If you'll tell'm often enough, they'll believe ye'!
Once a year they (psychiatrists) hold a worldwide meeting where they discuss amongst other things, what new treatable diseases they could add to their portfolio. Here is a great response from some of these critters who look after our kids and grown-ups.
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=bguQkX1M1Pg
Other great info:
http://www.naturalnews.com/psychiatric_drugs.html

Here are some more:
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=Lk4hWWPv9EY&NR=1
Especially this one!
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=-P6_FwpVo_s&feature=related

There seems to be a lot of speculation going on in this thread, by a lot of people who have no idea of they're talking about.

I've hesitated posting anything on this thread. I can just imagine some moron using this as an ad hominem attack when they disagree with me. But what the hey... As someone who had (and probably still has) ADD (not ADHD – there's a big difference) I'll share my story anyway...

When I was 15, I remember one night watching that show “Unsolved Mysteries” with my father, and I was continually asking him questions that had already been answered.

My father eventually turned to me with a curious look on his face and asked me if I ever have trouble paying attention at school. It didn't occur to me at that particular moment, but I approached him days later and told him that I had realised – after he raised the point – that I was in fact having difficulties focusing in class. My mind would uncontrollably wonder off, and I would start thinking deeply about something entirely different.

My parents took me to a psychologist who asked both my parents and myself many questions, ranging from, “did I cry a lot as a baby”, to “did I feel that I could easily relate to people my own age”. The psychologist then gave me an IQ test.

Although my IQ fell in the middle of the 'Above Average' range (intelligence has nothing to do with ADD), the areas in which I was weak – along with the responses my parents and I gave to the questions – confirmed that I did in fact have ADD.

The psychologist didn't like the idea of medication and advised that I only use it as a last resort. But a year later, after failing school despite my adequate IQ, I bit the bullet and went to see a psychiatrist for the medication. After the psychiatrist checked the psychologist's analysis, he decided (very cautiously mind you) that I was a candidate for medication. The psychiatrist then prescribed me dexamphetamine.

Continued...

...Continued

The drugs worked a treat!

While on the medication, I was getting straight A's in my classes and could focus better than most other kids. I even noticed my vocabulary increase drastically in a very short period of time.

There are many myths about ADD and ADHD. Most people don't even know the difference between the two!

It infuriates me when I hear Right-wing, armchair expert so-and-sos making ignorant comments like:

“All they need is a good whack around the backside!” or;

“Children aren't responsible for their own behaviour anymore”.

Especially since I had ADD – which is the introverted version of ADHD. In fact, babysitters and school teachers would always describe me to my parents as a “quite little angel”.

Could it be diet?

Maybe partially.

But my parents always fed me very well and would NEVER let me eat junk food at all – EVER! In fact, my parents never once fed me fast food, and lollies and ice cream only ever came at Christmas.

Is ADD/ADHD related to depression?

Probably.

In my experience, depression was the end result of many years of intense frustration and low self-esteem throughout my childhood. ADD and ADHD are extremely frustrating experiences for both children and adolescents, and one can only be frustrated for so long before that turns into depression.

In my early twenties, I was diagnosed with severe depression. I've been off the medication for years now, but I can remember the frustration and depression being so intense, that I often wished I could smash my head against a wall until I was dead.

Is ADD/ADHD a new phenomenon?

No.

Contrary to popular belief, ADD and ADHD have most-likely always exited. Children with ADD were once just considered 'quite children', and children with ADHD would have been passed-off as 'devil children'.

Is ADD a curse?

Yes and no.

While it's an extremely frustrating experience, it does have it's benefits...

http://www.mental-health-matters.com/articles/article.php?artID=836
http://www.mental-health-matters.com/articles/article_test.php?artID=836&page=1

I can honestly say I fit every one of these categories.

Continued...

...Continued

In fact some of the most influential people throughout modern history were believed to have ADD or ADHD, and it's quite obvious (especially to myself) when you look at how they behaved, what they achieved and how they achieved it. People such as Beethoven, Sir Isaac Newton, Leonardo da Vinci, Van Gogh, Winston Churchill, John F Kennedy, Thomas Edison, Benjamin Franklin, John Lennon – even comedians such as Robin Williams, Bill Cosby and Jim Carey.

Micheal Phelps has ADHD and used swimming to burn-off his excess energy. Now he holds the record for the most medals won at an Olympics.

Yes, these people achieved a lot, but believe me... For every success story, I'd be willing to bet that there are hundreds of tragic stories of undiagnosed people who died miserable because they were made to believe they were just "stupid", or "bad".

Is ADD over diagnosed?

I don't think so. If anything, ADD is under-diagnosed because children with ADD are quiet and never seen to be, or have a problem.

Is ADHD over diagnosed?

Probably.

Although, I suspect a couple of the reasons that people think it's more prevalent nowadays is because of the spread of information via technology, and the fact that we're now more aware of it.

Of course over-diagnosis is a potential, problem and we need to be cautious of that too. But we must never let ignorance win, or lose sight of the fact that there is a problem out there, and that there has been for a very long time.

AJ Philips has contributed a series of posts based on "knowledge", as opposed to other posts that are based on sheer and utter ignorance, stupidity and rigidly held false, layman "OPINION".

I stopped contributing to this ridiculous "opinion" forum some short time ago, after realising that so many of the bigoted and inaccurate "opinions" here are given a tiny degree of credence by the simple act of viewing them. Uneducated ignorance deserves to be ignored.

My grandson reads this forum occasionally and that's how I came to know of it's existence. He informed me of this topic because he knows I have experience with the subject matter.

For anyone who has any real degree of education regarding ADD, ADHD, depression, plus Aspergers Syndrome and the other various forms of autism, it would be an exercise in FUTILITY to try and "communicate" the reality of these disorders to the pathetically ignorant, bigoted, and inaccurately "opinionated" people on these woeful pages.

It's impossible to communicate with people who hold inaccurate, bigoted, ignorant lay "opinions" on serious medical subjects.

AJ Philips, I appreciate your efforts, but it's a hopeless task. This site is populated primarily by a tiny number of repeat "regulars"........ this is not a popular forum. We have well over 20 million people in Australia, and only a mere handful of them contribute to this "opinion" forum. The forum has ZERO credibility. This is because of the incredibly LOW standard of contributers, as evidenced by this topic.

For anyone who knows the "facts" about these medical disorders, I'd advise them to NOT contribute, as all you will get is a defensive ignorance in return. By contributing, you will be giving succour to that ignorant valley of "opinion".

I shall now return permanently to my retirement from this ridiculous "opinion" site.