The man makes some good points.

I remember when I was a kid, I would do things that helped me to learn and that apparently would distract the teacher or made the teachers think it was distracting the other kids (based on talking to the other kids, none of them were paying attention anyway or if they were then I wasn't distracting at all) so I kept being told to do different things like sit still and be quiet which were the equivalent of telling me to time travel back to ancient Greece and have a discussion in Ancient Greek with Socrates.  Heck, all these years later, I still struggle with the concepts of sitting still and being quiet, they just don't seem right.

My husband was diagnosed with ADD when he was younger (only he really does have difficulties with it but he's not medicated for it) and as an adult, he is very gentlemanlike.  Sure he has his downfalls like playing video games and acting like a teenager sometimes, but when it really matters he is the perfect gentleman; opening doors for me, carrying the heavy stuff, holding my hand going up and down stairs, etc.  He was medicated when he was in school and it really did help him learn, but it upsets me that they throw the disease around so easily now because people like my husband who actually HAVE the disease are made to look like fakes and attention whores.  He is neither... lol  I can tell a difference between somenone who is 'diagnosed add' and someone who actually has the disease a lot of the times.  So many kids these days are walking around like zombies and they don't need to be.  It's sad really.

I feel like doctors easily diagnose people these days. 

we've become a "therapeutic society"

@mrcolorful - haha...you always have such a fun way of saying things.  I agree with this dude, too.  His book, Wild At Heart is so good...even though it's really meant for guys.

@TheTheologiansCafe -   I think so too!

@XDaemonessX -   I agree.  My husband was also diagnosed with it as a child.  And he was given drugs.  He refuses to take them now because he doesn't see anything wrong with being himself, which I respect.  I can tell he has it at times, but I really don't think it's a big deal.  And, like you, I can tell when people are just saying they have it to get attention.

@wolvenchic - My husband has it, too.

@Secret_Qt - @SimplyNita - I agree.

@DanishDoll - I suppose if I had a child with ADD, I would say that same as you.  Though I don't have a child with ADD, my husband has it.  He took drugs in school to help him concentrate because, as you described, he couldn't take in information well without it. 

@josiebunny - You're welcome.  Thanks!

You display a complete lack of understand of what ADD actually is.

First off, there is no such thing as ADD... it is called ADHD. Secondly, what you are describing is "HYPERACTIVITY"- not ADHD. ADHD can come with the accompaniment of Hyperactivity or without- the two are not mutually inclusive. And on another note: ADHD IS NOT A DISEASE!! It's a disorder- learn the difference!!

Finally, you seem to think that ADHD is defined by hyperactive behavior- this is not true at all. ADHD is much broader than that. I, for example, have an extremely hard time focusing on a person talking when there are other noises in close proximity. Most people can focus on one sound, but for an ADHD individual, these sounds are hopelessly jumbled together- a type of "sensory overload", if you will. I can actually get bad headaches by being in a crowded room full of people talking... I just can't handle it. There's too many sounds at one time and I can't focus on any one of them even if I wanted to.

I must say, I'm highly disappointed that so many people are still so ignorant of this subject. Become educated before you start talking about something you don't know enough about.

Thanks for sharing.  When I saw the title I was thinking where do I sign up.  I wasn't diagnosed as a child.  When I couldn't sit still or pay attention as a child it was called "being naughty" or "having ants in my pants".  While I college I went in to a local hospital for free mental health screening and they diagnosed me with ADD and right away they wanted to start me on medicine.  I laughed and said no.

@kpsmom3 - I am so happy that we know more about this condition now and kids who need it can get help. My husband now uses Ritalin occasionally when he writes. He has written one book and just finished another!

@Lynnjynh9315 - Thanks for the information on ADHD.  As the bottom of this post says, I got this information from author John Eldridge.  I'm not trying to upset anyone.  I'm sorry if my post gave you the impressions that I am an ignorant person.  My husband and his brother both have ADHD, so I do know what it entails.  

FYI:  (my apologies if you already know this) ADD is still commonly recognized as an issue (http://www.add.org/), though it has been removed from the current version of the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Psychological Disorders), which means it is no longer considered a disorder.  However, ADD still exists; it has simpy been reclassified as a symptom that may lead to a disorder rather than a disorder in-and-of itself.  In a nutshell, anyway.

Perhaps Eldridge didn't present all the facts on ADD or ADHD, but I don't think that was his intent.  I think his higher purpose for writing this was to show that boys (as his book was geared toward guys) often have a different style of learning that is not addressed in our school system.

Thanks again for the information!

WOW!  Quite a lot of opinions around here.  I don't have one about ADD but I will say I loved that book Wild at Heart is great.  The companion book written by his wife is called Captivating.  It is also a good book. 

@SunnyMitsu - I don't know anything about ADD or ADHD, so I can't really express an opinion on them. I do know that I agree schools handle the learning (and personality) differences between genders quite poorly. I'm currently studying to be a teacher, actually, and in several of the education classes I've taken we've had a lot of discussion on these differences, and even possibly misdiagnosed cases of ADD and ADHD.

But really, I mostly wanted to say that I appreciate the way you handled that rather harsh comment left earlier. I always enjoy when people handle disagreements with respect and dignity. It seems that both of those things are a rarity nowadays. Anyway, that's all I've got.

Continued success,

~Stephen K.

@SunnyMitsu - I'll have to check out that book sometime.

@EndlessDepths - That's so cool that you're becomming a teacher.  That is one of the careers I most admire.  Thanks for the appreciation - It warmed my heart to read!    I can tell you will make a good teacher.  (And maybe even help make the education system a little better than it already is! )