My question about the Dr. saying that he believed only children have ADHD is: If ADHD is cause by differences in brain function (something I have read repeatedly), how can children's brains "fix" themselves to function "normally" as adults? :confused: If ADHD is a neurological condition, I would think it would remain constant throughout one's life, the difference lying with the manifestation of the symptoms.

That is also my big question about the data I have seen saying that a small percentage of children diagnosed with ADHD grow out of it. If it is truly ADHD how is it outgrown? I would appreciate anyone who has any information about this. I would love to learn more.

I've heard different estimates on the percentage who grow out of it. For some people, they may eventually learn certain strategies or enter certain fields and find that it no longer causes difficulties for them, so by definition it is no longer a disorder. For instance, a good friend of mine is now teaching pre-schoolers, as she has a degree in early childhood education. She finds that this is something that she can do very well, as she relates very well to hyperactive kids.

In addition, there have been some theories that the brain can adapt somewhat. For instance, the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for most of the functions that we lack, is often the last to fully develop. This is why minors are often not considered legally responsible for their actions, because they lack the capacity to fully understand and control their actions.

However, the add symptoms don't really seem to be the same as simple immaturity due to underdeveloped prefrontal cortices. It's far more consistent with a miscommunication between the prefrontal cortex and the rest of the brain, which is why medication is so effective. If it were simply a matter of dead or undeveloped neurons, medication would make no difference, because increasing transmitter levels would have little or no effect, like turning up the volume on a stereo that's not plugged in.

This brings me to one manner in which add could be grown out of. The brain is capable of rerouting pathways and growing new connections between neurons, and in fact it does this all the time when we learn new skills, especially those which reuires a great degree of coordination between different body parts or different areas of the brain. Children are especially capable of doing this, and some types of childhood brain damage are ironically less serious than in adults because they can simply work around it.

Now, add is not brain damage, at least in the traditional sense of dead neurons, but I suppose it is possible that some children who are given appropriate therapy and training could certainly find themelves capable of working around some of the worst add problems.

However, I think that we are seeing more adults who are realising that they never really grew out of it, they simply either found some method of accomodating it, or wound up being chronic underacheivers and never knew why.

My question about the Dr. saying that he believed only children have ADHD is: If ADHD is cause by differences in brain function (something I have read repeatedly), how can children's brains "fix" themselves to function "normally" as adults? :confused: If ADHD is a neurological condition, I would think it would remain constant throughout one's life, the difference lying with the manifestation of the symptoms.

That is also my big question about the data I have seen saying that a small percentage of children diagnosed with ADHD grow out of it. If it is truly ADHD how is it outgrown? I would appreciate anyone who has any information about this. I would love to learn more.To put it nicely as you age your brain "matures"

Ginnal,
I'm 42, and I've had ADHD my entire life. Pretty hyper, actually.

I'm not going to 'outgrow' it, and I'm absolutely fine with that. (0:

How I 'deal' with it, is through effective means of psychotherapy/counseling, meds in the past (and will be going back on Adderall, shortly, actually) self-confidence, and being blessed with friends/boyfriend who also have ADD, and who also have the most positive outlook on life EVER !!

In my opinion, emotional maturity does evolve with age...with most individuals.
In my opinion, the level of ADD/HDness, varies, as always, from one individual to another.
So again, in my opinion, put the two together-I don't believe anyone outgrows their ADD/HD, they will vary in emotional maturity+ADD/HDness throughout their life.


Thanks! (0:

Nova

Your brain isnt fully developed untill u get older so u outgrow it like a lot of things. I had adhd bad when I was younger and thought I totally outgrew it but now I have just innatentive.

ADHD is a proven chronic, developmental disability that occurs across a persons lifespan.

The symptoms may change but the underlying problem doesn't go away.

The quickest reference is The ADHD Book of Lists by Sandra Rief (2003).

This is fairly old info:)

The key word in McTavish's post is developmental. Folks with ADHD have delays in certain core attributes and skills. For some the lag is small, as they get older they may approach a level of that attribute which is closer to the norm, hence they out grow it. For others their ADHD attributes are so delayed or severe, that little or no forward progress will be made at any point in their life time. The majority of folks with ADHD are some where in the middle between the two ends of the spectrum so they will still be impaired, but to a lesser degree over their life time.

Some times the impairments do go away because of life choices people make. They choose the correct life partners. They find the "perfect" fit for a job. They don't focus on trying to improve their weaknesses and are able to focus on the strengths.

From what I understand research suggests that at least 70% of children who were diagnosed as children still have AD/HD into adulthood. I really wonder what in fact is going on with those 30% who don't still have it. I wonder if the still have the same brain wiring as people who have the disorder.

I really wonder what life choices the 30% have made. Do they have life partners who organize their lives? Do they lives in the middle of the woods where they don't have to make very many choices. Do they have the type of life that doesn't require much executive brain functioning?

Then if we look at how many people are now just being diagnosed at adults I bet that 30% would drop even lower.

Your brain isnt fully developed untill u get older so u outgrow it like a lot of things. I had adhd bad when I was younger and thought I totally outgrew it but now I have just innatentive.
that would be me.

and even the inattentive is only noticeable by others when i am really inattentive, i.e. really tired or stressed. most people can't tell; my husband notices right away because i get more "forgetful".

i just call it my swiss cheese brain. luckily i am in a job where i have to redirect my attention every so often, because the tasks are many and varied.

My ADHD improved greatly when I hit puberty -- apparently estrogen was good to me. The only down side of that is now that I'm approaching menopause my childhood ADHD is getting worse again!:eek: Coming full circle I guess. Everyone is a bit different though. I've read that many girls get worse ADHD when they hit puberty and are more like the boys with ADHD who were diagnosed earlier. For most folks in any case at least the physical wiggles tapper off and we do continue to develop more maturity, just frequently a bit behind non ADDers (at least if impulse control is an issue).
Scattered

Some times the impairments do go away because of life choices people make. They choose the correct life partners. They find the "perfect" fit for a job. They don't focus on trying to improve their weaknesses and are able to focus on the strengths.

From what I understand research suggests that at least 70% of children who were diagnosed as children still have AD/HD into adulthood. I really wonder what in fact is going on with those 30% who don't still have it. I wonder if the still have the same brain wiring as people who have the disorder.

I really wonder what life choices the 30% have made. Do they have life partners who organize their lives? Do they lives in the middle of the woods where they don't have to make very many choices. Do they have the type of life that doesn't require much executive brain functioning?

Then if we look at how many people are now just being diagnosed at adults I bet that 30% would drop even lower.Excellent questions:) -- I wonder those things too -- I'd also like to know whether these same 30% who "outgrew" their ADHD will be revisited when they get older due to additional life stressors, natural aging process, or changes in hormones. John Ratey's idea about tipping point (small difference that make a huge difference in outcome) might apply, and when the right variable changes their functioning can go from the "normal" range back to impairment with ADHD.

Another thing is that because ADDers tend to be such poor self observers I wonder how accurate their "non ADD" stance is -- assuming they were correctly diagnosed in the first place. If you had asked me questions about impairment in college, I wouldn't have reported any. However, looking back now, wow! I sure did some impulsive, potentially dangerous things :eek: and can see how ADD was still impacting my social life and daily functioning.

Scattered

My ADHD improved greatly when I hit puberty -- apparently estrogen was good to me. The only down side of that is now that I'm approaching menopause my childhood ADHD is getting worse again!:eek: Coming full circle I guess. Everyone is a bit different though. I've read that many girls get worse ADHD when they hit puberty and are more like the boys with ADHD who were diagnosed earlier. For most folks in any case at least the physical wiggles tapper off and we do continue to develop more maturity, just frequently a bit behind non ADDers (at least if impulse control is an issue).
Scattered
I think I am one of those who's ADHD got worse with puberty. I wasn't diagnosed until I was 20, but looking back, my parents and I think I was more inattentive until high school, then developed more of the hyperactivity and impulsivity aspect.

I think that the poore metacognition can have a big part in it. When I was first diagnosed, ADHD wasn't explained properly to me, so I didn't think I had it, and if I dide, it wasn't enough to need medication. As I learned more about ADHD and started looking at my difficulties in life, I realized it has a much greater impact on my life than I originally thought!:faint: It is so amazing what you realize when you look at the symptoms and really think about yourself and how much it has impacted your life.Excellent questions:) -- I wonder those things too -- I'd also like to know whether these same 30% who "outgrew" their ADHD will be revisited when they get older due to additional life stressors, natural aging process, or changes in hormones. John Ratey's idea about tipping point (small difference that make a huge difference in outcome) might apply, and when the right variable changes their functioning can go from the "normal" range back to impairment with ADHD.

Another thing is that because ADDers tend to be such poor self observers I wonder how accurate their "non ADD" stance is -- assuming they were correctly diagnosed in the first place. If you had asked me questions about impairment in college, I wouldn't have reported any. However, looking back now, wow! I sure did some impulsive, potentially dangerous things :eek: and can see how ADD was still impacting my social life and daily functioning.

Scattered

I would agree with those the claim you never outgrow it, but with the lessening of symptomology that comes with maturing in general, and correct life choices, it become more of a mindstyle than a disorder. I don't believe, however, that the fundamental nature of this mindstyle can be "outgrown".

I think that the symptoms probably present unevenly over the life course. Hyperactivity will probably be the worst up to puberty. Impulsivity bad up till early elementary, then worst from teens to early 20s (due to our greater capacity to cause harm to ourselves and others, but still with busted brakes). Short-term memory degrades with age, 30s and beyond.

While we learn ways to cope with our ADHD as we age, we also tend to pick up some bad habits: unhealthy coping strategies (what -- getting poop-faced every night isn't a good way to calm my brain??), anxiety, stress-related illnesses, anger management issues, depression due to repeated failures, ...