How NOT To Cure ADD/ADHD

I recently visited the ADD Forums¹ and noticed the Google ad below (circled in red). The ad caught my attention ESPECIALLY since it claims to CURE ADD/ADHD. So I took the red pill and clicked on the ad.

The Google ad took me to a “confessional” page. (Link is here.) I read through the page. At the bottom of the page was a link to 3 Steps to Conquering ADD-ADHD.

At the website 3 Steps to Conquering ADD-ADHD the word “cure” almost completely disappeared (except in one case which I will examine at the end of this post). Remember, the first ad used the word “cured.”  Now I only see words like “conquer,” “eliminate” (but only in the context of eliminating symptoms). So, the buildup to my arrival at this site began with an advertisement that claimed it had a cure. That led me to a pseudo-confessional which seemed real (it has a number of typographical and grammatical errors…like a “real” person wrote it) but which, on closer examination, NEVER used the word “cure.” Finally it brought me to 3 Steps to Conquering ADD-ADHD where, again, the word “cure” is almost as scarce as hen’s teeth.

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There was something that really bothered me about the “3 Steps” website. It was misleading. On my journey to the site (the Google Ad, then to the confessional page, then to the site itself) I felt that I was getting closer and closer to the truth. In actuality, I was being deceived by degrees. How this was done is worthy of examination since the same deceptive marketing techniques are used over and over again, not only on the Internet but in print, television and radio.² It is a set of techniques where you, the mark, are led to believe what the confidence man wants you to believe. The con man makes no overt claims but simply sets up various associations. You, however, fill in the blanks thereby taking you closer to the real purpose which is to get you to willingly hand over some of your money.

Truth by Juxtaposition

One technique used to make a lie seem like the truth is to place it next to familiar and trusted symbols. All three institutions are well-known and well-respected. However, there is NOTHING on the 3steps website that indicates that any of these institutions have claimed to be able to eliminate ADD/ADHD other than the self-proclaimed statement “They ALL agree….”. The website offers no relevant links. It allows you, the website visitor, to make the implied connection.

Here is another example of Truth by Juxtaposition. It is easy to assume that these magazines must have endorsed the product. After all, their images are right next to the product that is being sold. Guess what. Again no links. You are free to make the association between the magazines and the product. From a moral perspective you may feel hoodwinked. From a legal perspective, no claim is being made that the products are endorsed, or even reviewed, by the magazines.

Truth by Unsubstantiated Claim

Here we see that the miracle book they are selling has been named the number one self-help book for A.D.D. for two years in a row. Well, that’s fantastic! Just one question, “WHO proclaimed it number one?” Seems they never tell us.

Truth by Imitation

Check out the logo for this research institute. Wow! Impressive! They must have serious money backing up their research. It looks like a legitimate institute. Even the name is impressive. I felt I should find out more about it. However a Google search was fruitless. This institute does not exist.

Here’s another example of Truth by Imitation. Sure looks like an Amazon review, doesn’t it? Except it is not. No link back to Amazon. No link to the other 300+ reviews.

Truth By Sharing A Secret

Everyone loves a secret and sure enough, the book contains lots of secrets. Those who are are sympathetic to conspiracies will fall for this one because they know that there are lots of things the government/drug manufacturers, etc., do not want you to know. If it is a secret…it must be true.

Conclusion

Is this the long-awaited miracle cure? Not likely. A cure gets rid of something…permanently. You get the measles. You take the cure. After some time the measles goes away. It’s gone. Will the same happen with ADD? In other words, buy the book, follow the technique, cure ADD? Well…no. Not really. In fact, everything is worded very carefully. The site talks about eliminating symptoms. It does not explicitly talk about curing ADD though that may be the logical implication. However, the website claims over and over that the symptoms can be controlled. It does not say ADD/ADHD can be cured. But there is one exception. Note the second sentence in the screen shot below. Here it says you can “Eliminate Your ADD-ADHD.” That seems to imply a cure.

Might the techniques described in the book help you to control ADD/ADHD? It is very possible. However,  controlling is not the same as eliminating. Therefore this book is no better than many of the other books on the market that purportedly control ADD/ADHD. There’s no compelling reason to purchase this book unless, of course, you’ve been duped.

1. IMPORTANT NOTE: The ADD Forums is only serving the Google Ads and, therefore, is not responsible for the particular ads that appear on its site. ↩
2. Of course, implementing these techniques requires they be adapted to the particular needs of the medium used.↩

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