Attention Deficit Disorder an ailment of the 70's, is generally limited to industrialized developed countries. It's birth coincided with the decline in public education once the schools were turned over to the children. The decline lead to standardized testing which lead to more ADD. One factor in it's creation was the result of too much leisure time that allows us to sit around and dream up imaginary ailments in order to explain just how difficult life is for us.
One might ask how a layperson can simply discount the existence of a diagnosed, widely accepted, treated ailment. Two days ago I was speaking to a physician who said my theory was an interesting one. He went on to tell me about a highly regarded, highly respected neurologist who had stated that fibromyalgia does not exist. The one similarity between fibromyalgia and ADD is that there is no test that can confirm it's existence. If a highly regarded, highly respected neurologist can come up with that opinion I do not see how it is unreasonable for others to draw similar conclusions about similarly diagnosed ailments.
This morning I took the screening test and guess what ? My results are consistent with symptoms of Adult ADD. What about yours ? Do you have trouble wrapping up final details of a project once the challenging parts have been done ? Do you have difficulty getting things in order when you have to do a task that requires organization? Problems remembering appointments or obligations ? A task requiring a lot of thought often makes you avoid getting started ? Do you squirm with your hands or feet when you sit down for a long time ? See I'm not alone.
I recall the first debate I saw on the subject where a physician displayed brain scans of two twelve year old boys. The doctor proceeded to point to one scan and describe it as that of a normal twelve year old's brain. Then he pointed to the other and explained a lighter portion of the brain demonstrated increased activity which clearly meant ADD. A second doctor took over and indicated that the first brain scan was that of a normal twelve old. The second scan however, showed not a child with ADD, but one that had been taking psychotropic drugs for five years.
Here are some of the dynamics which came into play when this pandemic first struck. In the schools parents blamed the administrators and teachers. Administrators blamed teachers for the problem, claiming teacher's lacked classroom management skills. Teachers didn't like it so they blamed administrators for their lack of discipline (most discipline in school rests with the administration). Teachers additionally felt that the parents should have some role in the child's upbringing. Eventually the three got tired of blaming each other and for a brief moment the child was blamed. The parents soon tired of this, so the administrators, teachers, parents and child went is search of the cause of this unruly behavior. Alas, social workers, psychologists and psychiatrists were only too happy to assist for a fee. Not all are motivated by money, I'm sure some just wanted to assist with helping solve the parent and patients dilemma. ADD was born.
I have worked around young people now for over 30 years. The last ten in an educational setting. I have no testing equipment so I can only speak anecdotally. The hundreds of ADD victims that I have worked with had one thing in common. When they were held responsible and accountable for their actions they were able to control their actions. I saw this both in law enforcement and in the educational settings. I could list dozens of examples but the end result is that if someone required them to behave and conform they did. One youth in particular had been involved in numerous transgressions: disruptive behavior, lying, stealing, assaulting, harassing and bullying. It came to an end one day when this child's latest incident came with a warning that in all likelihood the police would come and arrest the student. For the next two weeks this person was the model student. The child did the school work, behaved in class, showed respect and appreciation toward the teacher. You could see the student looking back over the shoulder for the next two weeks. One day the child came to the realization that the police were not coming. From that moment on the child reverted to ADD. It was only a cure for a brief time.
ADD afflicts boys predominately. Is it possible they are only being boys ? The feminization of America requires that they act like little girls and when they don't something is wrong with them. Sounds a little sexist. Huh!
Society has embraced the concept of no corporal punishment and parents have evolved from parents to that of friend and in some instances involving single parent families to victim. No longer can an adult raise his or her hand, voice or eyebrows at inappropriate behavior. No way, but it is OK to drug them. In my humble opinion, the drugging of millions of young people is child abuse. One thing for sure, a child exhibiting unruly behavior will be doped. You can count on it. Of course, in today's society it is the only acceptable form of child abuse. Tag, dodge ball, competitive sports, spanking, verbal chastisement and bullying have all been banned. Drugging of millions of children however is just fine.
In order to obtain a diagnosis you do not need to know how to read or write. Just remember to say that: you fidget, talk excessively, run around at inappropriate times and frequently disrupt class, you blurt out answers in class, take action before thinking, and you make rash decisions, in other words you are a kid. You don't pay attention, make careless mistakes, do not listen, do not finish tasks, and you don't follow directions. The diagnosis, excuse and drugs can now be yours.
A. C. Smithson
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