Best ADHD Comebacks: “At Least I’m Not Normal.”
Sometimes snarky, sometimes sincere — readers share their clever replies to tactless remarks about ADHD and ADD, including “please don’t judge what you don’t understand.”
ADDitude asked: What are your best comebacks to someone who misspeaks about attention deficit disorder (ADHD or ADD)?
That’s an interesting perspective. Are you speaking from your own experience, or are you quoting an expert in the field of neuroscience? -Taylor, Connecticut
Would you ask someone on crutches to hurry up? -Erin, Virginia
I quote Dr. Seuss: “If you judge a fish on how well it climbs a tree, it lives its life thinking it’s stupid.” We all have to find our place in life. -Becky, Louisiana
It’s great that you think that, but until you have ADHD, or love someone with it, work on getting your facts straight. -Kate, New York
At least I’m not normal. That’s really boring, isn’t it? -April, Michigan
Please don’t judge what you don’t understand. -Gretchen, California
[Essay: “Once I Accepted My ADHD, My Life Changed”]
ADHD is an excuse? The only excuse is your ignorance, and not educating yourself about the condition. -Dyamond, Texas
I am sorry you don’t have a child with ADHD! Mine makes every day so much fun. I wish you could experience that! -An ADDitude Reader
I always catch it for having my hubby and oldest son on meds, and my response is, “They are happier on meds because they can focus, and everything seems a little easier.” That tends to shut them up! -C.D., Colorado
I don’t have one yet, but I need one! My sister said something insensitive recently, and it hurt me. I wish I had a great comeback for people like her. -An ADDitude Reader
[Self-Test: Could You Have Symptoms of ADHD?]
When a teacher said, “It wouldn’t be fair to the other kids to give your child a notecard on his desk with a sample math problem during a test,” I said, “It wouldn’t be fair to ask a blind child to read the chalkboard either.” -Jeanne, Pennsylvania
I borrow Ned Hallowell’s comment: “I have ADHD, two of my three children have ADD, and the third wishes he did!” -Bill, South Carolina
Dealing with my daughter’s ADHD is so exhausting that I don’t have any fight left in me to try to educate idiots. -Elena, Arizona
Oh, I forgot about that. I’ll have to write that down and get back to you. -An ADDitude Reader
