Eyeglasses, ADHD, and Stigma: Part 1
A man went to an optometrist to get his eyes tested and asked, “Hey, will I be able to read after wearing glasses?” “Yes, of course,” said the doctor, “why not!” “Oh! How nice …
Myth-Busting
We don’t lack for information on Adult ADHD. But, unfortunately, we also don’t lack for myths. Which is which?
I wrote these Adult ADHD myth-busting posts early in the ADHD Roller Coaster’s life, starting in 2008.
By now, some of these myths are well-understood — but not by everyone!
—Gina Pera
Myth #5: ADHD Exists To Make Big Pharma Rich
Myth #5: “ADHD Exists To Make Big Pharma Rich” Conspiracy theorists take note: The discovery that neurostimulant medications can mitigate ADHD symptoms happened accidentally. In 1937. And, it took 50 years for the discovery to …
Myth #4: Modern Life Makes Us All ADHD’ish
Myth #4: “Modern Life Makes Us All ADHD’ish” It can indeed seem that way. But there’s a difference between ADHD and ADHD’ish. Living in the accelerated 21st century, it’s easy to get so overwhelmed and …
Myth #3: ADHD Symptoms are Simply Human Behaviors
Taken singly, ADHD symptoms do resemble typical human behaviors—because they are. But there’s nothing “simple” about it. “ADHD is a matter of severity, an exaggeration of normal human behaviors,” explains physician, author, and ADHD expert …
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Myth #2: ADHD Is An Excuse for Irresponsibility
“ADHD Is An Excuse for Irresponsibility.” Psychologist and ADHD expert J. Russell Ramsay has heard that line so many times he’s named it one of his top three myths about ADHD (the other two …
Myth #1: “ADHD is for Kids!”
Is ADHD for kids only? Clearly, no. But we didn’t always know that. Until the 1990s, most medical professionals viewed ADHD as a diagnosis only for children, specifically physically hyperactive children. (A few in the …
ADHD Myth-Busting Series: Introduction
Throughout history, whenever we haven’t clearly understood a phenomenon, myths have substituted and passed for knowledge. As more of us learn about ADHD, the common misconceptions we encounter (especially in comments to news articles!) may …
French Kids Don’t Have ADHD? Wrong
Have you heard that “French kids don’t have ADHD?” It’s not true. French Kids do have ADHD—as do children around the globe, at generally the same prevalence rate. When the post first appeared on Psychology …
Dr. Thomas E. Brown Responds to NYT’s Alan Schwarz
You will never find a balanced news article about Adult ADHD on The New York Times front page. Same for the Op-Ed section. This has never been the case with the Washington Post. The …
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Do “NeuroMyths” Hamper Children’s Education?
True or false? Fact or “neuromyth”? Individuals learn better when they receive information in their preferred learning style (for example, visual, auditory or kinesthetic). This axiom has long been accepted as a “truism” in education. …
