Is ADHD really a mental disorder?
I have read a lot on psychology and truly believe in disorders like antisocial personality or obsessive compulsive but ADHD?
I have know a couple of people with this "problem" and they are essentially selfish disrespectful jerks. Since there is already a disorder for this problem (ASPD antisocial personality disorder), is not ADHD just ASPD?
Is there a difference because the one I have known act like ASPD's
Comments
it's a chemical imbalance.
ADHD is not a mental disorder like a personality disorder it is a dysfuntion in one part of the brain. This part of the brain is responsible for concentration and behavior.
It is much easier to understand when you look at the brain as what it really is. A part of thhe body that has specific functions. Any part of the body can dysfunction. The eyes are responsible for seeing and if they dysfunction then there are vision problems, the ears are responsible for hearing and if they dysfunction then there are hearing problems. Some parts of the brain are responsible for learning and if they dysfunction there are learning difficulties.
And some parts of the brain are responsioble for self control and if they dysfunction there is genuine problems as well and this condition is called ADHD.
Why is it that people can accept that any other part of the body can dysfunction but not this one part.
ADHD sufferers are very different to ASPD sufferers. They may appear to be selfish. disrespectful jerks but it is not the case. Part of their disorder is a difficulty considering the consequences of their actions and living in the moment, they have limited inhibitions (kind of like someone who is drunk).
You should meet me! I have ADHD, I am respectful of others, at least I think I am. But for some reason no one else thinks so. I have difficulty reading, and I don't play well with others. I'm 38, I'm a network engineer, and I have many customers that I work well with. But, I don't go to any social events, because I can't control the behavior that I may exhibit.
And yes I know the affects it has on my life, and that doesn't help.
So, although my entire family would agree with you that I am a jerk, I would have to say that they (and I may point out, you also) are all inconsiderate, ignorant, and well, stupid! And I don't mean to be a jerk when I say that, but I just can't help it
Dan
http://adhdisme-bigdaninhsnc.blogspot.com/
I think it is a real problem, but that a lot of people who just have character flaws are falsely diagnosed as ADHD and maybe give the disorder a bad rap.
But that's just my opinion and I don't know much about the matter.
Spoke with someone recently whose kid is affected by a type of autism and the kid genuinely has ADHD however from other people's kids I've seen who allegedly have ADHD it looks more like rubbish parenting. It seems to be a panacea for bad behaviour these days.