The Invalidity of Adult Add

by mickelsen • 3 years ago

3 3 3 years ago

As someone on the spectrum with ADHD who was incorrectly diagnosed with a mood disorder, I will push back on this. Structural stability as a treatment plan did more for me in my formative years than any meds or talk therapy could do. Did it take a village (i.e., my school, home, and family friends all pitching in)? Yes. Did it work? Yes.

Structural stability alone is not a viable treatment plan for persons suffering from mood or anxiety disorders. Further, being pushed pills such as lithium and random anti-depressants like the article suggests causes persons with ADHD to become void of any feeling. ADHD meds don't do that.

The article states that "There are two possible explanations of the fact that “adult ADHD” frequenly happens with mood and anxiety conditions in adults. Either the mood and anxiety conditions cause the poor concentration, which is our view, or the adult ADHD causes the mood and anxiety symptoms, which is view of those who prefer to diagnose adult ADHD. In the latter case, the claim would be that every time someone has adult ADHD, they get very depressed and anxious about having adult ADHD."

I would instead argue that for persons with ADHD, it is the rigid social constructs that one is trying to guess at and maneuver are the sources of depression and anxiety. Because executive dysfunction.

The more understanding an individual or community, the less anxiety I have. I don't fit in with whatever "norms" a hyper rigid in-group has defined (because facts and research), and for the most part I know it. And when I don't know it I'm reminded of it, for instance by people like this author.

This isn't to say misdiagnosis of ADHD is not happening, rather it is to say that there is more to the human condition than what the author claims to know.

navjack27• 3 years ago

What is this absolute bullshit?

mickelsen• 3 years ago

Well, I think this guy is sort of an authority in Bipolar disorders, has a clinical psychopharmacology textbook that's not the typical one from Stahl, a bit dry on citations but some people seem to follow his school of thought: https://www.amazon.com/Clinical-Psychopharmacology-Principle...

His ideas are rather controversial, as he charges against the whole DSM too but gives historical context on why. You can check out his podcast for a quick overview on his points: https://open.spotify.com/show/2UNy6ZRzomYZXJgN5DNXx9

I'm not a doctor, and not that I agree with his thinking, but he does make an interesting point on how is this diagnosis handled, so I'm just leaving it out there for discussion here on HN, if it takes off.

The Invalidity of Adult Add

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