Is it possible to develop ADD (attention deficit disorder) or ADHD (attention deficit hyper disorder) after you are born?
I know psychologists say its not and that you are either born with ADD or ADHD or you aren't... But are there any studies proving you cant develop it? Could drug use cause you to develop ADD or ADHD? If you dont know for sure, I'd still like to hear your opinion!
2006-11-22 11:18:10 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Social Science ➔ Psychology
It was my psychology teacher who told me you are born with ADD or ADHD and it cant be developed.
2006-11-22 12:12:02 · update #1
The fact that ADHD tends to run in families suggests that children may inherit a tendency to develop ADHD from their parents. (This does not say with finality that they are born with it.)
http://www.webmd.com/content/article/60/67108.htm
We do know that some people develop secondary ADHD, for example, after a head trauma. We know that lead, at least in children, can precipitate ADHD symptoms and the syndrome. So we have to be open to that possibility. Certainly head trauma-from auto accidents, for example-are one clear cause. But we don't usually think of it as an adult onset or an adolescent onset disorder. We usually look for it starting in the early childhood years.
http://www.understandingadhd.com/focus_article.asp?f=xmlpressfeed&c=attentiondeficit_adult&b=understandingadhd
2006-11-22 11:22:54 · answer #1 · answered by Serendipity 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Actually, there is no proof that you are born with the disorder full-blown, just a genetic predisposition of developing it.
Having a genetic predisposition for developing ADD/ADHD does not mean you will develop the disorder. Environmental factors will influence whether or not you develop the disorder. Environmental factors may include (but not limitted to) drugs usage, hostile home, your relationship with your parents/family members/friends/peers, getting enough nutrition, trauma, etc.
This is a simple concept in the study of Biology(i.e. Gentoype + Environment = Phenotype) and applies to almost all mental disorders. Having a genetic predisposition for a disorder is not enough to guarantee that you will develop the disorder.
BTW, I've worked with many Psychologists and Clinical Psychology graduate students and not once had I heard them say that you are born with a mental disorder, only that you are born with a predisposition to developing the disorder. What Psychologist(s) told you otherwise? When you see him/her/them again, tell them to look into the Biopsychosocial Model of mental disorders and come to the 21st century for treating it.
2006-11-22 11:40:50 · answer #2 · answered by EruditeGuy 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
im sure drugs could bc when you are on certain drugs you can t sit still you cant comperhand things very well and you get bored also so i am sure drugs could cause add or adhd i am sure the after affect could stay with the drug user after they quite for a period of time too. Just bc they have no proof yet does not mean it cant happen. So i would think they would be wrong look at adults with add or adhd THEY did not have it when they were young so it did have to devolope some time in there life right considering they did not get it until adulthood.
well there you go.
2006-11-22 11:22:13 · answer #3 · answered by knowssignlanguage 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
ADHD and PTSD have many of the same symptoms. Did you have some trauma that could cause you to be anxious/jumpy etc. Psychology is in it's infancy many theories are just that, some don't even consider it a true science unless you get into neuroscience. So I would research as much as possible and trust your own instincts as well.
2006-11-22 11:26:36 · answer #4 · answered by crct2004 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Remember the old saying about getting a second opinion? Do your own research.Journal your symptoms etc.Look into self help sites like changes in diet. Just a few. Some things might be as simple as not being able to digest dairy properly.
http://www.earthclinic.com/CURES/adhd.html
http://www.homeschoolmath.net/teaching/add-adhd-diet.php
http://www.newideas.net/adddiet.htm
Good luck.
2006-11-22 13:10:05 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
i have a psych degree and am working on a masters in counseling...and i have never heard that you are "born with it".from what i have been taught, it definetly can come about later in life...there is a specific kind of ADD called Adult Onset ADD, where you get it as an adult. Im not sure who told you it can't be developed later on, because it can.
Your psych teacher was WRONG. That's why they are teaching psych and not practicing.
2006-11-22 11:40:18 · answer #6 · answered by EllisFan 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I know for a fact that it is possible because my therapist and psychologist has told me that as i grew older my chemicals in my body change. Your surroundings and enviroment can have a huge impact on weather or not you can develop either disorder. It depends on how you were brought up to where you live.
2006-11-22 11:22:23 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
In my opinion it is psychological not biological. I have read some psych books, all saying it's biological as is the main thought, but I don't agree. In my head it makes a lot more sense that it's pyschological.
2006-11-22 12:24:57 · answer #8 · answered by kittyandcj 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
drugs such as lsd (lesergic acid diethylamide) have been known to make disorders such as those develop after use but not if they werent in your family before you
2006-11-23 14:53:04 · answer #9 · answered by Queech 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
psychologists are not perfect ppl..of course they can be wrong!!!! and i think they are most of the time
2006-11-22 11:25:29 · answer #10 · answered by × 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋