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Return to “Q: My Teen Thinks His ADHD Makes Him ‘Worthless.’”

“Q: My Teen Thinks His ADHD Makes Him ‘Worthless.’”

"Teens with ADHD can be prone to having a low sense of self-worth because of the negative messaging they’ve picked up about themselves over the years. With ADHD, they may have been told, directly or indirectly, that they constantly 'miss the mark' – socially, academically, and in other areas. With so much negative messaging, it can be difficult for them to focus on anything positive."

2 Comments: “Q: My Teen Thinks His ADHD Makes Him ‘Worthless.’”

  1. Unfortunately, the Comments section of ADDitude does not allow edits. Therefore I would like to attach the following as the first paragraph to my post above:

    Parental pep talks, although commendable, are largely ineffectual in helping a teen with low self-esteem. Waste of time. Low self-esteem and inferiority complex are synonymous and comorbid conditions.

    And forget mentioning celebrities with ADD/ADHD as role models. Useless extraneous information. These people live on a different planet. They can afford to bare all and can tell concert promoters and sports franchises to go to hell. Ordinary people do not have that luxury.

  2. This article struck a raw nerve in me. I am a guy in his pre-geezer years. Please listen to me because I’ve BTDT. In high school in the 1960s I was the class nerd and definitely looked the part with my out-of-style crew cut.

    In an American high school the Big Men on Campus are the jocks. If you don’t have athletic talent, summer basketball camp will not land you a multimillion dollar contract and that’s OK. If you are a good student, that’s much better than OK. Work hard to enhance that strength but never brag about it. That will only engender jealousy. NEVER admit to having this ADD/ADHD $#1+; the BMOCs will weaponize it.

    What will boost your image is an appearance makeover. Wear glasses? Get contact lenses. Are you fat? Work it off. Also consider a change in hairstyle. In the dating game what counts the most is LOOKS, LOOKS, LOOKS. The airheads on the cheerleading squad will continue to ignore you and that’s OK but the beautiful smart girls will take notice and there is no better morale booster than having a hot trophy babe at your side.

    If you need professional help, get it. And continue to read ADDitude for its wise counsel.

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