Hi there! 🙃 Today I want to tell you something about what the society around me means in relation to my ADHD. First of all, reactions to my condition can be categorized into three basic types:

1) Understanding individuals

2) People who deny the existence of ADHD or attribute it to everyone (it doesn't exist, everyone has it)

3) People who either cannot or will not realize the difference between ADHD and mental illness

It must first be clarified:
ADHD exists, and no, not everyone has it. There are many different manifestations, so those affected should be taken seriously when they talk about the difficulties they face, as well as their abilities.

ADHD is not a mental illness. A person with ADHD does not have a defective cog in their gear, as some (sometimes intentionally) misunderstand. ADHD is a neurological developmental disorder that is quite complex but has nothing at all to do with mental illnesses.

I am glad that there are some people who belong to the first group. As a social being, I, like everyone else, rely on understanding and acceptance. 🥰

However, the other two groups represent a burden:

When people deny the existence of such a disorder, everything falls into the category of character/personality. Symptoms that are difficult or impossible to control are used to paint a negative picture of the personality. The affected person receives no support and cannot change it themselves or not sufficiently. This often leads to depression or even suicide due to isolation and failure.

By equating ADHD with a mental illness, the affected person is practically denied everything. One no longer needs to take seriously what the affected person does or says. The affected person tries their best to address issues but is only laughed at, and behind their back, it's said that they are ill and - at best - to avoid hurting their feelings, people pretend to take them seriously. This essentially has the same consequences as the previous point about denying the existence of ADHD, but adds a more insidious layer.

🤍🖖