The only aspersions I'm casting are on the ADD "industry".
[ETA - The issue on which I agree with Balto is that it does seem like ADD/ADHD diagnoses automatically lead to pharmaceutical solutions.]
Really interesting topic Mrs CAC4.
Two years ago I sat on a plane next to a gentleman who had just delivered a lecture on the diagnosing the differences between ADHD and Bi-polar in Kids. We had a great conversation on the topic of ADD and ADHD. He says there are techniques that can be tried before the last resort of medication. He felt that medication is used too quickly because it is easier than trying the other routes. His adult son also had ADHD and he was using bio-feedback techniques to great success.
In my opinion, I think ADD and ADHD are real issues however I don't think that changes the fact that they are probably over-diagnosed and over-medicated too.
I think there are probably a great deal of borderline ADD and ADHD cases in children that are considered problems more because the adults have trouble dealing with them. Also kids in general are not getting as much sleep, exercise and good nutrition which could also translate into behavior problems which end up being diagnosed as ADD or ADHD.
One case I read about was a 6 year old girl who was very fidgety and they thought for sure she had ADHD until they figured out she had sleep apnea, wasn't getting enough sleep, and fidgeted in class to stay awake. Once she was getting enough sleep her ADHD "symptoms" disappeared.
Anyway...
Mrs. CAC4, I think it's great that you have the ADD diagnosis. My only thought would be looking into other techniques to handle it FIRST before going to the medication.
But what is happiness except the simple harmony between a man and the life he leads? ~Albert Camus
