ADHD = The Creative Phenotype

by Neurofreak on July 28, 2010

Reddit has an interesting post on defining ADHD. The argument: Is it a disorder or a simply a creative, independently motivated human phenotype?

Here’s what I had to contribute to the conversation — the long version:

ADHD = the creative phenotype. I was undiagnosed, but had my parents been wanting to accept the only solution available at the time, I could have and would have been put on medication as a child.

I am very, very, very thankful to them that they didn’t. I respect everyone’s right to disagree with me, but my general feeling on the subject is that allowing children to use amphetamines, even when prescribed, may set them up for problems later on… whether from side-effects (in the long-term), altering their development in some form, or simply by teaching them that drugs of one type or another can be an answer to their life difficulties. I think it’s a false quick fix for something that just takes hard work.

I submit to you this simple question: If you wouldn’t give your children marijuana, a drug undeniably mild in nature (relative to others), then why would you give them a substance that belongs to a classification known to be dangerous and habit forming? Are we going to pretend that it makes sense to be concerned about the long term effects of marijuana on the developing brain but just because Ritalin (etc.) has a great marketing team and is societaly endorsed that they have NO long-term impact on the development of personality? My personal opinion is that the average individual is better off dealing with their problems in a non-chemical way if possible. Sometimes it doesn’t work out that way — I know. Limited resources, time, etc.

More and more research is showing things like exercise can aid in enhancing neural plasticity, which ultimately means better capacity to change personal behavior over time. So… Perhaps as an alternative you should consider involving your child(ren) in some kind of intensive/strenuous (but safe) physical activities that literally encourages brain development.

Also… Isn’t “attentiveness” based on context? Most “ADHD” children I’ve met seem to be quite capable of maintaining attention when they’re playing video games, or enjoying themselves doing something. Most of the time, I think, what is defined as “inattentive” really just means “abnormally uninterested in pleasing me/jumping through my hoops.” (The only rewards/positive feedback for school is a little happy face drawn on tests. This doesn’t work for people who aren’t wired to be people-pleasers. In other words, ADHD children dance to the beat of their own drummer, and that’s why there is a higher proportion of “ADHD” in Entrepreneurs.)

That’s my thoughts on the subject, anyway.

{ Comments on this entry are closed }

Thanks to celebrities writing books about postpartum depression, pretty much everyone knows what it is (a clinical depression that affects as many as 25% of women after childbirth). But did you know that men can experience the symptoms as well? It was assumed that the major cause of this depression was hormonal changes, but studies have shown that hormone treatments may not cure this disorder, and most women recover through therapy (or a combination of therapy and medication). But it is a recently emerging fact that there are almost as many men as women suffering from depression after their babies come home from the hospital.

In truth, this is not unnatural, especially if you suppose that this after-birth depression is not hormonal in nature. Men face many of the same challenges as women when it comes to handling a newborn. There is an initial sense of euphoria at the birth of a child, but the reality of life with a newborn cannot be avoided. Your little bundle of joy will almost certainly keep you up throughout the night for feedings, changings, or who knows why? Babies have immediate needs and a piercing cry that would test even the most stalwart of parents. True, men don’t have the onus of breastfeeding, but they face other difficulties. Most women stay home, at least initially. Men, on the other hand, must suffer through sleepless nights and then function through work all day. Further, they often have feelings of inadequacy when it comes to baby-related tasks. They may feel that they don’t share the same bond as the mother or that they can’t perform even simple tasks correctly (hey, it takes time to learn to put a diaper on correctly).

And then there’s the almost inevitable fighting that occurs between partners who have been pushed to their physical and mental limits. In short, caring for a newborn and facing the challenges that come with it can be just as hard (if not harder) for men. Luckily, Paternal Postnatal Depression (PPND) is a disorder that can be treated, just like any other type of anxiety or depression. Men should not feel ashamed about admitting they have a problem. These disorders are common and understandable and there are several resources available to help fathers struggling with depression. For example, if individual therapy doesn’t appeal to you, you can seek out groups for new fathers or contact family services in your area for other support groups. You can also find help at your church or simply try talking to a friend. Really, just getting it out can be a huge help. If you do nothing, however, you stand to lose a lot.

Your depression not only affects your own health and well-being, it can have a huge impact on your relationship, as well as affecting your child’s emotional and behavioral development. As a parent, you want to do the best you can for your child. That means being a healthy individual. Do not allow any imagined fears of social ramifications stop you from getting the help you need to improve yourself and in turn, ensure a stable and loving household for your family.

Alexis Montgomery is a content writer for Online Degree Programs, where you can browse through various online degree programs to find a college that suits your needs.

{ 2 comments }

95% of e-Cigarette Users Find It Helpful in Quitting

May 5, 2010

Researchers writing in the open access journal BMC Public Health polled 81 users and former users of the devices, finding that although the majority was happy with them, several concerns remain unaddressed. [...] Almost all of the respondents (95%) had found e-cigarettes at least somewhat helpful to stop smoking. However, users were concerned about potential [...]

Read the full article →

Redheads require more anesthesia

March 2, 2010

Bask in the weirdness of this one: Little known fact: Anesthetic requirement is increased in redheads. – “Red hair seems to be a distinct phenotype linked to anesthetic requirement in humans that can also be traced to a specific genotype.” Weird just weird. Did I mention weird? Let’s talk about it. Comment if you think [...]

Read the full article →

Weekends make people… happier. (now proven with SCIENCE)

February 27, 2010

‘Weekend effect’ makes people happier regardless of their job, study says – “From construction laborers and secretaries to physicians and lawyers, people experience better moods, greater vitality, and fewer aches and pains from Friday evening to Sunday afternoon, concludes the first study of daily mood variation in employed adults to be published in the January [...]

Read the full article →

Choline deficiency’s relationship with anxiety

February 24, 2010

Choline (and anxiety) – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia – In a large population-based study, choline concentrations were inversely correlated with anxiety symptoms in subjects aged 46–49 and 70–74 years who had valid information on plasma choline concentrations and symptoms of anxiety. [5] [...] It is well established that supplements of methyl group transfer vitamins B6, [...]

Read the full article →

Deep brain stimulation of the habenula aids depression sufferer

February 21, 2010

Deep brain stimulation successful for treatment of severely depressive patient – “Scientific studies have shown that the habenula is hyperactive in depression, the idea was to downregulate this structure by deep brain stimulation. [...] The brain pacemaker was switched off and was not reactivated for a few days, and the depression promptly returned. A few [...]

Read the full article →

Lack of sleep increases risk of suicidal ideation — in teens

February 18, 2010

Earlier bedtimes may help protect adolescents against depression and suicidal thoughts – Results show that adolescents with parental set bedtimes of midnight or later were 24 percent more likely to suffer from depression (odds ratio = 1.24) and 20 percent more likely to have suicidal ideation (OR=1.20) than adolescents with parental set bedtimes of 10 [...]

Read the full article →

Neuro Vocab Word(s) of the Day: Jamais Vu

February 15, 2010

Jamais vu – I’ve discovered a new vu. Thanks, wikipedia. – “In psychology, the term jamais vu (from the French, meaning “never seen”) is used to describe any familiar situation which is not recognized by the observer. Often described as the opposite of déjà vu, jamais vu involves a sense of eeriness and the observer’s [...]

Read the full article →

Success and setbacks for cocaine vaccine

February 12, 2010

Cocaine addicts take cocaine vaccine, then go broke – “After the vaccine, doing cocaine was a very disappointing experience for them,” said Kosten, a professor of psychiatry and neuroscience at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. Nobody overdosed, but some of them had 10 times more cocaine coursing through their systems than researchers had encountered [...]

Read the full article →