Day 144: ADD and ADHD - What's The Difference?

1. What is the difference between ADD and ADHD?

Attention deficit disorder (ADD) is a general term frequently used to describe individuals that have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder without the hyperactive and impulsive behaviors. The terms ADD and ADHD are often used interchangeably for both those who do and those who do not have symptoms of hyperactivity and impulsiveness. 

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the official name used by the American Psychiatric Association, and it encompasses hyperactive, impulsive, and/or inattentive behaviors.

Problem

• ADD and ADHD are being clumped together.  When one does a search for ADD, the symptoms, causes, and treatments for ADHD will show up on the search.  ADD and ADHD are two totally different problems for different reasons that are not understood.  One has to dig to find scientific differentiation between the two disorders.
• What is not understood is that ADD and ADHD are coping mechanisms.  Yes, the symptoms are quite real - however, what is not understood is how the person actually developed ADD and ADHD and how the person uses these mind-developments as a means to tune out their environment.
• Medical and Psychological sciences have not yet made a connection between the factors within a child's physical environment - from womb, birth, and on - and the child's development of ADD or ADHD.  There is a common thread that the mother smoked cigarettes or drank alcohol during her pregnancy with the child as well as a genetic pattern.  The sciences are not looking beyond this point - they never have.  Being a person with ADD, this lack of interest of the medical and psychological sciences in the actual causes and potential cures for ADD and ADHD has been something that is frustrating and aggravating because there is no actual support - no one knows what the heck is going on or is putting 1+1 together as to WHY there are so many beings with ADD and ADHD today as compared to 20 years ago.
• Instead of getting the core of the problem and using resources to assist the human in curing this disorder, those with ADD and ADHD are given Cocaine-like drugs, suggestions for changing their choices of food, behavior modification therapy, and/or a pat on the back and told, 'Good luck!'  There are some homeopathic remedies which are supportive in re-building the structure of the brain which assists with person's learning - however, again, we are not looking at fixing the core-source-origin point of the problem as we're not putting 1+1 together.
• The healthcare system is giving ADD patients the identical medications, therapies, and suggestions for ADHD living which is a huge mistake. 

Solution

Utilize the scientific resources that we have to fully understand the problem with ADD and ADHD.  See, realize, and understand that medicating the symptoms of ADD and ADHD that make others uncomfortable is not going to make the problem go away and that it's most likely going to get worse - also within this, stop giving those with ADD drugs that are designed for ADHD as this is actually makes a person with ADD into a person with ADHD.  

As it is realized that ADD and ADHD are coping mechanisms used to 'tune out' the environment, we must re-educate the person to no longer tune out their environment and to instead find ways of taking responsibility for it and changing it. 

We utilize our Psychologists to be an actual support point for assisting others with ADD and ADHD with making the best decisions and showing ways that these decisions can be lived - and we continue to do this until the person establishes self-trust and shows the ability to make the best decisions over-and-over-again. 

Reward

Instead of having generations upon generations of humans medicated with Meth-Amphetamines and other reality-altering drugs to assist them in ignoring the problems that are here and having to continually live with the consequences of this within our world, we create a new human that takes responsibility for their family, their community, and their world and has the ability to make the best decisions.

We can relax because we've actually solved a problem instead of ignoring it - and within this, improved our world for ourselves, others, and future generations of others.

Establish trust with ourselves and others in our world - trust with ourselves that nothing is 'too much' to handle and trust with others that they can handle problems, make the best decisions, and live in a way that is best for everyone.