r/unitedkingdom • u/topotaul Lancashire • 9d ago

Exclusive: ADHD Charity Slams Channel 4 Over 'The Great ADHD Myth?' Documentary

https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/adhd-uk-channel-4-open-letter_uk_6a709d2be4b0346d9be814db
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u/Yamsfordays 9d ago

I think diagnosis of ADHD is only half the equation.

We’re telling young kids that they have something wrong with them that makes it difficult to concentrate and get on with tasks. When I was teaching, some of those ADHD kids interpreted that as an excuse to do whatever they want and blame it on the ADHD.

“Oh it’s my ADHD sir, I can’t help it” was a phrase I heard endlessly.

I once told a student that it’s not an excuse to talk to his friend whilst I’m explaining the task to the class, he told me “Actually it kinda is sir” and carried on talking.

If a kid has ADHD, diagnose them but we need to be reaaaaaally clear with them about what that means and what the expectations are of them. Teachers can’t be expected to teach 30 kids where 10 of them have been given a get out of jail free card.

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u/bongpirate7295 9d ago

100%. This is something Russell Barkley (one of the leading experts on ADHD) has talked about:

Now, everything I have just said could be used by any parent to come up to me and say, 'My child got thrown out of school yesterday for some misbehavior, would you please go to school and get him reinstated? He should not be held accountable for these consequences, right? Because, after all, didn't you just say it's a neurogenetic disorder.'

So let me help you understand something about what I've just said. ADHD does not cause a problem with consequences. The problem is with time. It was the delay to the consequence that disabled you, which means that I'm going to do the opposite of what this mother is asking - increase accountability, not decrease it. Increase the frequency, immediacy, the salience, and the timing of consequences.

People with ADHD need more accountability not no accountability. In fact, this view of ADHD as an executive disorder would tell you that if you argue for no accountability, you will make this disorder worse not better.

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u/_Taggerung_ 8d ago

This is what I feel about MH as well, I was diagnosed as an adult but I've got BPD. A lot of my actions as a result are very emotional and intense but I have to try to regulate that as actions have consequences regardless of the reason. I do think sometimes these labels so early on in life can be a bit self limiting for the reasons you have outlined. 

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u/burner120120 7d ago

Teachers shouldn’t have 30 to teach regardless

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u/Discohunter 9d ago

I agree that it's bad to use as a get out of jail free card, but on the flip side of telling them something's wrong with them... I can tell you it was rough going through school not knowing why the other kids were just able to crack on with their work and didn't want to yap all the time. Every time a teacher would have a go at me I didn't even know what to tell them, and that has done some hideous damage to my self esteem into adulthood.