Overcoming the Major Myths About ADHD
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder has been much in the news in the past decade. Despite that -- or possibly because of it -- myths about ADHD continue to run rampant.
The America media are replete with myths about ADHD, one of those ailments that so many people dismiss as "modern diseases" -- as if that makes them any less valid. Sadly, the common knowledge about Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder is more myth than fact, which makes it all the more difficult to pin down.
At Mythbusters, we can help you cut through all that. Now, we're not here to give you medical advice; that's something we'll never try to do. But what we will tell you is how some of the most basic ADHD myths are plain and simply wrong, and supply you with the truth of the matter.
Myth 1: ADHD doesn't really exist.
Tell that to the decades and decades of scientific research that says otherwise. This myth about ADHD appears to start with individuals who believe that the drug companies and medical profession are over-medicating a large part of the juvenile population.
The truth is, however, doctors have been studying the pattern of lack of impulse control, inability to concentrate, and hyperactivity seriously for more than 60 years. Their name for it may change occasionally, but it's been recognized by the courts, Congress, and the National Institutes of Health, among other organizations.
Myth 2: ADHD is caused by bad parenting.
This myth about ADHD makes for a handy excuse -- but again, it's not what the body of research on ADHD says. According to all the studies, it's genetics, and not environment, that accounts for most ADHD symptoms. In other words, you can blame ADHD on Mom and Dad's genes, not on the way they raise their kids.
That's not to say that parenting styles don't have an effect on existing ADHD symptoms. Findings show that excessive criticism of an ADHD child, as well as overly commanding and negligent parental behavior, can worsen ADHD symptoms and give rise to "comorbid" oppositional and conduct disorders.
Myth 3: Kids outgrow ADHD.
Here's another myth about ADHD that doesn't stand up to further scrutiny. Some ADHD kids do get better as they get older, but most don't -- at least, not without medication. Untreated, ADHD sufferers end up displaying a variety of comorbid psychological disorders later in life, and are more likely to suffer academic failure and social isolation than their peers.
Myth 4: Girls are less likely to have ADHD than boys.
While it's true that fewer girls are treated for ADHD, that appears to be because they're less likely to get diagnosed for it -- not because they're less likely to have disorder. According to several recent studies, girls have ADHD at the same levels as boys. Gender doesn't matter in a broad, general sense.
The difference is that ADHD symptoms tend to be more internal among girls. They don't act out as much as boys; instead, ADHD is more likely to affect girls by impairing intellectual growth. This myth among many myths about ADHD probably came about because ADHD girls are quieter and less likely to be referred for treatment than boys.
