“I Wish the World Would…”
Readers imagine a world in which attention deficit was better understood and accepted.
Believe that ADHD is real. I wish that our world understood that a lack of chemicals in the brain is not that different from having chemical deficiencies in other parts of the body, like an insulin shortage leading to diabetes.
-D.S., Arkansas
Stop being so judgmental about medications being used for ADHD treatment. They do not realize how heart-wrenching it was for my husband and me to decide to take this route for our son. It’s not like we woke up one day and said, “Hey, we have nothing better to do than place our son on drugs. Let’s do it!” There were thousands of tears shed first — by my husband, me, and my son.
-Michelle, Ohio
Can the remarks about needing to focus on tasks and not responding quickly enough to phone calls and e-mails. At 52, I’m a little tired of it.
-Andrea, New York
[Free Handout: Debunking Annoying ADHD Myths]
Stop being so critical of me. I struggle with constant lack of understanding from my spouse. I also struggle at work. Many times I feel that, due to my inability to get to the point, I am ignored and misunderstood.
-George, Louisiana
Understand that it’s not the end of the world if my child wants to stand up when he works or takes his shoes off when he sits. Hey, maybe it’s not about them.
-Jeanette, Virginia
Shut up, instead of saying, “I had an ADD moment.” Comments like that depreciate the challenges that ADHD brings to our lives every day.
-Erin, Florida
Be more forgiving. We all have strengths and weaknesses.
-Diana, Maine
[Answers to the ADHD Questions You Didn’t Know You Had]
Refrain from saying that my ADHD will go away and that I’ll be fine when I’m older.
-An ADDitude Reader
Realize that dealing with a physical disability would be easier than dealing with a disability that no one can see.
-Kerry, Alabama
Quit telling me there’s no such thing as ADHD, that it’s all a drug company conspiracy, and that I don’t need meds.
-Cliff, Colorado
Be quiet more. I think having ADHD is a lot like being left-handed. The world isn’t designed for you, but that doesn’t mean you can’t learn to navigate it.
-Brendan, Massachusetts
[What NOT to Say to the Parent of a Child with ADHD]
Understand that I don’t care what they think. In the long run, what matters is what we think about ourselves!
-An ADDitude Reader
