Do you suffer from ADHD? Or are you simply diagnosed with it?

The difference between suffering from ADHD (or ADD) and having the diagnosis of ADHD from someone who has ADHD but doesn't suffer from it.

Do you "suffer" from ADHD? Or does your family?

I was filling out a health questionnaire today and one of the questions asked: "Do you or someone in your household suffer from ADD/ADHD?"

That irked me. Because, no, I don't suffer from it. I have been diagnosed from it, but I don't SUFFER from it.

To suffer means "to undergo, be subjected to, or endure (pain, distress, injury, loss, or anything unpleasant." I don't feel that being ADHD is bad or even a negative. I work very hard to fall back and use that terminology when referring to ADHD.

Some people have ADHD; some people suffer from ADHD. But not everybody who suffers from ADHD has it.

I was once working with a man and his daughter who were both diagnosed with ADHD. He kept talking about how she suffered and he suffered and using the ADHD as an excuse.

Finally, I said to him, "You don't suffer from ADHD. If any one suffers from it, your wife does. You're dealing with the problems it causes-she is. You're using your diagnosis as a excuse not to the things you don't want to do or find difficult. And you're teaching your daughter to do the same."

I'll admit that the man was not quite ready to hear this, but his wife gave me a standing ovation. He came to me because he was looking for someone to tell him it was all right to be unorganized, impulsive and to not follow through on things. He thought that since I was ADHD, I would understand. I did. I just didn't agree.

Yes, there are drawbacks to having ADHD, but there are advantages, too. After all, another word for impulsive is spontaneous? And another word for hyperactive is energetic?

I believe ADHD is a gift. The analogy I frequently use is like getting a puppy. It can be fun and exciting, but it requires work. And if you work hard enough eventually you can minimize the problems. The don't go away, but they do lessen enough that you can start to enjoy being ADHD.

I do.

Best wishes,

Darcy Andries