Yeah...isn't that something? Apparantly, having ADD or ADHD is not acceptable in our community. For years I've gone undiagnosed while having the suspicion that what I was suffering from/dealing with, was Adult ADD. After going to my University's (HBCU) Psychology department (2004), I was convinced by the secretary after speaking to a psychiatrist who took some tests and then spoke with me while annoyingly writting on a notepad...

that I should pray about it...and then I was extended an invite to her church and eventhough I explained I wasn't a christian...she practically ignored that...but you get where I'm going...

I can't begin to tell you how hard it was getting someone on the phone who could direct me towards the right people who could evaluate me for ADD...needless to say, I dropped out after that summer semester...due to return this fall...three years later...

Two of my kids were diagnosed and that was my indicator that I was on the right track in terms of myself...I started to get so much backlash about medicating or not...because "our" kids were "overdiagnosed" and one of my girlfriends has children who have been diagnosed and to me seem to 'REALLY' need help but she refuses out of what I believe is mere selfishness and fear of looking like a bad mother who doesn't have it all together...

Mental illness is a major taboo in our communities and I believe so many of us could benefit from getting help in that area...

anyone else ever experience the "black" taboo?
__________________________________________________ ___________


Scare Tactics May Deter Blacks From ADHD Help

Eve Bender Though data show that African-American children are less likely to be diagnosed with and treated for ADHD than white children, some believe erroneously that they are disproportionately diagnosed with ADHD.


http://pn.psychiatryonline.org/content/vol41/issue10/images/small/RahnK.gif Photo courtesy of Rahn Bailey, M.D. Rahn Bailey, M.D.: "At the same time that we are developing new strategies to treat brain illnesses, we are also struggling with propaganda, stigma, and discrimination regarding diagnosis and treatment."





African-American children are especially vulnerable to antipsychiatry messages condemning treatment for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), experts say, which keeps many from needed treatment.

As a result, some of these untreated children end up in the criminal justice system and special education settings, where behavioral problems are less likely to be addressed.

"At the same time that we are developing new strategies to treat brain illnesses, we are also struggling with propaganda, stigma, and discrimination regarding diagnosis and treatment," Rahn Bailey, M.D., told Psychiatric News. "That burden is shouldered disproportionately by African Americans."

Bailey, who is chair of the National Medical Association's section on psychiatry and the behavioral sciences and medical director of Bailey Psychiatric Associates in Houston, hosted a conference call on ADHD in African-American communities set up through the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Multicultural Action Center on ADHD in April.

During the call, he noted that many African Americans may be reluctant to seek psychiatric treatment in general because it is sometimes perceived as being "contrary to spiritual beliefs" and because family members and friends may view psychiatric treatment as a "personal failure."

Antipsychiatry groups compound stigmatizing attitudes by flooding these communities with literature claiming that "Ritalin kills" and "psychiatry created racism," according to psychiatrist Carl Bell, M.D., director of the Community Mental Health Council in Chicago.

Even mental health professionals working in African-American communities are targeted with "slick, 30-page monographs," he said, with messages warning of the dangers of psychiatric medications.

Bell and his staff carefully evaluate children for ADHD and do not rush to put them on medications, he said.

Typically, he noted, they may first try family therapy and work with school personnel to correct behavior problems in children, but "when that doesn't work, we suggest Ritalin if the child has been diagnosed with ADHD."

Bell said he feels as if he is fighting an uphill battle.

"Parents tell me that putting their kids on Ritalin is a genocidal plot," Bell said.

One misconception held by many African Americans, according to Bell and Bailey, is that ADHD is overdiagnosed in African-American children and that many are placed on psychostimulants unnecessarily.

Bailey emphasized that psychiatrists can be effective in countering false or negative antipsychiatry messages with scientific data, which show that African Americans do not receive adequate treatment for ADHD compared with nonminority groups.

For instance, according to Regina Bussing, M.D., in a random sample of 1,615 elementary school students in Florida, a study found that Caucasian children with elevated scores on an ADHD rating scale were more than twice as likely as their African-American peers to receive an evaluation for a behavioral problem, be diagnosed with ADHD, or be under treatment for ADHD.

The study appeared in the April/June 2003 Journal of Behavioral Health Services and Research.

Bussing is a professor and training director in the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the University of Florida.

In an earlier study, Bussing found that among the parents of children at high risk for ADHD, fewer African-American parents than white parents had heard of the disorder (69 percent vs. 95 percent, respectively).

In addition, only 17.5 percent of African-American parents reported having received information about ADHD from their physicians, compared with 29 percent of white parents.

A study by Julie Zito, Ph.D., examining 1991 Medicaid data in Maryland found that among 100 enrollees, African-American youth aged 5 through 14 with Medicaid insurance were less likely to have been prescribed psychotropic medications than Caucasian youths with Medicaid insurance (39 percent to 52 percent).

Regarding stimulants, African-American children were prescribed psychostimulants at a ratio of 1:2.5 when compared with the prescription rates for Caucasian children, Zito found.

The study appeared in the February 1998 Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

According to Bailey, one of the consequences of this disparity in ADHD treatment for African-American children is that they are often dealt with in inappropriate ways. "Per capita, there are about twice as many African-American children in some form of remedial education" as white youth, he noted, and African-American children are overrepresented in criminal justice settings.

"It is our job to educate people," he continued. "Treatment is available, and it works."

Wow. This was very informative. I had no idea this was even an issue.

There is discussion amongst our Christian members of this exact issue with religion in our Mediation/Spirituality (http://www.addforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=35268)section. It might be an interesting read to you, even though you're not religious, simply the empathy of ADDers facing that stigma in their own religion. They know they have ADD and they are challenged for resorting to medications. Post #3 starts the discussion off.

* moderator note to all enjoying this thread...specific religious discussion is directed to the Meditation/Spirituality section...please keep this thread on topic, thank you*

Well I didn't know it was an issue either, I assumed ADD as well as other neurobiological difference was color blind. You have ADD based upon your brains wiring having nothing to do with the amount of melanin {pigment} in your skin.


This may be a some much needed information for others who may have experienced the same struggles but were hesitant to say some thing. I will have to admit you have picked an ADD topic I have yet to explore and after decades of being diagnosed this isn't an easy task

It seems like ADD kids would act like ADD kids, I do not understand why color would make symptoms any less ADD like. I wonder if it is due to the amount of African Americans that are in disadvantaged schools?

The statement that African American people are less likely to seek help combined with the fact that MEN {in general } are more resistant {as a rule} to seek forms of psychiatric treatment would mean black males are very un-likely to be treated for ADD. Which by the way would explain my brother-in-'s resistance to seek treatment for his obvious neurobiological difficulties. I always figured it was a male thing never realizing ethnicity was an issue.

It's the fact that African American's see psychotheraphy as an issue that is more widely accepted by other cultures that prevents the discussion and/or the help...I don't know many people who can say they have gone to counseling for anything...I can probably count them on my hand...it's just something that isn't done or talked about.

I believe psychology for "minority" groups is placed in a category along with religion and spirituality...

..and yes, African American men are the very least likely to seek psychotheraphy for anything which is very discouraging seeing that they are at high risk for drug abuse, incarceration amongst other things...it's very unfortunate.

Well I didn't know it was an issue either, I assumed ADD as well as other neurobiological difference was color blind. You have ADD based upon your brains wiring having nothing to do with the amount of melanin {pigment} in your skin.


This may be a some much needed information for others who may have experienced the same struggles but were hesitant to say some thing. I will have to admit you have picked an ADD topic I have yet to explore and after decades of being diagnosed this isn't an easy task

It seems like ADD kids would act like ADD kids, I do not understand why color would make symptoms any less ADD like. I wonder if it is due to the amount of African Americans that are in disadvantaged schools?

The statement that African American people are less likely to seek help combined with the fact that MEN {in general } are more resistant {as a rule} to seek forms of psychiatric treatment would mean black males are very un-likely to be treated for ADD. Which by the way would explain my brother-in-'s resistance to seek treatment for his obvious neurobiological difficulties. I always figured it was a male thing never realizing ethnicity was an issue.

Hmmmm things must be different in different parts of the country. At my clinic the African Americans are the majority of the patients. I speak to a lot of the parents and they do not seem resistant at all.

Sorry to hear its so rough in Chicago :( that's got to be hard!

surprising

GM.....
I have seen this in the schools, but some of it differs with geography-the more middle upper income African American students were more likely to be dx's and on meds. Those from low income/poverty, in my local experience, viewed meds as unnecessary......

The disproportionate percentage of minorities in special education, remedial, and incarcerated is a much under-acknowledged problem-why don't people listen to the students and their teachers to understand how to teach and how to learn in diverse ways and understand the culture of the communities they serve?

I have seen this in the schools, but some of it differs with geography-the more middle upper income African American students were more likely to be dx's and on meds. Those from low income/poverty, in my local experience, viewed meds as unnecessary

It is easy to see why when one has limited resources why rent and food may be seen as more necessary than mental health treatment. Although it does seem that the more educated or wealthy one is the more likely they are to seek services for mental health issue. Apparently when compared to Caucasians of equal economic and educational status African Americans are still not as likely to seek and stay with treatments. . . . the causes are far from one sided as it seems to be due to barriers on both sides of the issue. Limited sources and access may be more of a problem for minorities however there own cultural mistrust issues are also a major hindrance.

Below please find documentation sources for my reply.


Help-seeking attitudes among AfricanAmerican college students (http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FCR/is_4_39/ai_n16083967)

Previous studies of the general population's attitudes and behaviors toward seeking help for mental health problems (e.g. Kushner & Sher, 1991) have documented a general underutilization of mental health services. Factors contributing to such underutilization include limited access to mental health services (Leaf, Bruce, Tischler, & Holzer, 1987), inadequate recognition or acknowledgment of problems (Yokopenic, Clark, & Aneshensel, 1983), fears (Kushner & Sher, 1991), and submissive authoritarianism (Furr, Usui, & Hines-Martin, 2003). Although attitudes toward seeking psychological help have been studied generally, relatively little is known about African American college students' attitudes towards seeking help for psychological difficulties. Specifically, an examination of the literature addressing help-seeking attitudes revealed that African Americans are underrepresented in this area of research. The lack of knowledge about African American help-seeking attitudes is significant given the contention that ethnic minorities are embedded within unique and different cultural experiences.


The limited extant research in this area suggests that, compared to Whites, Blacks are less willing to visit mental health clinics (e.g. Temkin-Greener & Clark, 1988). Black college students, in particular, (e.g. Gibbs, 1975) report unwillingness to seek help for psychological difficulties and more negative help-seeking attitudes, relative to their White same-aged peers (Gloria, Hird, & Navarro, 2001). Much is unknown about the reasons why many African American college students are reluctant to seek help from mental health professionals. Regardless of socio-economic level and mental health needs, African Americans in general are less likely than Whites to receive mental health services (Robins & Regier, 1991; Swartz, Wagner, Swanson, Burns, George, & Padgett, 1998). Instead, they are more likely to seek treatment in primary care setting (Pingitore, Snowden, Sansome, & Klinkman, 2001), emergency facilities (Hu, Snowden, Jerrell, & Nguyen, 1991), or only under coercion or to meet legal obligations (Takeuchi & Cheung, 1998). African Americans in need of mental health services are also more likely than Whites to terminate mental health treatment prematurely (Sue, Zane, & Young, 1994).

To account for people of color's limited use of mental health services, researchers have suggested that culture may play an important role in contributing to help-seeking attitudes and behaviors. Through socialization, one's culture sets the subjective standards for determining the levels of tolerance for, and reporting of negative affect and symptoms (Kleinman, 1980). Culture also influences help-seeking through people's communication patterns, interpersonal relationships, and reaction to the environment (Watanabe, 1973). Using Bronfenbrenner's (1979) ecological model, Cauce et al. (2002) argued that the ethnic minority pathway into mental health services is itself affected by cultural and contextual influences.

Using a racial identity paradigm, some researchers (e.g., Parham & Helms, 1981) have found that differences in Black racial identity correlated with preferences for Black counselors and that differences in cultural commitment among Blacks and the availability of culturally similar counselors together affects counseling service utilization (e.g., Atkinson, Jennings, & Liongson, 1990). Similarly, Blacks' cultural mistrust of Whites predicts Blacks' premature termination from counseling (Terrell & Terrell, 1984) and negative help-seeking attitudes (Nickerson, Helms, & Terrell, 1994). Similarly, a pro-Black orientation tends to relate to more negative attitudes toward professional psychological services (Delphin & Rollock, 1995).

Culture-specific stigma of mental illness also reduces African Americans' willingness to seek mental health services. African Americans have been found to be less kind toward mental patients, and more likely to reject them and think they are inferior (Silva De Crane & Spielberger, 1981). African Americans are also less likely than Whites to find psychotherapy efficacious (Hall & Tucker, 1985). They are also more likely than Whites to seek help for psychological problems from family members or community or spiritual leaders (e.g. Miller & Weisz, 1996). Cauce et al. (2002) argued that culture might influence behavioral definitions and patterns of acceptance. For instance, supernatural, spiritual, and religious theories of behavior and emotions have been found to be particularly prominent among African American families with strong ethnic affiliations (Cheung & Snowden, 1990). Consequently, prayer and spirituality are used by members of many ethnic minority cultures as coping resources in lieu of counseling or psychotherapy.

***End Quote

~underlining and text color changes mine~

I myself am guilty of lumping = lumping ADDers into a category of it's own without regard to race, socioeconomic status or even age. It isn't meant to imply I do not think culture isn't important however please realize for the most part we communicate amongst our selves in a medium that blocks ready access this information. We are basically color blind.

Unless revealed by the member them selves we have no way of knowing if the people with whom we are communicating with are rich or poor, black, brown or white, even gender is some times not known. It is extrememly rare that I even consider such things. I think in some aspects even this article reveals that this may actually be a good thing as there is less mistrust based upon stereotyping.

With that being said . . . . . .

According to my breif research GiftedMenace you have a very valid point one not frequently considered due to the reasons addressed above.

This article was very informative and eye opening...innitially, I was going off of a theory and found some relevant information...I hate to be the one to think of things on a racial level but I am completely aware that there are some things "culturally" which seperate us unfortunately...

I would love to study this further and perhaps pursue a career in this area...thank you so much for even taking the time to do the research. I appreciate you!

GM.....
I have seen this in the schools, but some of it differs with geography-the more middle upper income African American students were more likely to be dx's and on meds. Those from low income/poverty, in my local experience, viewed meds as unnecessary......

The disproportionate percentage of minorities in special education, remedial, and incarcerated is a much under-acknowledged problem-why don't people listen to the students and their teachers to understand how to teach and how to learn in diverse ways and understand the culture of the communities they serve?this is really sad...I would really like to get to the bottom of this...

that would be monumental if students were taught based on cultural structures...I know this is happening in a very limited amount of schools...very interesting indeed...

How frustrating.

I experienced a bit of judgement from my pyschologist once I read the Sari Solden book. I got a bit of "So, I guess you think you need to be on meds huh?" I was like, your the pyschologist! You tell me!

Though I'm white, I know that a lot of people in general don't believe in mental illnesses. My experience has seen it be a generation problem (baby boomers think we're just whinning) but I would not be surprised if it went deeper then that.

BTW: My husband is bi-polar and we lived in the south for 7 years. He saw his school psychiatrist and she gave him the card to her pastor at church. He never went back.

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Lets keep it to ADD treatment and cultural barriers and can we please not side swipe politics. . . . I know that isn't easy but this is not an easy subject but it one that administration has allowed as they feel it is informative and thus far supportive. Let us keep it that way, please.


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This article was very informative and eye opening...innitially, I was going off of a theory and found some relevant information...I hate to be the one to think of things on a racial level but I am completely aware that there are some things "culturally" which seperate us unfortunately...


{sigh} I know. . . . .

If the separations weren't so negative and cumbersome. . . I do not understand why people fear others who are not like them selves. We are different so we are inferior, is an attitude many in the ADD community face. Apparently ADDers of African American origin may be even more effected as it seems likely they may be getting pressured from even their "own kind" {ethnically speaking} if they seek treatment and "normals" {NTer-neurotypicals} in general if they do not . talk about a rock and a hard place {man that does suck :( }

Although I enjoy diversity of all kind including cultures, I believe it is sad that some thing each of us should be proud of prevents many from getting the help that they need. Each time help is not sought not only does the person suffer but the culture that person is a part of also suffers.

I believe cultural as well as individual neurobiological diversity enhances society so when one suffers all groups eventually do as as well, This would be an interesting in-depth study and one that appears to be under investigated.It would be beneficial to all if this barrier could be breached, it would be a start to even know what all the barrier entails.

Hmmm...

Not sure what this "title" means...

Also, yes, I agree that "diversity" -- what a charged buzz word -- rocks. However, I could do without my "neurological" diversity.

That said, I certainly respect that there are others who experience this as a gift. I am newly diagnosed and consider it a fact, something that just is.

Being diagnosed as ADD is a blessing only in the sense that in reading to learn more about ADD, I have discovered a lot about myself. Reading Sari Solden's Book has really helped me understand more about how I affect other people, now I understand why folks have been so ****ed off. (LOL)

Uh...
ADHD can be diagnosed to anyone. Whatever race they are. I think that this is what this thread is about? :S

Blacks in general are less likely to seek medical help in general, and beyond that this nation IS overmedicated. We see all our problems ending at the popping of a pill. Personally I don't medicate but thats just from a horrifying experience with a strattera where I literally experienced every side effect including the ones that Eli Lilly refuses to acknowledge.

Like all things in life as adults we have to act in our own self interest regardless of what our Church, our Race, our Job or anything else dictates.

Thanks for posting. Lots of good information and things I did not realize.

It is a $$$ thing too.

If a family has $, an LD or ADD kid is more likely to be assessed for and found.

If they don't have $, the same kid with problems is more likely to wind up in the correctional system. (Prisons are rife with LDs and ADDers. Although they usually have an additional criminal behaviour disorder too.)

I see a LOT of these people, coming from a prison town.

If they'd been born to rich folks, they'd have been "medicalised", not "criminalized'.

ADHD can be diagnosed to anyone. Whatever race they are. I think that this is what this thread is about?

It is about the barriers that can prevent diagnosis from occuring in an ethnic population that is historically underserved = in this case Africian American.

thats very interesting ay.
i dont mean to take away the emphasis on african americans but i guess its the same over here for us maori, ive never met an adhd maori before or any mental illness apart from mentally handicapped its unheard of and thought as woosy in a way to have mental illness..i didnt even kno what adhd and bipolar really was til i came in this forum..all of people from mi culture have symptoms that could be defined as ADHD..does that make all of us adhd?

i cant say ive ever met an african american before in my life apart from on tv, so i guess i cant really say much about that...

Interesting concept Maori Boy.....

A voyaging/colonising culture such as begat the Maori is based on a small groups travelling into the unknown and I can see how the usually rare gene(s) for ADD/ADHD (or any other usually rare genotype) could end up as a dominant within a small community.

I depends whether the boss guy in the canoe was ADD.....and many adventurous entrepreneurial types are...add to that the feeling of not fitting into ones birth community enough to decide to take the huge risk of sailing into the unknown....well sounds like a few ADD behaviour markers to me.

As the Polynesians and Melanesians spread from island to island these types would become more prevalent the further along the migration path one looks. The boss guy inevitably sires more kids than his subordinates.

I don't know what the male/female ratio was on the canoes or what the likely cultural norms were in the first few generations.

I'll have to go and leaf through my books...I've one called "The coming of the Maori" by O te raki....maybe there'll be some clues in there but its kinda old. From my memory the Maori have geneaologies going back to individual canoes...rather like the posh yanks tracing their ancestors back to the Mayflower.

I haven't read that book since reading about the Tikopean culture where voyaging was a population control measure.....when the population on the island rose above a certain point a group would decide to build a canoe and head off into the ocean, to take their chance of living or dying. (Reference Jared Diamond's book on civilisations and why they choose to fail.)

This is in direct contrast to African Americans in the US where the population did not voluntarily migrate and the genetic differences between original and displaced populations would not show the influence of small colonising gene pools. Indeed it is likely that the African American population is now more homogenous genetically than the African population. Selection in Africa was entirely based on being in the wrong place at the wrong time followed by a harrowing ordeal which only the toughest, both mentally and physically, survived

Interesting....but human racial/genetic theorising is always controversial....

kilt

the maori actually had sophisticated ancient knowledge of the stars and ocean currents. The knowledge of the stars is passed down to us to this day in the tukutuku weaving which adorns the walls of our carved and embellished whare (houses). Many of these tukutuku panels descend from the star charts carried by ancient navigators.
There wasnt just one waka but many that came to Aotearoa New Zealand. They think it was found unexpectedly by someone who went back to the island they lived on and told others, they had mapped out the way to get back. They also tried bringing different foods and animals for the voyage. Many can trace their ancestors to the waka (boat)that came over. This is because ancestory (tipuna) is very important to maori culture. My ancestors came on the Ngatokimatawhaorua waka. We tattoo the genealogy (whakapapa) of our tipuna on our skins to make the ta moko (tatoo). Before the british came to New Zealand we did not have any forms of writing everything was passed down orally. The maori were in NZ around 800-1000 years before the pakeha (white man) Knowing your whakapapa was essential to every maori. It was of great importance. That is why many still know it today. the maori culture is all about knowing ur tipuna or ancestors and paving the way for the future generations. Thats why they had laws on the amount of foods you could have etc so that they would be available for future generations. The government today are actually using some of the ideas from maori culture to help keep certain plants and food and animals in existence today.

We still belong to tribes now..im from the NgaPuhi tribe mostly but mi mum was half Te Rarawa and half Ngapuhi so that makes me 3/4 NgaPuhi and 1/4 Te Rarawa. I attend one ofthe NgaPuhi marae (meeting house) which is in my area more regularly rather than the Te Rarawa..though i go occassionly. My great great great grandfather was a cheif of the NgaPuhi iwi. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ng%C4%81_Puhi

sorry ive gone off topic majorly. I dont know if the africans had a similar culture or not..just some suggestions i guess..

Hey moari boy

Take strength from the best of your culture....it will sustain you through lean times.

herehere is more than death

kilt

That was an interesting read...I will log in at a later date to read this again.

Selena

Wow. This was very informative. I had no idea this was even an issue.

There is discussion amongst our Christian members of this exact issue with religion in our Mediation/Spirituality (http://www.addforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=35268)section. It might be an interesting read to you, even though you're not religious, simply the empathy of ADDers facing that stigma in their own religion. They know they have ADD and they are challenged for resorting to medications. Post #3 starts the discussion off.

* moderator note to all enjoying this thread...specific religious discussion is directed to the Meditation/Spirituality section...please keep this thread on topic, thank you*

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There is a topic people can we please hit some where near the subject?

Although the discussion began about treatment disparities in African Americans talking about other ethnic groups is perfectly okay as long as the discussion is aimed at how this relates to obtaining treatment for ADD and remains kept civil and appropriate for open forums.

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