The Stress Brought About By ADHD On Your Marriage

Source: af.mil

Raising a kid with ADHD can strain your marriage, but if you have the proper steps to deal with the condition, the relationship can be saved from being broken. A happy marriage is one of the best gifts that you can give to your child. Studies suggest that a child may develop good friendships and romantic relationships when they grow up.

“For kids, ADHD can interfere with their school work, their relationships with other people, and how they view themselves in the world. These symptoms can persist into adulthood, causing work and relationship problems,” writes Dr. Kathleen Smith, PhD, LPC, a mental health journalist for popular websites like New York Magazine, Thought Catalog, Salon, and Slate.

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ADHD: Is it Over Diagnosed?

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Introduction

In 1936, Benzedrine was first used to treat children displaying symptoms of Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder ADHD. At that time, the condition was referred to as hyperkinetic impulse disorder. In 1955, Ritalin was introduced as a treatment. In 1980, two types of disorders were listed:  Attention Deficit Disorder with hyperactivity and without. Hyperactivity was considered a fairly rare side effect of the disorder. In 1987, the current symptoms of ADHD were defined. By the 1990s, because of parental awareness and the improved ability to diagnose the symptoms, the number of diagnoses increased significantly.

Diagnosis of ADHD is difficult, as it often relies upon subjective reports of the symptoms. Very often, the diagnosis consists of eliminating other causes of the troubling behavior. Usually, a pediatrician and a psychologist will carry out an assessment. The child’s academic, social, and emotional functioning will be evaluated. Rick Nauert, PhD, points this out, “Nevertheless, the current study shows that in order to avoid a misdiagnosis of ADHD and premature treatment, it is crucial for therapists not to rely on intuition but strictly adhere to well-defined, established diagnostic criteria.”

Overdiagnosis is a concern as unnecessary treatment of children burdens them with avoidable side effects. According to psychiatrists, Ritalin is overprescribed.

The argument for misdiagnosis

Data collected by researchers at the Ruhr-Universitat Bochum RUB and the University of Basle confirm that ADHD is over-diagnosed, with boys being over-diagnosed substantially more often than girls. The researchers studied 473 German child and adolescent psychologists and psychiatrists. These medical practitioners supplied files that contained the signs and symptoms that had been used as the basis for the diagnosis of ADHD. The researchers found that there was insufficient information in three out of four of the cases to make a diagnosis of ADHD. Despite this lack of information, between 9% and 13% of girls were diagnosed, and between 19% and 30 % of the boys. They also missed the diagnosis that should have been made in 23% of the girls and 20% of the boys. “In other words, the rate of diagnostic error among these same clinicians is at least 20 percent,” John M. Grohol, Psy.D. explains.

Also pointing to the high incidence of misdiagnosed ADHD are large differences in ADHD prevalence in the various states in the USA. For example, 14.8% of children in Kentucky have been diagnosed with ADHD, but only 5.6% in Colorado. This does not make sense since ADHD is physical in origin.

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Increases in the number of children diagnosed

The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention reported in 2011 that 11% of children in the United States had been diagnosed with ADHD. Of the 6.4 million children diagnosed, 4.2 million were taking stimulant drugs. Thirty years ago, the rate was estimated at between 3% and 5%. “Experts estimate that 5% is a realistic upper limit of children with the disorder, but in many areas of the country, as Watson found in Virginia, up to 33% of white boys are diagnosed with ADHD,”  Pieter Cohen, M.D., and co-authors say.

This increase could be through misdiagnosis. The diagnosis of ADHD is time-consuming and must be done through the process of elimination since so many other disorders have similar symptoms. The diagnosis has to include interviews with parents and teachers. Despite the need for a careful diagnosis, medical professionals are being put under pressure by parents, who, in turn, are being pressured by teachers to put their children on stimulants. Many of the medical professionals simply don’t have sufficient time to do a proper evaluation. The cost and time required to do the extensive evaluation required to diagnose ADHD have resulted in children being diagnosed on the anecdotal information supplied by parents and teachers.

A huge study was carried out in North Carolina by two epidemiologists at Duke University. They interviewed thousands of parents and children and found that between 1% and 2% of the children had ADHD. Many children taking stimulants were not sick, and others who were had not been identified. The results of this study were confirmed by several follow-up sessions.

Is Immaturity being diagnosed as ADHD?

Some believe that the increase in diagnoses could be related to the push for early childhood education. In 2010, the Journal of Health Economics reported that preschoolers born in August were twice as likely to be diagnosed with ADHD as those born in September. Those born in August are the youngest in the class and those born in September are the oldest in the class. This difference would account for 900,000 incorrect diagnoses. This suggests that there is overdiagnosis of children who are too young to cope with the demands they face. Children born one month prior to the September grade cutoff were 122% more likely to be diagnosed than those who were 11 months older. There were also similar findings of school age from studies in Taiwan, Iceland, Australia, and Canada.

The Father of ADHD supports the notion that the condition is overdiagnosed

Keith Connors, the father of ADHD, started studying the condition 50 years ago. He analyzed the data on the first Ritalin trials. He developed the impact scales and is largely responsible for ADHD becoming widely accepted as a disorder. He is convinced that the condition is being widely overdiagnosed.

He believes that drug companies have caused the false epidemic. In a bid to sell new and expensive drugs, they have used misleading advertising to convince parents and teachers that children might have undiagnosed ADHD. A National Institute of Health study also made people believe that drugs were more effective than therapy.

In his view, between 2% and 3% of children and adolescents have ADHD and should be treated. Children should never be treated without a full and thorough clinical history, including interviews with the child, parents, and teachers.

 

Source:creativitypost.com

Conclusion

Parents of children diagnosed with ADHD should be aware of the difficulty of diagnosing this disorder and should be satisfied that all other conditions have been ruled out and that all environmental conditions have been analyzed. They should not allow themselves to be pressured into allowing their child to carry the burden of misdiagnosed ADHD.

 

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/saving-normal/201603/keith-connors-father-adhd-regrets-its-current-misuse

www.madinamerica.com/2016/06/the-overdiagnosis-of-adhd/

http://www.health24.com/Medical/ADHD/About-ADHD/adhd-a-timeline-20170328

http://www.health24.com/Medical/ADHD/News/how-to-know-if-your-child-is-misdiagnosed-with-adhd-20160922

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/science-news/12189369/ADHD-is-vastly-overdiagnosed-and-many-children-are-just-immature-say-scientists.html

http://www.health24.com/Medical/ADHD/Overview/How-is-ADHD-diagnosed-20130205

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/315391.php

http://www.health24.com/Medical/ADHD/About-ADHD/adhd-a-timeline-20170328

http://www.psychiatryadvisor.com/adhd/a-true-adhd-epidemic-or-an-epidemic-of-overdiagnosis/article/429034/

Why You Shouldn’t Worry About Having ADHD

 

Source : rd.com

 

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, known simply as ADHD, is a brain-based biological condition wherein a person, especially children, has an excess of energy. The two most obvious and recognizable symptoms of ADHD are having an irresistible urge to fidget and being easily distracted by things. “Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder is a well-known affliction that is characterized by difficulties in impulse control, hyperactivity, and a reduced ability to concentrate for extended periods of time”
Samoon Ahmad, M.D. explains.

 

Although it is a lifelong condition, there are ways in which ADHD can be managed, given the right mindset.

 

ADHD is real

Source: adhd.newlifeoutlook.com

 

People are divided when it comes to the existence of ADHD. There are those who say that there is no such thing as ADHD and that it is only a bundle of different symptoms of over 20 conditions, such as anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and OCD, among others.

 

However, ADHD is not a new condition, as its discovery dates as far back as 1763, when Scottish physician Sir Arthur Crichton was able to note that some of his patients had trouble focusing on things. He also noted the fidgeting of these patients and their agitation. Joel L. Young, M.D. points out, “Evidence of ADHD exists at least as far back as the 18th century. Like much else, it’s only been in recent years that doctors have truly understood the condition. Some adults are reluctant to accept that which they can’t see or test with a single test. That doesn’t make ADHD any less real.”

 

In the U.S. alone, the Centers for Disease Control estimates that one in 11 children are diagnosed with ADHD, a steep rise of 42% in the numbers between 2003 and 2014. This a big problem for parents because of their fear of their children needing drugs such as Ritalin and Adderall to suppress symptoms of ADHD. “The vast majority of medications used to treat ADHD are stimulants,” Adi Jaffe, Ph.D., says. “Since the source of the problem is under-activity in the prefrontal cortex, the medication gets this part of the brain to rev up its activity and do a better job of focusing, switching attention, and controlling other important brain areas.”

 

These powerful stimulant drugs, although considered safe, do have negative side effects. Some of these side effects include paranoia, weight loss, appetite loss, insomnia, and, in very rare cases, heart damage.

 

Despite this, an estimated 6.1% of the American population aged 4 to 17 is taking these ADHD drugs as of 2011, as compared to only 4.8% in 2007. The statistics merely prove that ADHD is real and that there are people addressing the condition with the use of certain drugs.

 

All Gas, No Breaks

Source: entrepreneur.com

 

Modern science has allowed us to have scans of the brain, which clearly show a difference in when the brains of the people diagnosed with ADHD are scanned. Many scientists today believe that ADHD is a result of a malfunction in the brain, particularly in the prefrontal cortex, wherein the “executive functions” such as self-control, planning, and inhibition are processed.

 

The regions of this brain act as its filter, regulating things such as impulse control, attention, motivation, awareness of time, thinking before acting, and being resistant to distractions. The difference with those diagnosed with ADHD is that this filter in the brain is too permeable, therefore giving the person too much energy to do different things while finding it difficult to stop.

 

However, having ADHD should not be a problem. There are numerous ways in which ADHD can be managed. Medication, such as the administering of stimulant drugs, can help balance the chemicals in the brain, making the person able to focus more and control his/her actions.

 

Therapy is another option wherein social skills training plays a role in teaching people with ADHD to act appropriately in social situations. Having a support group can also help to remind you that there is no need to be anxious when diagnosed with ADHD.

                                                                                                                  

 

A Closer Look At ADHD

Source: mladiinfo.eu

Imagine yourself sitting in a room with your colleagues and the meeting isn’t halfway through but you keep on fidgeting on your seat and having difficulty concentrating on the tasks that you have at hand? You decide to go out of the office and take a long way home. Passing by the park, you decide to take a seat on the bench and maybe just clear your mind and your senses in an attempt to bring back your focus on things.

Pay attention to signs

Retracing your life mementos, it has always been like thisin your childhood days, it may not have been so apparent when your teacher scolded you more often than she did your seatmate because you were not listening to her because you were busy squirming on your seat or doodling some characters where your notes should have been. “The reason ADHD is so commonly diagnosed when school starts is because until school starts, there are not too many demands on children. In the remote past, of course, there were no schools at all, so there were unusually distractible kids, but there was no disorder,” Michael Karson, Ph.D., J.D. explains.

Adolescent and college years came, somehow tried to overcome the odds by joining sports that involve physical skills just to channel that overflowing energy in you but again you had a problem in trying to focus on the instructions being called out by the coach causing the whole team to lose the game. 

On your first day at work, you tried so hard to sit at your desk and finish the task, you finally succeeded for a couple of days, but soon your office mates find it unbearable to concentrate doing some tasks with you around as you keep on standing and walking into different directions while talking about that much-delayed project at hand.

Now, it looked clearer that something was not the usual in your behavior. It seems like your life is like a huge puzzle that you are trying to fit in, and when you are near completion, everything seems to look bland and gray, causing you to lose interest in what you are doing, and you then find yourself fleeting once more and searching for another thing that can spike up your interest and keep you glued for the moment.

Source: rd.com

Genes and those in between

The big question then comes to mind: was I born this way already? What could have caused it? Is it acquired? Before we launch our missiles directed to unending worry, let me sum it up for you.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder affects approximately 4.1% of the adult population and mostly affects men compared to their female counterparts. It affects children from 3 to 6 years old but can persist through adulthood.

It is brought about by genetics, exposure to chemicals such as high lead-containing paints, and environmental toxins in the perinatal phase. Cigarette smoking, alcoholism, and drug use, especially during pregnancy, play a major role in the development of ADHD.

Slowly but surely

Diagnosing a child or an adult with ADHD is one of the most difficult challenges that a clinician may face. There are no diagnostic tests or a single test that can help us arrive at that diagnosis. Results are mainly based on the statement or observation of the primary caretaker of the child or in cases of adults, recounting of events of the previous years can help make a concrete diagnosis. Lest we have to rule out any emotional disturbances prior to making the diagnosis. 

For adults, this disorder can manifest in a person as one who has low self-esteem, anxiety, depression, and difficulty in learning and communicating with colleagues. The bright side of it is that most of the individuals affected outgrow this difficulty and are able to carry on their work with utmost excellence.

“One take-home message might be that it is possible that different underlying mechanisms may cause similar symptoms in children and adults,” Eugene Rubin, M.D., Ph.D. wrote.

Seek Help

Children diagnosed with ADHD can have a hard time in concentrating on schoolwork and even participating in sports. Adept communication with the faculty and the parents can help devise a plan on how to minimize the effects of the disorder while helping the child learn on his own, this is especially true for children with concentration problems only and when they do not have any aggressive episodes.

Source: lifescript.com

Once the diagnosis is made, there are treatment modalities available, such as the use of psychostimulant drugs and psychotherapy. There are also drugs that help control inattentiveness and behavioral symptoms, such as clonidine (this drug has found its use in the treatment of hypertension), antidepressant drugs, and anti-anxiety drugs, alone or in combination. 

Psychotherapy is also especially helpful for adults and individuals who experience negative symptoms such as depression, anxiety, and restlessness.

Conclusion

Seeking professional help is not too late to determine if you have ADHD or not. Although this is most commonly diagnosed in children, teens and adults may also have late diagnosis and treatment until they feel that the symptoms are already taking a big change in their lives. Scott Shapiro, M.D. points out that “When you treat ADHD, the person begins to acquire the ability to achieve their goals, improve relationships, meet deadlines, remember to pick up the children, avoid accidents on the road, remember their tickets before driving to the airport and feel a lot more competent, confident and happy.”

Yoga Poses That Are Best For Depression


Misty has tried all possible alterna

Misty has tried all possible alternative treatments for ADHD, and so far, yoga has been doing her good. “It clears my mind, and I feel calm after doing different poses that my yoga instructor has been helping me with.” Her weekly yoga routines started when she felt an overwhelming depression that affected her daily activities. As if experiencing the symptoms of ADHD is not enough, having bouts of depression is a real struggle for Misty.

This article will present five basic poses that can help with depression and anxiety problems. If you have been suffering from depression lately and want to try out yoga for the first time, this can give you some information pertaining to the benefits of yoga.

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ADHD And Perfectionism

 

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Most of the time, ADHD is associated with halfway doing things, losing focus, and procrastination.  Many individuals don’t realize that many individuals with ADHD are perfectionists.   This can be a great quality to have in certain situations.  However, there are other situations in which perfectionism can get in the way of everyday life.   Perfectionism goes beyond doing the best you can do a job right.  Perfectionism means that you become extremely anxious over even the most minute details of a project.  This results in it taking longer to complete tasks on time.  The good news is that there are ways that you can combat perfectionism when you have ADHD.  Here are some things that you should know.

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Tips On Being The Best Parent You Can Be

 

source: newkidscenter.com

preparing to raise a child is something that can be exciting as well as frightening. Many parents and expectant parents look for counseling, books, magazines, and even advice from other parents for the common Do’s and Don’ts of parenthood. But how can we tell whether or not we are good? Are we confident enough that we’re going to be great parents? How can we tell that we have been parenting well? Is it by the actions and behaviors of our children or the accolades we receive?

The human nature in us will want to compete or even go as far as to criticize the parenting skills of other parents. Although this is almost unavoidable, it is important to note that parenting skills and tactics should be dealt with on a case by case basis.

How can we be the best parents we can be? Well, yes, providing the basic necessities of food, clothing, and shelter is a given, but any childcare specialist, parents, and even children will tell you that’s just not enough. How, then, can we really delve into our parenting niche? Here are some tips on how to be the best parent you can be.

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ADHD: Changing Family Dynamics

Source: abcnews.go.com

Upon knowing that your child has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), parents may feel an overwhelming sense of helplessness and frustration. “Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) involves a biological (usually genetic) set of traits that interfere with executive functioning (including self-regulation) found in roughly 8% of boys, 3% of girls, 5% of men, and 2% of women,” wrote Michael Karson, PhD, JD.

Parents might nitpick about pregnancy and their child’s habits, diet, and activities just to analyze which part they did wrong. It is extremely futile to traverse this route because the exact cause of the disorder is still unknown.

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Tips For Parents With ADHD Kids

 

Source: zeenews.india.com

 

ADHD, or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, can push through symptoms that can pose a lot of challenges. In fact, kids with ADHD can be demanding and taxing to parents.

According to clinical and school psychologist George Kapakla, Ph.D, who is also the author of the book “Parenting Your Out-of-control Child: An Effective, Easy-to-use Program for Teaching Self-control,” and two other books, kids with ADHD have the tendency to lose track of things. So, here are some practical tips for parents with ADHD kids:

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Why Am I So Angry

Source: i2.mirror.co.uk

Individuals with ADHD often find themselves also struggling with anger.  “In order to arrive at an accurate diagnosis of ADHD, it’s important to consider the role that anxiety—which often appears as anger—could be playing,” wrote Daniel Flint, MA.

These angry outbursts can quickly lead to individuals with ADHD feeling as if no one cares about them. You may find that you and your spouse have a fight and you just can’t help what you say or do, and it can get frustrating: https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/general/no-one-cares-about-me-what-can-i-do-to-find-support/.  You are so frustrated and angry that you suddenly just snap.  You may have a child with ADHD.  Any parent who has an ADHD child knows that they have meltdowns frequently.  The only way to truly understand how to manage the outbursts of anger, or meltdowns, is to understand what causes the anger in the first place.  Why are individuals with ADHD so prone to anger outbursts?

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