ADHD: Fact, Fiction and Beyond
A Comprehensive Study of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
by Dr. Victoria Martin, M.D.
ADHD is more than a list of symptoms, brain scans, psychopharmacology and neurobiology. It’s real people with real issues.
For a moment let’s forget about graphs, pharmacology and scientific hoop-la. Let me describe what ADHD really means to those afflicted with this debilitating disorder.
ADHD IS A KID…
- forgetting his backpack
- being grumpy in the morning
- having a fit when plans change or something unexpected happens.
- getting in trouble for:
- humming
- pulling the pigtail hanging in front of him
- sliding off his chair and chasing the pencil
- sliding off his chair and chasing the pencil
- throwing spit wads
- arguing with the teacher
- having no friends or belonging to a fringe group
- forgetting to do an assignment or turn it in or choosing not to do it at all
- making failing grades
- pulling away from mom and running into the parking lot
- riding a bike into the street without looking
- sticking a finger into an electrical outlet
- falling out of a tree
- hanging himself accidentally on the gym set
ADHD IS AN ADULT …
- flunking out of college
- spending 10 years going to college
- going to eight different colleges
- changing majors five times
- not going to college
- flunking out of high school
- feeling stupid
- feeling inadequate
- feeling like a failure
- being fired from jobs
- going from job to job
- getting jobs below his intellectual ability
- feeling frustrated at being “passed over”
- having marital problems
- having financial problems
- having social problems and no friends
- getting divorced
- having mva accidents
- getting involved in substance abuse
- dying from mva, drugs, alcohol, road rage
