Self Diagnosis Talk: Raise your had if you've got ADD or Dyslexia

[Dids]

Thought that occured to me via a conversation I had yesterday, and something I read today.

I know a ton of folks who, absent any clinical diagnosis, identify themselves as having ADD or "minor dyslexia".

Part 1- ADD:

ADD Wiki Page

I've got an (adopted) cousin who has been diagnosed with ADHD. It's unlike anything I've ever seen. Flying around the yard, talking a mile a minute, bizzare changes in topic of conversation without reason. Spend 5 minutes around him and it becomes clear that most folks you've met who self identify as having ADD have nothing close.

Part 2- Dsylexia

wiki page

This hit me while reading the really [censored] book "Heat" by Bill Buford this morning. He describes some chef with dsylexia and the full extent of his symptoms. It's pretty severe and a lot more than just mixing up a word or two.

I'm sure we've all heard this a lot, when somebody fumbles reading something "Oh, I've got minor dyslexia." This is just my guess, but I'm pretty sure you don't. You've read too fast, you're not paying attention, you do that thing where you see a word and make an assumption as to what it is without reading it (I do this a lot), but I'm pretty sure that's not called dyslexia. I think for the most part it's called "not paying attention.".

Discussion Time:

1- Why do people self-diagnose themselves with these disorders?

My supposition is that this is because most folks don't understand the full extent of these disorders. When they find some aspect of them in themselves, the find it makes a nice crutch that they can use to defend/reconcile some of their less than awesome attributes.

2- Have you done this? Do you think you have ADD or dyslexia but have never beeen diagnosed? If so why?

[Wakko]

I definitely have dyslexia. Which hand did you want us to raise? I'll raise the opposite.

[Kneel B4 Zod]

Dids,
I've heard of plenty of people who diagnosed themselves as having ADD. Especially as the "mtv" generation became the "internet" generation where everything moves so fast. Said a different/better way:

Lisa: We're the MTV generation; we experience neither highs nor lows"
Homer: "What's that like?"
Lisa: "Meh"


but, I've never heard of anyone who diagnosed them as having minor dyslexia. mb I'm wrong, but I kind of figured this was usually diagnosed by a Dr. at a young age.

[soko]

It's sorta like people who claim they have depression, an excuse somebody gives themselves to excuse their idiotic behavior.

[Dids]

Zod,

It may just be because of the environment in which I work, but it's something I tend to hear from students on the phone on occasion. Usually after they've done something silly like reversed a few numbers in their student ID or something.

[Abones]

I was diagnosed with ADD during my childhood. I was put on medication(ritalin) when I was in the fifth grade. My personal opinion has always been that in all but rare cases its a bs disorder. It really is used as a crutch.

I think my experience really requires a seperate thread.

[imitation]

Dids this leads to discussion that people who falsly self diagnose are people who often use ADD drugs either recreationally or for study, work.

But these people all speak of the wonders these drugs do for allowing them to study or work.

I can imagine that after trying some of these drugs and coming back to a normal cluttered reality that I imagine most people live in it would be easy to self diagnose.

[Razor]

[ QUOTE ]
I've got an (adopted) cousin who has been diagnosed with ADHD. It's unlike anything I've ever seen. Flying around the yard, talking a mile a minute, bizzare changes in topic of conversation without reason. Spend 5 minutes around him and it becomes clear that most folks you've met who self identify as having ADD have nothing close.

[/ QUOTE ]

This opinion seems to dismiss the possibility that there may be varying degrees of ADD.

[ QUOTE ]
My supposition is that this is because most folks don't understand the full extent of these disorders. When they find some aspect of them in themselves, the find it makes a nice crutch that they can use to defend/reconcile some of their less than awesome attributes.

[/ QUOTE ]

While such self-diagnosis can become a convenient crutch, it can also be a convenient crutch for others to dismiss the notion that some people's brains work a bit differently and can't simply be labeled lazy or whatever.

[Dids]

Imiatation raises something of a point:

I'm not talking about people who claims to have ADD to get Aderall. [censored], *I* want adderall, and I'd gleefully pretend to have ADD to get it.

[mrkilla]

Dyslexia most of you on IRC know this already. For the longest time I would write lower B's and D's backward (except in my own name).