First, obligatory link.
I have ADHD. I have all the symptoms of ADHD. I can tell you right now that I do not want to have ADHD. Why do you people insist on being convinced that I’m making it up? ADHD exists. It’s not a case of, “Oh, your parents never disciplined you properly,” or “You’re making it up as an easy excuse for your behavior.” I have ADHD. If you doubt that, you can bite me.
My younger brother has been diagnosed with Tourette’s syndrome. Neither the diagnosis or the validity of his mental state are never called into question. If you tell someone that knows what Tourette’s is that he has the syndrome, they will know that he is not exactly like other kids, but he can function reasonably well. Most of all, they won’t think “Oh, he’s making it up.”
Why can’t the same go for me?
Why do people constantly say “You’re making that up,” or “ADHD is a scam by drug companies,” or “If you tried hard enough, I bet you could concentrate,” when I tell them I have ADHD? Why can’t they just fucking believe me?
And while this digresses a bit, I’m also sick of all the jokes about ADHD. I’ve good a sense of humor as anyone, but I now immediately know that if ADD is mentioned anywhere in a joke, the punchline is always (always) “Wanna ride bikes?” Really. Make up something new.
Another thing that irks me is when people decide they have “undiagnosed” ADD.
“Oh, I have ADD too!” (Wow! You can join our super secret club! Wanna learn the freaking handshake?)
“Really? When were you diagnosed?”
“Oh, I never got diagnosed. I just, ya know, know.”
Ah. You know. Well, that fucking settles that. Aslan had a good rant a week back about people self diagnosing themselves with Asperger’s. The same, unfortunately, happens with ADD and ADHD. It’s like they believe they now belong to some exclusive clique, now that they’ve decided they have ADD.
In conclusion, ADD/ADHD exist. I’m living proof of it. Make new jokes (or just stop telling the same one over and over). And stop fucking self diagnosing yourselves. If you really think you do have ADD/ADHD, go to a psychiatrist(or psychologist. I’m never sure which is which.), don’t just proclaim “I have ADD!” because you read the DSM.