By: Brad Tripp
The crayons
fall to the floor. The sounds of coloring against fresh dry wall are all Mrs. Doe
can hear. She is furious at her son’s behavior. She smacks Jimmy’s hand and he
runs away and cries. After a brief moment, she hears the markers against the
dry wall yet again. Mrs. Doe takes him to the doctor the next day. Jimmy Doe is
diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). ADD is a common occurrence in
many people nationwide, both young and old.
The true
nature of the disorder is a missing chemical in the brain that helps control
impulse. These missing chemicals cause short attention span. According to
quillivan.com, a site about living well with ADD and ADHD, children with this
disorder often fail at paying close attention, especially to the small things.
People with ADD also tend to ignore when people speak directly to them. Mr. Krutzsch,
a principal at Seckman High School, believes that a multitude of factors can affect
ADD. He said students’ ADD can be impacted, both positively and negatively, by
“…certain circumstances. It may be as simple as diet, exercise and interest
level in the activity…”
According to Dr. Phil.com, a site
with a well known psychological therapist (Dr. Phil) as its backbone, one way
to help with ADD is to observe and get educated about the disorder and the
medications one might take to help with their ADD. Chris Wolf, a student at
Seckman High School, believes, “ADD is trouble focusing, but…medication helps.”
ADD medications typically help calm a person down.
ADD can be outgrown, but is not
uncommon amongst adults too. According
to helpguide.org, a site about living with ADD, this diagnosis is not uncommon
with adults. Some may live with it their whole lives and some show symptoms
into early adulthood.
There are many myths to ADD. For
instance, some say ADD is nothing but a lack of will power. In some cases, this may be true, but that’s
usually incorrect. Another myth is that if you weren’t diagnosed as a child you
cannot have ADD as an adult. This is very untrue, as ADD can be diagnosed at
any point in a person’s life. All in all,
ADD is a common problem today and can be diagnosed at any time. The challenges of ADD are beatable, no matter
the obstacle.
