Are Add And Adhd Actually Disorders?

[David Miller]

I Understand we are not allowed to discuss mental disorders on this forum but the way I see it, Attention Deficit Disorder is not a disorder at all. I was diagnosed with ADD when I was in second grade. I agree that we with ADD are different but I do not agree that we are any less capable than the rest of the population. ADD is the result of a smaller frontal cortex and a restricted amount of dopamine. This impairs decision making skills, ability to focus on a particular task, and impulse control. However, the side that most people don't understand is that people with ADD, and especially people with ADHD have the ability to hyper focus on a topics they find extremely interesting. My particular topic of intersest is personal development, so my entire life is structured around it. There are some clear advantages to ADD and I wouldn't trade it for the world. However, there are some practical disadvantages. I've been on and off medication but that is a whole other story. I would love to discuss any thoughts and opinions on this. I would also love to learn some natural ways to help with the disadvantages such as meditation, supplements, habits, or mindsets. Thank You!

P.S. If I have violated the rules, please don't ban me. Just contact me and I will remove the post. Thanks!

[Black Flag]

@David Miller Do you find ADD affects meditation? e.g. sitting still for periods of time? 

[David Miller]

Well I truthfully can't say considering I have only experienced meditation from the perspective of my ADD mind so I have nothing else to reference. I can say that meditation is sometimes challenging. It is indeed hard to sit still and focus my mind for 20 minutes or more a day but I think that's also true for most people. Now that I've been meditating for roughly a year, (inconsistently, probably about 130 days) it is a bit easier than when I started. It especially gets easier when my meditation habit becomes consistent for over a month. But to answer your question, I'm not sure if I can say. I can only share my experience.

Edited February 10, 2016 by David Miller
spelling error

[Leo Gura]

You can discuss disorders, it's just not our main focus. You won't be banned.

I would think it's a legit disorder, although much over-diagnosed and over-medicated.

Poor diet probably has much to do with it.

[David Miller]

12 hours ago, Leo Gura said:

You can discuss disorders, it's just not our main focus. You won't be banned.

I would think it's a legit disorder, although much over-diagnosed and over-medicated.

Poor diet probably has much to do with it.

I have trouble considering it a disorder because it is s gift to me. Like I said, there are clear disadvantages, but I am very creative, I try many new things which most people would limit themselves on, and I can hyper focus and just study personal development for hours and hours because I find it so interesting and useful. But maybe that has nothing to do with ADD. Maybe that just comes from my naturally secondary level 6 energy. I guess there no way of telling.

[Anicko]

I could take a few different perspectives on these disorders, and countless others. 

I'm most inclined to want to believe all of them are totally false. My son has been diagnosed with autism. He's so absolutely amazing and unique, but he also makes me want to cry and rage most days. Is there actually absolutely nothing wrong with him? Somehow it's our beliefs and judgments that make it "real"? That's some huge weird magic-bulletish pill to swallow. 

But I like it. 

[Genghis Khan]

I can link some studies that link sodium fluoride to ADD and ADHD. It's a industrial biproduct dumped into the public water and in toothpaste. It builds up in the brain and can cause some serious problems. It is my own certainty that if ADD is real it's solely from sodium fluoride, and i don't drink it. I urge you to do some research on fluoride. Leo is right about diet being a factor 

 http://www.newsweek.com/water-fluoridation-linked-higher-adhd-rates-312748

http://www.healthnewsreview.org/2015/03/water-fluoridation-and-adhd-newsweek-wades-into-the-quagmire/

Edited February 11, 2016 by Genghis Khan

[Anicko]

I dunno. I already tried to hop on the flouride-is-evil bandwagon, and while the evidence can seem compelling, I ultimately just don't buy it. I mean, I believed it enough that my husband has been buying (disgusting) flouride-free toothpaste. Lol. 

It's like vaccines being toxic or to blame. You know, I get the hype and I can appreciate a good attempt at fear mongering, but I don't believe it. 

I think we're better off just thinking these disorders are simply a misunderstanding of what is "normal". 

[David Miller]

4 hours ago, Genghis Khan said:

I can link some studies that link sodium fluoride to ADD and ADHD. It's a industrial biproduct dumped into the public water and in toothpaste. It builds up in the brain and can cause some serious problems. It is my own certainty that if ADD is real it's solely from sodium fluoride, and i don't drink it. I urge you to do some research on fluoride. Leo is right about diet being a factor 

 http://www.newsweek.com/water-fluoridation-linked-higher-adhd-rates-312748

http://www.healthnewsreview.org/2015/03/water-fluoridation-and-adhd-newsweek-wades-into-the-quagmire/

Thank you for this. I was aware of the dangers of fluoride but i did not know there was a link to ADHD. 

[Leo Gura]

9 hours ago, Genghis Khan said:

I can link some studies that link sodium fluoride to ADD and ADHD. It's a industrial biproduct dumped into the public water and in toothpaste. It builds up in the brain and can cause some serious problems. It is my own certainty that if ADD is real it's solely from sodium fluoride, and i don't drink it. I urge you to do some research on fluoride. Leo is right about diet being a factor 

 http://www.newsweek.com/water-fluoridation-linked-higher-adhd-rates-312748

http://www.healthnewsreview.org/2015/03/water-fluoridation-and-adhd-newsweek-wades-into-the-quagmire/

Keep in mind there may be more than one cause. In fact it would be astonishing if it was that simple. There are probably dozens of different chemicals that could cause ADHD.

[Rito]

My thoughts exactly.Struggling to overcome ADHD could prove to be futile,accepting it could go a long way to improving your life

[David Miller]

12 hours ago, Rito said:

My thoughts exactly.Struggling to overcome ADHD could prove to be futile,accepting it could go a long way to improving your life

I agree. For me, It's about playing to my strengths and not forcing myself to do things in a way that works for "normal" people. It's all about finding what works for me personally.

[Genghis Khan]

On Thursday, February 11, 2016 at 11:55 AM, Anicko said:

 

 

@Leo Gura That's true too, i would also suspect things like GMOs, and other garbage in the food. I'm just not convinced it's some kind of incurable genetic disorder that can only be eased by pharmaceutical stimulants, and that this genetic disorder is also an epidemic among kids across the country in every school. That i know is bullshit.