You Have A.D.D./A.D.H.D. and You Will NOT Be Rich and Famous
This is very bad news for those who want to believe that having A.D.D./A.D.H.D. is like having fairy dust with magical powers. Even worse, this is bad news for those who promote this snake-oil nonsense. So what’s the news? Simply stated, there are NO positive aspects of A.D.D./A.D.H.D. That’s right! If you have A.D.D./A.D.H.D. you are screwed. Get used to it. Learn to live it. Learn how to create a decent life for yourself despite having “the scourge.”
The authors of ADHD in Adults: What The Science Says note that there are those who “claim that adults with ADHD are more intelligent, more creative, more ‘lateral’ in their thinking, more optimistic, more entrepreneurial, and better able to handle crises than those without the disorder. Similar advocates of adult ADHD have gone so far as to assert that the disorder conveys some positive benefit. [...] none of these claims have any scientific support at this time.” They go on to note that research looking at adults with ADHD and at longitudinal studies that follow children into adulthood “provid[e] no support for the view that ADHD produces positive benefits in adults with the disorder.” (pg. 2)
Let’s make sure we understand their point – there are NO positive benefits to having A.D.H.D. Anyone who says otherwise is full of beans and is simply trying to sell books/CDs/seminar tickets/subscriptions and other products. The carnival barkers who shout “A.D.H.D. Is A Gift From God” may have good intentions. However, by dispensing this poppycock as “science,” they are deceiving the public and their intended audience – adult A.D.H.D.ers and parents of A.D.H.D.ers. (One might also say they are deceiving themselves!) Further, they are doing their audience a great disservice and, in fact, are setting them up for failure and heartbreaking disappointment.
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Imagine that you have a child born with a severe leg muscle atrophy. Your child may learn to crawl but never walk. What would you say to a doctor that tells you, “That leg muscle atrophy is the greatest thing. It’s like a gift waiting to be unwrapped!” Would you rap the doctor across the face? Would you ask if he received his medical diploma in a Cracker Jacks box? Would you get angry because the doctor is minimizing the severity of the problem? So, what would you say to a doctor who lists all of the “problems” associated with Adult A.D.H.D. while, at another time, tells you it is a gift waiting to be unwrapped?
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Dr. Hallowell lists the following “magical” properties of Adult A.D.H.D. I wonder how any of these things confer special benefits:
- A sense of underachievement, of not meeting one’s goals (regardless of how much one has actually accomplished).
- Difficulty getting organized.
- Chronic procrastination or trouble getting started.
- Many projects going simultaneously; trouble with follow through.
- A tendency to say what comes to mind without necessarily considering the timing or appropriateness of the remark.
- A frequent search for high stimulation.
- An intolerance of boredom.
- Easy distractibility;
- Often creative, intuitive, highly intelligent [See note below]1
- Trouble in going through established channels and following “proper” procedure.
- Impatient; low tolerance of frustration.
- Impulsive, either verbally or in action, as an impulsive spending of money.
- Changing plans, enacting new schemes or career plans and the like; hot-tempered.
- A tendency to worry needlessly, endlessly; a tendency to scan the horizon looking for something to worry about, alternating with attention to or disregard for actual dangers.
- A sense of insecurity.
- Mood swings, mood lability, especially when disengaged from a person or a project.
- Physical or cognitive restlessness.
- A tendency toward addictive behavior.
- Chronic problems with self-esteem.
- Inaccurate self-observation.
- Family history of AD/HD or manic depressive illness or depression or substance abuse or other disorders of impulse control or mood.
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- Interesting how this one slipped in here…as if one was the “cause” of the other. Let’s start singing: “One of these things is not like the others. One of these things, doesn’t belong.”↩
Chuck,
Re >>Smart people have infinite layers of self BS, shame, feelings of fakery, and all around disconnectedness simply because so few connect with their thinking patterns, and so many artfully try to connect with, and research, the fog of appearance.
So I do take the side, the admittedly anecdotal side, that many, many smart people hit that awful wall of ‘context’ out there in the woods of life, and burn out their engine up to their axles in the muck of appearances.<<
I wish I had read your post a lot sooner than I did! For years–for decades, in fact–I too “burned out my engine up to the axles in the muck of appearances.” Of course, it didn’t help that for most of that time, I didn’t know WHAT I was fighting or why I couldn’t keep up appearances no matter how hard I tried.
No more, though…goodbye to all that! While I may not be any better than I used to be in the appearances department–YET!–I don’t think I’m any worse either.
A belated THANK YOU for that post!
–Linda
Linda wrote: I disagree with the premise of the book being reviewed here, which is why I didn’t comment very much on this thread. I would NEVER shell out $55 for a book telling me “science” says I am not creative, or that my creativity and my ADD are not closely intertwined, when I happen to know they ARE. I wouldn’t pay even $1 for it–in fact, I wouldn’t take it if you gave it to me. I suspect we’ll be seeing a lot of copies of that book on the remainder tables pretty soon. Its natural “target audience” is simply not going to be interested in a theory that is not just disempowering but WRONG.
—–
Linda, I’m afraid you have misunderstood the point of the book in question. Please don’t let the propagandists tell you what the book is about. Either read it for yourself or not. But it is most unfair to perpetuate a wrong-headed myth.
I can assure you: If not for serious scientist such as Dr. Barkley, people with ADHD would still be fighting to be understood. They would also be fighting to have their treatment covered by insurance and their children protected in school by accommodations policies.
You think all of that infrastructure comes from Gift gadflies making the media rounds to wax rhapsodic about ADHD? No, it does not. It’s science that gives us an understanding of what it is we’re dealing with, so we can proceed accordingly. It is not fairy tales.
If you don’t want the science influencing public policy, that’s your right. But many others do. And they know how tenuous a grasp we have on ADHD being accepted as a valid medical condition. They’d prefer it not jeopardized.
Linda,
There are really a few issues here.
First, we can’t cherry pick the scientific findings. The findings do not point to a bright future for A.D.D.ers. Those who DO have a bright future are the exception to the rule, statistical outliers.
Second, those of us here who are A.D.D.ers are, obviously, outliers. Sure we have our struggles and such, but the fact that we are A.D.D.ers and we are articulate, well, that’s not the norm.
Third, and this builds upon the previous item, it is easy to assume a causal link between A.D.D. and intelligence (or comedic talents) since we see them in tandem. Of course, we only see those “who made it.”
Last, and this is to emphasize Gina’s point, if not for the science, we would still be classifying A.D.D. as a moral issue and not an issue that is a real biologically-based condition. If we were still seeing A.D.D. as an issue of morals, well, there are a lot of great medications that would have never seen the light of day. (Long Live Vyvanse!!)
Gina and Linda,
This is how I think about this(I have weird ways of thinking about things BTW)> When I lived in town, people from different “religions”(I use that word for this)would knock on my door, and ask me to listen to what they believe. I would invite them in, and listen. And then take all the free publications they offered.
I liked reading them later, and would find many things I liked about they’re religion’s. Other things were obviously “Sales Gimmicks”(the way I see it) to coax me into whatever they thought was true to them.
My point is…I benefited from the visit, and what I learned about them. But I did’nt give my life to them. I took the good, and used it. I did’nt stick my fingers in my ears, and cuss them out, and slam the door in they’re faces, even when I did’nt like them personaly, I could’nt judge every thing they said…just some of it.
Scott.
Linda,
If you read “Delivered from Distraction” you will certainly not be disappointed. It has a prominent place in my bookcase, if that is in fact the book we are talking about here. The science will educate you and the heartfelt camaraderie you will find will speak to your heart.
I’m not really sure who the Gift gadflies are or the propagandists, but I can tell you that Dr Hallowell is a graduate of Harvard, Tulane Medical School, and was a faculty member at Harvard Medical School for twenty years before he left to put a public face to ADD so that many people could understand their brain wiring and how it affects their lives. If you can find a copy of his appearance on The Jane Pauley Show from 2005, this is the segment that exposed me to the idea that ADD is not just for little boys anymore. He was, as far as I know, the first person to bring this condition to public attention.
Jeff, I think in fact the science that has identified the diagnosis is exactly what gives us hope for success. 504 plans and IEP’s level the playing field in schools. Newer meds have given us more choices for treatment. Increasing public awareness is helping to identify patients. A bright future with great hope is becoming a reality for many who will still struggle with symptoms. A combination of therapy and the right mix of meds should allow even the worst sufferers to choose and live very successful lives.
One needs to get the right help, and of course, have a positive attitude!
I have no time for anyone selling me something I haven’t asked about. Or, that I can’t kind of have a look at as I walk past. But don’t anybody come knocking on my door, or accosting me on the street. As a therapist, I have long practiced the art of wooing nature; that is, comporting myself and setting the conditions such that a person disposed positively toward salutary change is most likely to notice the ripening peaches on the branch above and begin to consider reaching out to touch one.
So, while I want everyone to know that the “gift,” if any, is not at all related to the wrapping, if any. Think of the kid who prefers to play with the box the present came in and you’ll have my view of the people who imagine they are gifted but whether they are, or not, are still distracted by the paper or the box, and still haven’t got down to examining the contents which are likely to be pretty much the same as everybody else has, with some differences just to keep things interesting. And, and as long as they keep messing with the box and paper, they don’t have to reckon with the contents, all the while enjoying the illusion of how cool the stuff in the box is. Of course, it might be very cool; but there is no guarantee on that and more people have been disappointed, than not.
Now I expect I’ll be tarred and feathered soon enough, but I figure, as does Gina, that if a person wants some accommodations, it’s inappropriate to prance about as though one has no need of them.
Gina,
Re >>If you don’t want the science influencing public policy, that’s your right. But many others do. And they know how tenuous a grasp we have on ADHD being accepted as a valid medical condition. They’d prefer it not jeopardized.<<
When did I say I don’t want the science influencing public policy? And WHY are you jumping to that conclusion and a whole bunch of other totally unwarranted conclusions based upon what I did say?
You don’t have any idea what my thoughts are about any of that, so don’t assume you do.
–Linda
Linda, I am responding to your words, not your thoughts.
Deb,
Re >>If you read “Delivered from Distraction” you will certainly not be disappointed. It has a prominent place in my bookcase, if that is in fact the book we are talking about here. The science will educate you and the heartfelt camaraderie you will find will speak to your heart.<<
I have read “Delivered from Distraction,” but it’s been awhile and I should probably read it again. I didn’t realize that was the book we were talking about here. I thought we were discussing the book Jeff reviewed in his lead post, “ADHD in Adults: What the Science Says.” That’s the one I said I wouldn’t pay even $1.00 for, let alone $55!
I don’t understand how “science” measures creativity anyway. Intelligence–MAYBE, although there are many different kinds of intelligence. The kinds measured by the traditional IQ tests and college entrance exams are linguistic and math ability, and I’m fine with that. I have no argument with it, as far as it goes.
But creativity is a whole other game and operates by a different set of rules entirely. Often they don’t look like “rules” at all to an outsider, but if you are going to create you have no choice but to learn them and accept them on their own terms. Creativity has a strong element of magic in it, or at the very least what is usually “holistic thinking” as opposed to linear thinking.
In other words, creativity is a left-brain function and not a right-brain function. The scientific method is a very valuable tool as far as it goes, but when it comes to evaluating creativity it seems to me it’s simply the wrong tool for the job.
That has been my biggest objection to the premise of Jeff’s lead post all along, and I don’t know it took me so many weeks to say it. The title of this post was also a HUGE mistake on Jeff’s part. I like Jeff very much, but that title is an unmitigated disaster! If all of us who post here are “outliers” in the sense that we are unusually articulate (and I have no argument with that assessment), then you DON’T use the second person, saying “YOU have ADD/ADHD and YOU will not be rich and famous.”
I mean…if you say YOU I think it means ME!!! What else am I supposed to think? So my initial response is quite naturally, “Is this the latest remake of ‘Anatomy is Destiny’? If I believed you for one minute I’d cut my throat!”
–Linda
Correcting an error in my last post: I should have said “creativity is a right-brain function and not a left-brain function” instead of the other way around.
I’m either more tired or more upset than I knew if I got the hemispheres of the brain reversed. Sorry about that!
–Linda
Gina,
Re >>Linda, I am responding to your words, not your thoughts.<<
I’m not so sure about that. It sounds to me like you have me confused with someone else.
–Linda
Jeff wrote: “The findings do not point to a bright future for A.D.D.ers. Those who DO have a bright future are the exception to the rule, statistical outliers.”
Just to clarify: The less-than-bright future is predictable, in general, for unaddressed ADHD symptoms.
g
I have learned alot, and I am still learning, the way the brain (ABSOLUTELY, this is TRUE, it’s a FACT..etc)works, and affects the way our mind and body functions. I learned the hard way. Whether anyone in the world beleives me is irrelevant. I just KNOW.
The same thing goes for A.D.D.. I just KNOW how A.D.D. affects me. Everyone who has A.D.D. KNOWS how A.D.D. affects them personaly. Whether we KNOW why or don’t KNOW why IS relevant. We must learn why A.D.D. affects our minds.
I KNOW for a fact, that our brains control our minds, and so A.D.D. is caused by a mal-function in our brains. Mal-function is not, nor ever will be a good thing. I am only stating obvious facts, so far, not because I think I am telling anyone here something they don’t already KNOW.
But it just my way of leading into this> The title of this post was written that way, not to state a fact, but to address the way some people/authors..etc want us to beleive the opposite. It also makes me want to read it, and understand the reason Jeff chose to title this post that way. (this is only my opinion, I am in no way whatsoever speaking for Jeff, or even know that I am right about the reason for the title)
I like to, and often do mention the post http://jeffsaddmind.com/brain-tumors-do-not-exist-141.htm As Paul Harvey would said: “Now, heres the rest of the story.” You/me/we have to read the whole story, before judging the title.
Political commentaters make me laugh, when they take a few words or sententces from a speech, and LIE about what the speech was about, and think I don’t know what the speech was realy about. I think it was in about the 1st grade, when I learned the phrase “Don’t read a book by it’s cover.” So in other words, anyone that may cut themselves or be depressed when they read this title, I think is nothing to be concerned about, unless an adult is letting they’re 5-6 yr. children read it.
Imagine that you have a child born with a severe leg muscle atrophy. Your child may learn to crawl but never walk. What would you say to a doctor that tells you, “That leg muscle atrophy is the greatest thing. It’s like a gift waiting to be unwrapped!” Would you rap the doctor across the face? Would you ask if he received his medical diploma in a Cracker Jacks box? Would you get angry because the doctor is minimizing the severity of the problem? So, what would you say to a doctor who lists all of the “problems” associated with Adult A.D.H.D. while, at another time, tells you it is a gift waiting to be unwrapped?
Jeff,
maybe you should check out the lyrics to “Moonshadow” by Cat Stevens!
Face it, some people you just can’t hold down!
Some people like to fret, worry, and whine. Where does that get you. My brother is one of you, he’s a great guy-I love to get drunk with him-its the only time he lightens up-and he’s a TON of fun.
There is a lot of research re: the roots of adult happiness (oops, sounds like a book I read once) and depression. Dr Daniel Amen said several very insightful things, one being, “If you want to know if someone is depressed, spend 5 minutes in a room with them, if you leave depressed, then you know they are”. Negativity is intimately involved in the mind body connection. If you like looking at the glass half empty, good for you-but life is so much better for everyone if we don’t have to get you drunk to enjoy talking to you. It’s not reality, its depression. Reality for adults is taking the good with the bad, facing up to problems and sometimes making lemonade out of lemons.
Betsy,
Though a tar and feathering does sound fun, I would much rather sit under the tree with you enjoying those peaches – especially if you let me believe I found them all by myself and chose to share them with you. How lovely! Let’s let Jeff find all the ones with the worms. After all, in the fullness of time the worms will eventually win out anyway.
Maybe while we are there, you could help me understand why a person that wanted accommodations would prance around like they didn’t need them. Oh well, the “ADD community” is a rather quirky bunch!
I think the whole point behind that “gift” metaphor is so you won’t spend so much time out of your life fussing with the box and the paper. You are suppose to find something inside the box. I hope you would agree that there is at least ONE good peach for everyone (OK, I’ll cut the worm out for Jeff-because some of his posts are making me smile).
Today is Sun and I’m not going to worry about where the damn veg-o-matic is hiding, I know it is somewhere close by, but I am not going to let it get to me today. There is always tomorrow, Mon,
for that.
Wish I could get that stupid Sesame Street song out of my head…… I never realized how creepy it really is.
I would ask him to hand it to me. Then I would smell it first, and if it smelled like Memphis pulled pork……I would open it, and taste it, then make a descision.
Scott,
WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT!!!!!!!
Deb,
Re >>Scott,
WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT!!!!!!!<<
Check out the beginning of the Comments section on this thread, and you’ll see that there’s a string of “Memphis Pulled Pork” in-jokes there. That’s what he was referring to.
So don’t worry about Scott…or at least don’t worry about Scott any more than about yourself or the rest of us. He was just having a little bit of a delayed reaction there.
–Linda
Oh, my! I am so relieved.
I didn’t know if he was talking about a peach, or something else…
My mind was, again, going places it shouldn’t.
I apologize for the misunderstanding, but I have just had the best laugh I have had in a month!
My bad.
Linda,
I thought this might be interesting to you. Left and right hemispheres, you were right both times. It was discovered that these L&R Hems are reversed in some people. I’m not trying to sound smart(because I’m not)but I have devoted much of my time lately to reading about the brain.
I do know MY Left side controls my speech and Right side motor skills, hand writing mostly…for now. I’m keeping both L&R hand fingers crossed, that it won’t go any further. So far.. thats worked..lol.
Scott.
Linda — sorry if I was unclear. I was responding to your post, specifically this part:
“I disagree with the premise of the book being reviewed here, which is why I didn’t comment very much on this thread. I would NEVER shell out $55 for a book telling me “science” says I am not creative, or that my creativity and my ADD are not closely intertwined, when I happen to know they ARE. … Its natural “target audience” is simply not going to be interested in a theory that is not just disempowering but WRONG.”
But then I went on to use the rhetorical “you.” Sorry if I confused you.
Scott, thanks for the laughs and whimsy.
Gina,
Your welcome! Here’s the hidden message in my silly mind> The joke was me pointing out the earlier comment I made about looking at the whole story, or all the comments in this case.
Sometimes(probably most times)my thoughts make sense to me….only.
Scott.
Yikes, I should have used correct structure in my last sentence….Instead of ..”to me…only”… Should have been “only to me”.
Maybe my L&R hemispheres trade places sometimes…hmmmm
Scot,
I think your structure is just fine the way it is.
My laugh was not at your post, I get it, and agree with you.
My belly laugh was at where my mind went with your comment, disembodied from everything we were talking about.
I know what you mean, sometimes MY MIND constructs the joke that is only understood by me.
Boy, I really crack myself up.
Deb,
You are very right about me going completely off topic, in a way. It’s something that has been with me most my life. And probably driven people away from me, or I should say, interupted conversations, when something popped in my head, and then I am consumed with that thought, and feel a need to tell this great thing I thought about, before they have a chance to finish what they are talking about.
Who wants to hear Scotty talk about this great idea he just came up with? Nobody, and it drives em away from me, because they know I will probably hit several topics, and go on talking, and never get back the first topic.
…and I am so intense about so many things. People think I am tightly wound, but its just that I am so interested in so many things, all at once. I have to really police myself or I can dominate conversations without even realizing it.
I have asked my close friends to please stop me because I have no sense of time and I could go on for a long time about an interesting topic, or two, or three, or….
“All at once.” There it is! Three words. You hit the nail on the head. Or brain, I should say.
What Jeff and Gina said.
Just wanted to join the thread.