Myths About ADHD

View the ADHD MYTHS Video from Medical News Today

There's been a lot of talk in recent years about attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, also known as ADHD. And with all the talk has come a lot of misinformation. Is this a real disease? If so, what are the causes? And how is it diagnosed? Join our panel as they help us separate fact from fiction.

Our Favorite ADHD Myths

Here are the Top 10 "ADHD Myths" that are popular on the internet or on talk radio. Follow the links below for our discussion on each of these "ADHD myths."

• ADHD does not really exist at all. It was created by psychiatrists, or drug companies, or psychologists, or the media, to create more business.
• ADHD does not really exist at all. It was created by psychiatrists, or drug companies, or psychologists, or bad parents, to create an excuse for children who act like "brats."

Here is a long reply to an article that maintained that ADHD was not a real mental health or medical condition. About 10 significant arguments are examined and rebutted with facts. Check it out!

• Psychiatrists are all evil. Therefore if they say there is such as thing as ADHD, they must be wrong, and ADHD must be evil.

Here is a rebuttal to the Church of Scientology, since they are behind most of the push for these myths.

• ADHD does not really exist at all. It is just a sign of exceptional intelligence, or exceptional creativity that is misunderstood by teachers, parents, doctors, and researchers.
• Children who can concentrate on things that they enjoy, like video games or television, cannot possibly have ADHD.
• Medication is horrible, terrible, sinful, dangerous, awful, and it turns anyone who uses it into a lifeless zombie or drug addict.
• Medication is the only treatment options that works. "If the treatment doesn't have side-effects, it can't possibly work."
• The only nation in the world that uses Medication for ADHD is the United States.
• ADHD is over diagnosed, and over treated by doctors.
• Here's your medication. There's nothing to worry about. ADHD medications are absolutely safe.
• Drug companies aren't in it for the money, they just care about kids with ADHD.

Here we have rewritten the "ADHD myths" into statements of facts.