicating every single issue is the way to go. Not enough is known about any of these so called disabilities. I think we should find the person's ability first then figure out how to work that to their advantage and of course to the community, because people who are working with what they are strong at are going to be an asset in some way.

I am speaking as someone who a lot of people thought should conform to their standards. I may or may not be neuro atypical, but my behavior is nearly identical to people who are, so at this point a diagnosis or not is just splitting hairs. I don't see any reason for people to expect me to behave to their cultural norms, as long as I show up on time and do what I am supposed to do. Of course some people want you to do that and be docile as well, not really my style and boy did I catch it for that.

[davidpdx]

38. I think a disability can be advantageous if the right help is provided

I don't have ADHD, but a minor learning disability. Certainly that has never stopped me from excelling. I am currently working on my dissertation for my doctoral degree which I hope to finish next year. I had teachers tell my mom I'd never go to college. My response is don't write people off so fast.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

43. My oldest daughter is recently ADHD diagnosed. And she is very creative.

She's always drawing exquisite pictures, making crafts and writing "books". All on her own, without any prompting. She's in her school's gifted program. Just a fun little girl.

But I don't know if her creativity is because of her ADHD, or in spite of it.

[UglyGreed]

44. Girls with ADHD

is rare I believe. It's good to see she is doing well. Like they say, girls are more mature than boys. In fact I believe that is true in adults also.

I'm not even sure if my son has it to tell you the truth. They tell me he does but they have no solid proof. It's just a guessament IMO. He was put under anesthesia when he was just over one year old and I always wondered if that may of contributed to his problems.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

45. I don't know if it is as rare as it is underdiagnosed.

ADHD ranges from the hyperactive to the inattentive, and from what I've read, girls with ADHD typically exhibit more of the inattentive symptoms than the hyperactive ones. And that often goes less detected since it's less noticable.

The past couple years have been a little challenging, but we've rolled with the punches. She excels well in her schoolwork, but often needs prompting to remind her to stay on task. The biggest problem apparently is having to remind her to unload her backpack at the beginning of the day and pack it up at the end. For whatever reason, she's seems like she's at her most distractable at those times. We haven't gone to medication yet--not that I'm necessarily opposed, mind you, but we'll just see how some of the non-medical behavioral modifications work before we go that route.

To be honest, I wonder if I might have an undiagnosed case as well. I had a very similar personality as my daughter growing up, and even now I'm obsessive with To Do lists at work to make sure I get my projects done.

[UglyGreed]

47. All good points

I may be in denial or just overwhelmed because what you have described sound like our life. But my son is getting better now and become more responsible so we are keeping our fingers crossed.

I fell down the stairs when I was about seven and was hospitalized for two days and that is when they claimed I was hyperactive. I don't know how they came to that conclusion but it is what it is. I never was disrupted in class or anything like that so I don't know.

[midnight]

46. Because it makes the pharmaceutical companies lots of money…

[UglyGreed]

48. The reason I hesitate

putting my son on these meds is because of the problems I've had with all different drugs for my chronic pain. I have lost all my trust with doctors and their "treatments" sad to say.

[marble falls]

53. Lots of money and they get to rope their customers in at such a young age and for illness that.....

isn't even life threatening directly: what a business model - get them used to being drugged and drug them forever. I read somewhere that 3 out of 5 Americans are using at least one prescription.

Only two people need to be involved with an ADHD prescription: a doctor qualified to make the diagnosis and his patient. Teachers and principals should butt out. Overcrowded classes seem to bring out the "ADHD" in kids and drugs are being used to make classes more manageable.

ADHD helped me a lot more than hindered me, also a left handed dyslexic. It made me open to possibilities and at the same time really able to dig into a project.

[LWolf]

51. ADD/ADHD people,

like the rest, can be highly intelligent. They are often creative. Not all are; ADD/ADHD happens in less able populations as well. And they have to work a hell of a lot harder to be successful than others. It doesn't matter how intelligent, nor how creative, a person is if she can never finish a task. Learning coping skills is key.

ADHD/ADD people can be fun, outgoing, and likeable. They can also, quite bluntly, be a pain in the ass. I should know. I'm a teacher, and have managed good professional relationships with more ADD/ADHD students than most people will meet in a lifetime, but I'm also the daughter of an ADHD mother and the grandmother of an ADHD grandson. I've seen my beautiful, creative, intelligent mother crash and burn again and again and again, not able to finish what she starts. I've learned to let any chance of true conversation with her go. She'll start talking, and I'll listen sincerely, and then she'll jump off topic before she's done, creating a snarling tangle of things I'm struggling to connect, falling far behind in understanding whatever point she was trying to make. So I give up, just listen, and make encouraging noises now and then. Or I have something I need to talk about, I manage to get one or two sentences out, and she jumps in, starts asking questions, and takes over the conversation, leading it away from where I was going and leaving me in the dust. Again. Or, if I do manage to talk to her about something significant in my life, something private or personal, I can rest assured that all of her friends will hear about it within days.

My mother is just one example in a very long line, and those are not the only issues she's struggled with all her life. As her child, I grew up being the responsible, dependable one who kept her on track when possible.

I've spent a lifetime dealing with ADHD. It's not something wonderful. It's hard for that intelligence and creativity to grow and thrive without basic self-management and coping skills, and THAT's why it's a disability.

[UglyGreed]

54. Thank you for

your reply. Since you have dealt with many ADHD students and your own mother/grandson, do you have any pointers for family members or for the person who suffers from this affliction?

[Phentex]

57. I have one...

DU has an entire board for this and LWolf has posted many good points. I hope you will join us!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=forum&id=1273

[UglyGreed]

58. Thank you as

we all know it is very frustrating, especially while dealing with other health problems on top of those of your child.

[UglyGreed]

61. Well not much going on

over there sad to say.

[LWolf]

64. You're welcome.

Some tips for family members:

1. Recognize that it's the condition, not the person.

2. Be patient. Stay soft and supportive.

3. Recognize and focus on the person's strengths; give them encouragement to build upon those.

4. For children: create structure and teach them how to function within that structure. Also teach them coping skills: generally creating their own routines that keep them moving forward on any task.

5. For adults: interact with them within the structures they've created for themselves.

6. Work with schools and teachers to help set up positive support structures. Be aware that a classroom environment, with too many people, too little space, and too much over-stimulation for the ADD/ADHD person, is about the worst they will ever encounter, but that until the nation invests in healthier environments through smaller class sizes in the same space, and schedules that are not hyper-focused on the high-stakes testing threats, that allow more frequent breaks and movement instead of the intense all-day immersion in teaching to the test and test-prep, that schools and teachers are limited in their ability to change that environment. All teachers know the standard accommodations for ADD/ADHD, and employ them to the extent that they are able. Help come up with other, creative ways to support your student. One that I've used, when my administration would allow, is an out-door pass for individuals that it seemed to fit: every time a student completed a task satisfactorily, he was given the pass and was allowed 5 minutes outside...unsupervised, because schools can't staff supervision like that, but short, with the understanding that it was a privilege that, the first time abused, would be immediately revoked. Just the act of going down two flights of stairs to get outdoors, and back up those stairs to return to class, is a release. I had one student who just wanted to run laps. That's all. What would be seen as punishment to many was reward to him, and he'd finish his task, grab his pass, and come back a few minutes later flushed, breathless, grinning, and ready to dive back in. That's just ONE of many creative ways to support.

And finally, the hot button: medication.

ADD/ADHD happens on a continuum from mild to severe. Those with mild or moderate forms may not need medication, just coping skills and support. Those on the more extreme end of that continuum often struggle to function effectively in any situation, not just classrooms. While I fully support families who don't want to medicate their kids, there is an underlying danger that they need to know about:

First of all, to be successful in the world, child or adult, some self-management and focus is required. Children on the more extreme end of the spectrum are so often unsuccessful that they give up long before their school years are over. They come to believe that success is never possible, and that they just can't "do it." That is so self-destructive, and it can lead to acting out, to depression, and to self harm. If it's the difference between success and failure, and the rest isn't working, don't hold back.

My mother, who was ADHD before it was recognized, grew up knowing that her family "didn't like her." They were impatient with her. They were frustrated with her. They complained about her. The said she was like "a maggot on a hot rock." How supported did SHE feel? She grew up depressed, with very low self-esteem and confidence, and generally did her best to hide her "failings" from those around her. She struggled socially, and she struggled to function in the world. Fortunately, her high level of intelligence helped her to develop a coping system, and her high levels of creativity led her to express herself through music and sculpture. She got by. With more support, she could have flown.

I love her dearly, and for many years felt guilty that she drove me crazy and I couldn't take more than a couple of hours at a time. Until I looked through my professional lens instead of my daughter lens, and recognized what I was seeing. I gently, and casually, said something about it and let it go, knowing that if I pushed, she'd take it as bullying. It took her 6 months, and she approached me to say she'd seen a doctor, been diagnosed, started medication, and was thrilled with the results. She said, "I can't believe how much better my life is. I'm in control. I'm just grieving that I spent 5 decades feeling like a failure when there was an answer out there."

[UglyGreed]

69. Thank you

this was very helpful and we have used many of the things you mentioned. I posted in the ADHD forum about what we have done to help him.

My mother, who was ADHD before it was recognized, grew up knowing that her family "didn't like her." They were impatient with her. They were frustrated with her. They complained about her. The said she was like "a maggot on a hot rock." How supported did SHE feel? She grew up depressed, with very low self-esteem and confidence, and generally did her best to hide her "failings" from those around her. She struggled socially, and she struggled to function in the world. Fortunately, her high level of intelligence helped her to develop a coping system, and her high levels of creativity led her to express herself through music and sculpture. She got by. With more support, she could have flown.

This is a problem since his sister does come down on him at times. They love each other but like all siblings they have their spats. I try to control it but it does happen from time to time. I glad you mentioned this because I can show my daughter and my wife and perhaps this will sink in. Thank you for your time and I'll pop into the other forum and post any questions I may have.

[TexasMommaWithAHat]

59. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!

As an ADHD person myself, and mother of an ADD child, I get sick of reading about ADHD as if we were all highly gifted. It seems to be a common theme on this board, but it's not true. We are not all special little snowflakes who would leave our marks on society; instead, most of our are ordinary folks struggling through ordinary lives.

And just as an fyi, one of my grown children "is" very intellectually gifted and creative, so I know what these creative kids are like. However, my ADD child is not in that category. She's a bright child, but struggles with almost every aspect of her life due to her severe ADD.

[UglyGreed]

62. So how do

you help her?

[TexasMommaWithAHat]

70. Well, I'm pretty sure that it is not my imagination

she's tried drugs as a teen, and the difference was amazing. Unfortunately, they gave her headaches, and she is afraid to try them again. She also saw a specialist at Texas Children's Hospital for a couple of years. We're very supportive of her in every way that we can. She lives at home, and is going through college slowly. She's a great young woman who works part-time fifteen hours a week. She's doing well juggling school and work, and I'm proud of her, but it's definitely harder than it should be.

[UglyGreed]

71. The reason

Last edited Mon Nov 17, 2014, 11:12 AM - Edit history (1)

I question my son's diagnosis is the fact he has a speech impediment which people think he has an accent. Also there's the fact that he is not very hyper and does not fit "typical" ADHD profile. Even now the NS who we go to also questions his early diagnosis of ADHD. He could have combination of more than one disability we just don't know. He did go under anesthesia when he was about year old for a botched circumcision, so that may have a bearing on his problems.

Sorry if I jumped on you but after reading these two replies I kind of got defensive as if you were writing about my own kid. I don't blame my child for what has happened and I'm over protective Dad as you can see. Plus I have not had very much sleep due to my own health issue. I like definite answers and it frustrates me when I can not get them in the case of my child or in my own battles with my health. Sorry once again, I'm still learning not to be so thinned skinned.

I wish you and your family the best of luck, I completely understand the frustration these type of things cause us all.

http://scopeblog.stanford.edu/2012/08/21/study-suggests-early-childhood-anesthesia-exposure-may-affect-the-brain/

[LWolf]

65. You're welcome.

[Orrex]

60. Kudos for a voice of experience & reality

It's tempting (and easy) to dismiss the negative aspects of ADHD & similar conditions if doing so allows one to think that it's simply a matter of superior brains having difficulty with the strictures of mundane society.

Your comments are illuminating and helpful IMO.

[LWolf]

66. Thanks. nt

[Zorra]

67. Well said. nt

[aikoaiko]

55. Abnormal behavior is normal behavior done excessively and/or dysfunctionally

There is no surprise here. Almost all symptoms of mental disorder have their normal counterparts.

The problem comes when functionality is impaired. And yes some of that functionality is socio-cultural dependent.

[lonestarnot]

56. Not just fall through the cracks, but thrown to big pharma.

[UglyGreed]

63. This seems to be the

case.

[TheKentuckian]

68. They want subservient slaves to the machine not thinkers of any sort, creativity unless

it is for crooked financial instruments, political triangulation, or propaganda is not in demand and actively discouraged.

[WinkyDink]

76. Because sitting still in school is a valued behavor. ;-)