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Adult ADHD Support Group
Time: 10:30am-12:30pm
Date: Sunday, 19th February
Location: Waterloo
Topic: "Working with ADHD?" with Coach Andrew Lewis
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Objective ADHD Diagnosis
ADD / ADHD Tests?
ADHD is a complex, varied and still relatively poorly understood difference in human brain chemistry and neurology. ADD remains "invisible" with no specific genetic test, brain scan or blood test to determine who has it and importantly whether ADD is one disorder/ difference or many. Experts from widely different fields produce scientific reports, offer opinions and write about ADD; everyone from psychiatrists, neurologists, journalists, teachers, parents, doctors, nutritionists, naysayers, people with ADD and even ADD coaches(!) have their own views.
Better diagnosis = better support
There is really no debate that a significant proportion of the Worldwide population (5-10%) have the collection of traits defined as ADHD, but with only patient histories and simple subjective symptom lists e.g. DSM, little is objective in an ADHD diagnosis. Frustratingly most of the symptom lists were developed for children and seldom match well to the individual experience of ADD adults. Those with ADHD seem to show widely differing traits of under/hyper-focused, hyper-active/slothful, quiet/busy minds etc. In addition people respond very differently to the variety of medications, whether dopamine re-uptake inhibitors (Ritalin etc), stimulants (Dexedrine etc), nor-adrenaline re-uptake inhibitors (Straterra), SNRIs, SSRIs, supplements, vitamins etc. Medication today works on a "try it and let's see" basis.
Future of ADHD Diagnosis
Diagnosis remains more an art than a science, with the exception of pioneers such as Dr Daniel Amen with his SPECT neurological scans and classification of six different types of ADD each with different treatments. We can only hope that one day soon we move to genetic tests and brain scans not subjective criteria lists; to defining traits not disorder; to research ADD strengths as well as weaknesses; to medications and supplements targeted to specific types of ADD; hopefully to objective science not personal opinion.