Women and ADHD - what do you think?

[bluedaisy]

My mom sent me this article:

http://health.msn.com/health-topics/...1020&gt1=31001

on women and ADHD. She had seen a segment on a TV show about it recently and thinks she has ADHD, and she sees a lot of the symptoms in me also.

I am VERY skeptical of big pharma and tend to think they classify personality traits as "disorders" in order to push drugs. i have to admit that when i read the article, that was the first thing I thought.

Some of the things in the article describe me - disorganized, always misplacing things, jumping from one task to another and not finishing things, etc. But other things don't describe me at all. I love to read and have always excelled at school. I've never had a problem with jobs that I've had.

And, I think about 90% of women I know fit at least one trait of ADHD that they described.

What do you think? are there really 5 million american women with ADHD, or is it just a personality thing?

[SquishyKitty]

I think that a lot of people don't feel "Perfect" and start to see themselves with traits like ADD, Aspergers, etc.

Honestly, I have been diagnosed with it. I know I have had it my whole life, but my mom's distrust of "Big Pharma" and "The Man" stopped me from getting the help I needed. School was awful for me, I couldn't make or keep friends easily, and to this day I am still a disorganized mess.

I think that, just like with horoscopes, the info is so vague and broad, that anybody could look in and see bits and pieces of what they percieve in themselves.

When it gets to the point where it really disrupts your life, your relationships, and your job, then I think it's an issue.

I also don't think it should just be ignored, simply because there are drugs that work for it, that are pushed by "Big Pharma". There are lots of routes to take to manage it without drugs, or with very mild drugs that have no addictive tendencies.

[lindberg99]

Originally Posted by SquishyKitty

When it gets to the point where it really disrupts your life, your relationships, and your job, then I think it's an issue.

That's what I think. I mean, those first sentences of the article "Your desk is a mess, and you can forget about completing your to-do list—you don't even have one. Your mind darts from one thought to the next. And that handbag you’ve been madly searching for on your way out the door? Yes, it's already on your shoulder." totally describe me.

But it's not something that really affects my life. My desk is a mess mainly because I'm too lazy to keep it clean.

[sunshadow]

I use to think ADHD wasn't *real* or at least wasn't for most people who were diagnosed. That was until after years of trying and failing at almost everything I did I started to look into what exactly it was a little more. I think it's only if the person with the symptoms is struggling that they need to worry if it's real or not (for them) and if they can be helped by using tricks that help people with ADHD or taking meds, then so be it. If they have some symptoms, but otherwise are happy then I guess it doesn't matter so much. I personally don't want to take meds. but it does have a really big impact on my life. I am just trying to work with it.

[Ophelia]

I have had trouble with certain things most of my life (worsens as I get older) and just got diagnosed with ADHD/inattentive (I don't have the hyper part but my kid does!!) and i'm in my late 30's. Have been struggling since late high school.

I know what you mean about over-diagnosing and big pharma. But I see it this way:

sure, everyone procrastinates sometimes
sure, everyone forgets sometimes
sure, everyone has trouble completing tasks sometimes
etc etc

HOWEVER when it starts interfering with your life and happens most or all of the time (family, school, job) then there's probably something going on.

PLUS, what I am learning is you don't have to have all of the symptoms. Like i mentioned, I'm not hyper, I'm not usually impulsive, I don't take on too many tasks, etc, but I still have it.

That said, 5 million american women with ADHD sounds like quite a stretch to me.

[eireann]

Originally Posted by bluedaisy

I am VERY skeptical of big pharma and tend to think they classify personality traits

im skeptical of that tendency from anyone, period. likewise, its not *always* due to a home birth, a hospital birth, EBF, formula, not vaxing, vaxing, parenting, a vitamin deficiency, a midline issue, a metal issue, a detox issue...it can be just a personality quirk/trait. its tough because we all want answers and sometimes its just the way it is. people can get perilously close to creating problems out of normal phases, and thats what pharma LOVES to see and capitalize on.

my brother-in-law banged his head and held his poop for extended periods of time when he was young. he was the last of 4 boys and screamed when he wanted attention. the medical community would probably want to medicate him if he was a child in this day and age. btw, he's a totally normal, healthy, athletic, smart, socially loved (and loves to be social), successful man who earned a masters, teaches, coaches kids, and is without any deep dark demons. it was just what he did as a kid.